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Spotting scope advice, please: Upgrade old Kowa TSN-1 or new scope

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https://sigforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/630601935/m/4250054415

March 29, 2025, 05:38 PM
RichardC
Spotting scope advice, please: Upgrade old Kowa TSN-1 or new scope
My old Kowa TSN-1 with 25X LER eyepiece was excellent for smallbore matches at 50/100meters, and is is very good condition

but I am having trouble seeing .223 and .30 caliber holes at 200 yards now.

Unless the lighting on the target is nearly perfect.

I can get a Kowa 20-60X zoom for about 350 USD,


or is modern lens technology so much better that I should consider a whole new scope?

Like Leupold's new SX-4 Pro Guide HD, 20-60x85mm for example?


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March 29, 2025, 09:08 PM
SgtGold
Glass on an older Kowa is still very good. I'd get the zoom eyepiece and call it a day. I started with the 25X LER for my TSN 82, and quickly went with the zoom for the same reasons.


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

March 29, 2025, 09:18 PM
lyman
just remember you will (IIRC) loose the LER part, when you go to the other eyepeice,


https://chandlersfirearms.com/chesterfield-armament/
March 31, 2025, 10:43 AM
tacfoley
Beware of older Kowa scopes - even the higher end models.

My 80mm TSN-32 [?] something or other [wrapped in its weatherproof protective cover, I don't rightly recall] cost north of $2500 here in UK, even bought at 'mate's rates' from a techie in the importer's.

Back around 2015 it starting getting sticky on every non-metallic surface, so I sent it back to the importers for fixing.

Their 'fix'?

A full wrap with a material like commercial-quality Glad-Wrap.

Luckily, in its protective cover, I don't need to look at it.

I'm told that since around that time - 2015 - they changed the formula of the coating to one that doesn't melt.
March 31, 2025, 09:02 PM
lyman
quote:
Originally posted by tacfoley:
Beware of older Kowa scopes - even the higher end models.

My 80mm TSN-32 [?] something or other [wrapped in its weatherproof protective cover, I don't rightly recall] cost north of $2500 here in UK, even bought at 'mate's rates' from a techie in the importer's.

Back around 2015 it starting getting sticky on every non-metallic surface, so I sent it back to the importers for fixing.

Their 'fix'?

A full wrap with a material like commercial-quality Glad-Wrap.

Luckily, in its protective cover, I don't need to look at it.

I'm told that since around that time - 2015 - they changed the formula of the coating to one that doesn't melt.


Browning and others had a similar issue with the coatings used on stocks, the plastic off gassed something and got sticky,

a wipe with acetone would cure it most times,


https://chandlersfirearms.com/chesterfield-armament/