Bushnell Spacemaster Or Nikon?

[bigwhiteys]

Hey Guys,

I just bought a Bushnell Spacemaster on eBay after closely comparing the two scopes really closely.

The Nikon was the Sky & Earth 20x60x60 and the Nikon Team Realtree 20x60x60.

I am curious though as to what some of you might have chosen. The Nikon was an attractive scope and was also several ounces lighter than the bushnell and they were both around the same price range.

In the end I chose the Spacemaster just because I have seen so many others with Spacemasters that they can't be all that bad a Scope. After using a friends zeiss this summer for sheep hunting I wasn't all that impressed with it's performance over a Bushnell scope other than in the low light conditions. Not worth the price tag IMO.

What do you think?

Do any of you swear by the Nikon spotting scopes?

Happy Hunting
Carl

[steel_ram]

I understand the Nikon Fieldscope II's are pretty fine scopes. Most of the companies put out scopes in the Bushnell Spacemaster Class and they are adequate for most purposes. The Nikon Sky Earth's as well as the Leupold Wind River series are in there as well. I like my spacemaster but wouldn't want to look through it all day.

I think the scopes below this like the Celestron, lower end Bushnells etc. should be avoided.

At rifle matches I've had the opportunity to lok through several of the Higher end scopes in varying conditions, including Leica's, Swavorky's, Kowa's etc. and quite honestly, for the money I think I'd go for the Leupold 12-40 Gold Ring.

[Gateholio]

I used to use a SPacemaster, only rela problem was that it was pretty heavy.

I traded it in on a Elite 15-45, much better optics for just a little more $$, and very compact.

I probbaly woudl have chosent he Nikon, but I haven't looked at that particualr scope yet.

Spaemaster is a good scope, nothign wrong with it, good value in it's price range.

Higginsons Powder in Ontario has great prices on Bushnell optics, BTW. It is where I bougth my Elite.

[YukonJack]

Yep...Spacemaster here too. Camo'd one though, same thing really. I have to admit, it is a heavy pig. But I do find it to be about as good as I'd want it to be. I can never tell what all this "clarity" and "light transmission" fuss is about. I think it's all about up there in the realm ( at least to me) of not being noticable with my already poor vision.
Apparently, the human eye can only use so much light...all the "extra" is pretty much useless (in my opinion)...

[steel_ram]

Spotting scopes are like most things. There is some really cheap crap, for a few dollars more you can get something totally sufficient for general use, and then you can pay big bucks for just a little improvement.

The only reason I'd buy a "top glass" kind of scope is if I was looking through it all day, as in target shooting. With really good glass there is no eyestrain and you can get the sensation your standing 3 feet in front of an object 500m's away instead of looking through a pipe. Even the fanciest class can't defeat the atmopheric effects or the flaws in our own eyes.

[cwocarsten]

I have a space master also, however an inside lens popped out and rattled around in the middle of my 2 wk pink mtn hunt. Good thing I had my Swarski binoculars with to count the points on my 5X6 Bull Elk. You can economize with the spotting scope but go for the best in binoculars even if you have to save a long time. Carsten

[bigwhiteys]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Carsten,

Did you drop the scope or something is that why the lens popped out? Is it covered by warranty?

I have a good set of Swarovski Binocs 8x30 that my dad gave me... I agree you cannot scrimp on binocs.

Happy Hunting
Carl

[358mag]

Save your $$$ cash in all your old beer bootles and buy a Zeiss 15x45 Diascope yes there expensie as hell worth every penny .Found out the hard way trying to save a $ only ends up costing you 10 times more in the long run as i started out with a Bushell Spacemaster in the early 80's ,then went to a Bausch + Lomb Elite 15x45 x45< if i remeber > easy + lite to pack not to bad of scope but focus ring and power ring very stiff too hard to keep on target or sheep when you tried to adjust ,every time the wind blows you needed a 5 lb rock to keep it from moving all over the place,then on to a Leupold 12x40x60 decent optics same thing on the focus + power ring.Hope that a help to you , as a old timer once to me budget as much as you can then add a extra $500.00 on your spotting scope and you will never look back.




Life to short to hunt with a ugly rifle