"Authorized" Bushnell??

[murf205]

I have been looking for a new scope in the 1-4x range and I ran across a scope that is advertised as a Bushnell "authorized" scope. What the heck is this, another Chinese scope that threw Bushnell a few bucks to use their name. Buying optics has become a chess match.

[Winger Ed.]

It's gotta be something like that. 'made under license' or another bait & switch kind of deal.

I'd hold out and get one you won't have buyer's remorse over.

[murf205]

Agree with that, Ed. I was going to bite the boolit and buy a Leupold FX II fixed 4x but all I see on their web page is 4x rimfire scopes with a fine duplex. Ebay has some of the old long tube 4x M8 4x's but I really don't want the older friction adjustments. Used scopes are always a crap shoot anyway.

[Winger Ed.]

Used scopes are always a crap shoot anyway.

I tend to gravitate away from them too.
Life is too short to mess around with junky scopes.

[buckwheatpaul]

I have stayed away from the Chinese anything as much as possible but I bought a Bushnell RIMFIRE 3 x 9 with reference points for distance shooting 22 l.r. as long as you use 40 gr. and 1250 fps and the dots are reference for 50, 75, 100, 125 yds....they work well! It was Chinese made but I spoke with Bushnell customer service agent about this scope and he assured me that it was made in China but had their lifetime warranty....I like the Vortex scopes and they are Chinese made as well....still a crap shoot but I am extremely happy with my purchase!

[charlie b]

Chinese stuff is fine as long as you know what you are getting. When the company will back the product then not much different than production anywhere else.

[Walks]

Leopold screwed Me about 18yrs ago.
I bought a new Spotting Scope, online. I needed higher magnification then 20X, old eyes. Got a 25X - 45X. Checked the paper catalog and website. Bought from a reputable dealer.
It arrived in a cheap cardboard box from china.
A little tiny gold sticker that read china on the scopes base. Very deceptive marketing.
Have bought nothing from Leopold since.

[Big Boomer]

Have no good words for Bushnell. Returned two scopes that were supposedly under warranty ... when I contacted them they said they were. Returned them to me saying the scopes were out of warranty. Will never buy another Bushnell product. Big Boomer

[murf205]

I have stayed away from the Chinese anything as much as possible but I bought a Bushnell RIMFIRE 3 x 9 with reference points for distance shooting 22 l.r. as long as you use 40 gr. and 1250 fps and the dots are reference for 50, 75, 100, 125 yds....they work well! It was Chinese made but I spoke with Bushnell customer service agent about this scope and he assured me that it was made in China but had their lifetime warranty....I like the Vortex scopes and they are Chinese made as well....still a crap shoot but I am extremely happy with my purchase!

I agree that we are getting force fed Chinese optics because of their cheap labor and our American optic manufacture's have prostituted their names to the Asian builders but so have appliance manufactures and every body else. With regards to Burris, I have a 2x7 shotgun scope and it has taken a ride on my 870 rifled gun with some loads that will drain your sinuses and held zero jut fine. One good thing about the internet and the sites we hunters and shooters read--if your stuff is junk or you wont stand behind it, the whole world will know...pronto. I looked at a 1x4x 30mm scope yesterday with an illuminated reticle and it was clear as gin but heavy. I might put the Skinner peep and brass front sight on it and see if my worn out eyes can get it to hit a bull in the butt. At least I know the old gun will do the trick if I can.

Correction: the 2x7 shotgun scope is a Burris.

[1Hawkeye]

Everything bushnell is either Tokyo scope or farmed out to the chinese by Tokyo scope Bushnell hasen't made anything themselves in decades. The only used scopes you can trust are american made Leupolds cause even if its out of production they will cover it.

[murf205]

I went by my LGS yesterday again prowling around and they had a 1-4x 30mm Vortex so I took a look side by side with a 1-4x Leupold. The first thing I notices was the eye relief and the Vortex beat it badly. It had probably 5 1/2" of eye relief and it was not critical. I could move the scope nearly 3" either way and still had a full view. The Lupy had very critical eye relief and not very forgiving for the full circle of view. The Vortex is a bit heavy at almost 15 oz and the Lupy is light as a feather but it does not have the added weight of the illuminated reticle workings. The Leupold had the pig plex reticle and the Vortex had a medium coarse std duplex whis is what I am used to looking at. Hmmm...still looking.

[murf205]

Well, low and behold, I dug into the safe and found a 4x Leupold compact hiding out in a back corner. It looks a lot more at home on this rifle that the super long Bushnell I had on it. Lever guns with a huge scope look a bit un-natural to me but I guess this is influenced by by cowboy movie period when I was a kid. When you get old(er), the eyes need a bit of help. Chuck Connors would have NEVER scoped a Winchester!Attachment 315222

[whisler]

"Chuck Connors would have NEVER scoped a Winchester"
Hard to use a scope when shooting from the hip.

[georgerkahn]

Everything bushnell is either Tokyo scope or farmed out to the chinese by Tokyo scope Bushnell hasen't made anything themselves in decades. The only used scopes you can trust are american made Leupolds cause even if its out of production they will cover it.

A few years back a dealer had a good-priced Marlin 336 with a Tasco 'scope on it. Dealer, too, was not enthralled with this brand, and after the pros and cons of his removing it and selling Marlin to me sans scope -- he did in fact do this -- and "threw in the 'scope" adding he'd have a hard time purveying it -- better my trash bin than his. Well, I got it home; younger son came to visit; really crappy weather where I didn't wish to take anything good out in the rain to hunt with; and -- OMG!!! -- this "Tasco" scope was/is awesome! After the fact I researched it, and its vintage was from Tasco's early days where they took REDFIELD scopes and simply rebranded them with their name! Yup -- the old Marlin with the """Tasco""" 'scope on was my firearm-best-friend for a good many years.
The assertions re "everything farmed out" are no doubt right on, TODAY. But -- if you come across a rebranded one from the old days... Good luck!
geo

[murf205]

I have seen some early Tasco scopes that tracked better than a bunch more expensive ones. The Bushnell that I had on this gun was one that a friend got with a package with a Savage Axis. It responded to adjustments just fine and is pretty darned clear to boot but the scope was very long and my taste in scopes runs to the small side, hence the compact 4x.

[dondiego]

I had good luck with Tasco scopes from the 70's and early 80's. Still have a few.

[Mike H]

Leopold screwed Me about 18yrs ago.
I bought a new Spotting Scope, online. I needed higher magnification then 20X, old eyes. Got a 25X - 45X. Checked the paper catalog and website. Bought from a reputable dealer.
It arrived in a cheap cardboard box from china.
A little tiny gold sticker that read china on the scopes base. Very deceptive marketing.
Have bought nothing from Leopold since.

We had that sort of thing here in Australia a few years back,all scams,it had nothing to do with Leopold.

[Maineboy]

I had good luck with Tasco scopes from the 70's and early 80's. Still have a few.

Years ago, I bought four used fixed power Tasco scopes on EBay that were labeled "Japan" and put them on several rim fires and a sporterized Swedish Mauser. I think they were made in the 70s or early 80s and I doubt they cost me much more than $100. All still work fine. Sometime after, I bought a Tasco World Class variable in 2X7 or 3X9 and it broke while I was sighting it on on a 30-06. I sent it back to Tasco and it came back "fixed." It broke on the first shot and I threw it in the range garbage barrel.

[murf205]

I had a hunting buddy that had the eyepiece fall off of a Tasco World Class on a hunt. Of course I had to he-haw him a bit but as luck had it he had a spare rifle. Still kinda' embarrassing since he was very pro Tasco....before this happened.