Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics leupold fixed power 50mm spotting scopes?

Are these pretty decent?
I have seen a couple 20 and 25 powers for sale , and have wanted a "good" spotter as of late.
Don't know anything about them.

Thanks for any info/advice,
Aaron.

I have a fixed 20x60mm Leupold spotting scope ane really like it. It is clear and it was my only spotting scope for several years. No problems at all with it. The only thing about it is it is a little weak on power say when looking at antelope at a mile. I could tell which ones where bucks but had a hard time telling how big they were.

I also have a Zeiss spotting scope but still pack the Leupold if I am going very far from the truck.

Dink

I bought one of the 25X50's when they first came out. Right around 1990 or so, if memory serves me right. I think the one I had was a Gold Ring model that was made in the USA, but I would not swear to that. They also had a great tripod where the legs screwed into themselves to carry. The scope and tripod were very compact. The glass was decent, but not top notch. I could see bullet holes out to about 200 yards, and I wanted better, so I upgraded.

Leupold has marketed alot of spotting scopes. Some USA made, and some made who knows where. Be careful in what you buy.

Take a look at the Minox spotters. Same price, slightly better glass IMO.

I did keep the Leupold tripod, they are fantastic.

Below is a picture of the Leupold spotter I had. It was light and easy to carry. And for 100 yard shooting it worked just fine, plus was easy to use in the field. I probably should have kept it. Tom.

I always intended to buy one those older fixed power Leupold spotters but never got around to it before they were discontinued. Then the internet came along just as I could afford them.

I now have a 25x50 for compact use and a 30x60 for the range. For what I do, I have no reason to change.

Cheers,

GrimJim

Define pretty decent though I suspect a 20x50 Leupold really is pretty decent..

For a pistol box and for sightseeing they're great and more than adequate - and with a good though varying by model guarantee. I couldn't imagine anything better for my own pistol box though it currently has a Nikon and I'd probably consider the Minox and some of the open box specials from Cameral Land an unnecessary but real step up

For serious use - sitting and glassing all day and all week or adding just one more hard to distinguish little brown bird to a lifetime list or whatever your intended use is I couldn't call anything with only a 50mm objective a really good spotting scope - though it may be the best on hand after a long walk and that's plenty good enough.

FREX notice the big eye binoculars featured on the splash page here have both lower magnification and bigger objectives and spotting scopes might usefully go up from there in both dimensions - and of course jump way up in price as well.

In sum pretty decent and beats walking closer - especially on a hot range - but a choice based on price and portability not scoring heads before deciding to move toward this one or that one.

I have the 20x60 and like it ,I use my 15x56 alot more though. I don't think you can compare them to Swaro. or Leica but they are good.