Spotting scope and tripod

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Don McDowell
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Re: Spotting scope and tripod

Post by Don McDowell »

desert deuce wrote: Sat Jul 24, 2021 6:17 am Has VORTEX created something novel that would be useful to the BPCR as well as the BPTR Shooter in the way of a Spotting Scope?

Cabelas has the duo now listed in the online catalog.

Scope: SKU 2495245 85MM objective Eye Piece: SKU 2881486 33.5X 18MM eye relief
Very useful especially in target rifle.
AKA Donny Ray Rockslinger :?
SSShooter
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Re: Spotting scope and tripod

Post by SSShooter »

For those considering binos, Nikon offers their Monarch (their best) in both 15x & 20x56mm for ~$750. Am sure their ED glass is sharper than my $200 20x60 Pentax.

When picking a spotting scope the 65mm scopes will generally have a larger field of view and a sharper picture than 80mm or larger (unless you are paying $2K+). A matter of physics.
Glenn
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JonnyV
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Re: Spotting scope and tripod

Post by JonnyV »

Nikon has some nice glass. A few guys I know are starting to run their scopes and seem happy with them. Leupold has really upped their game over the last couple years too on their higher end stuff and would be worth a look as well. Not so sure about their less expensive stuff…

I just located a pair of near new Steiner 20x80 binos and bought them for $1250. Always kinda scary buying used but their warranty is ironclad and they will fix any of their products that you send in, original buyer or not. The only other thing I might do is switch over to a cam lock head on my tripod. Easier to throw a lever that be screwing and unscrewing the thing.
SSShooter
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Re: Spotting scope and tripod

Post by SSShooter »

JonnyV wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 10:47 amI just located a pair of near new Steiner 20x80 binos and bought them for $1250
That is a great find. Celestron has their Echelon 20x70 for about $750, but they won't equal to Steiner.
Glenn
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JonnyV
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Re: Spotting scope and tripod

Post by JonnyV »

Might like to try this head.....the only thing I don't like about my ball head is that when you crank it down, it sometimes will go out of position from where I was aiming it. This head would solve that and allow the spotter to fine tune his sight picture with the optics locked in position.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff2J8WPcXnI
SSShooter
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Re: Spotting scope and tripod

Post by SSShooter »

Think I'm going to try one of these https://www.telescope.com/Orion/Orion-P ... p/5377.uts once my current Celestron alt-az tripod totally dies. That was going to be this year, but one of my neighbors tossed his that has good parts that are the ones that are broken (plastic) on mine. Price was right (free), so I'll see how much longer I can get mine to last. It was only $80, new and has lasted 5yr, so no complaints.
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Re: Spotting scope and tripod

Post by 38-72 »

If your not shooting prone, then look on eBay for "P&B Professional Tripod 1110". They are great, I have several. They are very stable in the wind. And, they handle the weight of heave scope very well. Don't pay more then $50 or so. They show up about once every couple of months.

I took the pan head off and mounted and a pistol grip head. The grip ran about $50. Shop around the price does vary some.
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JonnyV
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Re: Spotting scope and tripod

Post by JonnyV »

My new binos came today....

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These are Steiner Military binos, 20x80mm...they have fully coated Schott lenses with the BAK4 prisms. These are not "roof prism" binos, these are "Porro prism" binos....older tech but higher quality (more expensive to produce)...The optical quality is insane...I can see individual veins in tree leaves over 200 yards away...I actually zoomed in on this photo a little, I'm looking at the deciduous tree (maple) in between the two evergreens....

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Up at at the very top....

Some folks may not like what I'm saying but I really believe that binos hold a giant advantage over scopes (if you are the spotter, and all you are doing is spotting!)....
SSShooter
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Re: Spotting scope and tripod

Post by SSShooter »

Very nice. And an excellent price.
There is no question that bino's are superior for several reasons. All things being equal (glass quality, total area of the lens, etc.), simply looking in stereo gives one a more detailed picture (that's why we and other predators all have two eyes) that cannot be equaled with a 2-D view in a spotting scope.
Glenn
rgchristensen
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Re: Spotting scope and tripod

Post by rgchristensen »

An old Bausch & Lomb 30x spotter and tripod are offered on the ASSRA Forum for $200, shipped. Looks almost NIB. Surprised someone has not snapped it up.

CHRIS
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