Spotting Scopes

User00004

Well-Known Member
Who uses one and what's your recommendations? I know the Greys are highly thought of...

Swarovski
Kowa
Minox

There will be many more makes I'm sure. With a £1k ish to blow, what would you buy?

TJ
 
Mine is fairly old had it for around thirty years and it was not new when I got it

Brass slimmer than a Greys, its stamped " THE WATCHER " Specially made for Messrs John Macpherson & Sons The Sporting
Stores Inverness

Would be interested if anyone has any info on these scopes, who they were made buy etc.

tartinjock would I be correct in assuming there is no longer a MacPherson's in Inverness, I don't visit Inverness very often
but have never seen Macpherson's shop if its still there.

NOTE the spelling of Macpherson rather than McPherson
 
tartinjock would I be correct in assuming there is no longer a MacPherson's in Inverness, I don't visit Inverness very often
but have never seen Macpherson's shop if its still there.

Only Graham's and Co in Castle Street now, Orminstons and Graham's became one, Greys Gunsmiths closed probably 20 years ago. I don't remember MacPhearsons. Where were they?
 
Only Graham's and Co in Castle Street now, Orminstons and Graham's became one, Greys Gunsmiths closed probably 20 years ago. I don't remember MacPhearsons. Where were they?

Don't have an address on the scope it just says Macpherson's sporting stores Inverness.

I remember John Orminston but more as a sporting agent used to get clients from him.
 
I have an original Redfield 15-45x which is good for range work plus a new Minox with 25x that I bought as I intended to add the digiscope attachement to whenever I get around to it and I usually use my Steiner 24x80 which is not made anymore but has superb optics. I gave it to Steiner"s at the IWA show 2 years ago and the took it apart gave it a clean and regassed it and posted it back to me for the princly sum of 0.0.
Nice service highly rate them as a company.
Martin
 
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I bought a new 'Burris' off a guy on the sites, cannot remember where was about £90.It goes to 600 + yard , clear as a whistle. best i ever used.
 
Well i have an old Nickel Marburg "Supra" 20-60X two draw alloy scope with it's leather case I brought off a chap in Scotland about 6-7 years ago.
 
I've got a Kowa with 80mm objective with 32x wide angle eye piece, fine for spotting .22 sized holes in the black at 100 yards... For £1K, I don't think you'll be able to stretch to a Leica or Swarovski unless you were to find one second hand.
 
Who uses one and what's your recommendations? I know the Greys are highly thought of...

Swarovski
Kowa
Minox

There will be many more makes I'm sure. With a £1k ish to blow, what would you buy?

TJ

TJ

As someone who uses a spotting scope every day I would recommend the Minox range. At our recent open weekend Minox supported us with a range of their products which are astonishingly good value for money. Their high grade products are made in Germany with Schott glass and are phenomenal. Unfortunately I know nothing of Kowa but i think Swarovski are grossly overpriced for what they are. I have a 21-42 eyepiece on my scope and happily watch .17 holes appearing with crystal clear clarity. I also use a pair of their binoculars on a daily basis (the HG ones) again made in Germany and can happily state that they are superior to many products costing twice the money. I hope this helps, should you require any further info. please PM me.

Regards.
 
My answer would depend on what you're going to us it for.

'Spotting scope' suggests that you intend it for range use, and in that case one might think a shorter telescope with a tripod mounting-point would answer best.

I have a number of telescopes, and those that are most handy on the hill are the long, three-draw kind like the Gray, or the older ones made by Broadhurst & Clarkson, Ross and so on: the length makes them handy to steady freehand, or using your knee or a stick. They lack a tripod-mounting, though.

On the range, the shorter ones with a screw-fitting for a camera tripod are handier; I have an Optolyth 15-45x60 which does not draw out at all.

In the middle ground, I have an Optolyth 30x75 (one draw) and a Schmidt & Bender 15-60x60 (two draw) both fine for the range (shortish, tripod-fitting), but perhaps a little less handy on the hill because of the shortness when open, and the length and width when closed as well as the weight.

I've no idea about the Kowa or Minox. The Swaro is I think a single draw similar in dimensions to the Optolyth I've got. For range and hill, I would think that the old Nickel as described would do very well.

For decent s/h gear, I have used www.kayoptical.co.uk , www.lcegroup.co.uk and for older ones in good shape, but at a price, www.scientificcollectables.co.uk . At the moment, Kay and LCE both have a Swaro, and Kay an Optolyth. One must be mindful of getting a case or carrying-tackle, though.

The popular auction site also throws up these items from time to time, sed caveat emptor!
 
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A mate of mine has a swarovski draw scope for sale if that is what you mean by spotting scope !
 
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