Spotting scope suggestions ....

[bigjeepman]

I am getting ready to buy a spotting scope to use mostly at the range. I spent today looking at two gunshops and they had Burris, Nikon, Bushnell, and a lot of Winchesters. I was wanting to limit this purchase to around $150 to $175. I want one that is waterproof.

Any suggestions? What do you all use? I was surprised to see so many with the Winchester name on them. These scopes varied in price from $69.00 to $160.00 if I remember correctly and had carrying cases. Are these scopes of acceptable quality?

[Graybeard]

Are these scopes of acceptable quality?

To be brutally honest, in my opinion, NO!

I've not really seen a spotting scope in that price range I'd stay with over the long haul. I own and use the B&L Elite 20-60x80mm scope. It is the absolute best and clearest I've ever looked thru bar none.

At the range I've looked thru a ton of them of many brands and for the most part I find a rifle scope to be superior to 90% of them I've looked thru for spotting bullet holes. That is definitely NOT the case with the one I now own.

Binoculars and spotting scopes are two places I just don't believe in trying to save money by buying cheap. I'd honestly rather have a low priced scope on my rifle than a cheap binocular or spotting scope.

[wolfie6929]

i agree with graybeard on this one buy the best you can and you won't be sorry,i got a eschenbach a german made scope 15x-45x about 200.00 cant see 17cal holes at 100yrds for beans(so much for Germans having the best optics not in this case)this scope is now only used for pistol out to 50yrds.early on this summer i got a Kowa 823M with a 20x-60x eyepiece all i can say is wow i can see 17cal out to 200yrds now could problay read a news paper at a 100yrds no pinhole effect just clear, brite and sharp.i like it so much i got the camera adaptor so i can use it on my nikon 35mm. worth a look http://www.kowascope.com/ save up and get the best you can.also look at nikon,zeiss and swarvorski
shoot good.B.J.