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I found this recently and couldn't resist... I've had and used one for many years. Now it seems I have two of them... This came with the case and a tripod and has a 60X lense. Everything works perfectly although the tripod needs a strap replaced. The whole outfit is in excellent shape and the image is very clear. I've had mine so long that I have no idea when I got it or what I paid for it. What's an outfit like this worth now days?
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Good find, but a 60X lens is pretty much a waste of time unless one can get into some clear air on top of Everest.
1Minute
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The BalscopeSR is a classic, one of the finest in my opinion. The 60x lens is kinda useless, 30x is the one that's most practical/useful. The set as pictured is probably worth $350.00 +/-.
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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The BalscopeSR is a classic, one of the finest in my opinion. The 60x lens is kinda useless, 30x is the one that's most practical/useful. The set as pictured is probably worth $350.00 +/-. Are you guys talking about the eyepiece being 30x, such as a scope like this: 30 eyepiece x 60mm lens in front? I was looking through 2 Vortex spotting scopes yesterday, one had a 20-60 x 60mm lens, and the other a 20-60 x 80mm. Both were very clear all the way to 60x, but the one with the biggest lens up front (80mm) was clearer as it got darker, although hard to tell. But then, the air in Alaska is crystal clear, so maybe that's why I could not tell the difference. Now, there is a clear difference between a very expensive Swarovski scope of the same magnification and the $400.00 to $600.00 Vortex. But I don't want to pay nearly $2K for a spotting scope I mostly use at the firing range.
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The BalscopeSR is a classic, one of the finest in my opinion. The 60x lens is kinda useless, 30x is the one that's most practical/useful. The set as pictured is probably worth $350.00 +/-. Are you guys talking about the eyepiece being 30x, such as a scope like this: 30 eyepiece x 60mm lens in front? I was looking through 2 Vortex spotting scopes yesterday, one had a 20-60 x 60mm lens, and the other a 20-60 x 80mm. Both were very clear all the way to 60x, but the one with the biggest lens up front (80mm) was clearer as it got darker, although hard to tell. But then, the air in Alaska is crystal clear, so maybe that's why I could not tell the difference. Now, there is a clear difference between a very expensive Swarovski scope of the same magnification and the $400.00 to $600.00 Vortex. But I don't want to pay nearly $2K for a spotting scope I mostly use at the firing range. Yes, the eyepiece is 60X. It's kinda hard to find what you want to see on a 60X since the field of view is so small. However I have used one in 300 yd. benchrest matches to see bullet holes. You can do this with these scopes... done it for years. The clarity of the image on these scopes will surprise you. B & L made good products back then. FWIW I have used mostly 20X and 30X lenses for years. They are more practical for most use.
Last edited by Dick_Wright; 08/21/17.
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FWIW I now have a 20X eyepiece to go with the 60X. Since I have two of these, I will sell this one if I get a reasonable offer. My old one is in the same shape and I've had it forever... an old friend which I have a tendency to hang on to. Anybody interested?
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Joined: Sep 2017
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Campfire Tracker
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I personally am blown away by the prices that the high end manufacturers can charge for their optics today. Way back when I bought a 15-60x spotting scope, a Redfield, for like $250. and it has served me well. It is real hard to wear out an optic by just looking through it.
My other auto is a .45
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory
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The optical clarity on these scopes is amazing... they were built somewhere around WWII time. Now... I got a buddy who has a better scope... it's a Swarovski variable. Had it and used it for quite a while now. HOWEVER, if I look hard enough, I can find me a nice MGB coupe for close to the price of the Swarovski. Gimme a break.
I use my identical scope to this one all the time, in nice weather, here on my home 50 and 100 yd. range. It's everything I need and the optics really are very clear.
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Actually that model would have been produced after ww2, at some point in the 50s or early 60s. They then updated it somewhat by adding a threaded tripod connection lug and changed the color to more of a turquoise green color. Opticly however they remained the same. That newer model was produced to about the early 70s. The storage box was also an option from B&L, so that also is original adding to its value for a collector. A company in Boston by name of Frank Meishner, created an adjustable bracket whereby two of those scopes could be joined together and used as large binoculars. They also produced a round rotating turret which attached to the scope by way of the rear lens cover threads. It held 3 separate eyepieces in whatever power configuration the user chose. Bausch & Lomb also offered those scopes as either twin or single version with the turret installed as a factory item. Many users however just sent their scopes to Meishner directly for the work to be done. At one time they were very popular among long range hunters in places like PA. I have a photo of a group of about 6 long range hunters glassing for deer on hillsides across a valley, and all are using those glasses. We still have and use regularly 2 sets of them in our PA camp. Side by side evaluation with newer scopes with larger objective lenses will bring out the sweat on the foreheads of those who spent thousands on the twin Swarovskis and Kowas. I have a set of 77mm Kowas also, so I can say that with the experience of having done that many times.
Last edited by yobuck; 09/19/17.
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Yobuck,
Thanks for the info. Lots there I didn't know. My old one, identical to this, has the Freeland stand and the sheepskin cover. I remember when, just out of school, I started shooting a lot. I envied the guys that had one of these set-ups.
Dick
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Every now and then things just work out... a gentleman saw this and made me an offer I didn't turn down. I just got a mail from him in which he said he had received and was very happy with the scope. I've had an identical scope for many years and have never felt that I needed anything else. Everybody's happy.
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Campfire Tracker
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I have, and still use, an old Bausch and Lomb draw tube scope (20x) which belonged to my grandfather. I like carrying it in the pack because it's not too heavy and easy to handle. Optically, it's pretty darn good. GD
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