Spotting Scope for Bisley

[BrunelTR]

Hi guys I am looking for a bit of advice on buying a spotting scope for shooting at Bisley. A majority of our shoots are up to 600yrds but we really need something that will manage up to 1000yrds. Can anyone give me some advice on specifications and/or somewhere I can pick one up for a reasonable price (we are a student club!)?

Thanks

Chris
Secretary
Brunel University Target Shooting Club

[IainWR]

Just about any scope will allow you to see the spotting disc at 1000 yards. Quality in a scope is primarily to enable you to see the mirage in less than full sunlight; the better the scope, the less light you need. The most important factors are the quality of the optics - you might recognise names like Zeiss and Leica - and the size of the objective lens. Also, it's well worth getting a stand designed for the job. Camera tripods tend to get in the way if they are sturdy enough to provide the rigidity needed. High magnification is occasionally useful to check whether a score is worth challenging, but is otherwise a bit of a pain at shorter ranges - you might not get the target number and the target in the image at the same time, and that can have unfortunate consequences.

Battered but serviceable secondhand scopes (Greenkats and suchlike) pop up quite regularly and at very low prices in informal trading as people upgrade to the expensive Kowas, Swarowskis and Leicas. If you have more money, it's worth looking in the small ads of the birdwatching magazines - there are a lot more twitchers than shooters, and just as much fascination with the latest gadget.

One thing not worth spending money on IMO is the optical coatings that enhance colour in the image. You need to see the lines on a black / white target, and the shimmer in the air of mirage. You don't need to see the bootiful plumage on a Norwegian Blue, unless you are somewhere like South Africa and misusing your scope to look at the wildlife.

[Andy632]

You get 'Norwegian Blues' in South Africa?????????

[Watcher]

For basic club shooting I find that the cheap scopes from Aldi fit the bill. They run out at about £25. OK you are not going to get high quality optics but for seeing the orange spot they do well enough; even at a 1000 yards. Its then worth spend the money on a decent Opticron stand.

[Apphelia]

For basic club shooting I find that the cheap scopes from Aldi fit the bill. They run out at about £25.

You beat me to it. I can vouch for the Aldi scope too. Zoom is a bit rickety, but still pretty good. They also did a line in battery-powered ear defenders, so you can hear people talk but they cut out instantaneously with a loud noise. Similar sort of price - or maybe a bit cheaper... 19 quid seems to ring a bell.

[Dougan]

Hi Chris,

For TR the stand is nearly as important as the scope - You don't want to move your position to look down the scope, so the cheap photographic type are no good, as you can't get the scope close enough to your head without knocking it with your mat or elbow - they are also not that stable, so if you knock the scope or stand it will move, which is a real pain in the ass, as you then have to come out of position to line it up again - For the same reasons an off-set eye-piece is also desirable....

...You can't beat the ones designed for the purpose; with a fixed magnification (I think mine's x24), off-set eye-piece, and an 'L' shaped sturdy stand.

I got an old (but functional) scope and stand second hand for less than £100...and I would say that is the minimum you will spend for something fit for purpose...

[Watcher]

http://www.intershoot.co.uk/acatalog/Op ... d-116.html

I use this with my Aldi scope; works fine and fits nicely on the corner of my shooting mat.

[Dougan]

http://www.intershoot.co.uk/acatalog/Op ... d-116.html

I use this with my Aldi scope; works fine and fits nicely on the corner of my shooting mat.

Yeah, that's good enough...it's 'L' shape...

...and you can pick up scopes like the one in the picture for £40/50.

[hitchphil]

Hi Chris, - u bust Gaz's scope then hu?

If you can buy 2 scope stands like these http://www.bedstargetsupplies.co.uk/opt ... p-139.html you may be able to negotiate a bit of a discount then ask the SU to buy it for you & they can claim the vat back too. With 2 you can fit 3 poles together to make one suitable for coaching leaving 1 OK for prone - & if the thread does not fit I & many others have a lathe.

The check over ebay for the greenkat, opticron also marketed as Lisenfield angle eye scopes (2 on there today). also the picalo compact is ok. Then for a cheap waterproof cover see ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110965550278? ... 1423.l2649 & NB you really don't need camo at Bisley!

Cut a 2 liter pop bottle centre section out & fit it over the scope with an elastic band to provide a rain shield.

Trouble with aldi / rubber coated scopes is plastic inners if you drop them they fall apart. If you open them up you can epoxy them back together but i also found the cheap coatings made the image poor.

Attend an air show (Duxford) there is always a scope trade market stall & try before you buy - or try then buy cheaper elsewhere :roll: .

Alternately find some engineering students looking for a design project offer to buy the materials if they make 2 prototype stands after researching the market? then spend the saving on a better scope.

Good luck if I see anything I will pm / email u.

[BrunelTR]

Nice one guys, thanks for the feedback, much appreciated. I will have a shop around!

Chris