Budget spotting scope

jmccracken1214

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has anyone used any cheapies off Amazon? I see a lot with good reviews.

I’ve got a lot tied up in my rifles, but gonna be that guy and cheap out on a spotting scope. I don’t and won’t use it that much, would just like it to be able to see hits on steel out at range a little better than my 5-25 scopes allow.
 
I have one of those $50 spotting scopes. It works better than you’d expect for $50 but not better than a good riflescope with 25x. The optics are not great at high magnification and the tripod it comes with is shaky.

For my use it’s great: Seeing holes in paper out to 300 yds.
For your use at longer range I doubt it would do anything but give you a headache.

Or put it this way... As a spectator at a match it’s just fine. But as gear to use in the match, absolutely not.
 
Yep. You aren’t going to see better than your 25x scope for 1/10 the price.


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I bought one of the cheaper ones some time back and could never get it adjusted right for me. I finally sold it for half what I paid for it. I have tried other scopes that other people use at the range and finally figured out one of my biggest problems, I wear glasses and the eye relief is so close to the eyepiece at higher powers that I simply can't get it in adjustment for my eyes. Most higher quality units have a longer eye relief and work good, and of course, the quality glass helps too..
 
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I dont even own a spotting scope.....i sold one i wasnt happy with. All of the budget one i have lookex through werent that good. Until i can swing 2k+ for a nightforce spotting scope.....i wont own one.
 
I have this one, works good. I welded a tripod pivot to a vise grip bar clamp.
Clamps to the bench or the metal beams at the range.
Vivitar Terrain Series Tv2060 20x60x60 Spotting Scope (Black)
 
Dont know about any of the Amazon cheapies but I had a Barska cheapie and a Konus cheapie and they were both junk.
 
Cheap optics =/= Good optics

No free lunches on new glass. Might get lucky on a used one.

The trick is always figuring out what “good enough” means for you and your application.
 
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A NRA/CMP highpower shooting buddy spoke highly of the Celestron spotting scope line, which can be had for around $125
https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-52250-Ultima-Spotting-Scope/dp/B0002CTZ70

I sucked it up years ago and bought a Kowa 821 with 25x eyepiece. It certainly hurt, but I remembered the old adage "buy once, cry once". Great scope that's lasted me the past 15 years and still going strong.
 
Check out what the birders use. They need optics that will pick up an eye ring at 500 yards. Kowa makes good stuff too. I have an old Leupold 20-60 and it's not bad. I need to bite the bullet and get a decent tripod though. A $2,000 spotting scope on a $30 tripod becomes a $30 spotting scope. :D
 
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