Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics 6500 arrived!

My .com friends,

It sure looks like the third time is the charm for the 4 1/2-30X50 Bushnell. It arrived today. It may seem funny to some of you, but I actually prayed that it would work according to the planned design. It does! Of course anything should or it should not be brought to market. I think the bugs were not worked out before they started shipping them. I tried two 4 1/2-30 and a friend of mine is on his second 2 1/2-16X.

The good news is no matter how I turned the side focus and the power ring, things are clear. It will focus clear at less than 25 yards When the power selector is set on 30X it seems the side focus is about correct for the range claimed.

Now I wait for the .257 Roy. Life is so much waiting.

Good report and good to see you are happy with them.

What would you compare them to?

I really enjoyed mine for the time that I owned it. At 30x you're pinching out some mighty small exit pupil, with a little bluing in the optics. But other than that everything was right on with function.
Needed some bills payed so it had to go. I would look at the Sightron SIII for long range optics next, only for the fact that the reticle on the 6500 was a tad thick for precision shot placement in my opinion.

SU35,

It is slightly shorter than my 4-16X Tascos and 3-15X Sightron II. Side by side comparing to my 12-42X56 NightForce with both set on 30X I can't tell any difference. YEA! The NightForce is a little quicker to focus, although not as convenient. I forgot to mention it has mildots.

The eyebrow clearance is about 3 5/16" and does not change with power setting. That is definately better than anything else I have. Very nice. Eyebrow clearance is not critical since it is going on a braked .257 Weatherby. (I hope someone who has a camera in their phone can take a photo and email it to me.)

The 3-15X42 Sightron II claims to have 5" of eyerelief on 3X. I don't know how to measure that. It has about 2 3/8" of eyebrow clearance.

I will try to compare it with a 6 1/2-20 Leupold this week end when John Lachuck comes over for the UFC. (Go Old Man*!) That is if he has one not mounted; or doesn't mind bringing a rifle.





*Randy.

Bushnell Elite optics are entirely underrated, IMHO.

One of these days soon I'm going to replace my Leupold VX-III 4.5x14x40 with a 6500 2.5x16x40. They are one sweeeeeet scope!

You're right about that. People were in love with the old Bausch & Lomb glass a few years ago, when in fact they were made by Bushnell even back then. The Elite series of optics are very, very good but do not get the respect they deserve.

Ringman: I have actually used a Bushnell 6500 4.5x30 in the field and at my friends range.
My friend that owns two of these has had NO problems with either of them.
He has been competing this year with them at 1,000 BR competitions and doing pretty well.
I was impressed with them and the price he was able to get them at - $700.00 - no sales tax here in Montana!
I am glad YOUR prayers were answered this time.
Could I trouble you to expound on the problems with the first two 6500's as I am contemplating buying ONE of them and want to know what to look for?
TIA
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

As a loopy guy gotta tell ya this post is bang on.

When they first hit the market I ordered the 4 �-30X. It was excellent in every respect; except above 27X the image became slightly blurry. I returned it to Bushnell for warrantee service. I don�t know if they attempted to repair it or sent me another. At any rate, it was crystal clear, like this one, except at 5X and below. Things were not slightly blurry, they were very blurry.

Today I took this new one by the �smith to compare side by side with my 12-42X NightForce. (The temperature on one of the time and temps showed 100 degrees.) I asked him to compare them at 30X. He placed a pad on the top of his car and using something to keep the scope still, he started glassing. He could not tell any difference between the two for optical quality until very long range; like � of a mile. He said,
�There is too much mirage out there so let�s go to 20 power.�

After several minutes of fussing with both, he said,
�To give you a professional opinion, the NightForce is better. I can adjust out the mirage with it and I can�t with the Bushnell. Otherwise they are optically the same.�

I had one of the 3200 Elite series and one of the 4200 Elite series. Those two series of scopes are some serious sleepers. I don't know why they never got the credit they deserved. Just plain great scopes.

they don't get the credit because they have Bushnell on them! most guys throw them all in the same class as the ones sold in shrink wrap at walmart. if they had the B&L logo still, they would be a lot more popular, IMO.

Hello,

can you give me some information about 1,25-8x32 ?

Thank You.

LJ73,

YOu might post your question in the Africa or Big Bore forums. Maybe someone there knows and is not interested in this group.