Scope questions

[Chef-cg]

Hi, my name is chris. I recently bought a tikka t3x 30-06 for hunting and am looking for a new scope for it. I have a budy that is saying I should go with the leupold vx-3i 3.5-10x40 (which is $400) but I was looking around and I found that bushnell is having a sale. They are selling the Forge - 2.5-15x50 with parallax adjustment for $360. It is normally a $800 scope. I need some advice of what to do.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Listen to your buddy

 

[jmr40]

I'm not sure about Bushnell, but a 15X scope with a 50mm objective isn't what you want on a hunting rifle. There are a lot of good scopes out there in the $300-$500 range and Leupold is never a bad choice.

 

[Robert]

The 3.5-10 is plenty for any hunting.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I wouldn't want a 50 mm objective, either

 

[BrocLuno]

Yeah, I'm with the others here - too much glass (mass). Unless you are hunting dry country and the dark edge of dusk, you don't need 50mm.

I dunno about Bushnell Forge ... But I do have a Bushnell Elite 4200 with RainGuard and it is a fine scope. It's especially good on foggy days or temps hovering around freezing when condensation might be an issue. So you may want to describe your typical hunting scenario.

The Tikka is a fine rifle. I'd put a nice piece of glass on it, just not what you initially stated ...

 

[SlowFuse]

I've heard good things about the Bushnell Forge series, but I would be concerned about the durability in the long run. And how they handle it if you have an issue.

Leupold has the lifetime warranty. I had an issue with an old M8 6x42 fogging up and sent it in. Replaced without issue with a FX series 6x42 since the M8 is no more.

If I were to stray to something else one brand that I've been eyeing lately is Vortex.

 

[cdb1]

Like BrocLuno I have a Bushnell Elite 4200 and it’s excellent. I don’t know anything about the Forge so I googled it for reviews and the first one that popped up was a review by Dave Petzal. Petzal is one of the very few gun writers I don’t take with a grain of salt. His review of the Forge is effusive and that’s good enough for me. But, his review was more along the lines of the Forge as a target scope not a hunting scope.

Echoing some comments already made I would not want the Forge as a hunting scope with the possible exception of using one on a dedicated prairie dog rifle.

 

[Varminterror]

The Forge is a better scope. I never have been bothered by the size or weight of a 50mm optic - I use a scope so I can see my target animal more closely, hence I prefer enough magnification to well place my POA at any hunted range - for 30-06, I’m about 0-700 yards - which for me means I want something on the order of 16x top end magnification. As my eyes get older, I have started struggling with scopes getting dim for any exit pupil below 3mm, especially in the low light of a hunting dawn or dusk, so having a 44mm or 50mm optic is a big advantage for low light brightness.

So for me, 1) a 3.5-10x40mm doesn’t suit my preference for magnification for a 30-06 anyway, giving favor to the 2.5-15x50 regardless of brand, but in this case, it’s the Bushnell. 2) The Forge is a better optic for resolution, brightness, color aberration, clarity, and features than the Leupold VX3i, again giving favor to the Bushnell.

 

[taliv]

i agree with varmint.

but around here, the discussion would be more about the low end, with 2.5x being better than 3.5x offering a bigger field of view most likely, again favoring the bushnell

 

[Chuck R.]

I'm one of those guys that doesn't put a "target" style scope on a hunting rifle, but honestly it depends on how you hunt.

I hike quite bit, so sticking a 14", 26 ounce scope with target turrets and a 50mm objective just isn't something I'd mount on a 6.5lb hunting rifle. Now if I hunted primarily from a stand and mobility wasn't a big deal, then maybe, but I'd also go with a heavier rifle. The vast majority of deer shot in this country are well within a 10X magnification range and the "gold standard" for an all purpose deer/big game rifle was the 3-9x for a lot of years.

I've actually got a VX3i 3.5-10X40 on a lightweight walking varmint rig. At 12.6 ounces and 13" long it's a nice compact addition.

 

[22250Rem]

No experience with any Bushnells other a 4x rimfire scope on one of my 22's. Although I do own two 3.5 -10x 40mm Leupolds. Bought the second one because I liked the first one so much! One is on the Savage Model 10 in 300 WSM that you see in my avatar and the other is on a Kimber sporterized Mod. 96 Swedish Mauser in 6.5x55. I was never a fan of 50 mm objectives on a hunting rifle. If I did lots of low light hunting perhaps I'd feel different but 40mm and 10 power is all I need 95 % of the time.

 

[TonyAngel]

For a hunting rifle, something in the 3-9X32 or 40 is more than enough. The Bushnell Elite series is nice. Check out the stuff from Vortex and Weaver too. If money is no object, Swarovski. I think that's how you spell it.

 

[army_eod]

Leupold

 

[Ks5shooter]

Your buddy is wise.Thats what I would put on it.