When the subject of spotting scopes with reticles comes up, this model occasionally makes it into the discussion.
Bushnell stopped making them a few years back, but I always said I'd buy one if the opportunity presented itself.
Last week someone posted a link to new old stock units for sale on Amazon so I bought one of the last ones, and it showed up this weekend.
The scope seems solid enough but of course only time (and a few drops) will tell for sure. It's fairly compact and would fit nicely in a backpack. The stay-on cover is pretty decent, with what seems like adequate padding, pretty well thought out Velcro to hold the flaps out of the optical path, and loops for the included strap. The controls feel pretty good, although I wish the focus was a bit faster. Also, the foldup rubber eye cup is a little chintzy, but it works, and I'm able to arrive at a setting that prevents veiling at all magnifications (for my eye). Hopefully the rubber doesn't dry rot any time soon.
I didn't buy this scope with any intent of using the bipod it comes with, so I'm not disappointed by what a wobbly POS it is.
Through the years I've read a few reviews and opinions have varied widely about the optical performance. Unless the optical "recipe" changed during its production, the reviewers who rated the glass as great probably have never used top tier optical instruments. Early on I went through some cheap scopes and spotters of Chinese origin and the resolution of this scope would probably impress anyone raised on sub-$150 scopes and spotters.
I've never used a Mark 4 Leupold spotter but I seriously doubt this sub-$400 Bushnell is in the same league... but for the price, I don't expect it to be, either.
While I'm not going to sell off my Zeiss Diascope 85 just yet, I think the brightness and resolution will be adequate for my purpose, spotting splash and hits in the dirt for corrections.
One annoyance I noticed is that it's not possible to arrive at a diopter setting where the reticle is in perfect focus at the extremes of magnification, at least for my eye.. I have it set now to focus the reticle at top mag at the expense of focus at low mag, but it's only slightly out at 15x, and my eye can compensate for it. I figure I'll mostly need the reticle at high magnification, and I can always twist the diopter in the field if need be. It's a compromise that I'm willing to live with.
Overall I'm happy with my purchase. Until another manufacturer steps up, this model is the only thing like it in its price range.
Bushnell stopped making them a few years back, but I always said I'd buy one if the opportunity presented itself.
Last week someone posted a link to new old stock units for sale on Amazon so I bought one of the last ones, and it showed up this weekend.
The scope seems solid enough but of course only time (and a few drops) will tell for sure. It's fairly compact and would fit nicely in a backpack. The stay-on cover is pretty decent, with what seems like adequate padding, pretty well thought out Velcro to hold the flaps out of the optical path, and loops for the included strap. The controls feel pretty good, although I wish the focus was a bit faster. Also, the foldup rubber eye cup is a little chintzy, but it works, and I'm able to arrive at a setting that prevents veiling at all magnifications (for my eye). Hopefully the rubber doesn't dry rot any time soon.
I didn't buy this scope with any intent of using the bipod it comes with, so I'm not disappointed by what a wobbly POS it is.
Through the years I've read a few reviews and opinions have varied widely about the optical performance. Unless the optical "recipe" changed during its production, the reviewers who rated the glass as great probably have never used top tier optical instruments. Early on I went through some cheap scopes and spotters of Chinese origin and the resolution of this scope would probably impress anyone raised on sub-$150 scopes and spotters.
I've never used a Mark 4 Leupold spotter but I seriously doubt this sub-$400 Bushnell is in the same league... but for the price, I don't expect it to be, either.
While I'm not going to sell off my Zeiss Diascope 85 just yet, I think the brightness and resolution will be adequate for my purpose, spotting splash and hits in the dirt for corrections.
One annoyance I noticed is that it's not possible to arrive at a diopter setting where the reticle is in perfect focus at the extremes of magnification, at least for my eye.. I have it set now to focus the reticle at top mag at the expense of focus at low mag, but it's only slightly out at 15x, and my eye can compensate for it. I figure I'll mostly need the reticle at high magnification, and I can always twist the diopter in the field if need be. It's a compromise that I'm willing to live with.
Overall I'm happy with my purchase. Until another manufacturer steps up, this model is the only thing like it in its price range.
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