How close is too close ?

[Die Judicii]

Having never shot on a "range/club" and also never owned a spotting scope,, can someone enlighten me please ?

How close alongside the rifle (centerfire) can a spotting scope/telescope be ?

Can the shock waves damage a spotting scope/telescope ?

Thanks in advance,,,,,

[bladeracer]

Having never shot on a "range/club" and also never owned a spotting scope,, can someone enlighten me please ?

How close alongside the rifle (centerfire) can a spotting scope/telescope be ?

Can the shock waves damage a spotting scope/telescope ?

Thanks in advance,,,,,

No idea about range etiquette, but the blast isn't going to damage it unless it actually knocks it over.
When I take mine out I don't like to have it on the bench near me, I prefer to isolate it on its own tripod. Bloody annoying trying to use it if anything is moving it.

[Blr243]

Long time sinc I been on a range too. But I remember having one set up on the bench beside me. I’m pretty sure I could stand up lean over and look thru the spotting scope. It’s well and truly worth having one with an angled eyepiece so u don’t have to get behind it ...even if the front lense of the scope were facing the direction of the blast , the blast ain’t gonna hurt it. ITs lense is as oblivious to blast damage as is the lense on the scope attached to your rifle u are shooting

[Blr243]

If the spotting scope is correctly pointing exactly at your target , it’s unlikely the muzzle blast would push it a little bit off course if that’s what you were asking

[No1Mk3]

My scope (Kowa 20-60x100) generally sits about 6" from the action of my rifle during shoots where a scope is permitted (mainly T/R and F Class). never had an issue, never heard of anyone else having an issue regarding muzzle blast. Cheers.

[in2anity]

Never too close. I've used a myriad of spotters over my life, ranging from el-cheapo rubbish through to Swaros and Kowas, and never have I seen one damaged from blast. I even ran a smartphone attached to one with various mounts, for a long time, and it was never damaged.

My latest strategy in place of the spotter now is a Nikon P950 ELR mirrorless camera. It cops a lot of pressure waves every Saturday, even from rifles running muzzle brakes, not to mention stray ejecting shells bouncing off it. I actually look for the "shivers" the camera displays when editing my footage, in the case where I need to synchronize multiple views. If anything was going to get damaged from over-pressure, it would be this delicate camera, and so far, so good (touch wood).

[Larry]

Some of the TR guys have the spotting scope so close they dont move their position other than there head just tilted the other way no issues from blasts they are well back from the muzzle.

[MontyShooter]

My 338 lap will blow light things over on the bench but I wouldn't worry about a spotting scope. Empty cartridges thrown from straight pulls or blow back guns are where I seem to damage my stuff.

[in2anity]

My 338 lap will blow light things over on the bench but I wouldn't worry about a spotting scope. Empty cartridges thrown from straight pulls or blow back guns are where I seem to damage my stuff.

I do worry a bit about the shells hitting my camera, but not the spotters they are robust. I'm running a pattern 14 (m17) and ejection is so damned strong it can land hot shells down the collar of the bloke next to me. Guess that's ultimately gonna be good for my grading however...

[Die Judicii]

Thanks fellas,
I'm gonna try an old (70's japanese) manufacture telescope just for when checking zero, and occasional sighting in a new scope,,,, just
so I don't have to keep going back and forth to the targets.
The objective lens on it would be alongside of the various rifles muzzles. (I don't use muzzle brakes)

[in2anity]

Thanks fellas,
I'm gonna try an old (70's japanese) manufacture telescope just for when checking zero, and occasional sighting in a new scope,,,, just
so I don't have to keep going back and forth to the targets.
The objective lens on it would be alongside of the various rifles muzzles. (I don't use muzzle brakes)

DJ plenty of old setups like this in SR and TR that last forever and do the job:

telo.jpg (307.46 KiB) Viewed 2964 times

As Larry said most shooters will have them placed so they can rock onto their support elbow and peer through with the non-dominant eye, perhaps watching the mirage, perhaps looking at the marks, perhaps both...

Muzzle brakes are generally hated on the mounds.

[in2anity]

There are other functional options I've explored which can capture video as well as providing immediate feedback:

telo2.jpg (439.2 KiB) Viewed 2963 times

telo3.jpg (464.33 KiB) Viewed 2963 times

Just some ideas.