Bushnell Elite 10X continues to impress... :)

dan newberry

dan newberry

New member
I've had a Bushnell Elite 3200 fixed 10 power mildot scope for a couple years now. It's done a fine job on at least four rifles now. It's not the most expensive scope I have, but it sometimes acts like it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I currently have the scope on my Remington 788 .243 win. The rifle is pretty much stock, with the exception of a Douglas XX 8 twist barrel, some glass bedding, and I worked the trigger to about 2.5 pounds.

Since the rifle is a 788, there aren't many options for scope mounts. I found a Leupold Redfield JR type mount, and I used Burris Signature rings (with the polymer inserts) to mount the scope.

I use this rifle for long range target and varmint shooting. I've had excellent results from the 105 AMAX at around 2925 fps, pushed by 48.5 grains of Hodgdon Retumbo. MOA out to 1062 yards on paper.

1062yds.jpg


Anyway, I made a drop chart small enough to tape it to the rifle's stock, and I've been amazed at the absolute consistency of the Bushnell's turret adjustments. I can work it from 100 yards to 1100 yards, and it seems to be right on everywhere in between. My chart is made in 25 yard increments, and I can just estimate yardage settings which fall in between.

So far I have dialed up shots at 215 yards, 330 yards, 375 yards, 410 yards, and 540 yards and made first shot hits in each case on groundhogs. A couple months ago I dialed in 800 yards, but due to a laser rangefinder fudge I over-shot a groundhog at 755 yards. I saw the shot hit beyond him, and he ran about ten or fifteen yards right and gave me another shot. I held low this time and flipped him! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif When I got to the site I lasered back to my vehicle and got the 755 yard reading. The scope had not been off; I'd just ranged the fence line behind the groundhog instead of the spot where he was.

And just this afternoon, I had not had the rifle out in a few weeks. No matter, the scope was still dead on. I dialed in a 438 yard shot on a groundhog, using 425 yards as my number since I was shooting down hill at about 5 degrees. An even 7 MOA did the trick, and it was a first shot hit.

This system is, in my opinion, the way to go. I've used holdover in the past, and had some luck with it--but never such good results as I'm getting from this very repeatable, solidly built scope.

I won't name the brand, but another scope which went to the field with us this evening was WAY off from it's previous zero setting. I will say it wasn't a Leupold--actually it was considerably more expensive than the average Leupold. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif But it had not held its zero from the last time we had used it. Anecdotal, yes. But that's what happened.

Don't overlook the Bushnell 10X Elite. I really like the tactical turrets--you don't have to remove turret caps to make adjustments, and you can re-set these caps to "0" after you get the scope zeroed. That makes dial ups a cinch. The glass is decent--about what you see from a VXII Leupold--and it is realtively small and light for the magnification. The mildot reticle is great for rough ranging and holdover, under, etc.

And the best part is, they're well under 200 bucks from most wholesalers.

Dan
 
Re: The laser rangefinders.

They are great but it is a shame they work so much better ranging back to your vehicle than to a soft target. Just the nature of the beast, metal surfaces reflect a lot better than fur or a grass mound.

I have had some success ranging a more reflective target at the same range. The canopy of a tree or bush in leaf works quite well.

I agree the Elite scopes are nice. Very nice for the price.

Jack
 
dan, how is the scope for letting you get away with vertical and horizontal head movement? I hate a scope that loses it's sight picture with minor head movement. Also, how is the eye relief? Thanks
 
The scope would have a 4mm exit pupil (40mm objective divided by 10 power) so in good light, critical eye position isn't bad. Not as good as a lower mag scope, but still very user friendly. Checking one out when you get the chance would be a good move prior to buying one--just to make sure it would suit you.

Eye relief is about 3 inches. Leupolds have a bit more eye relief, but I find that this scope has plenty to suit me. Not sure how it would do on a hard kicker, as I don't own any such rifle. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Once it got dark, the 10X scope began to quickly be useless. I would not want this scope on a coyote rifle~! But to be fair to the Bushnell, we also had a Nightforce equipped AR on this trip, and at 10 to 12 power, shortly after dusk, it wasn't useable either. (But dialing the NF down to 3.5 and turning on the lit reticle of course made a HUGE difference). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I do think that the Bushnell Elites are one of the best values going in a scope. And the 10X mildot--especially with those turrets--is a very nice daylight varminting scope.

rsr-bus-bs321040m-med.jpg


Dan
 
Dan,
Thanks, I found your post very interesting and informative to read, look forward to more. I don't shoot 1000 yard but, I do follow the postings of a gun club about 1 1/2 hours south of here that has a 1000 yard range/shoot. For a factory class .243 that is some good shooting.

I have been scope shopping lately. The comparison reviews I have read on the Bushnell's, turret adjustments, confirm what you wrote.

I have been using mildot for woodchucks. I made up and laminated a small card for my ammo(drop & drift) and animal size (range). It has been fun, breaking it down to 1/4 or even 1/8 mil,ranging on chucks,etc. Still, I if one has the time not sure you can beat dialing up.

Do you feel you have plenty of time dialing up for woodchucks as compared to mildot holdover ? I know some other long range shooters that use fixed power, but for my hunting I like variable.........just don't like the price compared to fix.

Off to a woodchuck field this morning myself.

Good shooting !
 
I have the same scope and have mounted on several different rifles. Works excellent on my .221 FB with my own drop chart I can pretty much reach out as far as the mil dots will let me.
 
I have the Bushnell Elite 4400 (Bausch & Lomb) in 6x24, have two of them and really think they're one of the better bargains available to us. The optics are really quite clear. I don't find the adjustments initially all that accurate, but once set they hold their setting quite well. Many guys can't or won't pay the high price of the Leupold and find this top of the line Bushnell a very attractive alternative. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal
 
I have or have used all the scopes over the years and do believe the Bushnell Elite scopes to be a sleeper for the money. I have two of the 6-24's and their glass is really good. However, the click, adjustments are not good. My scopes are the older 1/8 min clicks and I believe the new improved models now have 1/4 min clicks which are much better. The glass on these scopes are really good and they do hold zero.

I am glad to hear everyone is having so much good luck with the Elites, they seem to be a good product for the money.

It has been my experience that you do find quality scopes from all the mfg'er from time to time. I have a Weaver Tactical 4-14 that is really good as well! It is wise to put all target turret models through a square test to see if they track correctly for longrange work.

With the advent of the laser rangefinders, I have always been a fan of the range-dial-and shoot process. This is very effective first shot hits if you do your homework on your range chart.
 
One good thing to do with a scope which you plan on using to dial up shots is to run the turrets--both elevation and windage--back and forth from one extreme to the other several times. Several dozen times if you have time to do it.

When I got this scope, I watched a 30 minute television show, all the while running the turrets back and forth to get the erector movement to be as smooth and repeatable as possible. It is said that doing this helps everything seat and wear in, and that makes sense.

I like being able to dial in the shot, and have found that I can get the dope on the scope within ten seconds or less when I spot a varmint. If I were to miss, I would then use the mildots to help determine elevation or windage correction, and hold off for the follow up shot. This seems to work pretty well.

Dan
 
3-4 years ago, I bought one of the 10X Elite 3200's from Bear Basin for $169 "just because" as a back-up scope to have on PD trips.

Not too long after that I bought a Coopper MTV in 17 Remington, and when a 4.5X14 Leupold was out of stock and back ordered on me, I mounted the 10X because I wanted to shoot the new rifle that weekend.

It worked so well I never took it off. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif - BCB
 
When I test scopes for return to zero, use that same method. First, fire a 5 shot group for norm. Then, for each shot in the next 5 I turn windage and elevation knobs both directions as far as they will go and back to zero for each shot.
 
Interesting to me because I am looking for a new scope for my current woodchuck rifle. I have heard (have not used) that the Sightron scopes are also good at holding zero with dial up method. Anyone used one with this method ?

BTW- Nailed 4 Woodchucks yesterday with 4 total shots fired. 125 yards, 100 yards (sitting), 390 yards, and 300 yards. On the 390 I used mil dot for yardage and it came out to be 400. For my zero it was one mil hold over. I was shooting from a slightly elevated position. I held center body on a side view standing shot,and 1" left for wind. Impact was at shoulder and center, slightly higher than hold, but again from a elevated position. I try and take a long pace to equal 1 yard. I paced it at 390. Over all it is a pretty accurate non-electronic means of estimateing yardage and shooting. I have used mil-dot on known 18" high targets at the range and it was right on if I do my part estimateing mills. However in the field estimateing "is that woodchuck 14" or 18" on long shots is tuff. Thats why I am looking at "dial up" as range finders get better and cost less.

Also missed a Crow at 600-620 yards, they just don't sit still.

Thanks.........
 
I think crows have an invisible force field around them most of the time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Good shooting. It's true that groundhogs vary so much in size it's hard to range using a given size, just as you mention, he could be a little one or a pretty large one, sometimes it's hard to know for sure until we nail him and go check him out.

I'm loving the long range accuracy of the 105 AMAX in this .243 I'm shooting--but the terminal ballistics leave a LOT to be desired. I'm getting failures to immediately kill more often than not. Good hits, but severely wounded varmints, just flopping around, and sometimes getting back to their holes.

The 438 yard shot I made mention of above was a hind quarter hit, but the thing flopped around for a minute or more after I hit him.

I may have to re-think the bullet I'm using, I don't know. I just doubt that I can find anything that's going to do as well in the wind and be as accurate at long range as the 105 AMAX does.

Dan
 
Dan,

That is a nice fast twist long range woodchuck rifle you have in .243 In the rolling hills where I live I set up for the hopefully long shot but the landscape does not always allow for it. The Crow at 600 is one of my largest fields.
I am using a Tikka Varmint in 22-250 and shooting factory Hornady 55 grain V Max molly. The shoulder shot on the woodchuck at 400 yesterday really expanded more than I would like to see on that size critter at that range (glad it was not a coyote on the shoulder), he did squirm around for about 15 seconds as I looked through the scope. When I got there he had moved about 2' from impact.

I would like to get a fast twist .243 for the plus 500 yard shooting if I had more flat fields. I don't re-load or would consider a 6mm br also, although I think Lapua does make a high priced ammo for such.

Are the cheaper range finders accurate enough for Woodchucks in a hay field at judging long distance ? I don't really need one until past 300, then it gets harder to judge.

BTW- For your really long shots are you useing a bi-pod prone or table & rest, hood & shooters bags etc.? I am shooting from a pod & prone for long.
Thanks.....
 
Quote:
I have heard (have not used) that the Sightron scopes are also good at holding zero with dial up method. Anyone used one with this method ?




I have just mounted another Sightron. this one with mil dots on my AR coyote gun. I have a 6-24 on my 280 rem. I taped the turret knobs and went to the range. I have marks on the turrets for 200,300,400 and 500 yds. My long range deer stands have markers at those distances. I have successfully dialed in and hit at 427 yds on the first shot. With the taped turrets I can dial in less than 3 seconds.
My 220 swift has a 6-24 sightron and have hit a coyote at just under 600 yds, first shot. The sightron is very reliable in my experience.
 
Thanks Randy,

Hope all is well with your family & friends down there in one of my favorite parts of the country.....BTW

I looked over some high power Sightron 2 & 3's at a really nice rifle shooters type gun shop. The glass was good quality. Great warranty also. In fact I will probaly get one of those or a Elite. Sightron calibrates there mil dot on the highest power setting, unlike Bushnell which uses a middle setting.....benefits to both ways.

The shop had a tricked out 50 caliber bench rifle also, for the 1000 yard shoot south of here. I thought it was just a smig'ion much for my Groundhog needs however. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif

Enjoy the outdoors..........
 
You cant beat the sightron warranty. across the counter, no questions asked. At least that is what I have been told. I havent had to excercise that warranty. I got my first about 6 yrs ago. I just sent it back this week. I dropped it out the truck and it landed on the ocular ring. dented the thread and i cant screw my sunshade in it. landed hard,attached to a 220 swift VS Ruger, but finished my PD hunt and all settings were still good.
 
Bill,

I shoot from a Harris "S" (swivel) bi-pod, prone from the ground with a rear bag.

I learned a trick from a great bi-pod shooter who goes by Froggy. http://www.6mmbr.com/TacticalFroggyA1.html He says to push forward on the bi-pod as you tighten up for the shot. This technique has helped me a lot. While Froggy doesn't mention why this works, I believe that pushing forward on the bi-pod legs allows the rifle to recoil rearward without dragging the bi-pod's feet on the ground--at least for a nanosecond--which is enough time for the bullet to exit the bore. If you pull back on the bi-pod, the feet will begin dragging the ground upon initial recoil, and some disturbance of the sight alignment may occur.

I also use a Scop-Level device which is very handy for helping me connect out there at longer ranges.

Dan
 
Ok,all these good things being said about Elites has me nearly convinced to buy the 3200 2-7x Firefly that I was fondling the other day for my deer rifle.So far i'm planning to go back to the gunshop at dusk and have a looksee in lowlite conditions and compare a couple other scopes,but the 3200 looks like a good deal?Anybody wanna talk me out of it?
 
Dan,

Great article by "froggy", really made my morning, thanks !

I enjoy some of the articles from that site, just have not found that one.

I have a set of nice Caldwell bags for bench. The bunny ear rear will fit in my fanny pack, that I take to field hunting, I will have to try that with the pod.

Again thanks, really enjoy those type of articles by hard cores like "froggy" who are in the zone, doing there own thing.

Bill
 


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