Spotting Scope

I am in the market for a spotting scope. I look at reviews and I always find something I do not like very much. Yes, I know they are people's opinions, etc.

I would like to keep the price in the low range $ 300 if possible. I have an AR-10 device for long-range shots about 700 yards away.

I would also like to work effectively in shorter fishing fields, both under low or low light conditions.

If you expect to see .30 caliber holes at long range you need the best (read expensive) spotting scope you can get with a minimum of a 60 mm objective lens and 80 mm will be a lot better. I don't think a $300 scope can do it.

Excellent makes are Leupold, Zeiss, Swarovski and a few others. Mid-priced scopes from Vortex, Burris, Bushnell and Nikon may be ok but check them out at realistic distances.

The cheapest one that I know of that works well is this:
https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-52330-TrailSeeker-Degree-Spotting/dp/B014TI7F8I/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1534273663&sr=8-4&keywords=trailseeker
Unless you have a good tripod add another ~$120. It has a 16—48x zoom and you can get iinterchangeable objectives and a sun shade.

grobin said:

....you can get iinterchangeable objectives and a sun shade.

Click to expand...

I assume you meant interchangeable eyepieces.

You are right. Eyepiece is a tele/spoting scope objective is a microscope.

Lots of things you need to think about, maybe you have already. Objective lens size, 80mm if you really want to see in low light. Power, too high and at 700 yds can become a problem, too low and you cannot see what your attempting to see.
Go to a big box store get some advice then go outside and spend time looking at varied ranges. You will find some cloudy, some darker, some lighter, mirage, heat waves. In the store will not help at all.
By the way what is it your trying to see at 700 yds a bullet hole, a steel plate, a steel game target?
I spend some years with a 50mm, 12 power spotting scope looking at my targets from 200 yds to 800 yds. But, I was looking at the spotter disk in the paper not the bullet hole. Forget seeing the bullet hole. Maybe you will at around 200 yds. I found the 20 to 45 power lens not up to the task. Too cloudy, too much mirage, too dark on a low light day.
Purchase of a spotting scope is just like a rifle scope, spend money on a great 1 first not several that will not function they way you need. It might cost as much as the rifle you mentioned to use it with.

Frankly the real cheap plastic lens scopes are pretty useless at any distance. The one I mentioned above starts getting marginal at 500 yards. Unfortunately not that big a problem as there is only one 1000 yard range around here (unless I drive to NM). The really good scopes for 500-1000 yards are a lot more. Like ~$600-$800
and the ones for around 3000 to 4000 yards are easily twice that .

I have been looking at them too. It looks to me like you can get something cheap that really isn't good enough, or get a really good scope for hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Danged either way.
With a cheap 60x 60mm, I really have trouble seeing .223 at 300yds. .30 and 8mm are easy enough, but not REAL easy to see. Out to 700yds, I don't think anything less than $700. Best to buy used. Always good to shoot on a range with someone in the pit marking it too- then a cheap scope might get you by.

I have a celestron 22x66-100mm model 52252 and like it, but at 700-800 yards bullet holes are a dream at your price point. and a good tripod is a must as most good spotters are pretty heavy. my tripod is a davis&Sanford model CG/F-10.

I might suggest thinking out of the box on this... how hard would it be to set up a wireless camera close to the target and transmit the picture back to the bench?

Not hard if the cell phone has a program called Screen Stream Mirroring (you will need a range extender) or easier just use a camera that streams over the 'net. There are a bunch of video cameras that do it or streaming interfaces which do it! Probably <$1,000.