Spotting hits on steel or rocks solo

[frostop]

I am thinking about getting a spotting scope and using it in conjunction with a phone scope or something along those lines. I would also like the spotting scope to be light enough to pack.

So my question is would one of the 15-33 power units be enough to spot hits out to 700?? I'm just not that familiar with the high power optics to know if they would have enough power to get video of a hit or a miss etc.?

Gary

 

[26Reload]

If you use the spotters power then use your phone's power along with it...you should be able to see hairs on the butt of a flea at 700....well...if the glass is good enough...

 

[Sykes]

I use my phone on a Leupold Golden Ring HD 12-40x60 set on video and can easily see the vapor trail when I miss and see impacts when I hit. Works pretty awesome

Edit: Furthest I've used my set up so far is 900 yards.

 

[dfanonymous]

15-33 is kind of weird power range. To me anyways. You'll get good results though if the quality of the spotter is good. A 15-45x60 something is packable, to me anyways, and if you get a digiscope adapter then you can use your phone and record your shots to look over.
700 shouldn't even be a problem.
Experiment with the digi scope and put the tripod directly behind you in line with the gun try rolling focusing down 2/3s of a turn and you can probably catch some trace or vapor.

 

[dfanonymous]

15-33 is kind of weird power range. To me anyways. You'll get good results though if the quality of the spotter is good. A 15-45x60 something is packable, to me anyways, and if you get a digiscope adapter then you can use your phone and record your shots to look over.
700 shouldn't even be a problem.
Experiment with the digi scope and put the tripod directly behind you in line with the gun try rolling focusing down 2/3s of a turn and you can probably catch some trace or vapor.

I wish I knew how to upload iPhone videos on here. Doesn't look like the forum accepts .mov

 

[cjl2010]

I usually leave my spotter backed out to 40 or so and use my phone to zoom in from there.

 

[Sevy]

I shoot more solo than I do with a buddy so the spotting scope with a phone skope attached is something that happens on a regular basis. I use a swarovski 20-60x65 and I probably have it set on 30 or 40 power when shooting 700ish. I would say it works very well.

 

[Sykes]

Heres a screen shot of a video right after an impact at 900 yards. Just low of center. Spotter is on 40x and the phone is zoomed also

 

[Hand Skills]

+1 for 60mm spotter.

 

[Bravo 4]

I wish I knew how to upload iPhone videos on here. Doesn't look like the forum accepts .mov

Me too, have a good video of how/why a spotter is most important. I have a video of my last bull while hunting solo. The bull was a little over 800 yards and after shot follow through in scope I see impact about 11:30 and to the left several minutes each way. It appeared to be a total miss, big time! After replaying my video (several times and zooming in) to see what happened, I see impact on the animal. The "miss" I spotted in my scope was the bullet ricocheting up hill and digging in after it had passed through the animal. This was a cross canyon shot that took several hours to get to the animal, and if I didn't have the video I would have been convinced of a miss. Most guys wouldn't have even went to look...very long and extremely hard hike.
This is a screenshot of the impact, look above the rump. Scope is a Kowa Prominar on 20x and phone zoomed in enough to rid the edges of black.

 

[frostop]

Great reply's, thank you! There's three spotters that I have been thinking about Razor 11-33, Athlon Cronus 12-36 and an older Nikon ED 50. All three are similar in size, that being said I have not had my hands on any of them. Selection may change when I am able to get hands on! Again thank you for the reply's!

Gary

 

[26Reload]

Make surexto get a phone adapter.....some dont fit each other so well.....i was only able to get a universal to fit my v30 and Leupold...
Works well.....
These little guys were at 800

 

[John Klingenberg]

I just did a setup for this myself. I have a sightron 20-60 in front of galaxy phone. Out to 700 you'll have no problem seeing hits. I usually have mine set around 30x and a slight zoom on the phone. Get a good quality adapter. I've been through the cheap ones. They're difficult to get centered. You'll have to zoom your phone some to get rid of the black ring around the picture.

 

[Pro2A]

Great reply's, thank you! There's three spotters that I have been thinking about Razor 11-33, Athlon Cronus 12-36 and an older Nikon ED 50. All three are similar in size, that being said I have not had my hands on any of them. Selection may change when I am able to get hands on! Again thank you for the reply's!

Gary

I picked up the Razor 15-33 at Optics Planet for $615 (delivered/no sales tax....during regular -12% spotting scopes and iScope promo) with "free" iScope Lolipop and proper adapter for the specific Razor. Have the big boy Nightforce TS-82 20-70X82, but wanted a small packable spotter and phone adapter system. Works well. Haven't used for self spotting shots yet. Will try that right after turkey season....have to establish priorities.