Author Topic: bushnell scopes on handi rifles? (Read 1719 times)

krod47nw · « **on:** June 02, 2008, 07:32:21 AM »

I have 2 bushnell banners, that I bought after they were recommended by others on this forum. I am very satisfied with them. I recently saw a good deal on bushnell trophies. Any input? how do they compare to the banner scopes? How about other scopes in the same price range?

Please don't go on about higher end scopes such a leopoulds etc. I am aware of the " get what you pay for " idea. I just want decent scopes in this price bracket.

Kevin

togojeff · « **Reply #1 on:** June 02, 2008, 09:00:09 AM »

I've got a Bushnell Legend 5-15 X 40 on my ultra .223. Love it!

STUMPJMPR · « **Reply #2 on:** June 02, 2008, 10:03:16 AM »

I have had decent luck with most of the bushnell's and tasco's and even simmons....However i have come to absolutely love the nikon prostaff it is closer to $140...This is the most i am willing to spend on a hunting scope...

krod47nw · « **Reply #3 on:** June 02, 2008, 10:36:29 AM »

Quote from: STUMPJMPR on June 02, 2008, 10:03:16 AM

I have had decent luck with most of the bushnell's and tasco's and even simmons....However i have come to absolutely love the nikon prostaff it is closer to $140...This is the most i am willing to spend on a hunting scope...

I took a ride to a new Gander mountain store in my area this weekend. I did look at the prostaff, and it was one that was in the range I was willing to pay. I then came home and checked ebay, and have found the bushnell trophies for less than $60 this is about $35 less than they were at Gander, and less than half the price of the nikon. This is the reason I am considering it. I have 10 new handi barrels that need scopes. The savings can add up.

Kevin

NWBear · « **Reply #4 on:** June 02, 2008, 12:47:04 PM »

Bushnell "Trophy" series are supposed to be an upgrade from the "Banner". I know the airgun pro's DO recommend the Trophy with the adjustable objective for magnum spring air rifles and these really tear up scopes. For myself I really need to look through a scope with my glasses on; some are good, some not so good, but NOT according to price!!!!!!! You should have good luck with the Trophy series. If you can find a deal on older "Scopechief" scopes, from either Bushnell or Baush and Lomb I have found these to be very nice (originally B&L then Bushnell).

LONGTOM · « **Reply #5 on:** June 02, 2008, 05:15:41 PM »

I have always had good service out of BUSHNELL scopes. I don't care to much for the BANNER line.
No problem with them, I just prefer a little better scope.
I really like their DUSK TO DAWN series.
Have severial of them on everything from 223 up to a 450 and they have all held up fine.
I like the 4x12 powers the best.
My favorite "CANDY STORE" as we call gun shops around here sells them in the $99.00 to $109.00
range.
At that price they are hard to beat!

LONGTOM

quickdtoo · « **Reply #6 on:** June 02, 2008, 05:50:37 PM »

Quote from: LONGTOM on June 02, 2008, 05:15:41 PM

I have always had good service out of BUSHNELL scopes. I don't care to much for the BANNER line.
No problem with them, I just prefer a little better scope.
I really like their DUSK TO DAWN series.

Bushnell Dusk to Dawn scopes are Banners!!

Tim

http://bushnell.com/general/riflescopes_banner.cfm?section=Hunting

Banner Dusk & Dawn Riflescopes
Ask any trophy hunter and they'll tell you more tags are filled in the low-light hours than any other time. That said, it's wise to have a scope designed to excel in early-morning and late-evening light. Featuring Dusk & Dawn Brightness™ (DDB) multi-coated lenses for clarity and brightness in low light, you'll add precious minutes to every hunting day with the Banner® Dusk & Dawn® series. With one-piece tube design, the Banner Dusk & Dawn line includes a full assortment of specialty scopes for big-game, varmint, .22 rimfire, slug, black powder and turkey hunting.

45north · « **Reply #7 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:00:38 PM »

Kevin,
You are on the right track, the banner is a great scope for the money. Another bushnell that I like is the sportsman airrifle scope it is 3x9x32 AO only comes in gloss black but it has good optics and the price is good to. Midway has them for around $60.00 Foxoptics on ebay has some very good deals most of the time also.

45north

trotterlg · « **Reply #8 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:01:41 PM »

But will they fog up if you put them in boiling water?

Larry

petemi · « **Reply #9 on:** June 02, 2008, 11:04:38 PM »

I have a Banner on my .308 M77 MKII with the circle/cross hair recticle and I love it. I've made quite a few "impossible" shots with it. Perhaps my old eyes are the problem, but I think the Dusk to Dawn aspect is over-rated. When It starts getting dark, I can't see anything through it. But, I do have a vision loss in that eye. Keeping both eyes open in daylight works well, but when it starts getting dark, the good left eye takes over and I see nothing through the scope. I have an appointment in July with an eye surgeon. I hope he can help. I wish I could train myself to shoot well left handed.

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 03, 2008, 02:14:47 AM »

Take a look at my avatar that is a Bushnell Banner that I have had for a long time. It has bullet compensating turrets and is a straight 10X with an AO. It has severed me well. They do not make that model any more, wish they did. BTW it was made in Japan. I have several other Banners. If I counted correctly I have 8 of them. The only one I have had trouble with was a 6X - 24X that does not track correctly with the clicks. Once it is set, it does do well. For the money, they are the best scope you can get. In the future I will stick to the ones that are 12X or less. I do not need that much power any way. Do not know what I was thinking when I bought the 6X - 24X ones. I have two, but rarely set them above 10X. Good Luck and Good Shooting.

LONGTOM · « **Reply #11 on:** June 03, 2008, 02:43:59 AM »

Tim:
You are right DUSK TO DAWN are BANNERS.
I should have said the old plain BANNERS, before they came out with the DUSK TO DAWN series.
I had several of them over the years and had a lot of trouble with the cross hairs shooting loose on the larger calibers.

LONGTOM

woodchukhntr · « **Reply #12 on:** June 03, 2008, 03:45:40 AM »

I've used Bushnell scopes for years, and never had any problems with any of them. They are a good value for the $. I usually look in the gun shop for "take-offs", but buy new on occasion. My rule-of-thumb is "the rifle should always cost more than the scope", and I don't go for expensive rifles. Except for varmint rifles, I am leaning towards 1.5 to 4.5 power scopes.

jmayton · « **Reply #13 on:** June 03, 2008, 05:53:07 AM »

Another one to consider in this price range is the Pentax Gameseeker. $99 for a 3-9x40 with a ballistic reticle. The only problem is that the ocular bell is quite large and it required high Warne rings on my Handi.

krod47nw · « **Reply #14 on:** June 03, 2008, 06:12:47 AM »

Thanks very much for all this great info guys.. Any more input on Bushnell Trophies?

jmayton · « **Reply #15 on:** June 03, 2008, 08:38:07 AM »

My only experience with the Bushnell Trophy was on someone else's rifle. Good, clear optics for the price and it's on the loaner gun where we hunt, so it goes through a lot of people's hands. I'd buy one...if I didn't already have my Pentax and my Nikon.

krod47nw · « **Reply #16 on:** June 03, 2008, 08:45:16 AM »

Quote from: jmayton on June 03, 2008, 08:38:07 AM

My only experience with the Bushnell Trophy was on someone else's rifle. Good, clear optics for the price and it's on the loaner gun where we hunt, so it goes through a lot of people's hands. I'd buy one...if I didn't already have my Pentax and my Nikon.

I did want to check out the pentax, but the Gander mountain store didn't carry any pentax scopes at all. I looked at the nikon prostaff, but didn't really see much difference between it and the bushnells, but of course I was in a well lit store. There may be a difference in low light conditions.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #17 on:** June 03, 2008, 08:46:34 AM »

I've got a 3-9x40 Trophy mounted in low Leupold QRWs on my 405Win Target, great scope, very clear and bright.

Tim

jmayton · « **Reply #18 on:** June 03, 2008, 10:57:28 AM »

Quote from: krod47nw on June 03, 2008, 08:45:16 AM

There may be a difference in low light conditions.

I would doubt it. Most of the one's I've seen are pretty similar if you are going with a reputable brand. They'll be about the same as another brand in the same price range. Or at least not enough to notice a difference. I do have a BSA Cateye that is not nearly as clear as the others, and it's in the same price range...but they don't make higher end scopes. It seems like the companies that make the nicer stuff, also make excellent, more inexpensive scopes.

NAM70 · « **Reply #19 on:** June 03, 2008, 11:30:28 AM »

Quote from: trotterlg on June 02, 2008, 06:01:41 PM

But will they fog up if you put them in boiling water? Larry

Only if you freeze it first

krod47nw · « **Reply #20 on:** June 05, 2008, 09:43:30 AM »

I ordered a bushnell trophy 3-9x40. I figured I would give it a try. The price was right, less than a banner.

Kevin

krod47nw · « **Reply #21 on:** June 09, 2008, 07:40:43 AM »

Quote from: quickdtoo on June 03, 2008, 08:46:34 AM

I've got a 3-9x40 Trophy mounted in low Leupold QRWs on my 405Win Target, great scope, very clear and bright.

Tim

Tim,
That appears to be the exact scope I just bought. I have already recieved it, though not mounted it yet. It seems to be a nice scope, and cooperates with my vision. I have since ordered another like it.

Kevin

quickdtoo · « **Reply #22 on:** June 09, 2008, 07:48:41 AM »

I bought mine a year or so ago, it came with a free 10x42 Trophy binocular, so it made it an even better deal!!

Tim

krod47nw · « **Reply #23 on:** June 09, 2008, 11:02:52 AM »

Quote from: quickdtoo on June 09, 2008, 07:48:41 AM

I bought mine a year or so ago, it came with a free 10x42 Trophy binocular, so it made it an even better deal!!

Tim

I appears there is a deal out now that comes with a free spotting scope. I guess this is bushnells way to get people to try a scope upgrade.

Kevin

chutesnreloads · « **Reply #24 on:** June 09, 2008, 12:56:20 PM »

Got the 4x12 Trophy several years ago specifically for a magnum air rifle.Truth is ,it was way too good a scope for what I needed an air rifle to do.It now sits on an accurized 10/22 and I replaced the air rifle with the 4x12 Banner scope.Would highly recomend the Trophy scopes and the Banners are good too.

striker525 · « **Reply #25 on:** June 10, 2008, 11:12:35 AM »

Quote from: NWBear on June 02, 2008, 12:47:04 PM

Bushnell "Trophy" series are supposed to be an upgrade from the "Banner". I know the airgun pro's DO recommend the Trophy with the adjustable objective for magnum spring air rifles and these really tear up scopes. For myself I really need to look through a scope with my glasses on; some are good, some not so good, but NOT according to price!!!!!!! You should have good luck with the Trophy series. If you can find a deal on older "Scopechief" scopes, from either Bushnell or Baush and Lomb I have found these to be very nice (originally B&L then Bushnell).

The Scopechief scopes are now the Legend series. I have used Bushnell scopes for over 37 years and have yet to have a failure. I have dropped them, and thrown one against a tree(by accident), and still no failure. I currently have upwards to 26 of them in various powers and have been buying a lot of legend series lately. My H&R 223 is currently topped with a 5-15X40 and it works and looks beautiful.