A Better Spotting Scope- Long Story, Happy Ending

[Shasta]

My spotting scope gets used a lot, whether for working up loads on paper targets, shooting long distance, or even bird watching. For quite a few years I have used a Redfield 20-45x-60mm rubber armored scope that I like very much. I shoot all kinds of Metallic Silhouette competitions, and I really enjoy seeing a target go down with a well placed shot, especially those Rams at the 500 meter line. The farthest target at my club range is an 18"x36" flat steel plate hanging at 754 yards, and my little Redfield could detect bullet splashes when I was able to hit the plate with my Savage 6.5 Creedmore rifle. But....

A couple years ago we were having a Black Powder Cartridge Rifle silhouette match, and I was squadded with a couple from over in Nevada. This guy spotted for both his wife and myself, and he was a real whizz with his scope, doping wind, mirage, and pin-pointing bullet impacts. As a local boy that doesn't travel much, I had never seen such a scope. It was short, yet sported a huge objective lens. I asked to look through it and was astonished at how much better it was than my little Redfield. I resolved to get me one, but upon researching them I found the cost to be close to $3,000! Nope, no can do that! So I started watching on Ebay for a used one. I watched and I watched, scopes came and went, but always too high in price. Two years passed...

Around Christmas time, a very nice used one with a fancy tripod included showed up on Ebay at a very reasonable opening bid. I guess folks were caught up in their other Christmas shopping, because no one was bidding on the scope! On the last day, I put in the best bid I could afford, and despite a last minute attempt from some sniper, I won!!

Our long range silhouette season starts next month, and I'm excited to get to use my new spotting scope. I've been playing with it a lot, and it is nice! Remember that 754 yard plate steel target I mentioned earlier? My new scope was so clear that I could see that what I thought was flat steel was actually a piece of diamond plate! OK, sorry for the long story. Now I suppose I ought to tell what this whiz-bang scope is. I swiped a picture of one off the internet;



If you ever get the itch for some good spotting optics, I can vouch for the TSN-884 Prominar from Kowa. That big ol' 88mm objective lens really brings home the view!

SHASTA

[Blaine]

I've a 20-60 Celestron that I'm very happy with, but my tripod sucks really bad.....

[jkbrea]

Not mine but I saw this Kowa today on calguns. I have no idea if it's a good price. Never use them much.
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/show ... ?t=1049688

[rbertalotto]

Nothing like a Kowa for the money. Folks look through my 25 year old Kowa and can't belive a scope can be that good. Now find a long eye relief 25x eye piece and be in 7th heaven! I've never used my 20-60x eye piece since I I got the LER

[rbertalotto]

Btw.... That Kowa on Calguns is a smok'n deal! Someone should jump on it!

[Chris83716]

Kowa's are great for the money. It's what most of the High Power shooters use at my club.

Chris

[Ben_Rumson]

I have a Kowa camera made in the 60s that always took razor sharp photos.

[Ray Newman]

Shasta, et al: yup hard to beat a KOWA. I have an older 77mm TSN-1 with the 20-60X eyepiece that I bought in the early 1990's. Early morning, dusk, etc. it works vey well. Last year, I sent to KOWA for a check up. After all that use, it needed some adjustment on the focusing.

Since I shoot from the bench, I had a steel rod welded to a C-clamp and attached a camera tripod type head to hold the spotting 'scope. Got the idea after I saw an oaf knock over a 'scope on a tripod set up next to a bench.

For those interested in a spotting 'scope, purchase one from a retailer that has a no-question-30-day-money-back-return policy. Look through the scope at sunrise, sunset, rain, fog, etc. You will soon see if it is worth having. More often than not, it is difficult to determine how good a 'scope is when looking at in a well-lighted store.