What do you think is the best spotting scope for short range target shooting in 2025 that's under $500?

Capybara

Capybara

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Mar 21, 2012
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Location
Ventura County, Ca.
Hi all:

I am a photographer and cinematographer so I already know you get what you pay for, I know optics and that I should be spending $2,000+
to get something really good. But I just bought a bunch of new guns, ammo, accessories and I am pretty tapped out on gun budget. So what is your vote for
the best spotting scope for under $500? Use is spotting groups on paper target shooting and for sighting in new rifles at 100-300 yards.

I have a Kowa from years ago but its so old that the rubber encasing started disintegrating, it's all sticky and gross and I was never thrilled with it anyway,
it was mediocre. If spotting scopes have followed other optical trends the past few years, there should be some pretty nice optics out there now, even
for $400-$500? Low light isn't much of a factor, clarity and being able to see 5.56 holes in paper at average (100-200 yard) ranges is.

I have tripods, I don't care if it comes with a case as I have a lot of hard cases for it. Vortex? Leupold? I don't think I can find a Nikon in this range.

What say you?
 
What power scope are you using? With a12x scope or higher you can see the bullet holes at 100 yards. Being a photographer you probably have something with enough magnification for 300 yds and under. Any cheap spotter should allow you to see bullet holes under 300 yards with normal range conditions.

We're the expensive glass comes into play is crappy lighting conditions and 1000 plus yards.

Vanguard and Vortex both make a decent low end spotter that would fit your needs.
 
I am biased… I have good optics - Swarovski, Leupold, etc. The wife is a semi-pro photographer (Canon), so she knows glass too. You are better served saving your pennies than buying cheap. That said… look used. Leupold has a gold standard for warranty (make sure of what you purchase… they have different warranties dependent on product!!). Surprisingly, Swarovski’s USA warranty is very close to the same.

Goodwill
B&H used
Cabelas Black Hole
etc…

for used, B&H is a gold standard…. get their credit card, and save the sales tax. Be patient….

 
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Any feedback about the Athlon Cronus G2? Amazon has them for $100 off at $899 but that would be almost doubling my budget.
I am also checking out this Nikon Prostaff 5 20x60 82 for $600. I have a Nikon scope on one of my ARs and it ha been excellent even though they got out of the scope business years ago.
 
Capybara said:
I have a Kowa from years ago but its so old that the rubber encasing started disintegrating
Click to expand...

I also have a KOWA spotting scope from 25 years ago.
It went back once free of charge because a drop of lube dripped onto something in the field of view.
Then many years later I grew tired of the coating getting sticky.
I sent it back, again free of charge. They refinished it like new.

Knowing what I know now, I might have bought the version with the coated lens that shows color better.
You being a pro, you know what I mean. Color "something or other" word starts with "A".

I've seen rubber coated test lead wire do that sticky thing.
Never found what causes it.
 
Im a poor boy and always will be.
I bought a Barska Spotting scope for game and paper punching. It is sufficient for my needs and has been borrowed for elk hunts 2 times by friends who said it worked fine.
My real suggestions to a potential scope buyer...regardless of the amount you spend:
* Get a good sturdy tripod. I like the small tabletop size.
* Buy a scope with the angled eyepiece. This allows multiple viewers without changing the height of the scope. When you set it up at the range or at a match, everyone wants to use it. When you set it up on a bull or a buck...everyone wants to see it. FYI
* a window mount isn't a bad idea.
 
DustyRusty said:
I also have a KOWA spotting scope from 25 years ago.
It went back once free of charge because a drop of lube dripped onto something in the field of view.
Then many years later I grew tired of the coating getting sticky.
I sent it back, again free of charge. They refinished it like new.
Click to expand...

Mine is sticky too. I didn't know that they would fix that. I'm going to contact them and send it in.

Funny, I had a drop of something on one of the prisms too. They did take care of that for me about 5 years ago.
 
Capybara said:
Hi all:

I am a photographer and cinematographer so I already know you get what you pay for, I know optics and that I should be spending $2,000+
to get something really good. But I just bought a bunch of new guns, ammo, accessories and I am pretty tapped out on gun budget. So what is your vote for
the best spotting scope for under $500? Use is spotting groups on paper target shooting and for sighting in new rifles at 100-300 yards.

I have a Kowa from years ago but its so old that the rubber encasing started disintegrating, it's all sticky and gross and I was never thrilled with it anyway,
it was mediocre. If spotting scopes have followed other optical trends the past few years, there should be some pretty nice optics out there now, even
for $400-$500? Low light isn't much of a factor, clarity and being able to see 5.56 holes in paper at average (100-200 yard) ranges is.

I have tripods, I don't care if it comes with a case as I have a lot of hard cases for it. Vortex? Leupold? I don't think I can find a Nikon in this range.

What say you?
Click to expand...

Check out Konus. Not too expensive and works well for range use.
 
Optics are mainly personal preference. What one considers clear optics others consider it a so so optics. A $500 spotting scope for me is good for 100 yard and closer shooting so I use a Leupold compact table top scope that is 10-20X40. For shooting longer ranges I just pay a couple of grand for the scope. Here in Texas heat is our enemy and a good scope will lessen the mirage heat waves produce, especially at longer distances. As was mentioned by @Armored farmer a tripod is going to be key, and you better be willing to pay $$$ for it because a cheap tripod can render a top tier scope pretty much useless due to stability issues.
 
Last edited:
shop.opticsplanet.com

Vortex Diamondback HD 16-48x65mm Spotting Scopes, Color: Green, Scope Body Type: Angled, Straight w/ Free Shipping — 2 models

Shop Vortex Diamondback HD 16-48x65mm Spotting Scopes | 4.9 Star Rating on 13 Reviews for Vortex Diamondback HD 16-48x65mm Spotting Scopes Best Rated + Free Shipping over $49.
shop.opticsplanet.com shop.opticsplanet.com

For the money, the darn-good-enuf-for-22's-in-the-black-at-100 yrds optics, and for it's "just right" size for range bag.....
And yes, I am using one. 😜

Also
slikusa.com

PRO 500 DXS (short) Black

The SLIK Pro 500DXShort makes setting up easy with secure, speed-release leg locks, short profile for easy low-angle shooting and 3-position, adjustable angle leg locks.
slikusa.com slikusa.com
and....
 
Last edited:
MEHavey said:
Also
slikusa.com

PRO 500 DXS (short) Black

The SLIK Pro 500DXShort makes setting up easy with secure, speed-release leg locks, short profile for easy low-angle shooting and 3-position, adjustable angle leg locks.
slikusa.com slikusa.com
Click to expand...
A sturdy benchtop tripod is something many folks don't think about when they get one. Steady is the friend of good images, just as much as good glass is.

I wouldn't spend less than 1K on a spotting scope these days, and would wait for serious sales to do that.
 
Don't overlook binoculars you may already have. I don't buy cheap optics for the reasons you already know. Sometimes, I don't want or need to use my Swarovski spotter if I'm going to read targets at only 100 yards. I just take some binos. I got the Nikon HG pre-owned on eBay for about 60% the cost of new. You may already have good binos. I do have a tripod mount for some porro Nikons. Good porros can easily be had for under $500 and their biggest drawback is just the weight, which doesn't matter for use at the range. I don't mount the HG because I can just hold them steady with my elbows on the ground or bench. My main use for the HG and the Swarovski spotter is for glassing game, but they're both useful at the range, and the binos are lighter and easier to transport and setup.
 
Capybara said:
Any feedback about the Athlon Cronus G2? Amazon has them for $100 off at $899 but that would be almost doubling my budget.
I am also checking out this Nikon Prostaff 5 20x60 82 for $600. I have a Nikon scope on one of my ARs and it ha been excellent even though they got out of the scope business years ago.
Click to expand...
Be cautious when purchasing Nikon although they are excellent glass! Nikon no longer manufactures shooting optics. Warranty might be questionable.
 
Does it have to be a spotting scope, if just for target shooting? I started out with a Vortex Diamondback 20-60x60 but since going to a Longshot Marksman target camera (good out to 300 yds), I have not used the spotting scope again.

Camera placed at the target, transmits live images via dedicated WiFi signal to a tablet or phone at the shooting bench. I set up multiple targets on a board and set the camera to "see" them all. Tablet viewing is zoomable into individual targets and shots can be sequentially marked and color coded for groups, etc.
 
Capybara said:
what is your vote for the best spotting scope for under $500? Use is spotting groups on paper target shooting and for sighting isutov n new rifles at 100-300 yards
Click to expand...
Spotting scope I use, certainly not "best", but I have been happy with VisionKing 25-75x70 Maksutov spotting scope for affordable $90 - https://www.amazon.com/Visionking-2...ting-Waterproof/dp/B00GH2JWTA#customerReviews

It's more compact than other spotting scopes yet due to 75x power, can see bullet holes better than lower powered spotting scopes.

e263cc2e-8ee1-42fe-9ac7-fea33cb81068.__CR0,0,300,300_PT0_SX300_V1___.jpg
 
Doug B. said:
Be cautious when purchasing Nikon although they are excellent glass! Nikon no longer manufactures shooting optics. Warranty might be questionable.
Click to expand...
I have a Nikon .223 scope on one of my ARs, it has been an excellent optic. I knew they stepped away from making scopes in 2020 but I didn't know that had ceased production of spotting scopes considering that many people use them for birding, wildlife spotting, astrophotography, etc. besides just shooting. What a shame. I've owned many great Nikon lenses and still have a couple of old manual focus Ai primes from the mid 1970s that I use on other brand cameras.
 
This will do what you need, by a company that's been doing optics forever. Celestron knows a thing or two about scopes. I bought mine direct from their web site.

Ultima 18-55x65mm Angled Zoom Spotting Scope | Celestron

The most compact model in our Ultima series spotting scopes, the 65mm refractor features a 45° viewing angle and excellent mulit-coated optics packed into a portable and durable refractor design and it comes standard with an 18-55x zoom eyepiece. This series was designed to perform well in a...
www.celestron.com www.celestron.com
 
tbs said:
This will do what you need, by a company that's been doing optics forever. Celestron knows a thing or two about scopes. I bought mine direct from their web site.

Ultima 18-55x65mm Angled Zoom Spotting Scope | Celestron

The most compact model in our Ultima series spotting scopes, the 65mm refractor features a 45° viewing angle and excellent mulit-coated optics packed into a portable and durable refractor design and it comes standard with an 18-55x zoom eyepiece. This series was designed to perform well in a...
www.celestron.com www.celestron.com
Click to expand...
Thanks for the recommendation, I'll do some research and check them out.
 
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