Little Kowa review, the cheap one- TSN-501/502???

[WestNE]

I currently have a Nikon Fieldscope EDIIIa w/ 27x fixed that is great but a move from western NE to southeastern TN has me thinking it should probably go to a home that will get more use out of it.

I need something light and compact that will go in a rangebag or on the occasional hunt here and for Kansas whitetails. I owned at the 601 at one point and was quite impressed with it, should I expect the same performance minus the light transmission and lower magnification?

Anyone with firsthand experience please let me know your thoughts. Especially around the presence of CA, feel or durability of the built in eyepiece, clarity/ usability @ 40X.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[sneaky]

What part of SE TN did you move to? That's where I was born and raised.

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[WestNE]

Chattanooga. Great people and pretty country, first time I've lived outside the Midwest so a bit of an adjustment.

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[sneaky]

Good deal. Some good hunting close by for you, fishing as well. World class bass fishing. I grew up about a half hour from there over in Ocoee.

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[Carr5vols]

Ordered one yesterday once I get it in I will let you know. Also I am from Tennessee and now in georgia and hunt cohutta near chatty. Good bear and hog population there. West of chatty around Winchester Tennessee is some fine whitetail hunting. Also there is a lot of army Corp land around chatty on the lake that has some nice city deer on them.

 

[WestNE]

Great, I look forward to hearing your thoughts! Thanks for the info on hunting ground also, I'm looking forward to spending some time in the woods. Unfortunately since we moved in June I've been neck deep in house remodel...

Sneaky, what area of the country do you reside now, I take it your no longer a Tennessee resident.

Nick

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[camo_deerslayer]

I bought one from Doug at Camera Land a couple weeks ago. I’m very impressed with the performance of this little scope!

It’s light enough that I’ll haul it up the mountain with me on backcountry bivy hunts. It’s not a Swarovski, but it’s very impressive at a tenth of the cost!

Call Doug and mention Rokslide.


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[Carr5vols]

Great, I look forward to hearing your thoughts! Thanks for the info on hunting ground also, I'm looking forward to spending some time in the woods. Unfortunately since we moved in June I've been neck deep in house remodel...

Sneaky, what area of the country do you reside now, I take it your no longer a Tennessee resident.

Nick

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West georgia.

 

[sneaky]

Great, I look forward to hearing your thoughts! Thanks for the info on hunting ground also, I'm looking forward to spending some time in the woods. Unfortunately since we moved in June I've been neck deep in house remodel...

Sneaky, what area of the country do you reside now, I take it your no longer a Tennessee resident.

Nick

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I'm in Idaho

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[Carr5vols]

Ok I got the scope in and have used it at the range and around home. Works great is lightweight and can't beat it for the money. At a 200 yd range I can see bullet holes no problem.

 

[Blue72]

How is this scope at 40x?

 

[camo_deerslayer]

How is this scope at 40x?

Surprisingly well!! I used it during my 9 day archery Mule Deer hunt and was very impressed! My buddy (who has a Swaro 80mm) is borrowing it next week, rather than carrying his heavy scope!




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[Carr5vols]

How is this scope at 40x?

Not bad for the weight savings and cost. For me I dont need to tell if a buck is 160 or 165 just that it has a nice rack and worth going after.

 

[cvanman]

thanks for the review

 

[Carr5vols]

I will post a better review after using it on my hunt in October.

 

[Carr5vols]

Ok after the hunt here are the results.

Wind shakes it pretty bad with it being lightweight. But that was also an plus on the hike in. Not a deal breaker.

At 40 zoom early morning and late evening hard to see due to limited light transmission.

Overall I would buy and use again as my need was for a decent lightweight sporting scope.

I got a video filmed at about 1 mile about 1 hour before dark watching deer but it was too large to load. If you would like to see it PM me and I will try to send it in another method.

 

[MWK3800]

Ok after the hunt here are the results.

Wind shakes it pretty bad with it being lightweight. But that was also an plus on the hike in. Not a deal breaker.

At 40 zoom early morning and late evening hard to see due to limited light transmission.

Overall I would buy and use again as my need was for a decent lightweight sporting scope.

I got a video filmed at about 1 mile about 1 hour before dark watching deer but it was too large to load. If you would like to see it PM me and I will try to send it in another method.

Thanks for sharing your first hand experience. I'm getting close to buying one for using with a window mount. I never know when I'll want a scope for watching the waterfowl migration this spring. Did you find the eye relief to be adequate at 14-12.5mm? The FOV specs look decent too. Any "soda straw" effect with the 501/502?

 

[Castle Rock]

I have one , and use it in a window mount sometimes and it works well due to its size, very happy with it in general

 

[camo_deerslayer]

Photo taken through the little scope at about 1000 yards on 40 power...


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[camo_deerslayer]

Another...

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