Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Bargain spotter?

To clarify - for me, "bargain" does not mean CHEAP. It means a great price for a very good product.

I've started to look for used spotters, since a new scope is only new until the first time you take it hunting - and about all I'm finding are Barska and other trash scopes for $100-200, Vortex scopes for $1000+ and Swarovski/Zeiss for $1600-2000+.

My budget is right around $500. I'd really prefer to go lower, but I know I'm right on the edge of the "cheap" territory as it is.

For that I want to see 7mm bullet holes @ 200 yards at the range and details of antelope and elk horns @ 600+ yards. It has to have good eye relief because I wear glasses. I don't want an 85mm objective because of the weight - I want to be able to carry it around all day on an elk hunt.

I'm torn between a true compact (Leupold Gold Ring 20x50mm) or a fairly light 65mm lense scope (Bushnell Elite?). I have some nice binos - Vortex Viper ED 10x50 - so this is my next priority.

What do you say? Vanguard? Redfield? Bushnell Elite? Kowa? Konus? Keep searching for a used Nikon Fieldscope?

Cabela's Euro (Meopta S2). Hands down. Get it on sale.

Oops I missed the part about your $500 budget.

give Minox a look....

I did. Neal at Cameralandny said the one model available for under $500 is one he personally wouldn't use.

Used Leupy gold ring 12-40x60.

What I did

It's one hell of a spotter in a compact pacage....I love it

You'll eventually buy a better one..

I like my Minox MD50. I was watching a Eagle at probably 2 mi on a recent trip it wasn't as if he was sitting on my arm but I could see him clearly to identify him. 600 yds would be easy.

I was in the same boat last year. I went with a Theron Saker. No it wasn't the equal to my pard Swaro, but I'm more than pleased with it for the price. It and a Sunpak tripod will com in under your price limit. Worked pretty darn well I thought.

http://theronoptics.com/SAKER_ED_60MM_SPOTTER_HKQ5.php

czech10,

The following is real life results from different scopes.

This morning I took the Kowa 20-60X77 and a Bushnell Spacemaster 12-36X 60 to compare with a Sightron 6-24X42 AO, a Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50 SF and a Swarovski z5 5-25X62 SF to the shooting range. There was a target at 200 yards with a few .22 caliber bullet holes so I decided to use it. After looking through the Kowa on its lowest setting of 20X I found a bullet hole at 12 o’clock about 2” from the “X” in the red part of the target and decided that would be the “target” detail.

When looking through the Sightron on 24X I just could not get it to resolve the bullet hole no matter how much I adjusted the scope. I could see holes in the white O.K. Then I got out the 6500 and found the hole with it set on 24X. I could not go down even 1X and still see the hole. After fooling with the z5 for a while trying to see in on a lower setting, I finally turned it up to 25X and could see the hole in the red. Thinking I was wasting time, but already had it with me, I took out the Spacemaster. I set it on 20X and could easily see the hole at 12 o’clock so I turned it down to 12X. I could still see the hole!

I asked a fellow shooter if he didn’t mind would he look through all the optics to see what he saw. He obliged; and even brought a Zeiss 3-15X42. He ended up on the same settings I did. Also he mentioned he just could not resolve the hole with the Sightron. When we looked though his Zeiss we could not see the hole. While I was looking though his scope something changed and I could see light coming though the hole as though someone put a flashlight behind the target. I still could not see the hole, just light coming through it.

Conclusion: Mediocre spotting scopes are definitely better than good rifle scopes for resolving detail.

czech1022,

Here is another comparison. It contains only one spotter, but is informative.

Today four of us compared some scopes. About noon the weather was totally clear and about 80 degrees. Our ages are 84, 63, 44, and 30. We compared the following.

12-42X56 NightForce

20-60X80 Tasco spotting scope

6-24X40 Weaver

6 1/2-20X50 Leupold VX-III

6-24X40 Bushnell 4200

4-16X40 Tasco World Class

2 1/2-10X40 Tasco

3-15X42 Sightron II

Tom said he shopped all day and found only one spotting scope, a Leupold, was any better than the Tasco. This included Nikons and others for a lot more money!

The test:
I lasered a power pole 451 yards distance with a Leica 1200. All of us could easily read the numbers on the transformers with the NightForce and the Tasco spotting scope set on 40X; with the NightForce being slightly better. When these two were set on 20X the NightForce and the Tasco spotting scope were obviously better than either the Leupold or the Weaver. Between those two the Weaver was better. The Leupold was only the slightest bit better than the 4200.

When they were all set on 15X the Sightron II came in last.

When everything was set on 10X everyone except me said the Tascos were better than the Sightron II. Maybe it's psychological. But when I pay $411 for a Sightron II and only $75 and $71 respectively for a couple Tascos, my mind tells me the Sightron II is better.

I have a Nikon Prostaff 5 - nice little scope for around your budget.

I went with Theron Saker, under $300 right now. I can see .22 cal bullet holes at 200 yds on light targets. Bullet holes against black targets are pretty hard for me to see with it.

Given your criteria, which are similar to mine, I suggest/bought the 15-30 Leupold 50 mm.

I had a $500 vortex diamondback 20-60x80 and sold it about two years later. I ended up with a demo model Razor HD 11-33x50. The higher quality more than makes up for the loss in overall size and magnification. Also the compact size and weight is nice on longer hunts. Just keep in mind that buying lower quality glass will only magnify the imperfections that much more on a high magnification spotter. Depends on how much you will use it and where you draw the line on budget. The smaller 50mm razors can be found used for about $550 or so.

I know it's a bit above your budget but this thing's a BARGAIN!!

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...rovski_CT-85_20-60X85_Exten#Post11000907

It's not mine, I don't know the seller. I do have the same scope and wouldn't sell mine for anywhere close to that cheap.

I've been happy with my Celestron Regal M2. I think Midway has them.

65mm 16-48x

Bullet holes: yes.

I'm not an antelope hunter.

Not alot of time behind it but I just received my Athlon Ares 15-45x60 and I'm a very impressed. Resolution is just a tiny bit behind a Nikon Fieldscope ediii I had in the past but I think the build quality is at least equal to that Nikon, it is a very solid scope.

I was using a 1 pound Nikon 15x45x60 spotting scope with a flimsy tripod that weighs ounces in 2015.

I thought I would get heavier gear.

I got a little Vanguard bench tripod [$45] for the Nikon and they are 3 pounds together.

I got a Konus 20x60x100 [$300] and Bushnell advanced tripod [$100].

Oi are they heavy at 10 pounds together.

I can see bullet holes in the target at 200 yards with some riflescopes.

I could see bullet holes well at 300 yards with the 3 pound spotting set up, and poorly at 400 yards.

With the 10 pound spotter set up, and I think I can see holes at 400, but not at 500y.

So at 500 and 600y I will still have to drive to the target to see what happened.

What does it all mean?
I bought a big heavy monster that is only needed for 400y targets.