Hey all-

How good are the premium Bushnell scopes? Are their best anything worth considering?
I have a chance to buy one scope at a very favorable price. I am looking for something for longer distance and higher magnification.

Bruce

I haven't tried the very latest Top of the line Bushnells but I have a few of the older Elite series. The 4000 Series Elites I found to be better than Leupold Vari-X III's which were the leopold higher line hunting scopes at the time. I had a couple of their 30mm Tube Elite Tacticals and their Glass was on par or maybe slightly better than Nightforce NSX. I don't know if they were as tough as Nightforce but I haven't broken one yet at still have them after more than a decade.

If I were you I'd make sure that they have enough elevation adjustment for the distances you are shooting but I wouldn't worry about the quality of the glass if it's a Japan made Bushnell. I'd pass if it's a Chinese built scope.

I think it was a HUGE mistake for Bushnell to do away with the Bausch and Lomb label for their higher end glass. It really separated them from the cheaper and not near as good Chinese made Bushnell Scopes. Now you really have to examine each particular model to know if it of the higher Bausch and Lomb quality type or less expensive Bushnell.

There are some good scopes and bargains to be had. Just don't expect Swarovski or Schmidt und Bender level glass.

I had a Bausch and Lomb Elite 4000 that was fantastic. Great glass. Held zero year in and year out. It was on top of a Ruger M77 .30-06. I unfortunately damaged it on the very first shot when it slipped in the rings and impacted where the tube funneled up to the magnification ring. I lapped the rings, used touch up paint to cover the mark, remounted an re-zeroed. It held zero through many, many rounds, and quite a few deer. It's still on that rifle with my son, still going strong.

I also had a Trophy (with the high contrast yellow coating) back in the very early 90s on a Weatherby Vanguard in .270 Winchester. That was a very good scope, too, that held zero year in and year out and, and help me take several deer with that rifle.

I haven't had a Bushnell since my Elite 4000. But I suspect Bushnell's top end scopes are good. I see a lot of them on the range.

Bruce, need to tell us which one. The Country of Origin would be the deciding factor for me. If it is made in Japan I would consider it. If made elsewhere I would bag it. What scope is it?

ORC, I legitimately don't know. I have a chance to buy anything they sell through an employee purchase program, at work. I was asking for opinions so I can know if I should even bother researching.
At a glance, I think the 3.5-21x56 looks like it would do nicely.


Bruce

I am sure the expert F class paperpunchers will be along to tell you they do not compete with the premier scope brands. And that is probably true. The top of line Bushnell scopes are pretty darn good though. So if you can get a deal and they are made in Japan or Europe than I would give it some consideration. Look on Swfa's sample list site for more info.

Good luck brother!

I would love to have a $3000 Schmidt and Bender but it's not in the budget. However, if I can have a $2000 Bushnell for $800, THAT I can budget.

Looking forward to hearing more impressions of current offerings.

Bruce

i do not think the LRS is a current offering but a pretty darn good scope. Sounds like this is also pretty good. And at the top of their line. At least last year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mByTTU2XR3E

I have owned a Bushnell Elite handgun scope (LER)for many years (2x6?)It has served me well.

I checked it out on the Bushnell Website:

https://www.bushnell.com/rifle...pe-black/P01560.html

The last line of the spec sheet was the most important one for me. It's made in Japan.

Looks like an excellent scope to me. If I had the funds for one I wouldn't hesitate using one.......

I have a Bushnell Elite Tactical DMR and Elite Tactical XRS. Both are very good scopes and at the current prices they are selling at exceptional values. I haven't done a side by side comparison of the glass, but I would say they are pretty close to my Vortex Razor scope. I've shot the DMR out to 1000 yards and don't feel like the scope held me back.

quote:

Originally posted by RNshooter:
How good are the premium Bushnell scopes? Are their best anything worth considering?
I have a chance to buy one scope at a very favorable price. I am looking for something for longer distance and higher magnification.

I recommend looking through any scope prior to buying it. The specs for the higher end Bushnell scopes look good, however your eyes are the key factor. ED glass and a zero stop will be important for your long distance targets. IMO getting a feel for the turrets and observing the reticle is important.

There is a growing number of higher magnification scopes which tout short overall length. I don't know if Bushnell is in this category or not. But I've looked through a couple of short-ish models by respectable brands and found that (1) the center of the scope was really clear and (2) the optical clarity decreased noticeably towards the edges of view. Now for someone who only uses the center of the reticle as an aimpoint, this makes no difference at all. However, for those who regularly hold off elevation and wind, the lack of clarity isn't optimal.

Again, see if you can get behind your preferred model(s) prior to buying.

I hope that one of the instructors has one of these scopes that I can look through. One of them is a "King of 2 Mile" guy so I am hopeful that he has one. If not, I will just go with the best advice and hope that I am happy with it. If not, I should be able to break even if I sell it, given the company discount.

Bruce

I have both the 2 DMR's and 2 ERS.Both are3.5-21X50mm. Both track perfectly and optics are very crisp with no CA to my eyes.I am a Nightforce guy. Are the equal to the NXS line, no but are darn close.After buying 7 NF scopes thought I'd try something more pocket book friendly. Have not been disappointed at all.