Best Spotting Scope

greg223

greg223

Active member
I did a search for past archives and didn't come up with anything, so maybe you guys can help me out. I need to replace my old spotting scope, a Bushnell that my wife bought me 30 years ago. It fell apart. I am on a limited budget so the high end optics are out. What have you guys found to be satifactory? How are the optics on the variable power models? Say 15x-45x? I am sure this will be the last one I ever buy so I want to make a wise choice (another 30 years and I will be chasing varmints in heaven /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif).
 
I have a high end scope for shooting matches but I have a tasco for about 75 dollars that I carry around in my truck for range work and to check things out. It is a fairly decnt scope and allthough not as crisp as my match spotter it does well. This was the first spotter I ever bought. after about 7 yrs of banging around in the truck the eyepiece broke off. I put in\t in a box and bought the high end scope. (Leupold) Afew yrs ago I sent it back to tasco and they replaced it wiht a new one. You might try sending the bushnell back. I bet they will replace it. It is worth a try.
 
Winchester 50x50mm Spotting Scope. Its tough, compact & has good glass. Comes in a hard case w/tripod. Cost $99.00. I've used my for a couple of yrs now. It has served me well. No problems.

Bought mine from, "THE SPORTSMAN GUIDE"
 
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Here's a pic of the one we used at the SHOTS shoot in CO. These sure are nice.I sure wouldn't want to carry them around to hunt. They sure helped see the hits at 1000 yds.
I sure like it out west.

DSCF1186.jpg
 
Hey Mike-- sure was good having u here. SHOTS '07 OK with u??-- with changes of course. I'm gonna have to order the 15-45X oculars for them soon-- $150 more-- so now up to $950.
 
I use an Alpen and it does the job I need. It isn't a Swaro or Zeiaa but it works better than the simmons I used to have.
 
Anybody have any experience with a B&L or Bushnell Discoverer? I'm thinking of getting something that can double as a spotting scope and a poor mans long range camera lens.

Leon
 
nmleon,

My Dad's hunting friend had a Baush/Lomb discovery 15x60x60mm spotter, years ago. If I recall there is a camera adapter for it. The optics were very good. Worth checking out, IMO. You might wish to check out their web-site.

They cost around $200.00.
 
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Hey Leon-- i used to pack one of those in for a deer hunt every yr. I sold it awhile back, BUT i think i still have the camera adapter. If u get 1 let me know and u can have the adapter for postage.
 
Gregg, Go do a search over at longrangehunting.com. Great info on this site. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif robertjay
 
at the moment I think I'm down to 4 spotters. My swaro is by far the cream of the crop, just lots of $$$. I've got an old (60's) B&L 15-60 thats really very good. A leupold fixed 30 thats small enough to pack, and the old schmidt & bender mayflower. That's an old drawtube 20x scope, thats so clear that I believe its better glass than the swaro. Best advise I could give is to go so someplace like cabelas, that has lots of them and look at a brick wall for a few minutes. Study the mud joints and see how clear they stick out. I never worried much how clear it was at the edges, even though only the best are, because I look through the center, not the edges. When buying one, check out adds in a photo magazine. Usually the places in new york are the cheapest
 
Longshot & greg,

I only use mine while sitting in my truck. Glassing spots, I've seen or caught with my bino's. I have it mounted on a window mount w/pan handle{well worth it}. I like the straight eye-piece, thats all I use.

I use my "spotter" in winter-time only. Often, I'm looking/zooming into the wind on a spot. Often it's very cold. So if I had an angled eye-piece. I would have to have my window down farther, to look through it = not good /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif.

One more thing, if & when you buy "ANY" optics. I suggest, you look through them on an "overcast" day. As they "All" will look pretty "clear" on a sunny day. Trust me, ya won't regret doing that /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif.

Good luck
 
Longshot29,

Nope.

On MID-WAY USA, you can occasionally find some decent reviews on scopes. Some reviews are very informative, others are very short..."not much info".

I use a little Winchester spotter 12x50x50mm. Pretty compact, tough & clear {except on REAL "dark" overcast days}. Then it's just ok. Works pretty swell for coyotes in a 1-mile section.

Not to shabby of a spotter-scope for $100.00.
 
Thanks for the help guys. I will go with the Bushnell Elite as soon as I get my nickels saved up. You know how that goes.
 
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