Hello
I have been reading here and it seems like the 2x6 Bushnell Elite is held in high regards. I was going to see about ordering one and putting it on my 7 and a half inch Freedom 454 and it seems that they have been discontinued. Guess Im thinking about a Leupold variable 2x8. What say you ?

Billy

Leupold be my pick.

Check out the Simmons 2-6X ProHunter. I have a few of the older one's and they are tough as nails. One has been on a .416 Taylor Encore for 15+ years without a problem.
The Leupolds are good. I have one on a .376 Steyr Encore. My only complaint on them is they are larger than most other scopes and a little unwieldy on revolvers.
It's a shame Bushnell stopped the Elites. I have one on a FA .454 and Taurus .500 Mag. Look for used ones on some sites. It's the best for revolvers

I would go Leupold all the way. They have a lifetime guarantee and Leupold will repair or replace in a pretty short time. I've only ever had to send one back and I have no idea how many thousands of rounds of 454 it had taken...

Also the constant eye relief is what sold me as well!

My brother just picked up a 2-8 Weaver. I took a look through it right before black dark yesterday evening. I believe you can get on a deer, if you can see it with your eyes.

I have a new 2-7 Burris Plex. I am very impressed with it.

Bob

My Bushnel Elite has served me well, but I also have a couple of fixed 4 X Leupolds that are very good. Unless you are planning on long shots, personally, I would steer clear of scopes. That long eye relief is really hard to get used to. JMHO.

Seems like I'm always complaining about scopes but there are times when my old eyes need some help. Last year my 4X Leupld cost me a nice 4X4 muley that I could have killed easily with iron sights. He just kept getting closer & I could not keep him in the scope without it blacking out on me. It was actually my fault.
Three year ago I had an new Ultra Dot on one of my 41's & a decent buck came past me going as fast as I've ever seen a buck run. My grandson had just killed his buddy! If I would have had iron sights I could have hit him with every shot. Again, this was my fault not the scope. I don't use them enough! A practiced shooter would have killed both deer.
I've started packing both, my cross draw gun is the one I hope to use & the one sticking out of my back pack is my scoped back up gun in case things get stretched out a bit.
I "heard" the 2 1/2X8 Leupld had been discontinued, not sure if that's true. Two weeks ago I shot my mule deer doe with the Ruger 357 Maximum with the scope set on 3X & I shot the antelope with the same scope set on 5X.

Dick

I use Leupold and Burris the most

To me, a variable is just too much glass for a revolver. I've been using fixed 2x scopes since about 1990 but also like a red dot like the UltraDots.

I had a big Burris 2-7x on my .480 but it's just too much weight, bulk and unnecessary magnification.

It's a shame about the Bushnell Elite variable being discontinued. I have one on my 475/350 Mag Competitor and one on my 500 S&W SSK Encore Barrel. They are great scopes. I have a Nikon variable on my 416 Barnes Competitor, a Weaver 4x on my 300 Blackout Competitor, and a Bushnell Trophy variable on my 10.9mm JFJ Mag. I had a Burris variable on my 376 Steyr Competitor.

The great thing about the variables are the fact that if you don't want or need the extra magnification....just turn them down...

They're still producing the 2 - 6X handgun (Elite 3500) from what I understand.

Yeah but what's the point in lugging around a 2-7x if you're just going to leave it on 2x? Been there, done that, don't see the point. You're also talking about single shots and my post, along with the OP, are with regards to revolvers. If I was hunting with a 300yd capable handgun, I'd probably want a variable too.

Well, I have a Variable on my Ruger 9.5" Super Redhawk and I like it

On my old freedom arms, I ran a 2x power Leupold some of the time, and a 4x Leupold at other times.

The reason I have a variable on my 10 1/2 Ruger 357 Maximum is because it gets most of it's use on rock chucks, jack rabbits, coyotes, etc & the extra power is necessary. If you haven't tried to dial in on a rock chuck at distance with a 2X or 4X scope hiding in the lava rocks you won't understand the problem. They are pretty much invisible with a low power scope on any gun in the rocks. Same with a big jack shaded up in the sagebrush if he's beyond 50 yds or so, & out here he's always beyond 50 yds.
Try shooting a ground squirrel that's 2" wide at 50-60 yds, the cross hairs will completely cover him at that distance with a low power scope. If you are shooting a 1200 lb Buff in an open pasture you get a little different view of your target.

Dick

I like the 2x leupolds alot. If variable the 2.8x8 VX3 or Weaver 2.5x8.

Is the Bushnell 2-6X Trophy still offered? They don't have the Rainguard feature of the Elite, and don't have the gold embellishments, but the people I know who have been using them for years say that they are mechanically as tough as the Elites

Thanks all..
Was really wanting to try the Elite but guess Im late to the party. I really would have a hard time buying anything Simmons as the quality of them have generally been pretty poor. I have a 2.5x8 Leupold that Im going to bolt on the 454 and see how we get along. One thing about it is that they can come off the gun as quick as it went on! If I don't like it I might try one of the Ultra Dots on it.
I ordered 2- B Plex 2x7 Burris today and also 1- B Plex 3x12 scopes. I have quite a few of the old model Burris and they are a bunch longer than the newer Burris scopes and would for sure overload a revolver. Been wanting to try the B Plex...
Might put one of the new 2x7 on my new 10 inch 41 Freedom and see how I get along with that combination..

Thanks for all the input!!
Billy

You'll be glad that you got a variable

I also like this scope. It is relatively small for a variable.

My hunting revolvers have variables on them now, since I tend to shoot them further than I did in the past

I had heard this a while back about the 2-6 being discontinued. I am about a twenty minute drive from them and know several of the guys well.
I asked what the heck was up with dropping the 2-6? To their knowledge, it was not true.
I will call and find out for sure.
However some of the Elite lines have been combined. Some of the Elite names and numbers have been changed. I think the 6500 will be the only one with a number now.
It is ALL on marketing and the selling point. It is the same glass and internals. Maybe some cosmetics here and there. The market is in the tacticool so go figure.
They did say sales were way way down, thus the change.

I have a lot of Bushnell glass. Most have bee in the Elite line or upgraded to that. I have a first year 2-6. It is still going strong after having been on everything from 22 hornet to 45-70. It got a regular work out for years on a couple of IHMSA guns. Elevation knobs twisted up and down on a regular basis with out a hickup. Buddy had a 2-6 on and XP that he plain wore out. Glass was clear but elevation went to crap. Two 7BR barrels and close to 15,000 rounds later. Some guys hold off, others change settings. Those that change settings, will raise and lower elevation knobs in a month, than most folks will in a life time.

The 2-6 Trophy is ok. It is not even close in glass to the Elite. Look through glass on the days you would not buy a car, cloudy,rainy and over cast. That will show you real quick why one scope is priced higher than an another.
The couple I have always worked well as far as windage and elevation repeatability. If you want one to hunt with, go the Elite series ( or what ever the new name is). You will be glad you did when you want to take that shot the last few minutes of legal time. For playing when there is good light, the Trophy will serve one well.

Is another brand better? Dunno. I have Leupolds and Burris along with the Bushnell. I have yet to have any issues with the three. The early Simmons were pretty good as were the TC scopes( I believe they were speced by TC and made by Simmons). I have had to send TC scopes back and they were always fixed, dunno about today.

I will try and remember to call and give a reply.
Jeff

Just got off the phone. I got it on good authority and it's not good at all.
Sorry to say it's true, the Elite line is done. The only exception is the tactical/target scope. So yes all the elite line of rifle scopes are done too.

A weaver 2.5-6 is what will supposedly take the place of the pistol scope.
A weaver will have a lot to prove to me.

I have no idea what the powers to be are thinking. I harped, bitched and complained for years for them to go to more X's, target turrets and AO. It all fell on deaf ears.

I myself am going to email them with a nasty gram. Probably won't ever be seen by any one of importance,but I can voice my opinion none the less

May be time to switch over completely to Burris and Leupold all together.

Jeff

jsh

Thanks for taking the time and verifying this?

Billy

I try and keep both eyes open when using my red dots? Find I get onto targets sooner and wider field of vision.
Steve

If you shoot with both eyes open, FOV isn't even a factor. The tube of the scope fades away and all you have is the dot and the target.

s4s4U, every one is not the same vision wise, I do understand your reply but, my eyes are much older than when I first hunted with a handgun. And, yes it does give me a wider field of vision.
Steve

True. You don't find that the tube disappears when you open your weak eye though?

I had one of the guys at the range mention that he had a Blued Encore Barrel in 223 for sale with a Bushnell 2-6 Elite on it. He talked like he might break them up, but I did not get a price.

I have one new Burris 2-7 Plex that I like well. It has a 27 foot field of view at 100 yards on 2X.
The Bushnell 2-6 only has a 10 foot field of view at 100 yards on 2X. That shrinks to 4 feet on 6X.

I am not sure how well I would like that limited a field of view on a hunting scope. My brothers new Weaver variable is not much better.
The more I look over other scopes, the better I like the Burris.

Bob

I SEE WHERE LEUPOLD NOW HAS A V-X3 VARIABLE PISTOL SCOPE. IS THIS AN UPGRADE ON THE V-X VARIABLE? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? IS IT WORTH THE XTRA MONEY?

AT ONE OF THE HANDGUN HUNTS AT THE YO A ZEISS REP. WAS THERE WITH A PROTOTYPE ZEISS VARIABLE PISTOL SCOPE, DOES ANY ONE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT PROJECT?

I was looking around ebay the other evening and found a nice Bushnell 2x6 Elite pistol scope. After reading this thread about pistol scopes I bought it. It arrived yesterday, nice scope. It needs a home. I might try it on the 454 SRH I'm breaking in right now. I have a Ultra-Dot on it now, but might try the scope also. I need to quit reading this forum, I might go broke. Anyway I've gotten some great help and ideas on this forum. Thank you all. If I could find a photo place to post pictures I would post some. I won't pay the photobucket ransom.

CESSNA: I AM AN I T ILIRIATE BUT I FIGURED OUT, WITH HELP FROM SECRETARY, HOW TO UPLOAD PHOTOS TO THIS WEB SITE PHOTO POST. DOES NOT COST TO POST PHOTOS ON HANDGUNHUNT.

Thanks 45MAN, it took me awhile but I think I can figure it out.
Anyway my 454 with Ultra-Dot.

That didn't work out well at all, sorry. I'll try again.

I will take another photo when I get the Bushnell mounted. 45MAN that was a workout. I'm not the most up-to-date technical person.

I have two Bushnell 2-6x Elites along with three 2-6x Trophy scopes. The Elites have slightly finer crosshairs compared to the Trophy, but all are excellent scopes. Would not hesitate to put one on another handgun.

I removed the Ultra-Dot and mounted the Bushnell 2x6 this morning.
Then took the 454 out this morning and shot it with the scope over my shooting bags. At least at this point in time I prefer the scope over the dot. Time will tell.