spotting scopes
What are the recommendations regarding good spotting scopes? Price range can be between $150 and $250; or less if there are good scopes available.
It must be right, or we wouldn't do it this way!
It must be right, or we wouldn't do it this way!
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What is the best spotting scope to buy in the $200-$300 range?????? 0 -
You are limiting yourself pretty much to bottom of the line choices with that price range. That said I'd look for the largest objective diameter of the available choices. You will probable see mostly 50mm lens with the occasional 60mm. Go with the 60mm. A lot of guys seem to think that fancy wham-o-dyne zoom lens between 20-50 power are best(I don't). Just remember that every zoom lens has an extra element or two which lessens definition and clarity by just a tiny bit. When you are at the bottom of the food chain on scopes you will, in fact, see that loss of clarity. In any case most people would favor a lens between 25 and 32 power to cover most uses. My advice would be to save a little bit longer until you have around $500-$600 and buy a better scope. You will never regret buying better quality in scopes. A $600 scope will deliver performance you won't regret. It may not rival the $1200 to $1500 scopes but it will be adequate for most every use. Alao you have to think whether you will be using it primarily at the range or in the field. Range scopes can be a little more delicate and should have an eyepiece with a 45 degree angle offset to facilitate scoping the target without getting out of position. Field scopes should be shock resistant and have a straight eyepiece which will facilitate picking up targets in the field a little more quickly. There are a lot of questions to ask yourself before you buy that scope. The topic has been covered exhaustively in this forum and you can probably get a lot of info from reading many of the previous postings from the last year or two. Finally I'll add that some guys will poohpooh any scope for less than $1000 as being marginal...that's just not the case. Many scopes in the $400-$700 range will last you a lifetime without regret. Beach 0 -
Last Aug. my gun store got in a spoting scope and it said Winchester on it, don't know if Winchester arms co inported them or not, he just had one in and when we took it out side to try it was Very Very good and a friend of mine bought it and is very happy with it, I think lit sold for around $200.00, After that the store owner reordered 2 more of them and they were not worth a CRAP. and he sent them back, So what I am trying to say is go out and look through them every once in a while you will find a good one. 0 -
Check out www.cdnninvestments.com they have a lot of scopes, and most are on sale, as they are a volume dealer.
"A wise man is a man that realizes just how little he knows"0 -
In general I agree with Beachmaster73. He has given you some good advice, but let me add a little from my own experience. I do have one of the $1600 scopes that I use for birding. It does indeed have greater clarity, no haloing and near perfect color rendention. It will also allow me to use it several minutes longer into the twilight at dawn and dusk than a less spendy scope because it transmits light more effectively. That said, you probably do not need such a scope for hunting or range work. My Leica does not go the the windy gritty range or get tossed in a back pack. For that I carry a Bushnell scope I have been using for nearly 30 years. If you can hold off and save for a better scope, that would be worthwhile, but if your budget will not stretch that far, or you access your needs at the budget level you stated, take a look at the Bushnell scopes, specifically the Space Master scopes. 0 -
I've been thru a number of spotting scopes; many in the price range your looking at. Save your money. I've used an unknown brand (it literally fell apart), Tasco, one from Champions Choice, Bushnell, Kowa (mine fogged) and now a Leica. I've still got a little Kowa in my pistol box I use at short ranges. My Leica goes everywhere I want to look at something - I use it at the range where I'm a rangemaster to call shots for shooters and it goes hunting. It's very rugged and has a good reputation. I've seen used ones for less than $600 - check out some of the auctions on the net and be patient - you can get a good scope for a reasonable price. 0
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