Purchasing a Bushnell Tactical 5-15x40mm rifle scope will be a decision you will not regret purely for the reason that it is quite simply a highly capable scope that manages to excel in all departments with little or no compromise.
Offering a great combination of affordability, accuracy, great optics and bulletproof construction, the Bushnell Tactical 5-15x40mm will keep you not fail you when the going gets tough.
Review of the Bushnell Tactical 5-15x40mm Rifle Scope
Features
- Rain-guard HD
- New blacked-out cosmetics
- Target turrets
- Mil-dot reticle
- 5-15 Power, 40-Millimeter objective lens size
Magnification, Field of View & Resolution
The foremost thing to consider in a scope is magnification, because that is always its primary job: to bring targets closer. And like all products from Bushnell, the Tactical Elite 3200 does not disappoint, offering a very versatile 5-15 times magnification, allowing you to adjust the zoom until you find the image comfortable. This means that long range shots become a cinch at full zoom, while also allowing you to lower the magnification level for targets closer at hand leading to uncompromised performance.
Related to the topic of magnification is another important consideration which is the Field of View. The field of view is the distance visible in your scope from left to right, which also happens to inversely proportional to the magnification level. The advantage of a large field of view is that it gives you the immense advantage of being able to scope out and track moving targets with ease. And thanks to the variable magnification, you can decrease the field of view for static targets, thereby greatly increasing your accuracy. And with the Bushnell Tactical Elite’s 21 feet of view, you will never find yourself lacking in this department.
The last important consideration with any scope purchase is the resolution offered by the scope, which gives you a great estimate of its image quality as well as the excellence of its optics. The Bushnell Tactical 5-15x40mm manages to excel in this sector too, giving you a crisp and clear image thanks to its multi-coated lenses with a high contrast ration allowing you to easily see game even in lush terrain.
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Objective Lens diameter
Many people consider the objective lens diameter to be the most important number in the description of a scope (Understanding Rifle Scope Numbers – What do the Numbers on a scope mean?). Generally, the larger the objective lens, the greater is the amount of light entering the scope leading to a brighter image.
In fact, it is not uncommon to see large objective lenses up to 50mm in diameter in even cheaply priced scopes. However, contrary to popular belief, it is not only the size that is the deciding factor in terms of light gathering characteristics of a riflescope but the quality of the lenses and their optical coatings.
The Bushnell Tactical Elite 3200 sports an average-sized optical lens which is 40 mm in diameter; in fact, you will notice that almost all the top quality scopes have average-sized objective lenses and prefer to rely more on the quality of their lenses and optical coatings for good image quality. So by utilizing high-quality optics, the Bushnell Tactical 5-15x40mm gives you uncompromised image quality while offering you the numerous advantages of a relatively smaller objective lens: a leaner profile allowing for easy adjustments and mounting as well as a much lighter scope (Best Scope Mounting Kits – Mount, Level, and Align your Riflescope). The net result is a light, sturdy scope that is easy to mount and see-through while managing to maintain image quality that you would not see in scopes sporting objective lenses twice its size.
Eye Relief & Precision Adjustments
The Bushnell Tactical rifle scope sports the standard offering from Bushnell in the precision adjustment department, with standard windage and elevation knobs that can allow you adjust you scope to variable wind and altitude conditions with just a fingertip. Completing these knobs is a parallax adjustment system that uses the adjustable objective lens to keep your shot accurate even at long ranges, so you actually get to use the 15X zoom feature.
In addition to these, the Bushnell Tactical Elite also boasts a surprisingly large eye relief of 4.3 inches. Eye relief is a measure of the distance that the eye should be from the scope to see a clear image. Most scopes have an eye relief of about 2.7 to 3 inches, thereby allowing the user to avoid a painful phenomenon called scope eye which involves the scope hitting the user’s eye due to the gun recoiling leaving a nasty cut or bruise. The large eye relief on the Bushnell Tactical Elite 5-15x40mm is an indication to its flexibility in terms of the rifles it can be mounted on; so even when using high recoil rifles or rounds, you can rest assured that you will be far from danger.
Optical Coatings & Water/Fog Proof
As already mentioned, the Bushnell Tactical Elite has to rely of great optics to maintain its image quality. So you will not be surprised to know that the scope uses multi-coated lenses designed to do one thing: increase the light-gathering capabilities of the scope. The result can be easily seen from the great image quality that this Bushnell rifle scope has to offer.
In addition to this, the Bushnell Tactical 5-15x40mm is one of the most reliable scopes available in the market today thanks to a long list of features that guarantee its reliability. For starters, the scope is completely waterproof, thanks to Bushnell’s exclusive Rainguard coating that causes water droplets to disperse into thousands of tiny specks. In addition to this, the scope has been filled with dry nitrogen so it is completely fog proof. Lastly, the scope is also completely shockproof and can be used with all manner of high-recoil rifles and cartridges. So you are unlikely to find your hunting trip to be compromised due to your Bushnell Tactical scope failing on you.
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Optional Accessory Attachments
When buying a scope, it is always a good idea to purchase the right mounting rings (How to pick scope rings) that will help keep your scopes profile low and give you a comfortable position to see through. In addition to these, you should also consider purchasing a laser boresighter to sight in your scope with great accuracy and without having to waste any expensive ammunition.
You should think about getting some essential accessories for your scope that can be of tremendous help in the field. The first item you want to have a look at is the Bushnell Laser Boresighter
which can help to ease the process of sighting in your Bushnell Tactical 5-15x40mm rifle scope precisely.
You should also not forget that you most likely will need rings to install your rifle scope to your gun. A good set of rings are the AccuShot Premium 1-Inch Weaver Style See-Thru Medium Profile Rings
.
Pros & Cons
The fact that the Bushnell Tactical 5-15x40mm has no real reported issues with its performance is a testament to its greatness. It manages to find the rare combination of practicality and durability along with amazing accuracy and dazzling image quality.
The slim profile of the scope will keep your eye in a comfortable position for all sorts of hunting scenarios while the bullet proof construction and matte black aesthetics will have your friends green with envy. All in all, the Bushnell Elite 5-15x40mm is a highly practical and versatile scope that manages to check all the boxes.
Customer Reviews
If you happen to doubt the manufacturer’s word, you can always turn to the opinions offered by various users online to help with your decision. You can check out more customer reviews about the Bushnell Tactical 5-15x40mm Rifle Scope
.
Bushnell Tactical 5-15x40mm Rifle Scope Price
.Check out our other rifle scope reviews if you want additional in-depth analysis of different hunting scopes.
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