well, I went out and purchased what I think is a decent spotting scope, a konus 20 - 60 x 80mm. Very bright and clear but not as much contrast as one of the top spotting scopes. What I did notice is that the tripod makes a huge difference in how well the spotting scope works.

the new konus worked well but appeard to jiggle quite alot. What do you all use for tripods and is this your experance?

It is very much my experience that you MUST have a steady tripod no matter what quality scope you have and good tripods are much cheaper than a good scope.

You will get much more benefit from spending an extra $200 on a quality tripod than an extra $500 on a scope to put on a shaky 2nd rate tripod.

Try either a good photographic one like Manfroto(Italian made) if weight and size is an issue or one like builders use for their dumpy levels which can sometimes be found quite cheapy in secondhand shops.

timfinle

A good mounting head is as important for a steady rest as the tripod, probably more important. I have a Manfrotto 3011BN with a 3130 video head which is pretty good but still a little unsteady at times. I have also used a Manfrotto with a ball head which was rock solid, but the head itself is expensive.

I've spotted for a guy that used a surveyor's tripod (~$100) from Home Depot along with a mount (~$100) that Champion Shooters sells. He machined a plate for the top of the tripod and then screwed the Sinclair mount to it. This setup was very solid and allowed panning.

If you want something off the shelf then the Manfrotto with a good head is a good choice. If you don't mind putting something together then the surveyor's tripod with the Champion Shooters' mount should work well.

https://www.championshooters.com/index-ssl.html

A little pricy... but a good tripod
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... 4887&Nty=1

I just lucked out. Pickup a used Bogan with a Bogan photo quality head. It is rock steady. Practiced today high power and used it in a 15 to 20 mph wind. Steady as a rock. I could even see the bullet path to the rams.

Sweettttt.

Definately a good tripod is necessary. Thanks for all the imput.

TIM....GLAD TO SEE YOU GOT A GOOD TRIPOD.WHAT"S UP WITH ALL THIS WIND DOWN THERE THIS YEAR? IT IS SOUNDING A LOT LIKE WHAT THE EASTERN PLAINS OF COLORADO IS LIKE ALL YEAR. WERE YOU "ROCK STEADY" DURING PRACTICE?...........BOB M.

Bob,

OH heck no. The wind was blowing me all over the place. The spotting scope was fine though.

I was breaking about 6 inches off the nose of the rams for a center hit. My buddy was breaking 2 feet off the nose for center to back end hit with his 30-06 using factory federal ammo.

What fun. Learning to read the mirage and quesstamating the movement of the bullet was so much fun.

Silo 65,
I was probably the person you saw with the surveyors tripod. The reason I went this route was over 24 years of silhouette shoting, I went through 4 to 5 tripods ranging in price from $50 to $100. Bouncing around in the truck going to the range and matches, these photo tripods just won't last. They are made of soft metal, aluminum and plastic. I saw another shooter at the Atglen PA range with an old surveyors tripod that he picked up at a yard sale I think. He then jury rigged a scope mount for the top of it. I had been thinking about a rig from Champion's Choice, but after using a few of the metal "pole" type setups, they are just not steady enough in the wind. Once I saw the surveyors tripod, I got the idea to use one of the pole sections on top of the surveyors tripod. You are correct about the tripod, $99 at Home Depot, got one of my co-workers in the maintenance shop to make the aluminum plate, drill and tapped it, mounted it on top of the tripod, drilled a hole in the center to put a bolt through the bottom of the plate which in turn threaded into the bottom of the pole section and then mounted the adjustable head from Champion's Choice. This setup absolutely will not move in the wind. This should be the last scope stand I ever buy.

Material List

Tripod - $99 (Home Depot)
Complete Head Assembly Vertical Zoom - Part # cc530z - $80 (Champion's Choice)
12" Scope Stand Extension 5/8" diameter - part # cc512 - $8 (Champion's Choice)

1/4" aluminum plate was free.
3 screws and a bolt to fit the threads on the 12" extension.