spotting scope power needed ??
What power is needed to see .22 bullet holes in paper targets at 300,400, and 500yds ?? Also opinions as to choice between Leupold and Burris within same price ranges ??
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Thru a 20x rifle scope I can see 22 holes out to 150 yards or so, depending on what kind of target the holes are in, what time of day (lighting angle), etc.
I'd look at 60x or more, but remember that at that level of magnification little tremors and trembles will make the image un-viewable, you need a good stand/base/tripod/etc0 -
besides 'power' you need good resolution (read $$$$) 0 -
quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
besides 'power' you need good resolution (read $$$$)
This.
Cheaper scopes have poor optics, and will be hard to focus, yield blurry images, and give chromatic aberration at high power (red and blue parts of image will go to opposite edges).
You'll also need a good stand/ tripod and a good SURFACE to plant the stand onto. At 60x even the smallest vibration makes a pretty significant wobble in the image.0 -
If you find something that will resolve .22 holes at 300+ yards, please let us know; because I have not found it.
Short of CCTV, that is; the which I am considering.0 -
Yep, I have an 80mm Leica with florite glass that won't show a 22 hole at 300 meters, so plan to spend something over $2K. 0 -
Trying to see 22 holes at those distances might turn out to be very challenging. In order to do that you will need a pretty high powered scope, probably close to 60X. When you get to that kind of magnification you need to have a large obj lens to let enough light in to see what you're looking at clearly.
Another problem that you will probably run into using that high of magnification is that by he time that you get to a high enough power to see the holes the heat waves will distort your view so much that you won't be able to see them anyway.0 -
I use a Swarovski STM-80HD with a 20-60 eyepiece and a Swarovski ST-101 tripod, yes, this is one of the best scopes ever made and yes, I have close to $5000 tied up into the package, but no, I can not make out 22 cal bullet holes at 400 yards under most weather conditions. I have been able to identify the staples holding a target to the target board at 1000 yards in perfect conditions, but later that same day I could not pick up a 6mm hole in a target at 300 yards due to the mirage picking up with the heat. That does not bother me as I use my scope for much more then just long range shooting, but if I was to purchase a unit strictly for long range it would be a target camera. The prices of target cameras have really come down in the last few years and you can get a really nice model for under $2000, that money won't even get you the body of a quality spotting scope.
For the money, stay away from Leupold and Burris, there are much better scopes available. Look at the Vixen Geonoma II, Pentax PF-80 or Vortex Viper for better choices under $10000 -
try a good scope and those shoot-n-see targets that change colors when hit. 0 -
I use an old surplus Wild T-2 theodolite that I got online for $100 shipped to my door.
It has the famous variable power (+/- 6X-80X) Swiss optics used for surveying, and it will clearly show something as obvious as a hole in paper at well over 500yds.
It has a tribrach (the thingie that holds it to the tripod, and adjusts for precise leveling), from Wild, and it mounts to the tripod head nestled into a sandbag for low-angle spotting.
Used/surplus levels are cheap, and as long as you stay away from crap like David White; the resolution is amazing.
Remember, the levels are used to read very fine markings (less than a millimeter wide, most times) CLEARLY on level rods, which could be hundreds of feet away-make your own correlations as to just how clear you need it to be.
Another thing to recall is that there is a different atmosphere less than 2 feet above the ground; heat mirage and wind ripples don't affect your line of sight as much as when you set your scope up at a sitting/kneeling position.0 -
quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
besides 'power' you need good resolution (read $$$$)
Yep, at that kind of magnification you need some real good glass work, or it's going to be like trying to look through the bottom of a Coke bottle. $$$$0 -
Target camera can be built for way less than $2k if you are geeky enough. I've built a waveguide antenna for 802.llb wireless for under $20 that let me maintain a good connection for almost 1 mile.
A couple of inexpensive laptops, you could be running something for under $500.
Of course, if you are a bad shot and miss, you'll need to replace it all
quote:Originally posted by Mk 19
I use a Swarovski STM-80HD with a 20-60 eyepiece and a Swarovski ST-101 tripod, yes, this is one of the best scopes ever made and yes, I have close to $5000 tied up into the package, but no, I can not make out 22 cal bullet holes at 400 yards under most weather conditions. I have been able to identify the staples holding a target to the target board at 1000 yards in perfect conditions, but later that same day I could not pick up a 6mm hole in a target at 300 yards due to the mirage picking up with the heat. That does not bother me as I use my scope for much more then just long range shooting, but if I was to purchase a unit strictly for long range it would be a target camera. The prices of target cameras have really come down in the last few years and you can get a really nice model for under $2000, that money won't even get you the body of a quality spotting scope.
For the money, stay away from Leupold and Burris, there are much better scopes available. Look at the Vixen Geonoma II, Pentax PF-80 or Vortex Viper for better choices under $10000
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