How good is the Tasco Essentials 20-60x 60mm spotting scope?

[Garand Illusion]

I know that the really serious high powered rifle shooters have like $800 spotting scopes. But if I wait to save up that much it will just never happen.

Big 5 sporting goods has a 3 day sale goin on for the Tasco Essentials 20-60x zoom with 60mm objective lens reduced in price from $219 to $85. I bought one today, but will take it back if it's just not usable.

From playing around with it a little bit ... it seems like it will do the job. I'm pretty sure that at more than 100 yards I'm not going to be able to make out a .223 or even .30 caliber hole in a target. Can the $800 scopes do that? But I'm pretty sure I can at least read where the spotting markers are and read the score.

Anybody have one of these? Is it at least enough to work with, if not the best?

[Lycanthrope]

I have Tasco 40X scope for the rifle and find that while it is not as clear as a Zeiss.....it holds zero just as well.

My Tasco was made in Japan though I and some say the Japan models are superior to the chinese models.

[arkie2]

I have a Winchester 15x by 45x and have no problem seeing .22 results at 100 yards and .270 at 200 yards so your scope should be more than adequate. Using the red and white targets will help. I frequently "lose" a round in the black and white standard bullseye targets if it's in the black.

PS: sounds like you got quite a bargain, knocking the price down that much! Congratulations.

[Tim R]

I would take it back and look at the scopes at Champions Choice. They have some lower ranged spotting scopes which seem to be pretty good for the $ for use in High Power. These are far better than what I was using before.

I bought a high $ Kowa this year. While I could see 22 holes at 100 and 200 yards the old scope I had just wasn't doing the job. My goal is to clean the 600 reduced target at a 100 and need to see where each shot is going. I've managed a 196 so far with the old scope but at times it left me guessing just how far out of the ten ring I was.

The main advantage of the Kowa is watching the Mirage at 600. I haven't use it for the reduced targets yet. And yeah I'm using a AR with irons.

[Ken O]

I agree with Tim, I started with a Tasco spotting scope, and it was a waste of money, I could see much better with a pair of cheap binoculars. I bought a Champions Choice and used it for a few years, then bought a used Kowa 661, which is eons better.
On some of the competition forums, the Konus scope is getting great reviews, and is very reasonably priced. You might call or email Jim Owens and see what used scopes he has, thats where I got my Kowa used. He is also a dealer for the Konus scope http://www.jarheadtop.com/ scroll down to you see "new scope line"

[Garand Illusion]

On some of the competition forums, the Konus scope is getting great reviews, and is very reasonably priced. You might call or email Jim Owens and see what used scopes he has, thats where I got my Kowa used. He is also a dealer for the Konus scope http://www.jarheadtop.com/ scroll down to you see "new scope line"

Thanks! It's funny, but at a high power match back in June someone told me about this very site and scope. Except he said it was "jarheadtarget.com". I googled the heck out of that name and could never go pointed to jarheadtop.com. He loved his and said he'd never been able to see a difference between it and more expensive ones.

If I had found that site first I would own one already. But I've been playing around with my $85 20-60x spotting scope and I actually think it's very usable. It is a straight through scope, but I've shot enough to understand the limitation and for the saving I can live with that for a few years.

I figure I stick with this, and use the extra $150 or so to buy some of the rest of the stuff I need to start competing next Spring. Then when I'm ready to upgrade I can probably get $50 for this one on Ebay and move up to what I really want.

Thanks everyone for the replies. Maybe I can use that savings to buy a decent tripod ... (which is ironic, as I'll be paying more for the tripod than the dang scope!).

[Ken O]

Yep, use what ya got. I used the binoculars for quite a while, a foam mat (the ones for putting under sleeping bags) for a shooting mat.
A caution on getting a tripod....I did that also (came with the Tasco), mine didn't go low enough to use for the prone position. You need something that gets right down close to the ground. I made a scope stand, and still use it.
Try to just add a thing at a time and get the best you can....buy once, cry once.

[Garand Illusion]

Yep, use what ya got. I used the binoculars for quite a while, a foam mat (the ones for putting under sleeping bags) for a shooting mat.
A caution on getting a tripod....I did that also (came with the Tasco), mine didn't go low enough to use for the prone position. You need something that gets right down close to the ground. I made a scope stand, and still use it.
Try to just add a thing at a time and get the best you can....buy once, cry once.

Good advice all the way through.

For a mat I currently use a piece of scrap rug (unless I forget it, in which case I use the mats from my car or just lie on the concrete/grass).

I don't have a shooting coat at all, but that's last on my list. I've tried them and see minimal advantage.

For a scope tripod, for standing I'll use my fairly decent camera tripod and for prone I'll use the little tripod that came with it. Not the best solution, but again ... I can live with it for awhile.

I still have to buy my most important item, however ... an AR-15! I have been borrowing rifles to compete, but until I get my own match grade weapon I'll never be at the level I should be. I've got the $$ saved up for one, just have to make a final decision on brand and goodies etc.

On thing for sure ... if the democrats win both houses of congress I AM going to buy an AR-15 and all the goodies before they take office even if it means taking out a credit card. Prez Bush had promised to sign a renewal of the AWB, and I take him at his word.

Hopefully if anything heinous pops up, like a bill demanding confiscation, he will veto it, but I'm not even betting on that.

[Jimro]

For a bargain some folks have turned to the Celestron line, and while I haven't used one they've had some solid reviews by guys I trust.

Jimro

[Garand Illusion]

When I took my SKS out for a range session a couple of days ago, I took this cheapie scope along and tried it out. I was pleasantly suprised to discover that seeing .30 holes at 100 yards was not only possible, but that I didn't have to use anything like full zoom to do it. I wouldn't be suprised I could make out holes as far as 300 yards -- but as long as it's 100, I'm happy.

I've done a lot of research on this, trying to decide if I wanted to spend the extra $100 plus to get an angled eye piece, better name brand, etc. While the angled eye piece would be nice, I've decided to stay with this.

I also heard a lot of reports of people buying cheapie scope and the optics were so bad they couldn't even make out bullet holes at 100 yards. Clearly this is at least better than that.

One interesting thing ... I can't find any information on this particular Tasco scope anywhere on the internet. Not even on the Tasco site, where I checked every part # for a match.

I think it must be a "Big 5 Sports" only item, or something.

An interesting thing ... it most closely looks like a "Barsko" model, especially the case and cheapie benchtop tripod. Now ... I know that Bushnell bought Tasco, but does Bushnell also own Barsko? If so, I haven't been able to find anything definitive about that on the web.

Big 5 currently has the similar looking Barsko on sale for $89 here in Denver, if anyone else is interested.

I've also used this scope to look at both the moon and just for normal viewing on the ground, and it actually seems to be a pretty good deal. I at least feel comfortable that I can make this work for a year or two of competitions.

Of course ... now I have to spent that much $$ again to get the right kind of tripod ... but I can put that off for awhile.

[Ken O]

Sounds like it will get you by. In NRA matches, you shoot the 200 off-hand first, I dont even set up my scope for that, I have no problem seeing the shot and value markers with the naked eye. When we go to the rapid sitting I set the scope up for two reasons... to see where my first two shots are, and to see the scoreboard after the pits have scored, the same for the 300 rapid sitting, but seeing the first two shots are marginal. Then when you move down to the 600 yard line, I need it for seeing the shot and value markers, some guys can see this also with the naked eye but I cant, and to scope the mirage, this is where the better optics really help.
It also depends on the day/conditions, some days I have trouble seeing the shots at 200, but if you lose one into the white you can usually pick that up.
Everyones eyes are different, and my 59 year old ones are not what they used to be. Ken

[arkie2]

Assuming your scope fits a standard tripod mount (it should) you could do what I did for my chrono and pick up a camera tripod at Wally World for less than 30 bucks. It's sturdy, has two levels and will extend about 6 feet I believe.

[Al G19]

Howdy Boys,

I don't find much to post about here as it seem's like somebody has already asked a question close to mine, I do find my self spending a lot of time reading though.

On this topic when I was younger I needed a spotting scope that I could see .22LR holes in black targets at 100+ yds.
AT the time I spent what was a lot to me of 180.00, on a table mount scope, I don't remember the brand, but it was one of those that look like all of the others but different companies put thier sticker on it. (I'm sure you guys know the type)
Anyway, the amount I could use it in the store, it seemed to work pretty good, but when I got to the range it really was dissapointing so much so that I went back to walking down to my targets.
Then as I passed by a hard sale I found a cheap Tasco telescope (Type used for stargazing) I paid a total of 5.00 for it. I couldn't find a small enough tripod so I would just use a small sand-bag and a towel.
Now, this monkey was close to 3ft. long, and it took some pratice to keep it steady but I could see everything.
If I recall it went from 30X to 120X or something. And I was surprised to find that I could use it with my glasses on.
Now, it did get a lot of looks, but it really helped my target shooting scores. I have since bought a nicer table scope that I use (It's a super long eye relief Bird watchers type from bushnell I think)
It's not an expensive scope either but it works well for me now.

Sorry for the long winded reply, I just thought you might want to look at this type of option while you save/decide on a spotting scope.

Later,
Al