Selecting a Spotting Scope

[Kurt]

If this is for silhouette I would rather have a 20x-60mm baush lomb on a very good tripod than a $1200 scope on a POS tripod. Lot of adjustments on tripods may not be better, keep it simple. We shoot more in 10+ mph winds than less which makes flags more important than mirage.
I use a 20 year old 20x-80mm kowa and you can focus close for mirage and still see the hits clearly on the animals.

I agree with you 100%
For silhouette 20 to 27X60 is plenty scope. For that type of shooting you have a clean target for every shot except for the swingers.
My favorite is the Gong shoots, long range paper type matches are second. I have yet to start the silhouette game. The first official for that will be in a couple weeks, so I will see how that is.
But when you shoot the gong matches and the plates get splattered up you need a scope with a wider field of view with more magnification to see the lead dust when the bullet hits a splattered grayed up target out to a 1000 yards and beyond sometimes.
How many times at the shoots have you heard a spotter tell his partner give me 1-1/2 left you hit the right edge when you in fact seen the bullet go in at 8 just a couple inches in.
With a good scope you have a better chance to see lead dust or silver button spread out in a grayed out target.
Pick out your needs for the game you play the most.