Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Bushnell Elite series

Were the others anywhere near 1.4, 3.4, 6.2, 9.6 MOA?

Sounds about right, but I don't have my notes in front of me. I can confirm later today, in terms of what I measured thru the scope.

I installed the Bushnell/A.B. app, and it has the DOA reticle. Your values match what I see in their app. Strelok is close, but not quite the same. And the Bushnell app doesn't show a subtension for the picket.

J

As usual with ballistic reticles, I think it's best to measure thru the scope as best as possible, and shoot at known distances to confirm.

I just called their customer service and talked to a lovely young lady - who didn't know anything. I asked the weight of the Elite 3500 in 3-9x40. Website says 17.2 oz, several vendors say 13. She said it weighed 144 oz "or something like that".

Not a good first impression. I'll call back later and hopefully get someone that knows what they are talking about.

I have a couple 4200s.Good glass but eye relieve sucks so they are on low recoil rifles.I recently bought a Nikon Monarch 5 and it has the best glass I have ever used,plus 4" eye relief .

I've been using Bushnell Elites for about 10 years, (2) 2-7x32, (1) 3-9x40, (1) 3-9x50, and (3) 6-24x40. In 2017, I purchased a third 2-7 and a second 3-9x40 and felt that the optical quality and light transmission was not as good as the earlier scopes. During deer season last November, right at dusk, I lined up my new 3-9 on a doe and could not see it. Asked my wife to hand me her rifle with the same old scope and could see it fine.

I don't know much about scopes, but the 3500's that I bought in 2017 have been taken off my rifles and I'm currently wondering what to do with them. I also purchased (2) more 6-24x40's (4500) in 2017 and the quality was just as good as before. I know that the LRHS and Tactical Models are extremely high quality and wouldn't hesitate to use them.

The DOA600 reticle works better than most of the other simple BDC reticles I've used. The circles are 2MOA and even for target work you can get pretty good groups.

I once had a 4.5-30x50 Elite 6500.

I have no idea why I run Swaro's now. Guess I like to waste money. That Elite was awesome.

The second 6500 4 1/2-30X50 is not as good as the other two for low light. The second two match my Swarovski z5 5-25X52 in low light comparisons.



I switched from Swaro to 6500 after having them side by side for a couple seasons.

Yep, can't get past the short eye relief. I no longer have any Elites for this reason.

My 6500s, Swarovski z5, and Leupold VX-6 were within 1/8" of each other.

I bought a NIB 4500 2.5-10x40 a couple days ago for $251 shipped to my house. We'll see...........

I think the Elite series 4500 and 6500 are very nice scopes. I only have 2 questions about them.

a. why are the same reticles not being offered in both 4500 and 6500
b. Why has Bushnell not offered a #4 or 4A reticle in the 50mm 6500 scopes? I guess they just don't want to sell more of them .

Oldelkhunter,

Bushnell is a billion dollar company. Sometimes I think these companies don't have staff checking the market. They make something and hope it sells.

Bushnell is a brand owned by Vista Outdoors. Vista Outdoors also owns:

American Eagle
Blazer
CCI
Estate Cartridge
Federal Premium Ammunition
Force on Force
Fusion
Independence Ammunition
Savage Arms
Savage Range Systems
Speer
Stevens
Alliant Powder
Bee
Stinger
BLACKHAWK!
Bollé
Bushnell
Butler Creek
CamelBak
Cébé
Champion Target
Eagle
Final Approach
Gold Tip
GunMate
Gunslick Pro
Hoppe's
Jimmy Styks
M-Pro 7
Millett
Night Optics
Outers
Primos
RCBS
Redfield
Serengeti
Simmons
Stoney Point
Tasco
Uncle Mike's
Weaver


According to Vista Outdoors 2016 Annual Report they grossed $2.27 Billion.

I do wish they would offer a 4a reticle on the 6500 model.

Have not owned a 6500 series scope. Maybe they have better eye relief than all of the old 3200 and 4200 scopes had. I doubt any of them had more than 3" or actual eye relief. I would be good hear that Bushnell may have addressed the problem. I will give them a 2nd look.

I have looked thru a 6500 and it had very nice eye relief. I just didn't think the reticle would hold up in lowlight. If they made a 4a...I would buy a few and if it were illuminated would be even better

I'm going to send the 4500 back - unless someone wants it for what I paid ($251) plus shipping to your location. It has the DOA 600 reticle.

What didn't you like about it?

bushnell has been horse traded by various private equity companies. the company is now worth a fraction of what it used to be. its really sad to see. Their retail space has been almost totally displaced by vortex. The only bushnell stuff you can find in stores is their cheap chinese stuff. from the outside it looks to me like bushnell is in somewhat the shape we see remington in. every past company sodomized the good that was left of the company and now it looks like vista can't find a seat when the music has stopped in musical chairs. Further look at all the other companies vista owns. the only ones I think that are doing well are the ammunition parts of the company. look at all the brands that have been essentially killed off. millet and tasco? heck even weaver, no store major store sells them that I know of. everyone is tired if crappy butler creek scope caps, you don't see them for sale in big box stores much. Heck even savage IMO isn't what it was 10 years ago. Vista outdoors where brands go to die. Will bushnell become the next weaver? or millet? who knows at this rate they will. I love their elite series scopes, they are some of my favorites. big private equity companies have been terrible for whatever gun related industry they have dabbled into. remington, bushmaster, and DPMS are also dieing.