On a budget need to buy Spotting Scope..

bcarroll76

Private
Minuteman
Oct 17, 2010
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Hey guys, I am on a tight budget and need to purchase as good a spotting scope as i can find for under 300$ ... Please dont say you get what you pay for, I know that.. In the future I will, but right now I cannot..

Here are my choices.. please let me know what you think.. and offer any other options please!!!

Burris XTS-2575 25-75 x 70 mm

Konus Konuspot 20-60x80mm

Burris 20-60x80mm Landmark

Thanks Guys!!
 
Re: On a budget need to buy Spotting Scope..

Bushnell also made a FLP spotter with a Mildot reticle in it also although I heard these had issues with the first batches of them having water inside them. But that is not a bad way to go either (if they fixed these issues). The reticle was also in the Front Focal Plane
 
Re: On a budget need to buy Spotting Scope..

Bryan the issue with the Bushnell was highlighted in 2009 and should have been fixed... to add to that I have had success with every Bushnell product I have used to date.

Cant comment on the Burris or the Konus units as I have never used them, however I have heard chatters about the konus being okay for the money on other similar threads.
 
Re: On a budget need to buy Spotting Scope..

If you have a reason to be able to glass without the optic attached to a rifle, then a spotter is a good idea.

If that is not the case, then I generally suggest rolling the dough you would spend on a spotter into a better riflescope. You will get much more use out of it.

About the only time I take my spotter out anymore is for use in situations where pointing a rifle would not be permissible.

If you don't have top quality glass on your rifle, get that first. Worry about a spotter later.
 
Re: On a budget need to buy Spotting Scope..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m54dmb</div><div class="ubbcode-body">why dont you look around in the 4 sale ads on the various forums..might run up on a bargain </div></div>
Spotters pop up often in the Optics & Accessories section (try searching there).
As for reasonable spotters, I would try to find a sporting store that has several to look through. You'd be amazed at the diversity of optics out there...
 
Re: On a budget need to buy Spotting Scope..

Where are you at, BryanC? If you're anywhere close to the Kansas City area, Bushnell has two or three outlet stores, both in KS and MO, and if you're LE, they offer another 20% on top of the outlet price!
wink.gif
 
Re: On a budget need to buy Spotting Scope..

Konus 60MM is a good scope for under $300, I have had mine for about a year, no problems. Bought mine on E@ay from a guy that sells them with a name your own price, he accepted for $ 270., think he was out of Miami, Fla.. I spent alot of time researching and the Konus 60 was the best bang for the buck.It's not a Kowa, and it's not waterproof, but it's seen alot on the high power competition line.
 
Re: On a budget need to buy Spotting Scope..

I'd recommend a Vortex. They are known to be the best possible quality for the price. I have one of their Viper riflescopes and it is sweet. Very clear glass. With Vortex, you also get arguable the best warranty of any brand on the market. Here is the warranty from their website:

"...Repair or replace your Vortex product for any reason at NO CHARGE TO YOU. It doesn't matter how it happened, whose fault it was, or where you purchased it.

-Unlimited lifetime Warranty
-Fully transferable
-No warranty card to fill out
-No receipt needed to hang on to"

They have a Nomad Model with an MSRP of $379. If you look around online you can find them for around $300.

http://www.vortexoptics.com/category/spotting_scopes
 
Re: On a budget need to buy Spotting Scope..

Camera land has a Minox MD 50 demo unit for $189. I don't know how it would compare with the other spotters mentioned but its an idea. Anyone have an opinion on these?
 
Re: On a budget need to buy Spotting Scope..

Some good advice on here. I agree that *close* to your price range, you'd be hard pressed to get a betteer scope than the Bushnell FLP.

As far as Burris, if you want bang for buck, get the 12-24x50. It can be had for about $100 if you shop. I've looked through the other inexpensive Burris' and there not as good as that one. I have one that I carry in my hunting pack and use sometimes when we shoot and my friends are amazed at how good it really is. Not great, but good. It is made in China and is a little blurry around the edges, but I can spot hits on steel at 1500 and see .30 cal holes at 400 yds. no problem. And for spotting trace, it actually works better than the Excursion.

.02

John
 
Re: On a budget need to buy Spotting Scope..

My first spotter...if you have an inexpensive rifle scope this may work, but I bought a good rifle scope first and it ALWAYS outperformed the Sequoia. Not a big fan, sold it. A buddy has a Konus we've used for desert shooting to 1 mile and it was decent (better than the Sequoia IMO).
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: css</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What about the leupold 15-45x60 Sequoia(sp) green ring spotter? </div></div>
 
Re: On a budget need to buy Spotting Scope..

Why do you need a scope "right now?" Of the ones you listed, Burris is a well-regarded company, but I"d suggest waiting until you have $600 or so. This is the minimum to get into a good Kowa scope and you won't have to worry about "upgrading" later. Kowa scopes are flat out awesome and the best value for the dollar.