How does it compare to a SIG Tango4 3-12? I'm in the market for decent glass and frustrated with the middle ground I usually shop (~$1000-1500). If I'm gonna get something I don't exactly want, paying 1/6 the money is a lot more palatable.
Rifle Scopes Is this the new budget scope to beat? SWFA is on notice!
- Thread starter Bender
- Start date
I got one from camera land on the sale they had in mils and have been pleasantly surprised with it. Only gripe is I wish I had done 3-12 but 2.5-10 is still awesome. I’m surprised by the glass for how much I paid and while eventually this will be replaced with an optic for competition use on my gas gun, I don’t regret getting this one bit and will probably throw it on a Montana company hunting rifle I inherited from my grandpa down the road.
These are on clearance right now at Bass Pro. I was looking at the 4-16 for $225. 3-12 is $200. Looks like a solid buy for the hunting rifle I need it for.
Oh man I was just about to buy it, but read the description... These are SFP MOA only models without illuminated reticle.
I've got a 3-12 FFP mil in my cart right now...not really interested in SFP or MOA.
With the extra 10% active duty discount it almost made it an instant buy, but I really wanted the FFP MRAD version.
My second order showed up and I see I ordered a MOA instead of MIL. So I took it to work to ship back for exchange, a co worker saw it and said he would buy it for his .308 lol.
so I’m now ordering my 3rd from Doug.
so I’m now ordering my 3rd from Doug.
I got my coworker in on that bushnell forge sale a few and honestly I've been pretty impressed with it. I was really surprised at how it stacked up to the bushnell I bought years ago for nearly 3-4x the price. He slapped it on his grand dads old .270 and was smaking plates like no tomorrow. Even buddly would be impressed.
I may even get one for a hunting set up...
I may even get one for a hunting set up...
SWFA's strength is ultra reliable RTZ and dialing repeatabilty. Unless the Nitro can compete with that, no worries for SWFA in my opinion.
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Where is the Athlon made?
Edit: Athlon is made in china. Your choice should be obvious
Edit: Athlon is made in china. Your choice should be obvious
Obvious answer. Funny story My uncle was a force recon marine and did three tours 67,68 and 69 every time I was acting like a little shit as a young kid he would call me a little communist. Anytime someone pissed him off they were a fucking communist. Loved that guy he was amazing.
dont say nuthin bad bouts muh Lee-o-pold! Theys the best scope made! The glass is like turnin on a spotlight, the tracking is perfection, and it's 110% made in 'murica! especially the glass.
(kidding. lately every thread I've seen where someone mentions leupold, this is the kind of response that it gets from irate Leupold defenders)
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Sir, while I greatly appreciate the time you took to provide through-scope pics, I feel that I must alert you to what can only be a serious hazard to your safety as a shooter; in the second pic, your weapon has apparently been assembled backwards, as the bolt handle and safety can both be clearly seen on the left side of the rifle. As a fellow SH member and shooter, I'd surely hate to hear about an injury occurring that could have been so easily prevented. See something, say something, right? ;-)
I had better call Defiance and alert them of this error
dont say nuthin bad bouts muh Lee-o-pold! Theys the best scope made! The glass is like turnin on a spotlight, the tracking is perfection, and it's 110% made in 'murica! especially the glass.
(kidding. lately every thread I've seen where someone mentions leupold, this is the kind of response that it gets from irate Leupold defenders)
As bad as Harley owners. LOL. I have owned six Harleys and used to work there.
Funny. China has the bomb. They built stealth aircraft. They may steal or buy all the tech, but they do have it. Those other countries; nope. Not standing up for China. But it is what it is. We used to make jokes about Japanese products ( I am going way back because I am old as dirt) but the point is that quality can be there. But China is a totalitarian country with Commie ideology. So there's that.Yep. I'll buy scopes from Japan, Korea, or Taiwan, but there is no room for Chinese shit in my gun safe
My third one showed up. In MIL this time. lol cant wait to go shoot them.
The parallax is off as well, sending it in. I really want to like this scope. guess we will see.
I need two knobs because i have sooo much wind. i guess.
100yd focus was full infinite on the knob, blurry past 200yds.
Two of the three were found fine. I called Doug and talked to him briefly, he said he has sold hundreds of them and mine was the second one that came back. Call him and discuss. There are not many left of them,
I'd buy this over an Athlon Argos BTR even if the Argos had better glass simply because of the tool-less zero.
The fact that a $250 scope has a zeroing system 95% as good as a Tangent Theta proves that there is no excuse for the garbage (in comparison) systems from S&B, NF, or even ZCO. Having to precisely line up the turret while tightening a set screw is ridiculous when the turrets are splined anyways and there's easy ways to make sure the markings are always aligned without having to use any tools. I'm sick and tired of busting out a wrench and trying to line it up just right every time I re-zero because I swapped the scope between guns (easy with a Spuhr mount), tweaked a load to adjust for throat erosion/try a new bullet, or just plain shot in a different place with different conditions that can change your zero by a tenth or three.
It's just my pet peeve, but I think tool-less zero should become an industry standard feature across all brands in the same way it's become industry standard to offer at least one FFP mil/mil scope with a tree reticle. This Bushnell proves it can be done even for budget scopes, and they didn't spend all of the manufacturing budget on the turrets either since the rest of it still seems to be as good or better than the competition in its price range.
The fact that a $250 scope has a zeroing system 95% as good as a Tangent Theta proves that there is no excuse for the garbage (in comparison) systems from S&B, NF, or even ZCO. Having to precisely line up the turret while tightening a set screw is ridiculous when the turrets are splined anyways and there's easy ways to make sure the markings are always aligned without having to use any tools. I'm sick and tired of busting out a wrench and trying to line it up just right every time I re-zero because I swapped the scope between guns (easy with a Spuhr mount), tweaked a load to adjust for throat erosion/try a new bullet, or just plain shot in a different place with different conditions that can change your zero by a tenth or three.
It's just my pet peeve, but I think tool-less zero should become an industry standard feature across all brands in the same way it's become industry standard to offer at least one FFP mil/mil scope with a tree reticle. This Bushnell proves it can be done even for budget scopes, and they didn't spend all of the manufacturing budget on the turrets either since the rest of it still seems to be as good or better than the competition in its price range.
my weaver 5-30 has the exact same style of toolless zero turret. I think it came out in 15’? on a $1600 scope? I was amazed that I’ve never seen it on high dollar scopes. Admittedly, I haven’t been around tons of scopes, but these two are the only companies I’ve seen do it.
I don't know how I missed these. Always looking for new budget glass that's decent. I dig the features here... And bushnell has always been Johnny on the spot with warranty stuff for me.
damn it. Now I'm going to have to play "scope musical chairs" again.
damn it. Now I'm going to have to play "scope musical chairs" again.
I picked up a Bushnell forge off Midway for $375, and I have been really impressed with it so far. It has solid locking turrets, good parralax, and the tracking has been spot on. The only complaint I have so far is the glass is ok. But it was definitely worth $375.
I have the nitro 4-16 sfp. I like everything about it, except the deploy moa reticle. It’s too thick. If it was a bit finer, it would be great for the price. I didn’t buy it, I returned a legend had that I got on sale for $175. I returned it right before the nitro came out. They offered that as a replacement, so I said yes.
Last I looked , Cameraland is out of 3-12 mil. Midway has them for the same $249 though.
How does tool less zero work? I have the cheapest Athlon 6-24 FFP I could get on amazon, and after getting it on at 100 yards I pulled the turret screw, put the turret at zero and put the screw back in. It took all of about a minute, and I thought it was the easiest and coolest thing ever. If conditions change your zero changes right? Shooting for a 5,000 foot change in DA changes your zero, So don't you dial different anyways?
Please don't take this as me being an a hole. These are real questions. I have only had my scope maybe 2 months. Everything I have read is shoot for conditions and adapt to the new conditions, That's why you make a dope book, so you know what to expect?
Bushnell Nitro Rifle Scope 3-12x 44mm Side Focus First Focal 1/10 MIL
Hunters and precision shooters alike can find a Bushnell Nitro riflescope to fit their needs. All are built to withstand every environment. EXO Barrier...
www.midwayusa.com Midway does have the 3x12 with deploy mil reticle -- gotta search for it but it's there -- hopefully the link works
I just ordered one -- $233.58 for the scope + Nj sales tax $15.47 + .95 NRA round up came to $250 even shipped
You guys in states without sales tax can get a great deal here at $233.58 shipped
Natchez is selling these at deep discounts with a Havalon knife included.
I got several 2.5-10x’s and one 5-20x. I’m very impressed for the $. Someone asked about an Athlon Argos BTR.... I removed an Argos BTR and replaced with a Nitro.
Parallax is great, turrets are nice, glass is very good. I dig it.
I got several 2.5-10x’s and one 5-20x. I’m very impressed for the $. Someone asked about an Athlon Argos BTR.... I removed an Argos BTR and replaced with a Nitro.
Parallax is great, turrets are nice, glass is very good. I dig it.
I did the exact same on Sunday, 3-12 from Midway. Will be going on a 243 I’m putting together as kind of an all purpose medium range deer, varmint, steel banger. I’ll probably grab a set of the newer Vortex pro rings to try with it. Looking forward to it.
Tool-less zero works by allowing you to change the zero on your turret without needing to bring tools along.
For this Bushnell you unscrew the top of the cap, lift the turret, and place it back down on the splines where you want it. Same idea as the Athlon, but it doesn't require an allen key to remove the cap.
For many high-end scopes, such as a S&B, the zero process is much worse than that. You have to loosen two set screws without removing them, then carefully line up the turret with zero by eyeballing it because it doesn't sit on the splines. Then you have to tighten the set screws while keeping it perfectly at zero, which is a pain because usually it wants to slip half a tenth one way or the other while you're getting the wrench in and trying to tighten it down. Particularly on the Schmidt DT turrets, because the markings on the turret are so ridiculous tight together that even a small movement while tightening the set screws will mean the markings are off.
The Athlon zero process is fine, with removing the caps and setting them back on the spline in another setting. I prefer the process of re-zeroing an Athlon (I've previously owned an Argos BTR and an Ares ETR) to the process of re-zeroing my S&B actually. I just think it's a bit absurd that so many companies, Athlon included, are requiring you to use tools (even just a coin slot, which is worse than an allen key IMO) when simple and easy solutions to do it without tools exist. I've also previously had a Tangent Theta and honestly what I miss most of all from that scope was the tool-less re-zero. Now that they make one in my preferred reticle I will buy one again someday if I ever have the funds, because the turrets and the tool-less rezero are just so nice.
On my XRS2s and DMR2 Pro, I just go bare fingertip tight on the screws that hold the caps in place. That way I can remove them again with my fingers or a little palm pressure and reset the zero. The screws have an O Ring for tension, and all they're really doing is keeping the cap from pulling away from the splines.
Regarding the comparative value of SWFA vs the Nitro 2.5-10 and Athalon Argos, here is a thread of mine asking that very question with some depth of responses https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...18-6-5g-general-purpose.6999314/#post-8514950
So i guess that a tool less turret zero is a nice feature. But then leads me to another question. How many times are you re zeroing your turrets? And why?
I thought the whole purpose of a zero and turrets was to be able to dial when conditions change? I don't have a dope book yet because every time I shoot I'm changing something. But once you have your load and a 100 yard zero you should be able to dial or hold for everything else, right? I wouldn't think id be messing with re zeroing the turrets all the time.
Thank you for the info though.
I thought the whole purpose of a zero and turrets was to be able to dial when conditions change? I don't have a dope book yet because every time I shoot I'm changing something. But once you have your load and a 100 yard zero you should be able to dial or hold for everything else, right? I wouldn't think id be messing with re zeroing the turrets all the time.
Thank you for the info though.
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