Rifle Scopes Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

[Quarter Horse]

Somebody out there must have both of these new scopes or at least access to both. I'd be very interested to see a comparison.

 

[DannySeesUSMC]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

Good comparison here

 

[Quarter Horse]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

Danny,

Thanks. That is exactly what I was looking for.

 

[Keyser Söze]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2641902

 

[CanPopper]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

I also got both of them. The HDMR I have is the one with the new H59 reticle. I'll be doing a videoscope of the H59 soon.

 

[cyrekzz]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

I have both of them too... the H59 in the bushnell.

 

[Omicron]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

Great article, thanks for sharing.

 

[mike4045]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

Without trying to hijack the thread ,for the guys that have spent time behind both, which do you prefer, and why?

 

[CanPopper]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

Depends on the application.

For all round, I'd say the SS is better. The reason is at low mags, the HDMR's reticle is really hard to see. This makes the SS a better short range scope since you would be operating at low mag for those ranges.

For medium to long range, the question becomes rather interesting. The H59 reticle is more easily viewable at 8x and higher (12x is optimal). This makes the HDMR really good for holdover shooting at medium to long range.

The H59 has 38 mils of holdover so if you are shooting a really long range gun like a 50, Cheytac, or Lapua Mag, you can really holdover out very far in brighter light.

In terms of tube toughness, the HDMR's tube is stronger and the baffling is better. So the HDMR is probably the tougher scope.

Overall, I don't think the two are direct competitors. They seem to fill different niches. Both have really good glass too. I have the SS on my .223 tactical bolt trainer while the HDMR will go onto my medium to heavy bolt guns.

 

[jeo556]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In terms of tube toughness, the HDMR's tube is stronger and the baffling is better. So the HDMR is probably the tougher scope.

</div></div>

Any chance you could elaborate on this further?

Thank you,

 

[19Scout77]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CanPopper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The H59 has 38 mils of holdover </div></div>

Highly unlikely that this nor any other scope has the ability to [EFFECTIVELY] holdover 38 mils. 11 mils and change...maybe.

 

[TEAMSENDIT]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 19Scout77</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CanPopper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The H59 has 38 mils of holdover </div></div>

Highly unlikely that this nor any other scope has the ability to holdover 38 mils. 11 mils and change...maybe.</div></div>

sorry man but he is correct at 3.5x it has ridiculous amount of holdover by the time you get up to 21x it is around 9 or so if i remember correctly.

and yes i own one of these eric not talking out of my ass. at least not this time.

 

[J-Ham]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

OK, well how useful is that 38 mils on 3.5X? I have no experience with a Horus reticle (although I'm really leaning towards trying one out) but I assumed that at the lowest power, the reticle looks like a big, thick vertical line.

 

[CanPopper]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

Well, 38 mils is silly for anti personnel sniping. But say you are doing anti material sniping, then that is a different story.

For hunters and plain jane target shooters, well, you'll probably never use it that far.

38 mils might be useful for ranging as well.

 

[19Scout77]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TeamSendIt!!!</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 19Scout77</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CanPopper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The H59 has 38 mils of holdover </div></div>

Highly unlikely that this nor any other scope has the ability to holdover 38 mils. 11 mils and change...maybe.</div></div>

sorry man but he is correct at 3.5x it has ridiculous amount of holdover by the time you get up to 21x it is around 9 or so if i remember correctly.

and yes i own one of these eric not talking out of my ass. at least not this time. </div></div>

Hey Scott- I stand corrected...the best part is I have 2 of these with H58s and did not even bother to check....although useless as tits on a bull, at 3.5 I have in excess of 40mils of holdover.

On an arguably useful note, the HDMR is, imo, the best optics bargain out there. I have used mine back to 1300 yards both holding-over and dialing with great results. I chose the HDMR over S&B for ASC last month and do not regret it for a second.

 

[CanPopper]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jeo556</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In terms of tube toughness, the HDMR's tube is stronger and the baffling is better. So the HDMR is probably the tougher scope.

</div></div>

Any chance you could elaborate on this further?

Thank you, </div></div>

Well, I'm not doing the USO hammer test...LOL. However, I am an amatuer astronomer.

Just looking at the inside of the tubes with a bright penlight, I can see the uneven matte black coating of the SS HD. The HDMR on the otherhand has the fine circular baffles you see in high end telescope eyepieces.

From the tapping of the tubes with a mallet, the vibrations coming from the HDMR is more of the solid "thunk-thunk" that I get from my Zeiss 72, Trijicon TR23, and March tactical scopes. The SS HD has more of a moderately dampened "tink-tink" sound one gets from hunting type scopes.

 

[TEAMSENDIT]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 19Scout77</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TeamSendIt!!!</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 19Scout77</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CanPopper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The H59 has 38 mils of holdover </div></div>

Highly unlikely that this nor any other scope has the ability to holdover 38 mils. 11 mils and change...maybe.</div></div>

sorry man but he is correct at 3.5x it has ridiculous amount of holdover by the time you get up to 21x it is around 9 or so if i remember correctly.

and yes i own one of these eric not talking out of my ass. at least not this time. </div></div>

Hey Scott- I stand corrected...the best part is I have 2 of these with H58s and did not even bother to check....although useless as tits on a bull, at 3.5 I have in excess of 40mils of holdover.

On an arguably useful note, the HDMR is, imo, the best optics bargain out there. I have used mine back to 1300 yards both holding-over and dialing with great results. I chose the HDMR over S&B for ASC last month and do not regret it for a second. </div></div>

eric,

i was just giving you shit, i to think the HDMR is best scope for the money hands down.

 

[taseal]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

it's not just the hold over with the Horus...

it's also that 2nd round strike capability.

if your 1st round misses, you can see where it hit on the horus grid, and correct to it. so at say 15 x, (or 21) you see it hit 3 mils low and 2 mil left... well now you know your correction and can accommodate right away

 

[squinty-andy]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

Another advantage of the Horus is that it makes shooter/spotter communication a breeze-- both for shot correction like taseal says and also for talking each other onto targets down range.

My shooting partner and I both use H-59 HDMRs. To spice up our regular 200-yard range, we run a drill where we'll scatter 30 or 40 small pieces of broken clay pigeons across the berm. We then take turns talking each other onto a specific target-- "From the 2nd sand bag on the left, come right 23 mils, up 8 1/2. Your target is a yellow, crescent-shaped clay." I'll tee up through my scope and hold his same correction. If he fires and misses I can then call a correction to a .10th of a mil.

 

[taseal]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

I've heard a Horus reticle'd scope with a Horus reticle'd spotter scope (or another horus scope) is a killer combo.

I would want to run a drill like you run, sounds fun and something diff.

 

[steve123]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: taseal</div><div class="ubbcode-body">it's not just the hold over with the Horus...

it's also that 2nd round strike capability.

if your 1st round misses, you can see where it hit on the horus grid, and correct to it. so at say 15 x, (or 21) you see it hit 3 mils low and 2 mil left... well now you know your correction and can accommodate right away </div></div>

Hey guys,

I tried my new HDMR/H-59 at the AZPRC for the first time last weekend in a match setting using holdovers and holdoffs only.

We engage each steel twice but are only allowed 10 seconds for the follow up shot. I was really appreciating the attributes of the H-59 reticle because I could see where I hit in the grid at the longer distances and compensate immediately for the second shot.

Another thing I like about not dialing is the time saved. I use the extra time for wind observation and concentrating on the shot. It was a good start with the HDMR because I won the match,yahoooo! I love that reticle and the scope!

I haven't been behind a SS 5-20 yet but read ILYA's write up. If I were mostly going to dial and needed illume I'd buy one. There's little more one could desire for the price point. I much prefer 10 mil knobs vs 5 mil knobs. SWFA was smart to include them because that feature alone sets it apart from many scopes.

The HDMR is flat out a great scope! For those that want to utilize the H58-59 reticles as intended in a $1600 price range scope this is the one to get.

 

[Jon A]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CanPopper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">From the tapping of the tubes with a mallet, the vibrations coming from the HDMR is more of the solid "thunk-thunk" that I get from my Zeiss 72, Trijicon TR23, and March tactical scopes. The SS HD has more of a moderately dampened "tink-tink" sound one gets from hunting type scopes.
</div></div>
Uhm, there are ways to measure the wall thickness of a tube, but this is not among them. As far as baffling goes, I don't think the interior surface of the tube tells the entire story. Some pretty high end scopes look fairly smooth on the inside.

 

[--BLACKOUT--]

Re: Bushnell HDMR Vs. SS 5-20 HD

I really like reading the good remarks about the HDMR. It makes the wait till December a little easier. My HDMR with G2 reticle should be awesome... just got to get my boomstick done soon.