Spotting scope for High Power competition

[ChuckDizzle]

I'm looking for some recommendations for a spotting scope suitable for High Power and National Match competitions. I've currently got some no-name model from Harbor Freight, it's almost too blurry to be useful at 100 meters on black targets, so fuggetaboutit at 200 or even 600.

I am hoping to get away with something around $200 if possible as it will only be used for competition and I don't much care for advanced ranging, super light transmission, bombproof military grade stuff that I know is out there.

[Mac Attack]

I have been using a Konus 7120 20x60x80mm with angled eye piece for the last 5 years and it is more than adequate for across the course ATC high power matches. In all truth, even with a Vortex, Kowa scope you can't always see your shots very well at 600 yards due to lightning. I matched my Konus with a 1" diameter First Strike scope stand which is heavy duty and not affected by wind. I like my combination and will continue to use it until the scope stops working.

[smoothy8500]

I concur with the Konus Konospot 7120 for a $200 price. I used it for 3 years before moving up to a used Kowa. First Strike makes a good scope stand. I like their scope head better than the Ray Vin or Polecat.

[ChuckDizzle]

Thanks gentlemen, I've got it in my cart on Amazon. I'll wait to see if anyone else chimes in, but that's a combined 8 years of praise from you both. Seems solid.

[RHT447]

Scopes and other good stuff from Jim Owens---

http://www.jarheadtop.com/

[Ki6vsm]

Scopes and other good stuff from Jim Owens---

http://www.jarheadtop.com/

Wow, that looks interesting. I wasn't in the market for another spotting scope exactly; was just browsing threads. But I would not mind one. My current scope is a Leupold 15-45x and it's not the kind that really works too well in the upper mag ranges. Anything above 25x isn't very useful.

I've never heard of Bresser before. The specs seem great. Has a "long eye relief" function. I wonder how that works. And comes with a nice cover. Not much info on this type of scope online oddly. I wonder if it's worth the extra money over the Konus being discussed.

[ZombieLivesMatter]

I've never heard of Bresser before. The specs seem great. Has a "long eye relief" function. I wonder how that works. And comes with a nice cover. Not much info on this type of scope online oddly. I wonder if it's worth the extra money over the Konus being discussed.

Curious about this as well, was going to buy the Konus on Amazon but that one looks good.

[Mac Attack]

If you buy the Konus and intend to use it on a scope stand I highly recommend you get a scope cover from Creedmoore Sports for it. I always try to be very careful with my scope but it always seems to bang into things...on my range cart, when packing up to go from the different shooting lines in a match, putting it in the car with all my other match gear...etc. IMHO the cover is well worth the cost.

[Ki6vsm]

Curious about this as well, was going to buy the Konus on Amazon but that one looks good.

Yep. A couple of indicators of high quality are the BaK-4 prism glass and that its lenses are fully multi-coated.

The question is, for $360 US, are we getting European BaK-4 glass, or Chinese BaK-4 glass?

Mfr's page, with better pics and info:

https://www.bresser.de/en/Sport-Optics/Spotting-Scopes/BRESSER-Condor-20-60x85-Spotting-Scope.html

[Ki6vsm]

^^ Oh, and a 10-year warranty.

[highpower790]

^^ Oh, and a 10-year warranty.

Get a Kowa and a lifetime warranty!

[Ki6vsm]

Get a Kowa and a lifetime warranty!

Yeah... but there's something more precise and.... German about putting a far-out actual number on the warranty. LOL Just seems to add more credibility, for some reason.

What's a Kowa cost? $800 just for the main piece? And another couple hundred for the Ocular? I'd love one, but that out of my price range.

I have read good things about the Konus though. Most people seem to be pretty happy with them as a "budget" spotting scope still suitable for LR Match use. I've seen them online for less than $200 lately. AND they just seem to be everywhere.

.

[highpower790]

Yeah... but there's something more precise and.... German about putting a far-out actual number on the warranty. LOL Just seems to add more credibility, for some reason.

What's a Kowa cost? $800 just for the main piece? And another couple hundred for the Ocular? I'd love one, but that out of my price range.

I have read good things about the Konus though. Most people seem to be pretty happy with them as a "budget" spotting scope still suitable for LR Match use. I've seen them online for less than $200 lately. AND they just seem to be everywhere.

.

Just before Christmas,Creedmoor Sports had the Kowa TSN 821 with your choice of eyepiece for $900.Pretty good deal!
If the opportunity arises on a used one ,buy it!Im sitting on one now for a friend that moved to Germany,but he doesn't want to sell.I bought a used Kowa from a fellow highpower shooter for $650,he bailed out of CA for New York.

[Pardini]

Yep. A couple of indicators of high quality are the BaK-4 prism glass and that its lenses are fully multi-coated.

The question is, for $360 US, are we getting European BaK-4 glass, or Chinese BaK-4 glass?

Mfr's page, with better pics and info:

https://www.bresser.de/en/Sport-Opti...ing-Scope.html

Chinese. Bresser has a German HQ, but they are manufactured in China by Jinghua Optical. I think the price is euros not dollars.

Last year I was looking for a better spotter. Ended up buying a Sightron 20-60X85 off Amazon. It was $380 w/free shipping. Still can't figure out why it was so cheap. It was way less money than all the others listed on Amazon and everywhere else. It's made in the Philippines. I've been happy with it. Feel I got what I paid for.

I wouldn't have paid the $500 to $600 dollars for it that it sells for most other places. I was really prepared to spend $800 to $1K for a new spotter just because I was sick of my old one. Was considering the Vortex Razor in that price range. In the end I couldn't convince myself the the Vortex was going to benefit me more than the Sighton at more than twice the price.

[Ki6vsm]

Chinese. Bresser has a German HQ, but they are manufactured in China by Jinghua Optical. I think the price is euros not dollars.

Pretty much what I figured, for that price. There are also Bresser branded binoculars for $45 around, so they are definitely not a high-end company. That price is in both Euros and dollars, for some reason. Seems odd, I know. If you look at the first two links I posted, one on Amazon and one from that "Jarhead" company/guy.

But I was figuring if that Marine, Jim Owens, sells only that one and a couple of Kowas on his site, maybe it is a decent scope. Bit of a risk though I guess, with no solid reviews out there.