MArooned Product Review: Barska Spotting Scope

I mentioned a while back that CSN Stores had contacted me about more gear reviews. I had reviewed a pistol case from their Cases and More store, and they contacted me about a second review. I had toyed with a rifle case, or a smaller pistol case, but opted instead for something different - a spotting scope.

Barska Benchmark Spotting Scope

It's a Barska Benchmark 12-60X78 WP straight spotting scope with table tripod. I picked it up mainly for shooting on the rifle range at my gun club, where the furthest range is only ~ 160 yards. At the highest setting I should be able to see a standard 12" target clear as a bell at the back berm.

And here's the scope with the rest of the gear that came with it:

Scope and more!

(Yes, that really is a pistol grip. All I need now is a picatinny rail for the scope and I have an assault scope...)

Came with a hard case, a soft case, the tripod, and the pistol grip. I figure it should be good to set on the bench at the rifle range for long distance work or the counter at the pistol range to fine-tune red dots sights and such. In a pinch, it should work for some minor stargazing with the kids, too. I set it up on the kitchen table and sighted it in on the kids' swingset in the back yard some 50 yards out, centering on the 3X5" placard with the company name in the middle of the monkey bars. I could read the 12 pt tagline off the placard sitting at my kitchen table...

Obviously I'll need to try it out on the range, both close up and long distance. I'm actually hoping to use it in conjunction with a laser boresighter on my VEPR, which has a Barska rifle scope I picked up a while back but haven't sighted in yet. Before I start blasting away with the pricey .308 Win, it'd be good to sight the rifle in at 100 yards with the spotting scope and the boresighter first... So far, from what I've seen using the Barska in the backyard, it should be more than adequate for the task at hand.

Further review to follow, but for now it certainly looks like a great scope for the money.

That is all.