Spotting Scopes

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Bruce Conzo

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Hello. I'm using a 338 edge (with a 300gr. MK Sierra bullet @2950 fps), for hunting deer. Can anyone tell me what type of spotting scope to use , to visualize or detect bullet impact @ one mile?
Thanks.
 
Welcome to the forum! This is a tough question to comment on without any details. To help us out a little, can you let us know budget, how you will be using this scope (ie putting it in pack, sitting in a blind, just using at range, etc), and is weight important to you?
 
Weight is not important. I am hunting from one mountain side to the other. Off the side of state game land road. I have to bushnell space masters spotting scopes put together (binnocular) 60 mms obj. With two 27x wide angle eyepieces. I shot @ a whitetail @1600 yes and must have come close, for it run like hell. My brother was spotting and could not see the bullet impact. I was just wondering if I need more power on an economical spotter, or buy an expensive spotter, or do I need a larger objective? I guess what I want to know if some has used spotters in the field and what they used to see bullet impact. We
Whether they were economical or expensive.
 
All I know is that I have been using crap spotter and binos for years, I can barely see holes in paper LOL.
I am able to see impacts with my rifle scope at max power out to the 500 yards I have shot so far. The rifle has a brake and the scope is Leupold VX-5hd 3x-15x. I would imagine I could spot the impact a little further out with my set-up.
 
Just my opinion. If you want a spotting scope and are really going to use it. And especially if you want to use it on higher power setting. Don't go cheap. Pay once cry once. I have been down this road. Now I own several spotting scopes. Some of the brands that come to mind are. Kowa, meopta, Swarovski. Sure there are others. Camera Land, believe they are in NY. Seen to be very nice people. Even if you don't purchase something from them it may be worth your time to call and visit with them. They have always been very helpful. And usually there prices aren't to bad. Just Google them. Happy New Year and good luck with your search.
 
dmj said:
Just my opinion. If you want a spotting scope and are really going to use it. And especially if you want to use it on higher power setting. Don't go cheap. Pay once cry once. I have been down this road. Now I own several spotting scopes. Some of the brands that come to mind are. Kowa, meopta, Swarovski. Sure there are others. Camera Land, believe they are in NY. Seen to be very nice people. Even if you don't purchase something from them it may be worth your time to call and visit with them. They have always been very helpful. And usually there prices aren't to bad. Just Google them. Happy New Year and good luck with your search.
Click to expand...
I agree with don't go cheap. I have a Vortex Razor HD Gen II 22-48x65, but I have it in my pack hiking around everywhere, so it's a different scenario. If weight and cost are no issue, then go look through every spotter you can and pick your favorite. You will NEVER regret getting the best.
 
Bruce Conzo said:
Weight is not important. I am hunting from one mountain side to the other. Off the side of state game land road. I have to bushnell space masters spotting scopes put together (binnocular) 60 mms obj. With two 27x wide angle eyepieces. I shot @ a whitetail @1600 yes and must have come close, for it run like hell. My brother was spotting and could not see the bullet impact. I was just wondering if I need more power on an economical spotter, or buy an expensive spotter, or do I need a larger objective? I guess what I want to know if some has used spotters in the field and what they used to see bullet impact. We
Whether they were economical or expensive.
Click to expand...
I use the original Spacemasters and Spacemaster II's, I have 6 of them with the 25x eyepieces (not a joke). I also have Kowas (TSN-4's).

You are going to spend about $1500-$2000 to get about a 20% or less, improvement in resolution if you are going to buy new. The Spacemasters are so dear to me because they are one of the best mirage watching scopes I have ever used. I literally have one riding in my truck with me every single day. You might try getting rid of the 27x wide eyepiece and go with the 25x eyepiece. There is a reason it was the favorite with so many longrange shooters for so long.

But my suspicion is that the conditions present at the time of the shot were what was working against you...not the glass.
 
I think your right on the condition. I have four space masters II myself with 22x @ 27x both are wide angle are they are hard to beat. All you guys have good points. I am just wondering if anyone out there using a spotter seen impact @ that range of one mile using the 338 edge or something else. I know with bigger calibers like the 375, 408 cheytacs or the big 50s you could possibly see impact on the lower powers. If I had a 40x or 60x and brought object closer using the smaller caliber would it show the impact?
 
The conditions do make a world of difference, even with "the best money can buy". At that range my advice would be to film it (digiscope), that way you can watch it multiple times and zoom in more. At least that's what I do with my phone. Of course I hunt and shoot solo a lot...nobody likes to play with me!:D
It helped me on a hunt to where the perceived impact looked like a miss, but after viewing the footage and zooming in you could see it striking the animal.
 
LR spotting of a bullet impact....is as much of a skill as shooting that far in the first place.

A lot of terrain in hunting season is very poor for spotting bullet splash and quite often 2 or 3 shots may be needed to actually determine where the bullet struck...larger calibers can be easier to spot...but terrain alone can make it near impossible grass/sage/low lying scrub can hide the strike, snow, wet ground..light/shadow..even how a persons brain works or a particular persons blink pattern...I work with a spotter a lot and we spend time every year well before and sometimes after season shooting so that we can practice locating the bullet splash.. I have a 18-36X Bushnell spotter nothing special and he has a Meopta...don't remember which model or power off the top of my head..we will spend several shooting sessions in similar terrain or the actual terrain we will hunt shooting at various ranges.

Communication....that is a good skill to develop between a spotter and shooter...by telling the spotter you are ready to fire, gets him/her on target and ready... they respond..then a count down or like I say...package on the way...the spotter isn't startled when the rifle goes off...much easier to stay focused..

More magnification?...may help...I use 27 - 36x most of the time...and still don't see every bullet splash at range...
 
Bruce Conzo said:
I think your right on the condition. I have four space masters II myself with 22x @ 27x both are wide angle are they are hard to beat. All you guys have good points. I am just wondering if anyone out there using a spotter seen impact @ that range of one mile using the 338 edge or something else. I know with bigger calibers like the 375, 408 cheytacs or the big 50s you could possibly see impact on the lower powers. If I had a 40x or 60x and brought object closer using the smaller caliber would it show the impact?
Click to expand...
I use my Spacemasters and 25x eyepiece to spot impacts at 2400 yards (1.4 miles) from a 338AX against a rock cliff. In the conditions where seeing impacts is difficult, I have never felt that better glass would have made the difference.
 
I had a Vortex razor HD spotting scope that took a poop on me so I sold it, personally not saying the Vortex is a bad one they are really nice. If I buy another it will be Swarovski or Nightforce. Buy Nice or Pay twice. I think the Cronus would be a great spotting scope nice thing about vortex and Athlon there warranty is the best in the business, but I think Nightforce and Swarovski are excellent as well.
 

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