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Best budget spotting scope? Login/Join 
Member
Picture of myrottiety
posted
Got into a local range that has 100, 300 & 500 yard ranges. Going to spend more time there. So mainly just hitting steel plates with bulk ammo in .223. Don't really care about how close together holes are.

Is there any recommendations on budget spotting scope out there for just seeing dirt splash on misses and calling hits? Will usually have someone with me for calling hits / misses.

So really just need to see bullet splash or dirt splash on berm. Big Grin

Edit to add if it'll clamp or comes with an attachment to clamp to a bench vs sitting on a tripod. That'll be a big bonus for me for the ranges setup.




Train how you intend to Fight

Remember - Training is not sparring. Sparring is not fighting. Fighting is not combat.
 
Posts: 8964 | Location: Woodstock, GA | Registered: August 04, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Truth Wins
Picture of Micropterus
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Really depends on how much you want to spend. I have a Bushnell Spacemaster. I really, really like it. I think its 15-45 power. It's really clear. On a clear, low humidity night, I can see (faintly) the rings on Jupiter. I don't remember what I paid for it, but it wouldn't have been too much or I wouldn't have bought it. $200 maybe. There are all sorts of after market tripods and mounts.

If you want to go ultra-inexpensive, the spotting scope sold my Harbor Freight for like $50-$60 actually gets pretty good reviews. I think it's like 20-60 power. Just to see bullet splashes, looking at deer, and girls on the beach, it would probably be just fine.

Of course, you can spend as much as you want.


_____________
"I enter a swamp as a sacred place—a sanctum sanctorum. There is the strength—the marrow of Nature." - Henry David Thoreau
 
Posts: 4285 | Location: In The Swamp | Registered: January 03, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Bob RI
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I have the spacemaster as well...had it for many years! Works for me.
 
Posts: 4522 | Registered: January 22, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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What is your budget?
 
Posts: 875 | Location: South Dakota | Registered: May 21, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of myrottiety
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quote:
Originally posted by Sparkyk:
What is your budget?


Maybe $100 - $300?




Train how you intend to Fight

Remember - Training is not sparring. Sparring is not fighting. Fighting is not combat.
 
Posts: 8964 | Location: Woodstock, GA | Registered: August 04, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Telecom Ronin
Picture of dewhorse
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I bought a 20-60 power Celetron for maybe $200 or so and 4 or so years later ....meh it's ok

The glass is ok but the power adjustment collar does nit move well so I keep it on 60x.

It's pretty clear to 200m....maybe my eyes just suck

For my use ( range visits maybe once a month, certainly not a precision shooter)
 
Posts: 8301 | Location: Back in NE TX ....to stay | Registered: February 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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No personal experience, but I've heard that Konus makes respectable scopes for the money.
 
Posts: 8072 | Location: Colorado | Registered: January 26, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I recently bought an Athlon talos 20-60 to replace an old spotter, I am pretty happy with it, paid like 129 on sale at midway with free shipping. thought it a decent deal. not a high end, but did not cost $1000. either.
Barry
 
Posts: 62 | Registered: November 07, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of myrottiety
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quote:
Originally posted by barryinpa:
I recently bought an Athlon talos 20-60 to replace an old spotter, I am pretty happy with it, paid like 129 on sale at midway with free shipping. thought it a decent deal. not a high end, but did not cost $1000. either.
Barry


The Athlon was one that was on my short list.




Train how you intend to Fight

Remember - Training is not sparring. Sparring is not fighting. Fighting is not combat.
 
Posts: 8964 | Location: Woodstock, GA | Registered: August 04, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Crusty old
curmudgeon
Picture of Jimbo54
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quote:
Originally posted by fritz:
No personal experience, but I've heard that Konus makes respectable scopes for the money.


My Konus has been excellent and a good value at the $200-250 price point.



Jim


________________________

"If you can't be a good example, then you'll have to be a horrible warning" -Catherine Aird
 
Posts: 9791 | Location: The right side of Washington State | Registered: September 14, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
You're going to feel
a little pressure...
posted Hide Post
Konus and spend a little on a better tripod.

Bruce






"The designer of the gun had clearly not been instructed to beat about the bush. 'Make it evil,' he'd been told. 'Make it totally clear that this gun has a right end and a wrong end. Make it totally clear to anyone standing at the wrong end that things are going badly for them. If that means sticking all sort of spikes and prongs and blackened bits all over it then so be it. This is not a gun for hanging over the fireplace or sticking in the umbrella stand, it is a gun for going out and making people miserable with." -Douglas Adams

“It is just as difficult and dangerous to try to free a people that wants to remain servile as it is to try to enslave a people that wants to remain free."
-Niccolo Machiavelli

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all. -Mencken
 
Posts: 4251 | Location: AK-49 | Registered: October 06, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
fugitive from reality
Picture of SgtGold
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quote:
Originally posted by Jimbo54:
quote:
Originally posted by fritz:
No personal experience, but I've heard that Konus makes respectable scopes for the money.


My Konus has been excellent and a good value at the $200-250 price point.



Jim


^^^^This^^^^

I got to look through that exact Konus model and it's optical clarity was excellent. I doubt you will find a better scope in that price range.


_____________________________
'I'm pretty fly for a white guy'.

 
Posts: 7141 | Location: Newyorkistan | Registered: March 28, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of myrottiety
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I saw this video comparison on the Athlon. Seemed decent.





Train how you intend to Fight

Remember - Training is not sparring. Sparring is not fighting. Fighting is not combat.
 
Posts: 8964 | Location: Woodstock, GA | Registered: August 04, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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posted Hide Post
quote:
Konus and spend a little on a better tripod.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am happy with my Konus. Where would you suggest getting a better tripod???
 
Posts: 17641 | Location: Stuck at home | Registered: January 02, 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of myrottiety
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I'll probably save and upgrade the scope later at some point. But for tripod I'm likely going to grab this Sinclair bench mount. Buddy has one and it's solid. I can always use it on the next scope I buy as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Sinclai...-MOUNT/dp/B07F6SCMQ7




Train how you intend to Fight

Remember - Training is not sparring. Sparring is not fighting. Fighting is not combat.
 
Posts: 8964 | Location: Woodstock, GA | Registered: August 04, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Crusty old
curmudgeon
Picture of Jimbo54
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
quote:
Konus and spend a little on a better tripod.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am happy with my Konus. Where would you suggest getting a better tripod???


The tripod in my picture is one I got at Cabela's. The one that comes with the scope is garbage for sure. I can't remember what I paid for it but it made a huge difference.

Jim


________________________

"If you can't be a good example, then you'll have to be a horrible warning" -Catherine Aird
 
Posts: 9791 | Location: The right side of Washington State | Registered: September 14, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
You're going to feel
a little pressure...
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
quote:
Konus and spend a little on a better tripod.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am happy with my Konus. Where would you suggest getting a better tripod???


I am partial to Manfrotto tripods. Some can splay out so you can use them prone.
Many old models can be found with the Bogen brand name. Look on eBay. You can find them for $100, if you try.

Edit: also, get the pistol grip head.

Bruce






"The designer of the gun had clearly not been instructed to beat about the bush. 'Make it evil,' he'd been told. 'Make it totally clear that this gun has a right end and a wrong end. Make it totally clear to anyone standing at the wrong end that things are going badly for them. If that means sticking all sort of spikes and prongs and blackened bits all over it then so be it. This is not a gun for hanging over the fireplace or sticking in the umbrella stand, it is a gun for going out and making people miserable with." -Douglas Adams

“It is just as difficult and dangerous to try to free a people that wants to remain servile as it is to try to enslave a people that wants to remain free."
-Niccolo Machiavelli

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all. -Mencken
 
Posts: 4251 | Location: AK-49 | Registered: October 06, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by RNshooter:
quote:
Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
quote:
Konus and spend a little on a better tripod.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am happy with my Konus. Where would you suggest getting a better tripod???


I am partial to Manfrotto tripods. Some can splay out so you can use them prone.
Many old models can be found with the Bogen brand name. Look on eBay. You can find them for $100, if you try.

Edit: also, get the pistol grip head.

Bruce


Warning, Will Robinson.

Manfrotto tripods can cost a few dollars. I have one for my Kowa spotter, a carbon-fiber Manfrotto with a Stainless Steel/Magnesium pistol grip head. Cost for the tripod: $500, cost of the head: $200.

You have been warned.
 
Posts: 3398 | Location: Texas | Registered: June 20, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Like a party
in your pants
Picture of armored
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Most of the time a tripod ( cheap or expensive) only needs to be loaded down with some weight, a sandbag works great.
 
Posts: 4719 | Location: Chicago, IL, USA: | Registered: November 17, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
You're going to feel
a little pressure...
posted Hide Post
I picked up my (non-magnesium/non-carbon fiber) old model Bogen/Manfrotto tripod for about $90. It will go from 5 feet to 5 inches off the ground. It's not new, light, or pretty but it works. The pistol grip head cost about $75. I probably shopped and stalked auctions for 2 months but I found them.

Research. Wait. Pounce.

Bruce






"The designer of the gun had clearly not been instructed to beat about the bush. 'Make it evil,' he'd been told. 'Make it totally clear that this gun has a right end and a wrong end. Make it totally clear to anyone standing at the wrong end that things are going badly for them. If that means sticking all sort of spikes and prongs and blackened bits all over it then so be it. This is not a gun for hanging over the fireplace or sticking in the umbrella stand, it is a gun for going out and making people miserable with." -Douglas Adams

“It is just as difficult and dangerous to try to free a people that wants to remain servile as it is to try to enslave a people that wants to remain free."
-Niccolo Machiavelli

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all. -Mencken
 
Posts: 4251 | Location: AK-49 | Registered: October 06, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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