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Posted: 7/29/2011 11:26:22 AM EDT
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im looking to buy a spotting scope that can reach 500-800 yards. I have a tight budget and found one that is 12-50X50. I have no idea what that even means because i know absolutely nothing about optics. I just didnt know if that would be good enough? My budget is 100-150. Any suggestions and or knowledge would be awesome.
Thanks. |
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I asked a very similar question about a month ago. As per suggestions here I ended up going with a KONUS 7120 spotting scope and I have been very pleased with it so far.
It is a hair higher than the range you are looking in (~220) but worth every penny. I too had an upper limit of $150 and realized I was mistaken in expecting something that was going to get the job done (and that I would be happy with) for that price range. Everywhere I searched the KONUS scope had exceedingly high reviews and compared favorably to an $800 spotting scope (I can't recall the site with that break down review, but someone here linked it) That would be my recommendation. 
GL ! Edit - Did some poking around and the spotting scope it was compared to was a KOWA in the $800 price range. |
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I'm in the same boat as you. The Konus linked above has good reviews, but judging from all the reviews and recommendations I've been reading on, the Celestron Ultima 80 is just as good but cost under $150 from Amazon. If you are looking at a 20-60x80, Ultima might fit you better because you're trying to stay under $150.
I still have not decided on what I want after a week worth of searching, good luck to you. |
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I typically only use higher end optics, but since a spotting scope doesn't have a reticle that needs to hold zero or track W&E adjustments, I went with a cheap one to see how much I would actually use it. The application was simply range use, not field work.
My first experiment was a Celestron 20-60x80. Initial impression was that it is big and heavy; no big deal since I didn't plan on humping it. One needs a very solid tripod for this device; I bought a Manfrotto fluid video head and bolted it to the base of a Hoppe's shooting rest. The mount cost more than the optic, but I eventually planned to upgrade the optic. The image quality was actually suprisingly decent for such an inexpensive device, but the ER was plenty short. A while back, a gust of wind blew my E-Z-Up over taking the Celestron with it; lesson learned, spike your canopy down even if the wind is light. Since the eypiece is no longer connected to the body due to the very fine threads going TU, it is now a paperweight, and soon to be a target. I next went with a Konus, this time a 15-45x65 to keep the size and weight down. It is an OK device for what it is. The ER is again very short. Resolving 5.56 holes at 100y is no problem for either device; 7.62 at 200y is also possible. Much more than that is hit or miss. Eventually, I will get a real spotting scope such as Kowa or Swaro, but like most folks, it is hard to come up with $2k for something that I don't use all that often. For the OP, I don't know what you plan to try and see at 500-800 yards, but it most certainly won't be bullet holes, particularly with a $100-150 spotting scope. |
| I picked up a Barska 20-60X60 for under $50 to get me by until I can afford a decent scope. It actually gets the job done although not perfectly. Eye relief is lacking but I can see the neighbor plainly from the other side of the section (1 mile). The included tripod is crap and so is the case but not bad for cheap. Watching paper from 100-200 yards is easily done once you find the sweet spot on eye position. |
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