SME Spot Shot

I'm a tech guy and wanted to find a way to practice calling my shots without having to peep through a scope every time. Actually I'm pretty new to the sport and didn't even have a scope, so calling my shots would mean winding in my target after each shot. 

I bought a scope which came with a mount for your phone camera. I tried using the scope on a tripod and the phone attached to the scope with the camera app open so I could see the target on the screen. This kinda worked, but it was really fiddly to set up and the phone camera app has a bunch of stuff on the display that blocks parts on the target. I thought their must be a better way...

I found the Spot Shot Camera. It goes on the eye piece of the scope and then broadcasts video via a WiFi connection to your phone or tablet. It looks like this: 

 


I tried using their app on my Android based tablet and phone, but it kept crashing. So if you are an Android user this is not a great setup for you. But I work in software development and have all sorts of devices at my disposal, so I use the app on an iPad mini. This works great as the iPad mini is pretty small, yet the display is big enough to see the target and shots easily. 

At my range I can set my scope/camera on the floor, my iPad on the bench and it is awesome. I can glance over after each shot and see if I called it correctly without having to move at all. 

My set up at the range. 




and this is what I see on my screen at 25 yards looking at the B8 target. 

Hi Stuman:

Welcome to the Forum!

That might be great for your practice sessions at your home range but as you get into this sport and start competing, you will find that most of us haul too much stuff around in our boxes and are trying to cut down on the amount of equipment at the shooting line.  

Plus, at some matches there is limited amount of time between the command that the range is clear you may open your boxes and get set up until the first slow fire string starts (usually 3 minutes, sometimes more, sometimes less).  

That set up looks cool but there are two more items to haul to the range and both of them have batteries that need to be charged/maintained.  With that being said, I have considered the spot shot for practice sessions or those matches where we are able to set up twenty minutes before hand and shoot the bull before we shoot the targets although I would expect that my fellow shooters would have some choice compliments on my newly acquired equipment purchases.  I am sure that a running commentary would develop behind me after every slow fire shot with lots of unwanted advice and encouragement. 

Its pretty tuff to beat a standard pistol box that opens up with your spotter right there that is in correct position with minimal adjustments.

My experience was a little different, but it was an early model when they first came out. Maybe they've improved it in the last few years. The image quality was ok but definitely not as clear as looking though the scope. Also it took a little bit of time to get it securely mounted. I couldn't attach it to my NG scope, the eyepiece is too small. Definitely better than a cheap phone attachment.

Thanks for sharing your experience Stuman. I use the SME Spot Shot during matches, and find it very useful. It is linked to my phone, and I record especially my timed and rapid fire strings in order to review them later.

I wasn't thinking about using it for competition I just wanted it for practice. 

It doesn't take very long to set up. Once your scope is on the target and focused, you just turn on the Spot Shot and it clamps on the eye piece.  My iPad will automatically connect so all I need to do is start the app.

samtoast, are you using the Spot Shot app or the SME Bullseye app? The both work with the Spot Shot camera.

Stuman, i am not familiar with the SME bullseye app. I will check it out. Thx for the tip. I use Bullseye Match app and love it!

Welcome to the forum! Thanks for sharing this. It's important to push the outside of the envelope even in an old sport such as ours.

I've shot with a couple guys that had a similar setup. The nicest feature about it was that you can mark the shots by touching them on the screen so you can easily identify the current shot so you don't have to change targets all the time to keep track.

That can be a good thing at a busy range so you don't have to keep calling the range cold when training.

I used one for practice and competitions before it decided to quit broadcasting a wifi signal. It is more difficult to setup than a standard scope (need to get it in perfect position) and isn't as clear as scope on its own. I think it is 720p or maybe even lower resolution. 

What I liked most about it was if combined with an iPad I only had to glance over at it to see where the shot landed. I didn't need to get out of position or lean over to the scope.

An alternative camera is the Longshot Hawk, which I use.  The resolution is 1920x1080.  An advantage is that the Android app works fine.  I wish it had image stabilization though.  Does the Spot Shot have it?

It's hard to point the scope with just a tripod head or on a Hebard mount, so I use a little slow-motion adapter (such as you might use on a telescope) to point it.