Okay,got the gun and scope situation settled, now on to the spotting scope.
Question: In the casual match I witnessed at Pe Ell, really no one was using anything but their scope and maybe I saw one or two spotters, most were shooters being nice and helping spot and score for a friend, so what kind of match demands a dedicated spotter on your team? Why have one in the first place and what power spotting scope do they need? My spotter would be my wife...and that means very high maintance and most likely fully catered.

The other Byron

Remmy...CBC will teach the use of a spotter. Scopes there again a matter of personal preference. As for your wife being a spotter, great we can talk her into shooting as well.
Truthfully learning to spot will help improve your scores as well. Usually local or smaller matches do not schedule enough relays to have a spotter, and having one that knows how to read the conditions ( oh yeah you shoot in PeEll, so you don't see much in environmental conditions) and can work with you on where the shot hit vs where you think it broke will help pick up the last few points. Finding one that knows you and your personality helps also, beacuse you do need to be able to trust your spotter, it is team work.

Mary

Just a quick fact to add.. I average 33 or 34 targets out of 40 in smallbore silhouette. With a spotter, that goes up by 1 or 2 points. If I'm not following through or have a shot sequence issue and would shoot well below my average without a spotter, having one call exactly where my shots went usually lets me know I'm doing something wrong in time to save my score.

Innocent wrote:Remmy...CBC will teach the use of a spotter. Scopes there again a matter of personal preference. As for your wife being a spotter, great we can talk her into shooting as well.
Truthfully learning to spot will help improve your scores as well. Usually local or smaller matches do not schedule enough relays to have a spotter, and having one that knows how to read the conditions ( oh yeah you shoot in PeEll, so you don't see much in environmental conditions) and can work with you on where the shot hit vs where you think it broke will help pick up the last few points. Finding one that knows you and your personality helps also, beacuse you do need to be able to trust your spotter, it is team work.

Mary

All makes sense, what's the power of these spotting scopes usually?
B.

Jason wrote:Just a quick fact to add.. I average 33 or 34 targets out of 40 in smallbore silhouette. With a spotter, that goes up by 1 or 2 points. If I'm not following through or have a shot sequence issue and would shoot well below my average without a spotter, having one call exactly where my shots went usually lets me know I'm doing something wrong in time to save my score.

Hey Jason, would you be a "Moore" per chance?

Byron

I would make the spoting scope a later purchase. A shooting vest, tool box and sandbags or rest would be next. Lots of practice and shoot in as many matches as possible.

Byron Moore

PS Now I have to use my last name.

remmy511 wrote:Hey Jason, would you be a "Moore" per chance?

Byron

Uhh... no, but I would let Byron adopt me if he'd buy me a nice Kowa spotting scope and tripod. Then he could use them to spot for me.

Buy the best and cry later. High end spotting scopes are low dispersion glass with clear bright image. never look back.. Kowa seems to be in the lead, all others follow. I use a nikon 25-75x 82 mm with ed glass, very good value. Check bird watcher reviews for http://www.livingbird.org/NetCommunity/ ... &srcid=667

look for the reviews
brett

Byron wrote:I would make the spoting scope a later purchase. A shooting vest, tool box and sandbags or rest would be next. Lots of practice and shoot in as many matches as possible.

Byron Moore

PS Now I have to use my last name.

I've got the name thing down, I'm either "the other Byron" or "the one that can't shoot.
So what's up with the shooting vest thing? I know of the coats for match shooting and thank god those aren't required (ultra goofy) Are silho vests just for convenience or do they also provide a tactical advantage?

B.

Jason wrote:

remmy511 wrote:Hey Jason, would you be a "Moore" per chance?

Byron

Uhh... no, but I would let Byron adopt me if he'd buy me a nice Kowa spotting scope and tripod. Then he could use them to spot for me.

bwilliams wrote:Buy the best and cry later. brett

...that about sums up this sport doesn't it.

B.

Jason wrote:Uhh... no, but I would let Byron adopt me if he'd buy me a nice Kowa spotting scope and tripod. Then he could use them to spot for me.

The Kowa Binocular spotting scope of course

This is about the best setup I've ever seen. Super spotter Teresa Everhart at Ridgway, twin Kowa 821s.

One of the spotting scopes highly recommended is Pentax PF-80ED 80mm ED (eyepiece excluded). This could be another "buy once, cry once" deal. It beats out several higher price Nikon's and Zeiss's...

Question: is an angled spotter preferred over a straight one? Thanks!

I think my next scope is going to be a astronomical binicular a 20x by 100mm should work out nicely and a lot less money than the twin kowa set up.