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  #1  
Old 08-04-2020, 11:47 AM
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Default Cheapest spotting scope I can use to sight in at 100-300 yards

Is there a scope I can use to sight in at 100 yards? With my vortex rifle scope I can kind of see where I am hitting the paper but it would be nice to have a spotting scope that I could clearly see my groups on paper at 100 yards.

And if I want to do the same at 200 or 300 yards, what would I need? I am tired of running 100 yards to the target to look at my group, I could save a lot of time with a spotting scope. I could buy a cheap telescope on Amazon but that seems dorky.
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Old 08-04-2020, 12:11 PM
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How much is "Cheap"? Lots of spotting scopes will work pretty good to 100 yds like my under $200 Konus. More than that like the 200 to 300 yds you mentioned you'll have to spend a lot more to give you a really good look out that far.
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  #3  
Old 08-04-2020, 12:17 PM
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Default $75 Barska!

This topic comes up a lot on CalGuns.
Most people will tell you you need to spend at least $500, and then others will chime in about how great their $2,000 or $3,500 spotting scopes are, and will start arguing with each other about glass quality.

For sighting in at 100 to 300 yards, though, I've been getting away for years with my $90 Barska 20-60 x 60mm spotter, bought at Big 5, but available on Amazon for, like, $75.

At 100 yards, I can make out 22 and 30-cal holes on plain paper.
At 200 yards, you'll need a Shoot-n-See target to see 22-holes, and can mostly still see 30-cal holes on plain paper.
At 300 yards, you'll need Shoot-n-See targets to see any kind of holes.

Of course, a better spotting scope will be better.
But you asked how little money you can get away with spending, and $75, plus $10 worth of Shoot-n-Sees, will do.
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Old 08-04-2020, 12:18 PM
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harbor freight has one on sale
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  #5  
Old 08-04-2020, 12:42 PM
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My Pentax 20-60x80 cost about 1100 but has the quality of a Swarovski or similar at twice the price. Bought once, cried once.
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Old 08-04-2020, 6:23 PM
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The Konus 20-60x80 served me well for quite a few years of shooting NRA matches until I upgraded to a Kowa scope. The Konus scopes sell for around two bills.
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Old 08-05-2020, 10:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghilligan View Post
This topic comes up a lot on CalGuns.
Most people will tell you you need to spend at least $500, and then others will chime in about how great their $2,000 or $3,500 spotting scopes are, and will start arguing with each other about glass quality.

For sighting in at 100 to 300 yards, though, I've been getting away for years with my $90 Barska 20-60 x 60mm spotter, bought at Big 5, but available on Amazon for, like, $75.

At 100 yards, I can make out 22 and 30-cal holes on plain paper.
At 200 yards, you'll need a Shoot-n-See target to see 22-holes, and can mostly still see 30-cal holes on plain paper.
At 300 yards, you'll need Shoot-n-See targets to see any kind of holes.

Of course, a better spotting scope will be better.
But you asked how little money you can get away with spending, and $75, plus $10 worth of Shoot-n-Sees, will do.
This. And since you already have a spotting scope, all you need to buy are the targets. That's all I ever buy, or the Splatterburst competitor's product. You may balk at the cost when plain paper targets are so cheap, and even cheaper if you print your own. But realistically that 25-40ยข more per target is just the cost of 1 round. And it's so much easier to see my hits, even at 300 yds with a 5.56 hole and 15x magnification.
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Old 08-06-2020, 4:04 AM
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Breaks-a shoud work fine at that distance.
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Old 08-06-2020, 10:14 PM
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You get a lot more bang for the buck if you switch from lenses to mirrors. I like my Celestron C90. About $230 on Amazon.

A bit more bulky than a traditional scope, but my guess is that the weight is comparable (the C90 is about 4.5 lbs without the tripod).

The two holes near the back are for the finderscope which I've removed.

The main tube looks like plastic but it's actually aluminum.

IMG_1719.jpg

Last edited by naught; 08-06-2020 at 10:20 PM.. Reason: Fixing embedded image
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Old 08-09-2020, 7:43 PM
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I have a 30X Minox. That and a decent mini tripod (Fleabay) was $200. Scope used to be $300 by itself.

100 yards easy. 200 yards pretty easy. Haven't tried 300.
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Old 08-14-2020, 10:01 PM
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Check out Hawke. I have a couple of their scopes and I'm pretty impressed with their glass. They have a 20-60 for $159

https://us.hawkeoptics.com/vantage-spotting-scopes.html
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  #12  
Old 08-22-2020, 10:59 AM
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I just got this Hawke spotting scope and I was blown away. Was on sale for 399 with out the tri pod. Here is their model with tripod.
Buy once cry once.
https://cameralandny.com/shop/hawke-...iation=2227221

I do have my Minox md50 angled for sale if you’d be interested. 200 shipped
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  #13  
Old 08-23-2020, 6:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SanDiego619 View Post
Is there a scope I can use to sight in at 100 yards? With my vortex rifle scope I can kind of see where I am hitting the paper but it would be nice to have a spotting scope that I could clearly see my groups on paper at 100 yards.

And if I want to do the same at 200 or 300 yards, what would I need? I am tired of running 100 yards to the target to look at my group, I could save a lot of time with a spotting scope. I could buy a cheap telescope on Amazon but that seems dorky.

For the distance you're looking to spot, a cheap amazon scope should get the job done to see your groupings. I bought a Konus from amazon and can see out to 1k yards no problem. Not for groupings just confirmations on a hit.
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Old 09-05-2020, 12:10 PM
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I was wanting something to do the same thing, I ended up using this one off amazon that works amazingly well, I can see .223 holes out to 300 yards, comes with a case too: https://tinyurl.com/y69xnonr
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Old 09-05-2020, 3:06 PM
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I have one of these https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tasco-TASWC...-/184159431359
mounted on a tripod similar to this https://www.ebay.com/itm/ZOMEI-Q100-...73e63ab1c17eb4

Had it for about ten years. Came with one of those spindly junk tripods, replaced with a cheap but solid one like the listing. Goes with me to the outdoor range. Easily good for 200yds on .22, 300 on .30. That's as far as the range I shoot at has available. I set it on an adjacent table. If I was going to use it more, I'd buy a full-size commercial-grade free-standing tripod.
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Old 09-07-2020, 7:58 PM
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I’ve owned this scope for 5 years and it serves me well. I use it to zero at 100 and also to spot ahots all the way to 650 yards.

Redfield Rampage 20-60x60mm Straight Eyepiece Spotting Scope https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0033C5EJE..._LcWvFbPE3THBW

If you can swing it, the Vortex line of spotting scopes are stellar. They start around 500 all the way to 1000+
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  #17  
Old 09-09-2020, 6:10 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The War Wagon View Post
Breaks-a shoud work fine at that distance.
I enjoy this forum for the entertainment value. I have only looked through a Barska product once in my life when they hit our market years back. I assumed Russian due to the name(I think its American owned), and the optical quality appeared less than desired. When I think Russian made I can only think of four things, Lada, Chernobyl, AK and Vodka. All four I will pass on in favor of Ford, San O, AR and Bourbon. But seriously a low tiered optic and a product name that is maybe not catchy or idk Russian sounding , I guess it is just me; but I would rather spend a bit more and get a slightly better optic that you will likely have forever, holds resale better if you need to sell, and most important functions better, and you are confident in using.

Last edited by theduracellbigd; 09-09-2020 at 6:13 AM..
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Old 09-13-2020, 3:04 AM
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Barska sounds like what I need. I had great luck with $40 Bushnells on my rifles for years.
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Old 10-08-2020, 11:43 AM
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This one came up with high reviews and I just bought it to replace an old Barska that broke.

https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Bi..._d_product_top
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Old 10-15-2020, 10:15 PM
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I picked up a bushnell spotting scope

It wobbled all the time. Zoom just helped blurry targets be bigger and blurrier

I smashed it- I did not want anyone to deal with that junk



Scopes last forever.


Never look through a pair of swarvosky optics.

With good binoculars I watched a friend stalk a critter.

I switched to a pair of Swarovski and I could see individual blades of grass next to him on the stalk.


I’d rather buy a great old used scope than to buy a new cheap scope
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Old 10-15-2020, 10:17 PM
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If in a store, set up a book on a wall. Try to read the print with different spotting scopes or binoculars


Reading text will tell you a lot about the image quality of the glass.


To be elitist - if they sell them at big 5- don’t buy them
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  #22  
Old 11-20-2020, 6:45 PM
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I was able to get some target shooting in with my AR308 using a Rainier Arms match grade 18" barrel. I'm normally not a great shot but thought the video showing the bullet trace through my gravitude raptor spotting scope was pretty awesome. This was shooting at 700 yards recording with my iphone and cell phone adapter that came with the spotting scope:



I then repainted the steel and backed up to 1060 yards, and was having "issues" with the Federal Gold Metal Match 165gr bullets at this range, it was clear the bullets were tumbling and I even hit the steel once before switching over to the 175gr bullets. Notice the sideways impact circled in red.
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  #23  
Old 11-21-2020, 9:21 AM
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You can get a serviceable 100 yd spotter for $80 on amazon. It'll have mediocre optics, a wobbly tripod, and you're best not trying to use it at full magnification, but it'll do the job, especially with shoot-n-c targets. You might get a bad one and have to exchange it, because the customer does the primary QC on this type of gear, so be sure to check it out thoroughly during the return window.

You can get a good bit better one for $150, still mediocre and fuzzy at full max, but better than the $80 one.

Every time you double the price, you jump up a level in quality, but for the bottom end ones, you'll want to add the cost of a more stable tripod, so it makes some sense to start around $150, but the $80 ones will get the job done with a bit of frustration.

Read lots of reviews and see what matters to you. For me, eye relief is important, so that lets out a lot of the bottom end models.
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