To accurately shoot beyond 1000 yards, what you need is not only a little bit of talent and a lot of practicing hours but also proper, high-quality equipment, including a spotting scope.
To help you get a better idea of choosing the best spotting scope for 1000 yards, we’ve put together a detail buying guide. Let's start with our top pick list.
Here are the best spotting scopes for 1000 yards (Nov 2024 Update):
- Best Overall: Huicocy 20-60x60mm Rubber Design Telescope
- Top-Rated: Roxant Spotting Scope
- Most Durable: LANDOVE 20-60X 80 Prism Spotting Scope
- Best For Bird Watching: Gosky 20-60x60 HD Spotting Scope
- Best For Target Shooting: Celestron 52306 Regal M2 100ED Spotting Scope
- High-End: Vortex Optics Viper HD Spotting Scopes
| Best Spotting Scope For 1000 Yards: Top 6 Picks | ||
|---|---|---|
Best Overall | Huicocy 20-60x60mm Rubber Design Telescope | Read Our Review |
Top-Rated | Roxant Spotting Scope | Read Our Review |
Most Durable | LANDOVE 20-60X 80 Prism Spotting Scope | Read Our Review |
Best For Bird Watching | Gosky 20-60x60 HD Spotting Scope | Read Our Review |
Best For Target Shooting | Celestron 52306 Regal M2 100ED Spotting Scope | Read Our Review |
High-End | Vortex Optics Viper HD Spotting Scopes | Read Our Review |
Best Overall: Huicocy 20-60x60mm Rubber Design Telescope
- Fog-proof coating to avoid blurring and degrading effectively
- Give brighter wide view and better light transmissions thanks to the bigger objective lens
- Efficiently anti-slip and easy to use
- The most affordable option in this list
- A bit heavy and bulky to carry, not suitable for wildlife or stargazing
- The carry bag included is cheap
The Huicocy 20-60x60 is a top-of-the-line spotting scope best to use at long range, especially when you consider the price.
While giving a powerful zoom magnification – 20x to 60x - it features ultra-wide objective lenses for higher resolution and light-gathering power. The telescope does its best to bring nature closer to you with the sharpest imaging, no matter at which light conditions.
Another noteworthy feature is the fog-proof coating on these lenses.
This addition prevents the processed images from blurring or degrading when you want to observe targets in foggy or rainy weather. In consideration, it’s a good choice for hunting and shooting.
| Huicocy 20-60x60mm Rubber Design Telescope Specifications | |
|---|---|
Magnification | 20x to 60x |
Field of View (degrees) | 1.25 – 2.5 |
Field of View (feet @ 1000yds) | 66-131ft/1000 yard |
Prism Material | BAK4 |
Close Focus Distance (feet) | 20 feet |
Eye Relief (mm) | 16mm |
Highlight Features | 45 Degree angled eyepiece; 20-60x60mm Zoom 39-19m/1000m; Field of view: 66-131ft/1000 yard; |
If you want to get a high-end scope at a mid-range price, the Huicocy 20-60x60mm Rubber Design Telescope is exactly what you’re after.
Top-Rated: Roxant Spotting Scope
- Ultra-lightweight and tiny so you can easily carry along and observe targets for a longer time with less arm fatigue
- The mounting screw is metal for extra durability and sturdiness. It won’t snap off your tripod accidentally like the plastic
- Fully multi-coated for the clearest image, improving your viewing capability
- Can’t use glasses to look through the Roxant
You will need an ultra-lightweight and compact spotting scope for nature, such as bird watching, stargazing, wildlife, and survival training. For such cases, we highly recommend the Roxant Spotting Scope.
It is very portable to carry along and if you have to observe targets for minutes, rest assured that it won’t exhaustingly tire your hands.
The biggest selling point about this spotting scope is the fully multi-coated objective lens in addition to the superior BAK4 prism.
This perfect combo ensures you will receive the brightest and highest light transmission for optimal clear viewing, even in low-light environments.
| Roxant Spotting Scope Specifications | |
|---|---|
Magnification | 12-36x |
Field of View (degrees) | 1.62 – 3.24 |
Field of View (feet @ 1000yds) | 85 - 170 |
Prism Material | BAK4 |
Close Focus Distance (feet) | 17 feet |
Eye Relief (mm) | |
Highlight Features | Field of view: 52-26M / 1000M / Dimensions: 232x135x78 mm / Exit pupil diameter: 4.1-1.4mm / MIN. FOCAL LENGTH: 8m |
Lightweight, compact, and incredibly clear image, the Roxant Spotting Scope is the top-rated option to help you get closer to nature.
Most Durable: LANDOVE 20-60X 80 Prism Spotting Scope
- Made of rugged construction and the fully multi-coated objective lens to handle well on different weather conditions
- Can quickly and conveniently adapt to your smartphone, helping you get constant videos and images
- The table tripod is built with a handheld mount for hands-free capability
- Tripod is a bit flimsy
- The focus adjustment knob is hard to use
- The view is a little bit small
Don’t let its next-to-last ranking fool you.
The LANDOVE 20-60X 80 Prism Spotting Scope can compete with our top two picks in terms of the fully multi-coated objective lens and especially, durability.
While featuring fog-proof, shockproof, and waterproof design, it highlights rugged construction to hold up well in different weather conditions. In addition to the ultra-large 80mm green film objective lens, we consider this as the best spotting scope for general observation.
For example, marine, astronomy, hunting, and targeting.
If you wear glasses, the digiscoping smartphone adapter will help you observe targets more easily. You can instantly take images and videos to view at the time. Or, if you’re a travel YouTuber, this extra feature will be a big bonus.
| LANDOVE 20-60X 80 Prism Spotting Scope Specifications | |
|---|---|
Magnification | 20-60X |
Field of View (degrees) | 1.58°- 0.91° |
Field of View (feet @ 1000yds) | 82.9ft - 48ft |
Prism Material | BAK-4 |
Close Focus Distance (feet) | 19.5 |
Eye Relief (mm) | 17.9mm-15mm |
Highlight Features | Objective lens diameter: 80mm; Eyepiece diameter: 20mm; F.O.V ANGLE(°):1.58°- 0.91° F.O.V (ft/1000 yds): 82.9ft-48 ft F.O.V (m/1000m): 27.6m - 16m |
The LANDOVE 20-60X 80 Prism Spotting Scope is a good choice for people who are particularly concerned about the durability and longevity of the gear.
Best For Bird Watching: Gosky 20-60x60 HD Spotting Scope
- Wide viewing angle to easily observe the whole background, good for people with neck injuries
- The focus dial is smooth and easy to use
- Very high-quality carry bag
- Tripod is too small for field use
This spotting scope is specifically designed for bird watchers.
With powerful magnification and no focus issues, you can easily take a bird watching to a whole new level. It comes in nice dimensions and weight to conveniently bring outdoors for viewing.
What we like the most is you will receive a crystal clear view of the distance at all magnifications with it, thanks to the first-class optics. Besides, the focus dial is ultra-smooth to handle.
If you have a neck injury leading to limitation of the motion range when looking up, rest assured that the huge viewing angle of this spotting scope will be the best workhorse.
| Gosky 20-60x60 HD Spotting Scope Specifications | |
|---|---|
Magnification | 20-60x |
Field of View (degrees) | 0.95 – 2.1 |
Field of View (feet @ 1000yds) | 50-110 |
Prism Material | BAK4 |
Close Focus Distance (feet) | |
Eye Relief (mm) | <20 |
Highlight Features | a field of view at 50-110ft/1000 yards; |
For outdoor sporting, camping, hiking, birdwatching, archery, and astronomical observation, this dominates the chart.
Best For Target Shooting: Celestron 52306 Regal M2 100ED Spotting Scope
- Compatible with SLR cameras and point-and-shoot cameras with good magnification and least amount of vignetting -> significantly support your shooting results
- Can limit very well chromatic aberration to give you the most accurate color reproduction and beautiful images
- Rotating tripod mount so that you can get the best viewing position for application.
- So tail-heavy
- Can’t digiscope with DSLR
For competition shooters, the Celestron Regal M2 is a one-of-a-kind spotting scope.
It emphasizes the professional function of digiscoping with point-and-shoot cameras with an optical zoom of 3x to 4x, making it the most compatible with the least quantity of vignetting.
Also, Regal M2 features a separate adapter for SLR cameras to yield beautiful images at all magnification ranges.
Thanks to the ED objective lens with XLT coatings, it efficiently limits chromatic aberration so that you can get the most accurate color reproduction with ascending contrast and resolution.
We particularly appreciate the tripod mount of this product. Unlike the traditional designs, it features rotating ability with detents to give the best viewing position for application.
| Celestron 52306 Regal M2 100ED Spotting Scope Specifications | |
|---|---|
Magnification | 22 to 67x |
Field of View (degrees) | 1.9°-0.9° |
Field of View (feet @ 1000yds) | 100-47 |
Prism Material | BaK4 |
Close Focus Distance (feet) | 26.2 |
Eye Relief (mm) | 20 |
Highlight Features | 22 to 67x Zoom Eyepiece; Fog proof; Magnesium Alloy Body |
If you’re in search of a very good, relatively affordable spotting scope for target shooting, look no further than this Celestron.
High-End: Vortex Optics Viper HD Spotting Scopes
- HD optical system with XR anti-reflective and Armortek coatings for the most vivid HD ultra-sharp images in different lighting conditions
- The multi-position eyecup allows you to get a good view at different viewing positions
- Can reduce glare effectively
- Hard to focus at high settings
If money is no object to you, there is no question that Vortex Optics Viper HD Spotting Scope is the one and the only scope you will want to look at.
Out of the box, it caught our team of testers for the High Definition optical system with a very good hand-feel.
Every single component of this scope is very premium, such as the high-end optics with XR anti-reflective and Armortek coatings, the well-sealed O-ring, and the multi-position eyecup.
What you’ll receive from the Viper Spotting Scope is not only vivid HD ultra-sharp images (even in low-light environments) at different viewing positions but also a trim profile for easier transport. There is also a built-in sunshade to help you reduce glare when observing targets under direct sunlight.
Designed with durability in mind, especially the objective lens, you can rest the heart to bring it outdoors. No matter that’s scratches, oil, dirt, fog, or water, it will surely handle like a breeze.
| Vortex Optics Viper HD Spotting Scopes Specifications | |
|---|---|
Magnification | 20-60x |
Field of View (degrees) | 1.9 – 1.0 |
Field of View (feet @ 1000yds) | 101 - 50 |
Prism Material | Porro |
Close Focus Distance (feet) | 36 |
Eye Relief (mm) | 17.8 – 19.6 |
Highlight Features | Premium components for vivid high-definition images; Waterproof and fog proof design; 19.1 x 8 x 6.2 inches ; |
With outstanding quality and performance, if you are serious about long-range shooting, then the Vortex Optics Viper HD Spotting Scope is one to consider.
How To Choose The Best Spotting Scope?
Field Of View
- The most common issue when looking for a 1000-yard spotting scope is the risks of losing a small target. That’s why you should consider its field of view first.
- This is literally the landscape’s size in view of the scope.
- You will need a scope that can allow better picking out what you’re tracking and zeroing in on them. As such, a 150-foot field of view is best to go.
Coating
- By coating the lens, you will limit the problem of losing natural reflection when visible light hits a scope.
- Though the loss might be trivial in short-range spotting scopes, it becomes enormous at ranges of over 1000 yards, leading to serious degradation of the image quality you will see.
- From that point, you should choose a coating that can capture as much light as possible.
- A robust multi-layer coated optics is quite ideal in this case. Or at least, opt for a coating with a very fine layer of magnesium fluoride.
Optics Quality
- There are three things you should consider when it comes to choosing optics quality:
- Aberrations in how color is processed
- Amount of light entering the scope
- Atmospheric factors
- According to that, rather than premium raw magnification power, buyers should keep an eye on those features that can prevent atmospheric factors from blurring or degrading the processed image.
- Start with the lens located on the front of the spotting scope, or called “objective lens”.
- It delivers much better imaging compared to the mediocre lenses thanks to bigger lens diameter. This feature helps to permit more quantity of light entering your scope, which is particularly supportive during cloudy days or dusk.
- Now, what is “aberrations in how color is processed”?
- It, in short, is the dispersion level of the glass. To shot beyond 1000 yards, this feature should be extra low to give better control at different times. As a result, this delivers a longer distance with sharper colors and higher contrast.
Bonus:
- Don’t overlook the scope’s prism quality.
- If you’re a budget-minded, pick a BK7 (at least!). For those who want to invest in quality, no matter the price tags, BAK-4 is a noteworthy option.
Which Brands Make The Best Spotting Scopes?
Gosky
- In recent years, Gosky – a registered brand in the US – has got huge attention for its sustainable growth in optics and accessories. While giving customers high-quality optics with superior standards of customer service, their products are also cost-effective.
Celestron
- Founded in 1964, Celestron has been an OG now in the industry. It’s one of the biggest American manufacturers and providers of telescopes, microscopes, binoculars, and spotting scopes. Its parent company is the Synta Technology Corporation of Taiwan.
Vortex
- A bit younger is Vortex – established in 2004 in the USA by Daniel C. Hamilton. As the whole manufacturing process is conducted in America, you can ensure their products’ quality.
FAQs
How much magnification does a spotting scope need?
Somewhere between 15x and 60x, depending on your needs. The higher the magnification, the more detail the processed imaging.
What scope do I ned for 500 yards?
For 500 yards, the scope should feature a magnification range of 5x to 20x.
Spotting Scope vs Binoculars - which is better?
There are some certain differences between spotting scopes and binoculars to help you easily figure out which is better for your needs. They are:
- Size: Spotting scopes are generally longer, taller, and sometimes wider than binoculars
- Construction: Spotting scopes feature single eyepiece and lens while binoculars are two
- Magnification: Spotting scopes deliver the higher end of the spectrum
In short, if you want to view from very long distances, a spotting scope is a better serve and vice versa.
Do you really need a spotting scope?
A spotting scope is actually not necessary because it just helps you clarify the image from long distance. If your demand is just within short ranges, you don’t have to buy it.
How far can a spotting scope see?
100 yards and above.
Conclusion
A good spotting scope is NOT the thing that can make you shoot accurately beyond 1000 yards but without it, you hardly clarify the right target in such far distance. We hope this guideline has been helpful for you to find out the best spotting scope for 1000 yards. Thanks for reading!
