What You Should Know Before You Buy A Spotting Scope

by
posted on December 19, 2018
ss-trjij-1.jpg

Whether testing loads, spotting for a fellow shooter or reading the mirage, spotting scopes are a serious investment. The five tips outlined below will help you select a spotting scope that is ideal for your specific needs. 

  • Power: Beyond 200-300 yards, you are not looking for the bullet holes. At longer distances, the scope simply needs to identify mirage, your target number and your scores as well as the scores of adjacent competitors to compare wind-doping data.

  • Objective Lens: The size of the objective lens determines the light-gathering capacity and field of view. More light provides increased clarity and detail, particularly early and late in the day.

  • Lens Coatings: Image quality can be improved with lens coatings that filter out UV and certain blue wavelengths. The more expensive coatings (fluorite and ED) are more appropriate for scopes used in photography.

  • Depth of Field: Not all scopes will focus as close as 33 feet (10 meters). Check the scope specifications for minimum focus if you’ll be scoring targets at close range.

  • Exit Pupil: Exit pupil is computed by dividing the objective lens size by the power: The more magnification, the smaller the exit pupil. Because the exit pupil passes all of the image required by your eye, bigger is generally better, up to a point. A healthy pupil operates in a range of 2-7mm, narrowing in bright light and dilating with less. As we age, this range drops to about 5mm. So if the scope’s exit pupil is much less than 3-5mm, the target becomes fuzzy. If it is much higher―it’s wasted capability.

  • Field Performance: A scope that works well in the parking lot may not do as well in the rain or in extreme temperatures. Do your homework. There is a vast amount of good information available online, we suggest starting with the very active optics forum at AccurateShooter.com.

Ready to pick out a spotting scope? Here are a few choices you might like.

Latest

2024 USPSA Area1 1
2024 USPSA Area1 1

Build It And They Will Come: 2024 USPSA Area 1 Championship

Results of the 2024 Berry’s USPSA Area 1 Championship, held at Giordano’s home range in Winnemucca, Nev., from May 16-19, 2024.

Fiocchi Adds 6.5 mm PRC, 7 mm PRC To Hyperformance Match Ammo Lineup

Fiocchi announces the addition of 6.5 mm PRC and 7 mm PRC cartridges to its Hyperformance Match ammunition line.

Joey Sauerland: USPSA Limited National Champion

Joey Sauerland linked up with USPSA’s Carole Bryant for an interview about his competition-shooting career thus far.

Team Remington’s Braxton Oliver Wins 2025 RC Cup Main Event

Braxton Oliver of Team Remington secures High Over All title at 2025 RC Cup sporting-clays tournament.

WATCH: Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol Chisel Stock

New from Beretta and Chisel Machining is the A300 Ultima Patrol Chisel Stock that can mount RMR-footprint red dots, along with an AR-style pistol grip and length-of pull adjustment.

What’s In Your Range Bag, James Fox?

Learn what High Power Rifle and Palma competitor James Fox keeps in his range bag.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.