Spotting scope for long range shooting?

zr600

New member
What would be a good affordable spotting scope for long range shooting to see bullet trace and make calls for misses? Also good Tripp’s to be able to sit in a chair and spot?
 
How far are you shooting? What kind of budget?
As a long time supporting vendor here it would be our pleasure to discuss different options with you. Please give us a call, 516-217-1000, and let's see what would be best for you
 
Make sure you look at the line of KOWA spotting scopes. They will be over 1000 dollars but they are superb. Customer service is outstanding.
 
Figure out how much you want to spend, and add at least 50%. Spotting scopes are absolutely one of the places where you get what you pay for.

I have a Viper HD, which is a $600ish scope..and its OK at best. Most of the scopes in that price range are of the same quality level.
 
I took a long range course once, a couple years back, the instructors were using $1600 Vortex scopes, I forget the models but remember the price! They worked excellent IMO.... you could see bullet trace out to 750 yards, anyways.
 
Save your money and keep an eye out on archery and birding forums and you can find some decent deals on used Swarovski, zeiss, vortex razor, etc. spotters for 12-1400 bucks.
 
Originally Posted By: zr600What would be a good affordable spotting scope for long range shooting to see bullet trace and make calls for misses? Also good Tripp’s to be able to sit in a chair and spot?

I have an excellent KOWA TSN-1 angled eyepiece, 77mm obj. w/25x LER optic lens, complete with nylon cover, tripod (currently 42" height, easily converted to any height desired) that I used when competing to 1000 yards. Excellent glass. If interested, send me a PM for phone number or can text pics.

Regards,
hm
 
You can have the best spotting scope made, and without a stable tripod and/or mounting system, it's worthless. You can't see if it's shaking. Consider what the scope will mount on and include that in your budget, and don't skimp on it.
 
While I use a Redfield 20-60x, ($230) I had the opportunity to look at Vortex on the same power range at the NRA meeting a few years ago when they were introduced and was highly impressed...In the Convention hall where the event was held, the lighting around the ceiling was not the best, but I could still see imperfections in the paint on the Heat/AC piping in the far corners of the room and the eye relief was much more forgiving that the one I use...

To me, eye relief is one of those things that is rarely considered initially, until you get it set up on the bench and are continually having to move it back and forth for your comfort and easy use...

I bought a 12" flat bar clamp and a scope window mount for attaching the scope to the side of the shooting bench...Most of the table tripods can be a pain to use after awhile, and are seldom really rock solid for maintaining your initial setting..
 
I'll say this - if you were impressed with the Vortex line of spotting scopes, you probably would be very impressed with the top tier Kowa spotting scopes.

You do get what you pay for in optics. In normal conditions a good 80mm objective with good lens and eye piece will give most people what they are looking for. The Vortex and others will fill the bill in this regard at a reasonable price point - reasonable being relevant compared to the high end "Alpha's" such as Kowa, Swaros etc.

I would say the vast majority of days aren't "normal conditions" - there's mirage and haze in the air and looking at objects a half mile away or further will be a challenge and the "Alpha's" will then be appreciated and they do come at a price. Fluorite crystal lens with the best matching eye piece in the Alpha spotting scopes such as Kowa will probably give you the best chance at seeing what you need seen at long range.

The very best Alpha spotters will fail in terrible conditions - but then, Mother Nature and her air quality conditions will always rule the day but she's kinder to the "Alpha's".
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What ever mfg'r you choose, check that they have the angled eyepiece option. Once you use one of those, you will never go back to the straight eye piece.
Kowa is an excellent choice.
 
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