Hey Fellows I know this is not the perfect site to ask this question, but please help me. I'm a hunter from the south and were just got picked for the first season elk in Co. I need a good spotting scope for hunting conditions in wide open areas, the price well $700.00 is about my limit If I want a new gun( Rem 5R mil spec). Please help thanks in advanced.
Rifle Scopes Spotting Scope questions
Re: Spotting Scope questions
You can see Doug on here at CameralandNY in the commercial sales section and consider the Pentax, or Scott @ Liberty Optics has some good ones as well, Vortex comes to mind.
Really, there are lot of choices in that price range.
You can see Doug on here at CameralandNY in the commercial sales section and consider the Pentax, or Scott @ Liberty Optics has some good ones as well, Vortex comes to mind.
Really, there are lot of choices in that price range.
Re: Spotting Scope questions
A used KOWA might be in that 700.00 price range as well. I picked a brand new one up from Scott with Liberty Optics for around 800.00 if I recall.
Vu
A used KOWA might be in that 700.00 price range as well. I picked a brand new one up from Scott with Liberty Optics for around 800.00 if I recall.
Vu
Re: Spotting Scope questions
Also keep size and weight in mind. While you can't beat the image of the big 80mm top end scopes most of them are 3+ lbs and they require a heavier more solid tripod to use them. When you are at 9000' packing your rifle, food, water, spare clothes, etc. all day, day after day, you don't want to pack any weight you don't need to.
A lot of guys really like the Nikon 13-30 50mm ED scope from what I've been reading, it's about 700-800 or so, it's 16 ounces and the optical quality is supposed to be by far the best of the compact scopes. It's not going to stay with the super quality 80mm scopes but it's 2.5lbs lighter and you can pack a much lighter tripod to stabilize it. Leupold also used to make a fixed 20 or 25x by 50mm gold ring scope that was compact and light with very good optical quality.
From what I've learned unless you are on a serious trophy hunt (IE not your first elk hunt) your spotting scope does not need to be able to tell you if it's a 375 or 380 elk, it just needs to give you enough resolution past your binoculars to see if it's worth going after or not.
I'd also be willing to bet the top end nikon 50mm ED probably has optical quality as good or better than most $700 bigger 80mm scopes, because you are only in the low to low-midrange of scope prices for the big objectives.
I would say the same thing about your 5R if you are planning on taking that elk hunting, a built 5R even with a light optic is probably 11 lbs maybe 12. A purpose built light mountain rifle even a tikka T3 etc. can be done under 8lbs. That's another 3-4 pounds you don't have to carry.
If you aren't taking the 5R elk hunting, skip it this year and put the funds into your elk hunt, they don't come around all that often and it's best to make the most of it.
Especially if you can't train at elevation before the hunt you are going to want your gear to be as light and as minimal as possible. So it's a fine line between the gear you need doing its job but being as light and compact as possible.
Also keep size and weight in mind. While you can't beat the image of the big 80mm top end scopes most of them are 3+ lbs and they require a heavier more solid tripod to use them. When you are at 9000' packing your rifle, food, water, spare clothes, etc. all day, day after day, you don't want to pack any weight you don't need to.
A lot of guys really like the Nikon 13-30 50mm ED scope from what I've been reading, it's about 700-800 or so, it's 16 ounces and the optical quality is supposed to be by far the best of the compact scopes. It's not going to stay with the super quality 80mm scopes but it's 2.5lbs lighter and you can pack a much lighter tripod to stabilize it. Leupold also used to make a fixed 20 or 25x by 50mm gold ring scope that was compact and light with very good optical quality.
From what I've learned unless you are on a serious trophy hunt (IE not your first elk hunt) your spotting scope does not need to be able to tell you if it's a 375 or 380 elk, it just needs to give you enough resolution past your binoculars to see if it's worth going after or not.
I'd also be willing to bet the top end nikon 50mm ED probably has optical quality as good or better than most $700 bigger 80mm scopes, because you are only in the low to low-midrange of scope prices for the big objectives.
I would say the same thing about your 5R if you are planning on taking that elk hunting, a built 5R even with a light optic is probably 11 lbs maybe 12. A purpose built light mountain rifle even a tikka T3 etc. can be done under 8lbs. That's another 3-4 pounds you don't have to carry.
If you aren't taking the 5R elk hunting, skip it this year and put the funds into your elk hunt, they don't come around all that often and it's best to make the most of it.
Especially if you can't train at elevation before the hunt you are going to want your gear to be as light and as minimal as possible. So it's a fine line between the gear you need doing its job but being as light and compact as possible.
Re: Spotting Scope questions
I've owned a Kowa 612 which was excellent. Replaced it with a Fujinon Super 60A Field Scope, even better.
The 45deg angled eyepiece is better than straight-through type. The Fuji is better than the Kowa in the higher magnification ranges of the zoom eyepiece. The Fuji has a larger diameter eyepiece, which may be part of the explanation.
Sitting outside our RV while parked at the AK State Fair in Palmer, a few years back, I glassed a flock of Dall Sheep about 5mi distant. Could tell individual sheep apart with decent distinction. That was with the Kowa, unsupported, cradling it in my lap.
Also own a very decent Redfield 60mm armored spotter with zoom and fixed 25x eyepieces, and tripod. Very comparable to the better scopes, made in Japan; a nice spotting scope.
Unless you are really in need of optics that will discern to the highest resolution, there are many spotting scopes well under $500 that will do the job. Lightweight is a key. You want the scope that gives best resolution at higher magnification or a fixed power eyepiece. The wide-angle eyepieces are reputed to be the best. Might try reading some of the bird-watching and digi-scoping forums and catch a review or two there. If you are serious about longrange competition, you might consider a mil-dot reticle for range estimation. Mil-dot reticle may also be an aid to tracking and identifying terrain. Might look at longrangehunting.com and read some of those guys opinions as hunters...
I've owned a Kowa 612 which was excellent. Replaced it with a Fujinon Super 60A Field Scope, even better.
The 45deg angled eyepiece is better than straight-through type. The Fuji is better than the Kowa in the higher magnification ranges of the zoom eyepiece. The Fuji has a larger diameter eyepiece, which may be part of the explanation.
Sitting outside our RV while parked at the AK State Fair in Palmer, a few years back, I glassed a flock of Dall Sheep about 5mi distant. Could tell individual sheep apart with decent distinction. That was with the Kowa, unsupported, cradling it in my lap.
Also own a very decent Redfield 60mm armored spotter with zoom and fixed 25x eyepieces, and tripod. Very comparable to the better scopes, made in Japan; a nice spotting scope.
Unless you are really in need of optics that will discern to the highest resolution, there are many spotting scopes well under $500 that will do the job. Lightweight is a key. You want the scope that gives best resolution at higher magnification or a fixed power eyepiece. The wide-angle eyepieces are reputed to be the best. Might try reading some of the bird-watching and digi-scoping forums and catch a review or two there. If you are serious about longrange competition, you might consider a mil-dot reticle for range estimation. Mil-dot reticle may also be an aid to tracking and identifying terrain. Might look at longrangehunting.com and read some of those guys opinions as hunters...
Re: Spotting Scope questions
Do a search on the new Bushnell Excursion FLP 15-45x60 FLP Zoom Spotting Scope here on the 'hide. Very good reviews so far for a ~$300 scope. I had one for a few days and liked it so much I decided to exchange it for the 20-60x80 model. The 15-45x60 is packable. I have a Leupold 25x gold ring when I need to pack a scope.
Do a search on the new Bushnell Excursion FLP 15-45x60 FLP Zoom Spotting Scope here on the 'hide. Very good reviews so far for a ~$300 scope. I had one for a few days and liked it so much I decided to exchange it for the 20-60x80 model. The 15-45x60 is packable. I have a Leupold 25x gold ring when I need to pack a scope.
Re: Spotting Scope questions
You could pack the Bushnell 15-45x60 no problem. The 20-60x80 not so much, it's bigger, 2" longer and weighs almost 3 lbs compared to 1.2 lbs for the 15-45x60. I have no experience with either Pentax or the Kowa. If I had the budget for the Kowa I think I'd take a serious look at the Vortex Razor for ~$1400 instead.
You could pack the Bushnell 15-45x60 no problem. The 20-60x80 not so much, it's bigger, 2" longer and weighs almost 3 lbs compared to 1.2 lbs for the 15-45x60. I have no experience with either Pentax or the Kowa. If I had the budget for the Kowa I think I'd take a serious look at the Vortex Razor for ~$1400 instead.
Re: Spotting Scope questions
Uhh' I may be wacked BUT.. for this purpose...your rifle scope is all you need !
Uhh' I may be wacked BUT.. for this purpose...your rifle scope is all you need !
Re: Spotting Scope questions
Spotting scope and binoculars in equal importance. Google a review on any optics that you want to buy to see what others have to say about it, i.e. google "swarvoski 20x80 spotting scope review".
Ditto on some of the items that Doug and Scott have up from time to time, very good prices.
As far as weight goes, it's a hell of alot easier to sit on your butt glassing than walking, so weight not that important, IMO.
http://www.opticstalk.com/
6mmbr has some reviews http://www.6mmbr.com/spotterreview.html
Spotting scope and binoculars in equal importance. Google a review on any optics that you want to buy to see what others have to say about it, i.e. google "swarvoski 20x80 spotting scope review".
Ditto on some of the items that Doug and Scott have up from time to time, very good prices.
As far as weight goes, it's a hell of alot easier to sit on your butt glassing than walking, so weight not that important, IMO.
http://www.opticstalk.com/
6mmbr has some reviews http://www.6mmbr.com/spotterreview.html
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