Spotting scope question

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  • ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    Who prefers the angled or straight eyepiece?

    I have an angled one, because I found it easier to use when prone, but it turns out that I find myself spotting for others too and in that case it's much easier to use a straight eyepiece when sitting or standing.
     

    rbird7282

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 6, 2012
    18,530
    Columbia
    Who prefers the angled or straight eyepiece?

    I have angled and wish I had gotten a straight one. If you're by yourself and shooting prone, the angled would be better because it can be set up close to you to look through without moving too much.
    All of the times I've used mine I'm either standing or sitting spotting for others, usually at long range shooting. I'd rather have the straight eyepiece in those instances.

    Just saw Tool AA beat me to it.
     

    gwfrench

    Active Member
    Aug 21, 2014
    199
    Frederick, MD
    I find the main issue is using a target with pasters on it. A new target is much easier to see 223 holes at 200 yards. If there are 10-20 pasters on the target it is harder to see new holes. I use a Kowa 82SV with a 20-60 zoom.
     

    BigRick

    Hooligan #15
    Aug 7, 2012
    1,140
    Southern Maryland
    Multiple people have touched on it already. You get what you pay for. The vortex viper HD is nice. One other thing that nobody has discussed is a tripod. If you buy a cheap one and it doesn’t hold your spotting scope steady you just wasted your money. It’s a package deal that some people forget about. If your looking at shooting less that 500 yards a 14-45 will do fine. Go longer a 20-60 will work. I shoot a 1000 yards and never use over 10 on my nightforce scope and can ring a 10” gong all day long. Black powder cartridge I use a 6x scope and make constant hits at 500 meters. More isn’t always better. Last thing buy once cry once!
     

    Neutron

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 20, 2014
    1,531
    severna park
    I posted how I use a cheap Wyze camera as a target camera a few posts back. I don't know how to link back to it. Just look for a thread titled "cheap target camera".
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Who prefers the angled or straight eyepiece?

    It depends on the use.

    The angled are nice when shooting prone, as you set it up to just turn your head and look through the spotting scope. This is how the high power guys do it

    If you are spotting and not shooting, from a chair, angled has you hunched over, that bothers my back after a while. So I have straight for that use.

    Best, would be one of each, to use when appropriate.
     

    atblis

    Ultimate Member
    May 23, 2010
    2,011
    One problem with straight is that you have to have the height set perfectly. This is a problem if multiple people are looking through the same scope and they're of much different heights. An angled is more flexible in this regard. People can hunch as needed.
     

    Bountied

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 6, 2012
    6,878
    Pasadena
    One problem with straight is that you have to have the height set perfectly. This is a problem if multiple people are looking through the same scope and they're of much different heights. An angled is more flexible in this regard. People can hunch as needed.

    So can't they just scrunch to see the straight one? Or just adjust the tripod? Seems like a non-issue to me. IDK
     

    dist1646

    Ultimate Member
    May 1, 2012
    8,758
    Eldersburg
    Angled works well in offhand and sitting position. It is usable in prone but, if you position a straight scope properly, it is IMHO better in prone. Reason being, you can observe conditions without any major head movement, just a very slight head shift without completely taking your head off the rifle. I have used both types of scopes over the years. Now that optics are being used on service and match rifle, much of this has been negated although a spotting scope is still good for reading the predominant conditions, wind, etc. If the spotting scope is just being used to see your shots on target, not many are capable of making .22 cal holes clearly visible 100% of the time at 200 yds and beyond except in the best of light and conditions on a standard highpower target.
     

    atblis

    Ultimate Member
    May 23, 2010
    2,011
    So can't they just scrunch to see the straight one? Or just adjust the tripod? Seems like a non-issue to me. IDK
    Often there's not enough adjustment and you end up having to move the legs. I say this based on experience. I have both angled and straight. I find the angled more useful. It works better off impromptu rests as well.
     

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