A good gun needs a good scope!!

[Mikem]

Cliff, I'm not going to argue with you over your bad experience with Bushnell, I'm not sure your situation is the norm.
However Bushnell Elite is a fine scope, and they sell a lot of them, and many believe there a good quality scope for the money, me included.
I would put them on an equal par with Sitron or Weaver, all of which are good mid range priced scopes, and for most, do the job well.
I also have a pricey Leopold mark 4 VLR 5.5 to 20, on a 308 and its a better scope, but not twice as good for my application, as its price might suggest.

If someone is in the market for a good mid priced scope, and doesn't at least look at the Bushnell Elite, they may just miss the boat.
Mike.

 

[NYMarksman]

One scope I haven't seen mentioned is a Weaver. I'm using a Weaver Classic V24 6-24x42 on my Remington R-15 and it has done everything well. It can be gotten with several different recticles and is as sharp and clear as any scope I have ever owned (including Leupolds). It is moderately priced (somewhere in the $350.00 price range) which make it more attractive then the Leupold. The Bushnell 4200 is also a good scope but for my money the Weaver is a tad better.

 

[Mikem]

NY Marksman, I hope your right about Weaver, I just put a T-36 on my 22BR, and its been to the range once, so far, and the jury is still out on it. I fired about 30 round with it, then switched to my 6BR with the Bushnell Elite and was shocked at the difference, and not in favor of the Weaver, sorry to say. But ill give it a chance. It wasn't as bright or clear, and the turrets are vary stiff and not smooth, maybe I'm just not use to it yet, and the turrets are new, so will see.
Mike.

 

[cliffy]

A Burris Signature Select in 6-26x44mm is BRIGHT and CLEAR as far out as I intend to shoot with my .223 Remington. Currently, 300 yards is my intended maximum range of operation. Give me one warm day that doesn't cramp and numb my fingers, and I'll reply with some new chronographed results. Due to an uncontrollable blockage in my heart, severe coldness cramps my previously youthful style. Cliffy

 

[Mikem]

Cliffy. I'm not sure what the scope has to do with a Crony reading, but you may know something I don't. But do tell us about the scope.
I'm sorry to hear about the nasty weather, its all over the news, and I live about 1000 ft from the Pacific Ocean in Calif, so I feel for you guys every winter.

And I know about cold weather and heart problems, I'm 66 now and had my first heart attack at 39, and lived on Nitros. The second about 8 years later, and that's been two bypasses and one stint job ago, so Ive been there.

A little advice to any one with heart disease in there family, get checked out soon, your not to young, and its often hereditary.

So if I stop posting all of a sudden, send guns, not flowers. ;D
Best of luck Cliffy...
Mike.

 

[dlutter]

I have just been pondering this same question for my new .204. I am thinking of going with a Nikon Monarch 4-16x40 with a side focus AO. This is on a sporter type gun instead of a true varmint gun.

I have really enjoyed my Bushnell Elite 4200. To my eyes, it is brighter and more clear than my VX-II and just a hair behind my VX-III. The price is right too. All three blow my Fullfield II out of the water. I have looked through a Signature Select and, to me, it ran right with the 4200.

I would suggest two things:
1. Go to chuckhawks.com and look under the scopes and optics section. There are two articles, one ranking scopes by price range and one rating them on a 5 star system. They have helped me many times to sort through the ocean of scope choices to pick the right one for me.

2. Go to your local sporting goods store and look through as many scopes as you can. Scopes look different to different people. Also it will be helpful to learn the difference in the quality of different price classes. Just yesterday I was, once again, surprised to learn the difference between the Buckmaster and Monarch lines in optics quality.

 

[cliffy]

My son just purchased a Leupold V-II 3-12 scope. He plans to plant it atop a 30/06 Tikka. I'm not familiar with this scope, yet it displays a clean, clear picture, with sharp reticules. He has always favored Leupold, so I cannot argue with his deer ratio success, each of seven deer downed right now with one round expended. I still like a FAST-FOCUS eye box, which Leupold does not possess. I favor my Nikon 4.5x14 Buckmaster for similar application, yet my Burris Signature Select 6-24x44mm shall long be my favorite for long (300 yard) range shooting. Cliffy

 

[fdshuster]

Mikem; PM sent