quote:

Originally posted by 280nosler:
Think about it ....

I have thought about it, and frequently used my angled eyepiece scope shooting from the prone with no problem. I am therefore obviously missing something from your description of why it doesn't work. But it is always good for people to get more than one perspective.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

quote:

Originally posted by 280nosler:
Think about it ....

I have thought about it, and frequently used my angled eyepiece scope shooting from the prone with no problem. I am therefore obviously missing something from your description of why it doesn't work. But it is always good for people to get more than one perspective.

Do you put your spotter directly on the ground? Do you not mount it at all? Do you use a tripod? I'd love to see a picture of your set up.

For what it's worth I've been pretty happy with the budget Athlon scope I have. I had a extremely good experience with the %100 backed warranty for a scope that was dropped on concrete.

So I've got this one on my short list @ $150.
Athlon Optics Talos 20-60x80 Angled Spotting Scope with Tripod and Case, Tan

I just need something so I can spot the misses on plates at 300 & maybe 500. See the splash in the dirt and be able to call them.

quote:

Originally posted by 280nosler:
I'd love to see a picture of your set up.

These are a couple of hasty photos showing the scope setup I can use from the prone. I didn’t position the scope for actual shooting and therefore it is not necessarily where it would normally be. Before taking everything outside for the pictures I did, however, confirm that with the scope at that approximate position and height I was able to easily use it for spotting.

The tripod is an old traditional style that I bought at the same time with the scope. Because the platform for the screw mount is vertical and places the scope at 90 degrees to one side, it’s not necessary to use the rotating feature with the angled eyepiece. That tripod could therefore be used with a nonrotating angled eyepiece scope. I have had no problems with running into the tripod because all I do is rotate my head to look through the eyepiece. The tripod legs can of course also be positioned out of the way as necessary.

An issue with the tripod is that its center post doesn’t allow the scope to be positioned any closer to the ground than shown. I have other stands/tripods that permit somewhat lower positioning, but the one pictured works fine for me. I usually look through the scope with my left eye, but I can use my right by rotating my head a little more.






As an aside, it took me a bit to understand that “spotter” as you use it is a slang term for the spotting scope itself. In my world the spotter is a person who spots the hits for the shooter and offers corrections or other information.

Added: I can use a straight through viewing scope if necessary, but even with the scope very close to the rifle I must move my head farther than with the angled eyepiece. The angled is a bit more convenient and usually easier to adjust.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: sigfreund,

Cool - that makes sense now that I see how your spotter is mounted on the side. I have become used to using the "both eyes open" approach.

I do use spotter interchangeably. When I shoot alone, I am my own spotter, and try to follow through the scope, but looking for paper at 800 yards with a 28x scope won't do you much good. When I shoot with another person, one is always the spotter. I prefer to having a person spotting for me over my right shoulder (4 or 5 o clock, and up no more than 1 meter).

BTW - I have the same manfrotto tripod, and ended up making weights for the feet so I can cantilever the scope 2.5' off center.

quote:

Originally posted by 280nosler:
BTW - I have the same manfrotto tripod, and ended up making weights for the feet so I can cantilever the scope 2.5' off center.

That's a good idea. I have a small cloth bag with lead shot that I use to keep my LabRadar in place, but it should be useful for that application as well. I'll have to try it.

As others have said, $100 doesn't buy much. Binos are good for a lot of things, but 100 yard paper targets aren't one of them. If you use the reactive shoot 'n see or dirty bird type targets binos might work, but other than that finding holes outside 50 yards gets tough. The good news is we are living in the golden age of optics, and even low end products are made with surprisingly good glass. I recently replaced my pistol box scope with a Meade 15-46x65 spotting scope. The scope can be found for $120-$140 on line, and the optics are quite clear. I could use it for 300 yard rifle matches if I needed to. At 100 yards I have no problem seeing 22lr holes in any outdoor light.

I also carry a pair of binos in my range bag. Like I said they are good enough to see bullet holes out to 50 yards when it's difficult to use the pistol box mounted scope. I had a pair of really cheap $45 ones, but the glass was so bad I could see distortions around the edges of the field of view. I recently picked up a pair of Vortex Diamondback 10x42s. They can be found for $140 on line thru Walmart. The glass is way better than the price, and the eye cups are LER so you can use the binos while wearing glasses.