What is the best value in that price range? This will be for range use mostly (out to 1200 yards). Glass quality and build quality being most important.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Spotting Scope in the $600 range.
- Thread starter wareagle700
- Start date
I recently ordered the 65mm Celestron Regal M2 ED. I'm waiting for it to arrive and can't wait! It's primary uses will be for hunting and range use. I'll give it review here when I get some time behind it.
I had a Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 20-60x80 that was bright and clear, decent resolution, ED glass. They go for around $500.
Joe
Joe
Thanks. I got a Sightron SII 20-60X85 and quickly returned it. For $600 that was junk. It would compare to the 200-300 scopes......maybe. I had a $350 Bushnell that was way better built.
I ordered a Vortex Viper HD 15-45 due to my experience with Vortex products and their CS.
I ordered a Vortex Viper HD 15-45 due to my experience with Vortex products and their CS.
The Konus 20-60X80 is considered by a lot of people to be the best bang for the buck at only $300. I've used one side by side with some other scopes that cost 2-3 times as much and it's pretty close in performance. A number of Hide sponsors sell this one as well as the others mentioned already.
Of course I'm very bias because I'm the owner of TargetCam.net but if you're planning on seeing holes on targets out past 400 yards or so you aren't going to do it even with one of the high end scopes. On hot sunny days I think you could probably set up the freakin Hubble telescope and still not be able to see shots out past 600 or so due to mirage and dust.
With our system the camera is mounted on a tripod about 20 feet away from your target so mirage and dust are not going to be a factor. The live image is then transmitted via wireless signal back to the base unit sitting next to you. Shoot, look over to see your shot, rinse, repeat...You can also get multiple cameras to view multiple targets at other distances.
I'd like to offer our product as an alternative if you're primarily looking for something for range use. Our product is available through this site as well as through the long time Hide sponsor - Mile High Shooting in Denver MileHighShooting.com
Sorry for the sales pitch...I've just had a lot of people come to us after spending a lot of money on spotting scopes only to find out they can't see holes out past about 400 yards. I hear it quite a bit... "I wish I had known about your system before I threw down $1500 on my spotting scope."
Spotting scopes are still useful for picking up vapor trail to get you onto a target but once you have dialed in and are hitting the target our system allows you to see exactly where on the target each shot hits. We suggest people who purchase our system to set up fairly large targets about 4'X3' so that it's fairly easy to get a shot on target and then dial in from there. Instant feedback after each shot makes range sessions a lot more productive.
I realize that our TargetCam concept is new to most people so feel free to call me any time with questions. We stand behind our product 100% and some of your purchase $$ also goes to supporting the Hide.
Of course I'm very bias because I'm the owner of TargetCam.net but if you're planning on seeing holes on targets out past 400 yards or so you aren't going to do it even with one of the high end scopes. On hot sunny days I think you could probably set up the freakin Hubble telescope and still not be able to see shots out past 600 or so due to mirage and dust.
With our system the camera is mounted on a tripod about 20 feet away from your target so mirage and dust are not going to be a factor. The live image is then transmitted via wireless signal back to the base unit sitting next to you. Shoot, look over to see your shot, rinse, repeat...You can also get multiple cameras to view multiple targets at other distances.
I'd like to offer our product as an alternative if you're primarily looking for something for range use. Our product is available through this site as well as through the long time Hide sponsor - Mile High Shooting in Denver MileHighShooting.com
Sorry for the sales pitch...I've just had a lot of people come to us after spending a lot of money on spotting scopes only to find out they can't see holes out past about 400 yards. I hear it quite a bit... "I wish I had known about your system before I threw down $1500 on my spotting scope."
Spotting scopes are still useful for picking up vapor trail to get you onto a target but once you have dialed in and are hitting the target our system allows you to see exactly where on the target each shot hits. We suggest people who purchase our system to set up fairly large targets about 4'X3' so that it's fairly easy to get a shot on target and then dial in from there. Instant feedback after each shot makes range sessions a lot more productive.
I realize that our TargetCam concept is new to most people so feel free to call me any time with questions. We stand behind our product 100% and some of your purchase $$ also goes to supporting the Hide.
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I don't care how much you spend on a spotter, you will not see bullet holes beyond 300 to 400 yards.
Joe
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2
Joe
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2
I bought the Konus 20-60 X 80 a while back when it was on sale thru Midway. I use it once a year on a hunting trip I take to Nebraska but other than that it is primarily for range use. I have been very pleased with it so far especially for the price.
Here's some photos taken throught the Celestron Regal M2 65ED using an iPhone held up to the eyecup.
This photo was at 900 +/- yards in the late afternoon, temps around 105*F. The scope was on 48X.
Same conditions as the above picture, scope set at 16X. 1430 yards.
Scope zoomed in to 48X
Again, hot afternoon in the San Joaquin Valley, this picture is at 1763 yards (1 mile) with the scope set at 48X.
This pic was taken about 25 minutes after sunset, looking southwest at about 850 yards. The scope was set around 30X.
All in all, for a lower midrange spotter with ED glass and a magnesium housing I think the Celestron is a keeper. I plan to try a Baader Hyperion 13mm eyepiece, which would make it about a fixed 30X with a wide FOV. If only I can find a way to get a mil based reticle in the eye piece....
This photo was at 900 +/- yards in the late afternoon, temps around 105*F. The scope was on 48X.
Same conditions as the above picture, scope set at 16X. 1430 yards.
Scope zoomed in to 48X
Again, hot afternoon in the San Joaquin Valley, this picture is at 1763 yards (1 mile) with the scope set at 48X.
This pic was taken about 25 minutes after sunset, looking southwest at about 850 yards. The scope was set around 30X.
All in all, for a lower midrange spotter with ED glass and a magnesium housing I think the Celestron is a keeper. I plan to try a Baader Hyperion 13mm eyepiece, which would make it about a fixed 30X with a wide FOV. If only I can find a way to get a mil based reticle in the eye piece....
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Big MONEY vs. value in optics........
When I was looking for a spotting scope, I tried to look though as many as possible during the matches I shoot in...targets at 220 yds, 420 yds, 547 yds, 670 yds and 860 yds. Bullet calibers range all the way from 6mm PPC to .338 Lapua. While doing all this, I bought a Razor HD and after I took it to the matches and stood it side by side with the others, I took it back...everyone that looked through it thought it was either a very poor scope for the money or that it was faulty for some reason. After a lot of looking and thinking about it, I bought a KOUNUS Spot 80 and couldn't be happier with it...best bang for the buck, great optics when compared to pretty much everything else anywhere near it (+/- 800 bucks) in price. My buddy has a big buck Swarovski (Literally cost 10 TIMES
as much as my Konus) and we stood then side by side to compare them. We were looking at a piece of chain link fence about 4500 feet from us (Google satellite picture estimate). That was a good way to determine resolution, as it had three sizes parts to look at...the corner posts, the brace bars and then the actual chain link wire and the scopes had identical zoom powers and objective sizes. The Swarovski was definitely clearer and we could actually make out the chain link wire, where the Konus only showed a kind of "ghosty" image of that. BUT....I could not see anything near better enough to spend 10 TIMES the bucks on the Swarovski. Now, my buddy has spent hours and hours lugging various spotting scopes around and looking through them on hunting trips all over the place and he pointed out (rightly so) that the Swarovski was more sturdily built and that it was more comfortable to look through and easier on the eye for extended period observing. That was all true, but 10 times better? I don't think so. I would say that for general range day and match use, the KONUS was plenty good, but on that once in a lifetime hunt, MAYBE the extra durability of the Swarovski could be justified. For range use, I think that the guys saying spotting scopes are pretty useless beyond about 400 yards (especially here in the Nevada summer mirage/heat) are right on.
I think I want a camera system now....
When I was looking for a spotting scope, I tried to look though as many as possible during the matches I shoot in...targets at 220 yds, 420 yds, 547 yds, 670 yds and 860 yds. Bullet calibers range all the way from 6mm PPC to .338 Lapua. While doing all this, I bought a Razor HD and after I took it to the matches and stood it side by side with the others, I took it back...everyone that looked through it thought it was either a very poor scope for the money or that it was faulty for some reason. After a lot of looking and thinking about it, I bought a KOUNUS Spot 80 and couldn't be happier with it...best bang for the buck, great optics when compared to pretty much everything else anywhere near it (+/- 800 bucks) in price. My buddy has a big buck Swarovski (Literally cost 10 TIMES
as much as my Konus) and we stood then side by side to compare them. We were looking at a piece of chain link fence about 4500 feet from us (Google satellite picture estimate). That was a good way to determine resolution, as it had three sizes parts to look at...the corner posts, the brace bars and then the actual chain link wire and the scopes had identical zoom powers and objective sizes. The Swarovski was definitely clearer and we could actually make out the chain link wire, where the Konus only showed a kind of "ghosty" image of that. BUT....I could not see anything near better enough to spend 10 TIMES the bucks on the Swarovski. Now, my buddy has spent hours and hours lugging various spotting scopes around and looking through them on hunting trips all over the place and he pointed out (rightly so) that the Swarovski was more sturdily built and that it was more comfortable to look through and easier on the eye for extended period observing. That was all true, but 10 times better? I don't think so. I would say that for general range day and match use, the KONUS was plenty good, but on that once in a lifetime hunt, MAYBE the extra durability of the Swarovski could be justified. For range use, I think that the guys saying spotting scopes are pretty useless beyond about 400 yards (especially here in the Nevada summer mirage/heat) are right on.I think I want a camera system now....
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