Entry level scope

[smallbutfierce]

Been looking at the Bushnell elite tactical 10x. It is on sale for $199 at midway, and I think I might just jump on it. Looking for testimonials on this scope as far as use for coyote/deer hunting and durability. It will see lots of snow in its life. I will be mounting it on a stevens 200 .25-06 and shooting up to 600yds max(more like 200-500) at animals and further at targets(maybe). Just looking for opinions.

 

[TikkaShooters]

A buddy of mine has one on his Savage 243. Great glass and tracks well for the price.

The crosshairs are a little thick for long range bench shooting but seems to work alright on game.

 

[Scot E]

It is one of the best entry level scopes on the market and has a great track record to boot. Good glass, great tracking and very tough. It doesn't have a lot of extra feature but it does everything it is supposed to very well.

Look in the article section here on LRH. There are at least 2 articles that talk about and speak highly of that scope. I think one article is titled long range on a budget

I wish they would ad a MIL hash reticle. I would have room for a couple.

 

[justgoto]

Looking for testimonials on this scope as far as use for coyote/deer hunting and durability.

I replaced my $50 BSA with that scope on my 30-30. It died after 19 shots; the height would not adjust after that.

I was assured it was a fluke by others that love the scope and got another. It died in less than 200 shots; wouldn't adjust windage-wise.

Good thing is, the warranty worked well; worse thing was, shipping costs.

 

[codyjoe1128]

I've got one in 6-24x42..when its hot and humid here its alil foggy on the higher powers 18 and up....havin alil trouble on getting it zeroed perfect but I've only shot with it maybe 15-20 rounds...

 

[FAL Shot]

SWFA sells a nice 10X tactical scope in the $400 range that gets lots of rave reviews. IF I wanted a tactical scope I would look at that. The Weaver Classic V series can be had for $300 for a varmint model 4-16x42. Semi-target turrets and choice of reticles makes it almost a tactical scope. Love mine. Been mounted on my .223 Rem and .204 Ruger varmint rifles and after 1000 rounds or so all is well.

The 16X top power will work far better at 600 yards than a 10X scope. It is made by Optical Light Works, same Japanese company as makes Bushnell Elite, Sightron SIII, Weaver Grand Slam and no telling how many others of good quality.

For $200 or less, the Weaver 40/44 series is hard to beat. I have a 3-12x42 on my .223 Rem right now, and it has aspherical glass as well.

 

[Scot E]

The Weaver Classic V series can be had for $300 for a varmint model 4-16x42. Semi-target turrets and choice of reticles makes it almost a tactical scope.

I have 2 V16's and they have been used a ton and they are still going strong. Those turrets are very repeatable too and the compact semi-target turrets are perfect for a lot of applications. Eye position does get a bit critical at high power but I mostly shoot at 6-12 power which works out well.

 

[rinodods]

I've got two 10x elites and they have been great scopes. Been running them for a few years. I've spent a lot time shooting pdogs with them on a .223. Always tracks well and returns to zero. The other I've had on a 260, 300wm and 300wsm. Still running like a champ. They got me started and I still fall back to them when I want to get something running quick and I'm waiting on a scope to show. I didn't like the fixed 10 much for hunting but for targets and varmint shooting it has been awesome.

 

[FAL Shot]

Scot,

Yes, the exit pupil will be well under 3mm at 16X, so it's not for low light shooting, and even on a bright day you have to be lined up perfectly behind the eyebell to prevent blackouts. The upside of critical eye positioning is that you are not off to one side where parallax error occurs and everything is sharper when you are exactly in the right eye position.

The semi-target turrets are also on the 40/44 aspherical model that I have. I like these in-between turrets that are easier to adjust than hunter turrets and less bulky than target turrets. Other companies should pick up on this, as I am now looking for it on any new scopes I might purchase.

 

[bruce_ventura]

I have 2 Elite 3200 10x40 scopes. One stopped tracking windage when the turret is rotated CCW. I can get the reticle back into position by rotating the elevation knob back and forth. That's not acceptable, of course, and this scope has been retired.

At the $200 price point, quality is a bit sketchy. Otherwise, it's a nice scope with decent optics, low glare and a clean sight picture. I use the remaining one for varmint hunting.

 

[FAL Shot]

My "serious" hunting scope is a Burris Signature 4-16x44 that sits on my CZ 550, which is a serious hunting rifle made for hard use. It has a MAP of $520, and that is about what you have to pay for a really decent hunting scope you can really depend on under hard and frequent use. If you add target turrets with extremely dependable tracking, then of course the price goes up. If you add a no-questions-asked lifetime warranty, then the price goes up some more.

But for $200-$300 there are a lot of nice scopes that are fairly dependable with fairly good tracking. They just aren't what you use for life threatening and very hard use applications. With a ballistic reticle, you do not have to change anything unless your ammo load changes, your altitude changes by 1000+ feet, or your temperature changes by 20+ degrees under typical hunting conditions. A cheaper scope that you "recoil-in" with a shot or two after changes are made is acceptable for most people. From then on, your ballistic reticle does all the range and windage changes for you. Besides, under actual hunting situations you usually don't have time for knob twiddling. A perfect tracking tactical scope that depends on knob twiddling to place the bullet on target is a techno nerd scope that will probably cost you lost opportunities under fast changing hunting conditions.