From: bartb@hpfcla.fc.hp.com (Bart Bobbitt)
Subject: Re: Spotting scope
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Site

Peter Prun (pprun@august.mtt.it.uswc.uswest.com) wrote:

: I have four requirements for a spotting scope:

:   1) good eye relief spec (I wear glasses)
:   2) rubber eyecaps (see above)
:   3) armoured outside case
:   4) zoom sufficient to use on 500-600 yard targets *without* pullers/markers,
:      i.e., I would like to see the bulletholes.  45X sounds about right.

: Bausch & Lomb meets the requirements, but they aren't cheap.  Any
: suggestions?

I doubt if you'll be able to see bullet holes in the black at 500 or 600
yards with any spotting scope.  The mirage (heat waves) prevent it unless
the air is very still and cool, plus the light is just right; this happens
about once in a hundred times on the range.

The best spotting scopes are the Unertl 20X by 54mm with 45 degree eyepiece
(but it's not too good for eyeglass wearers) and the Kowa TSN1 with a 77mm
objective lens and a 25X long eye relief eyepiece (great for eyeglass
wearers).  They'll both resolve bullet holes in the black at 300 yards under
most conditions.  The Swarovski (sp?) Optilyth is also an excellent one.
Good optics and mechanics aren't cheap, but one of these should last you
a lifetime.  They don't have the rubberish coating on the outside, but you
could put them in a scope cover that would do the same job.  They don't
have zoom magnification; fixed power spotting scopes have better images
and resolve detail better.  Magnification in the 20 - 25 power range tends
to be the best.  45X would cut down the brightness too much and the increased
visible wobble would make it harder to use.

BB