SmallCaliberCentral

I need a scope for my 204 and would love a Leupold but I just don't have the money. I am considering a Bushnell 4X12 with AO. The Simmons I have on the rifle now works but the recticle is way to thick. How thick is the recticle on the Bushnell. Thanks, Don

I have a 3200 4-12 with a varmint type reticle that I really like. Fine cross hairs placed 3 minutes apart. These are not too thick and easy to calculate holds for your trajectory.
The Bushnell mil-dot on the 4200 is one of the few that I think could be used for small targets, though I've not tried one. It doesn't seem to be as bulky as most. I'm not sure if the 3200 uses the same reticle as the 4200. I really like their optics, but I'm really picky about reticles and that is where Bushnell falls short for the varmint hunter. What about a Leupold VX-II with fine duplex? Wouldn't be much more, and down the road you could send to Leupold and get any number of reticles installed to fit your needs.

A Leupold would be great but I don't have enough money to buy one. A Bushnell trophy, for about half of what a Leupold cost, is going to be about it. Don

I have a number of Bushnell scopes (mostly 3200s) including 2 x Trophys - a 6-18x and a 3-9x

I assume the reticle is similar on all the Trophy models

Here are some shots I just took through the 6-18x

Distance is exactly 30 metres (lasered) - the limit of my urban backyard!

The 'target' orange dot is 30mm in diameter



above is how it looks at 8x

below is how it looks at 12x



Hope this helps.

This scope has been on my Rem 700P in 223 for about 15 years - has been very reliable.

My 6-18 Trophy is Jap made - I'm not sure that the current models are?

Hope this helps.

Mark

Thanks, that helps alot. Don

no worries

I might be able to longer range shots

if you need that let me know

Mark

Gentlemen I took a real hard look at some rifle scopes here a short time back and came to my wits about how to spend my hard earned dollars and come away with what I needed in scoping 4 varmint/predator rifles for he wife and I.

I have been purchasing Leupold products for the last 15 years or so and nothing has gotten through the front door that wasn't a Luppy! However, I figured for shooting P-dogs and groundhogs etc, I didn't perhaps need such a scope. Well then I got to thinking about going out West and shooting long range coyotes with the wife. So it wasn't about just making 100 to 200 yard shots, like we have around the back 40 pasture.

I knew I wasn't going to be spending $1000 dollars or more for a rifle scope, so that took the Leica's and Swar's out of the picture immediately. I talked to the mgr. at Cabela's and he showed me that Bushnell Elite Tactical rifle scope. I liked it a lot but needed to take it outside for further look see. So the mgr. and I went out in the natural sunlight and looked through the Leupold and the Bushnell scopes.

I like what I saw in the Bushell 3200 Tactical but was not sold on the scope as yet! I told him I will come back in a few hours and check them out when the sun is starting to go down, which I later did do and I still thought in my eyes the Bushnell was just as good in sharpness and brightness as the Leupold scope.

I came away with 4 of those Bushnell Elite Tactical scopes and have not regretted it one iota. The lenses are bright and clear, adjustment up and down remains the same from 5 power to 15 power!!! Many scopes change in sharpness as you climb up the power scale. These Bushnells do not and the price was $380 dollars per scope. I saved a bunch of money verses the Leupold model.

DonInva..........there seems to be a difference in those pictures you posted! The 12 power seems brighter and sharper, slightly more magnification, which is better than the other way around. If you can see it plainly, you can hit the target.