Spotting scope reticles

[singhdrew an]

Hi all, I'm currently in the market for a high(er) end spotting scope with a mil based reticle, for spotting for friends (and them for me). Any suggestions on these spotting scopes? I'd prefer something with nice glass, although I don't need huge magnification as I'm not trying to see bullet holes in paper. Realistically will use this spotter out to a mile MAX. Not sure of a budget, but I'll be looking hard once my nighthawk sells (shameless plug, check it out). Thanks!

[usmcspud]

Pretty sure Leupold sells something like that.

[singhdrew an]

Pretty sure Leupold sells something like that.

I've been looking at their stuff. Also been looking at vortex, and I seemed to have my heart set on it, but it looks like they discontinued the eyepiece with the reticle in it!! Just looking for some options.

[ExtremeX]

Looks like you can get their Viper HD with a reticle...

Really unfortunate they stopped offering their eyepiece for the Razor? That was a big selling point for a really nice spotter.

[RickD427]

Check with U.S. Optics.

They previously offered a very nice scope with a reticle. I don't see it on their current website. Don't know if it was discontinued, or simply not shown.

[zoid52]

Kowa makes excellent stuff

[ocabj]

Any reason why you need a reticle in a spotting scope?

In my opinion, if you want to range, just use a laser rangefinder. If you want to range with a scope, then just use the mil reticle in your actual rifle scope.

Are you actually coaching a shooter? If so, then is this an environment where you cannot be on the gun while your shooter is shooting?

But if you really want some sort of ranging reticle in a spotting scope, an actual good spotting scope (large objective for light transmission, good glass) *with* a reticle is going to be limited:

http://www.eurooptic.com/carl-zeiss-optronics-hensoldt-spotter-20-60x72-spotter-60.aspx

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1086334-REG/swarovski_86832_25_50x80_str_80_spotting.html

You could go 'midrange' on prrice with the Leupold Mark IV tactical: https://www.leupold.com/tactical/spo...potting-scope/

But the cost on that scope is way too high, in my opinion, for a 60mm objective. Leupold glass isn't *that* good to justify the price (street price ~$1700). If you're going to shell out $1700 on a spotting scope, you may as well "go big, or go home."

The 'budget' option is the Bushnell Legend Tactical: http://bushnell.com/all-products/spo...-60mm-t-series

I actually want to get my hands on the Bushnell to see if it will be a good secondary, compact spotting scope, but I need to upgrade my Kowa 821, so I've been just holding off to upgrade that.

[singhdrew an]

Thanks all for your replies. Main reason why I want to have a reticle is basically to give accurate corrective fire directions. Works pretty well using a rifle scope, but I don't want to be behind the shooter (for obvious safety reasons) and sitting to the side getting a face full of muzzle blast is really not something I enjoy very much.

[Aries64]

Spotter with MIL-based Reticle

Hi all, I'm currently in the market for a high(er) end spotting scope with a mil based reticle, for spotting for friends (and them for me). Any suggestions on these spotting scopes? I'd prefer something with nice glass, although I don't need huge magnification as I'm not trying to see bullet holes in paper. Realistically will use this spotter out to a mile MAX. Not sure of a budget, but I'll be looking hard once my nighthawk sells (shameless plug, check it out). Thanks!

Where are you located? If you're near Los Angeles I'd be happy to let you look through my Angled Optolyth S80 HD Compact with Articulating (rotating) MIL Reticle. I have Optolyth's 20-60X Variable Eyepiece as well as the 30X MIL Reticle Eyepiece. Optolyth's articulating reticle allows the user to orient the reticle to be square to the target area regardless of the scope's position.

Optolyth is one of the few companies that has a MIL-based Eyepiece, and is the only company I know of who's can be oriented to be square to the object(s) be viewed. Non-articulating Eyepieces really only work well when the spotting scope can be oriented so the reticle is level, which isn't always possible. Angled spotting scopes set to the right or left of the shooter are a perfect example, as non-articulating reticles can never be oriented to the target, period. "Big deal" you say? In use it makes a big difference.

About five (5) years ago I wrote-up a comparison between my Angled Zeiss Diascope 65T FL and my Optolyth S80 HD Compact. I posted on two shooter sites that I used to post on, and due to hard feelings against the U.S. Distributor of Optolyth from years earlier, the Owner of one site poo-pooed all Optolyth products. While the Owner had experience with a much older Optolyth spotting scope design (as well as not having HD lenses), he had no experience with the S80 HD Compact (nor did any of the his band wagon jumping minions), and they **** all over the S80 HD Compact in favor of products sold by vendors and companies that sponsor/sponsored his site and shooting events. Politics.

All of that said, you can read the comparison/observations I wrote-up between my Angled Zeiss Diascope 65T FL and my Optolyth S80 HD Compact over on another site (Sniper Central), by following this link: http://www.sniperforums.com/forum/op...ing-scope.html

Hope this helps, and as I said, if you're in the Los Angeles area I'll be happy to let you look through my Optolyth S80 HD Compact and the Eyepieces. There's no substitute for personal experience, and you can't make an informed decision without actual experience.


Keith

[JMP]

With a reticle, I'd go with a Hensoldt. The Spotter 45 uses a Horus reticle and the Spotter 60 has a couple of gridlines.