Rifle Scopes Bushnell HDMR 3-21, swfa 5-20, or a comparable Vortex

ArmyJerry

ArmyJerry

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Nov 22, 2012
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#1
I have 1 SWFA I picked up here on the hide for a good price, now I am looking at getting another scope in that price performance range, the hide seems a bit split between the bushy and the swfa, wondering if the Vortex FFP PST is in the same league, I have a PST SFP and like it but converting my tactical rifles over to FFP. I cant spend $3k on scopes, just $1k +/-.
 
#2
There are plenty of threads about this already if you haven't seen them. Here is the short version for you:
SWFA great scope and excellent glass for the price. (My personal pick of the scopes mentioned)
Bushnell good scope, great reticle (G2), decent glass.
Vortex viper pst, not in the same league as the two above. Vortex razor is the comparable.
 
#3
I damn sure haven't used them all but would be surprised if I liked any reticle out there more than the G2 that's in both my DMR and ERS. It's been great for long range steel and hunting. The scopes seem hard to beat in their price range but I wouldn't mind trying others with similar reticles and specs. I have a friend who has a G2 DMR and recently got an XTR II. He said he likes the G2 reticle better but the features on the XTR II are comparable to my ERS but cost less. The turret adjustments are better on the Bushnells but he likes the zero stop on the XTR II better than my ERS.
 
#4
So far I usually don't touch the turrets until I get out to around 700 yards and that's with an 18" 308 with 175's

redirt78 said:
I damn sure haven't used them all but would be surprised if I liked any reticle out there more than the G2 that's in both my DMR and ERS. It's been great for long range steel and hunting. The scopes seem hard to beat in their price range but I wouldn't mind trying others with similar reticles and specs. I have a friend who has a G2 DMR and recently got an XTR II. He said he likes the G2 reticle better but the features on the XTR II are comparable to my ERS but cost less. The turret adjustments are better on the Bushnells but he likes the zero stop on the XTR II better than my ERS.
Click to expand...
 
#6
I can't comment on the other two but I've had Bushnell DMR with the G2 reticle and now I have an XRS with an H59. I think the HDMR's are a decent value especially if you wanted to try the Horus reticle for a reasonable price and considering the warranty on the Bushnell. The glass seemed exactly the same to me between the HDMR and the XRS.
 
#7
If the SWFA hd line had a reticle other than the mil quad, maybe I'd look at them. I'm not too choosy with the reticle in their standard scopes cause the price is okay.

I have nothing but love for my DMR though. Probably about to get another for my semi build.
 
#8
As others have said - the Viper PST is not in the same league as the SS or DMR. I own both the SS and DMR, and between them I would say the SS has somewhat better glass (not dramatic, but there) and I have more confidence in the SWFA warranty. The DMR has a better reticle (IMHO) and I prefer its 5 mil turrets with solid clicks over the SS's 10 mil turrets with tiny clicks. Also some examples of the SS have VERY stiff controls (parallax and zoom) but not all do, so YMMV.
 
#9
Own a bushy, the PST, and just sold a SS. In that price range I'd go NF anyday. I know you didn't mention them, but the glass on the HDMR is fair, the PST good on low X, and the SS, I just didn't like the reticle at all. Love the MOAR, Velocity 1000, and several others. The H59 is just too busy for me. I've been looking through the SHV, and also like what I've saw so far. I hope to be doing an Evaluation soon on a cpl of these optics, including a cpl more.
 
#11
I will back up the bushy. I have the dmr and xrs both with g2. Recently replaced my razor with xrs and I am very happy with them. The reticle is the best I've used without question. I wish I could get it in any scope I wanted. I ran a box track test today with dmr locked down on my test fixture. Passed with flying colors. Dead on to 15mil and 5mil both way wind. Tough to beat for the money.
 
#12
I laugh about the looks I get now and then from some of the mouth breathers at the local gun shops when they hear me talking to someone who wants to listen about long range shooting and ask "what scope you using?" and I say Bushnell. Most think I'm crazy and walk away. Nine times out of ten it's the ones you can't tell shit to anyways but the DMR, ERS and XRS are not our grandaddy's Bushnells.
 
#13
I love the new bushy and Burris lines. Lots of mid level scopes that kick ass.

And for guys who don't know and walk away? Who has time to tell them anything, or want to?
 
#14
Get the Bushy. I have a G2DMR, and recently just sold my Vortex Razor and replaced it with an ERS. I really think the Bushys are better than the Razor, let alone the PSTs.
 
#15
The PST is a good scope in the price range but if you compare it to a Bushnell DMR/ERS in the $1500+ range then you are better off comparing the Razor 5-20x. Comparing the PST to scopes that cost twice as much isn't really fair now is it? The 5-20 Razor is an excellent scope compared to the higher priced Bushnells. Having used both I like having a zero stop and illumination, even though it's rarely used. The locking turrets on the Bushnell are nice though. But comparing the two is not really helping the original question much when the OP is looking for a cheaper optic around $1000 mark.
 
#19
Just putting up prices I found when looking. If he is selling them at $1100 then that would be the place to buy them.
 
#21
I'll give the Bushy the reticle win for sure, no doubt's. I love my G2 ret. If I could put that reticle in a NF NXS 3.5-15 I'd be on a cloud. I do like the PST's reticle as well, but when you crank the pwr the Bushy has the edge over the PST by quite a bit. But I'm telling you the NF SHV with the MOAR is an optic to look at for under 1K without illumination. For sure call Scott @ Liberty Optics. I'm not saying what I have bought the HDMR before, but let's just say there's a sale every once in a while. If you have a stick that's capable of 1/2moa to 1K then you'd be better off to pay the price. "Buy once, Cry once" is a very true statement.
I have a PST on a 243 custom GAP build, and have no trouble hitting whistle pigs @ 1K, but I don't have trouble getting them with my NF either. Like i said, I'm gonna be working on an optics T&E soon, and I hope Bushnell, and Vortex jump on board. I am also trying to get a Lucid as well, and it won't be just me testing them, it will be several other Match shooters that shoot SB as well. Myself, I can't afford a SB, but I wanna see what these $900-$1500 optics have to offer.
If your in a hurry, just get the HDMR /G2, and you won't have any regrets, that I promise you. But if your not in a hurry, wait for some screen shots, and test's to come.
 
#22
I'll give the Bushy the reticle win for sure, no doubt's. I love my G2 ret. If I could put that reticle in a NF NXS 3.5-15 I'd be on a cloud. I do like the PST's reticle as well, but when you crank the pwr the Bushy has the edge over the PST by quite a bit. But I'm telling you the NF SHV with the MOAR is an optic to look at for under 1K without illumination. For sure call Scott @ Liberty Optics. I'm not saying what I have bought the HDMR before, but let's just say there's a sale every once in a while. If you have a stick that's capable of 1/2moa to 1K then you'd be better off to pay the price. "Buy once, Cry once" is a very true statement.
I have a PST on a 243 custom GAP build, and have no trouble hitting whistle pigs @ 1K, but I don't have trouble getting them with my NF either. Like i said, I'm gonna be working on an optics T&E soon, and I hope Bushnell, and Vortex jump on board. I am also trying to get a Lucid as well, and it won't be just me testing them, it will be several other Match shooters that shoot SB as well. Myself, I can't afford a SB, but I wanna see what these $900-$1500 optics have to offer.
If your in a hurry, just get the HDMR /G2, and you won't have any regrets, that I promise you. But if your not in a hurry, wait for some screen shots, and test's to come.
 
#23
I have no experience with the SS or PST, but I absolutely love my DMR with the G2 reticle. And a vendor on this board has new G2 DMRs for $1100 shipped, which I think is a great value and hard to beat.
 
#26
SomeOtherGuy said:
As others have said - the Viper PST is not in the same league as the SS or DMR. I own both the SS and DMR, and between them I would say the SS has somewhat better glass (not dramatic, but there) and I have more confidence in the SWFA warranty. The DMR has a better reticle (IMHO) and I prefer its 5 mil turrets with solid clicks over the SS's 10 mil turrets with tiny clicks. Also some examples of the SS have VERY stiff controls (parallax and zoom) but not all do, so YMMV.
Click to expand...

+1. I've owned all of them at one time or another. The glass on the SSHD is just hard to beat, it is super clear, bright, and has great contrast. IMHO, it is better than the first gen Razor's glass also. That being said, they don't have a GAP-type reticle. As groundhogbuster stated, I believe NF are excellent in every way, but the cost of their FFP scopes just places them in a different league.

The zero stop feature on most of these scopes is great, but when I had my SSHD, it was really a non-issue. Unless you're shooting ELR/XLR, the chances of you needing to go into a second revolution on the elevation are close to zero (I never did shooting .308 and .260). I've owned 4 SSHD's and never had one issue with any of them. They are an excellent value, and SWFA stands behind their products.

I currently own a Bushnell XRS, and I like it a lot. I believe the glass is a bit darker than the others listed, but the images are still crisp. I really like the G2 reticle. A used 3.5-21 is going for around 1K, and I have seen them going for just under too.

I don't think you can go wrong with whichever scope you choose.
 
#31
DMR or SWFA. Absolutely everyone I personally know that has owned a Vortex Razor has had tracking or return to zero issues. 7 different guys. Some have them and love them, but not the guys I shoot with. YMMV
 
#36
ArmyJerry said:
I see a lot of the bushys for sale on the optics for sale section, very few of the swfa comparatively, is just the numbers sold or is there something else going on?I will probably get one either way.
Click to expand...

In the last year I've seen easily five times more SWFAs up for sale than DMRs. I think it simply depends when you take your snapshot in time. Many people here got that model SS on the group buy for a great price, and may have used it for a while then decided to sell it for something new and different (whether or not nicer). Likewise, that may be happening at the moment with the DMR, since the ERS and many other newer options are now on the market. Neither scope has any inherent defect, so I wouldn't read anything into the for-sale listings at a given moment in time.
 
#38
I've got a new Bushnell DMR 3.5-21x50 G2DMR still in the box if you want it for $1000 shipped....I sold the project it was going to go on, so I have no need for it and it is just sitting on the shelf.
 
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