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Second spotting scope which one for this profile?

avidflyer

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 18, 2011
830
115
St Louis
I've got a high end spotter for my high power / fclass shooting on a freeland tripod. Just picked up a manfrotto 190 with a joystick head for my pig saddle and thought about getting a new spotter to also run in the field / comps. Would love to have a mil reticle but not a deal breaker... any ideas....will do some research today, not wanting to break the bank cause I just picked up a terrapin also.
 
I'd also like to try out the Bushnell LMSS for this role - spec-wise, it seems like a solid competitor to the Mark 4.

I can tell you one thing that did not work, which was a Vortex Recon 15x hand-held spotter/monocle with a 2x magnifier. Great form factor, but the optical performance was a disaster with the magnifier in place.
 
I'd also like to try out the Bushnell LMSS for this role - spec-wise, it seems like a solid competitor to the Mark 4.

I can tell you one thing that did not work, which was a Vortex Recon 15x hand-held spotter/monocle with a 2x magnifier. Great form factor, but the optical performance was a disaster with the magnifier in place.

lmss looks to long...I bit the bullet and bought a new mark 4 tmr spotter....way more then i wanted to spend but knew if I went cheap I'd just be pissed....
 
Does your high end spotter happen to be a Swaro? I use a Vortex MRAD 30X eyepiece with my STS 65 and works like a charm. Only downside is that it is a fixed power. Checked the subtensions and they were right on the money. Think the eyepiece ran about $230.
 
People either like or hate the USO spotter with the biggest negative being the eye relief. I have one in IPHY and the eye relief takes getting use to. My hunting buddy loves the scope and likes the eye relief and keeps both eyes open when using the scope. If you are use to having your eye close to the eye piece I wouldn't recommend this scope.
 
Any thoughts on the USO spotter? It can be purchased between $900-1100 and has reticle options.

I own one and it works for me, however it is not a spotting scope. It is an observation device. The glass is "okay" for spotting paper out to about 300 if you get the focus adjusted just right. I have made wind calls for other shooters out to about 800yds or so with it, but its lack of good glass really hurts when the mirage gets bad. I personally liked the eye relief, i wear glasses and the eye relief kept my glasses from having to touch the eyepiece.
I have spent a lot of time behind spotters over the last yr or two helping out at matches, and the Vortex Razor line and the Leupy are hard to beat. I have also had a chance to look thru the bushnell spotter and it has good glass and the reticle is handy as well.

All this is one mans opinion, so take it for what is worth. But my suggestion is to get behind as much glass as you can, it'll make your decision easier and not to mention better informed.