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Bushnell elite 4200 vs. Leupold VX3

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CodyBrown View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CodyBrown Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Bushnell elite 4200 vs. Leupold VX3
    Posted: November/18/2009 at 13:56
So I have a Leupold Vari-X II that I'm looking at replacing on my hunting rifle. It's a 4-12 which is more than enough. I'm looking at the Bushnell elite 4200 firefly 2.5-10x40 versus the Leupold 3.5-10 VX3. The main reason for the change is that I'm having a hard time seeing the fine crosshairs  in low light conditions. The firefly recticle caught my eye and looks pretty interesting. I had a VXII 2-7x33 with a heavy duplex recticle on it, and I should have stayed with that. I'm hesitant to go with the Bushnell since I haven't had any experience with them. How does it stack up to the Leupold? The rifle is a .338 win mag.
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BillyWayne View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BillyWayne Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/19/2009 at 07:27
Do not hesitate to go with the Bushnell.  I hunted this weekend with a friend who has a Leupold on his rifle.  I use the Bushnell Elite 4200 3-9.  It poured almost the entire day Saturday.  He had issues seeing through his scope and had to keep wiping it off.  I did not have an issue with my Bushnell with Rainguard.  I watched a doe at 60 yards through my scope for about 5 minutes.  (I was hoping to see antlers)  I could see the crosshairs just fine.  I do not know about the Bushnell eye relief on a 338 win mag.  I have never shot one.  The Leupold is better in the eye relief department. 
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ckk1106 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ckk1106 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/19/2009 at 20:24
I'd prefer the eye relief of the Leupold on a 338 win mag.  Others have said that they haven't had a problem with the eye relief of the Bushnell, though.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sandracer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/19/2009 at 20:58
I have both scopes and used the 3-9x40  4200 on my 300 Wby for elk this year. It has never come close to hitting me on this gun and I don't know why as my previous Burris signature select hit me many times. As for the Leupold, get the rain lens that screws on the later models. By the way Rainguard on the 4200 works!
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boliodogs View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote boliodogs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/19/2009 at 21:24
The 4200 3-9 has more eye relief than the 4200 2.5-10. I would not want the 4200 2.5-10 on a 338. The 4200 3-9 would have enough eye relief for me to use on use on a 338. Each shooter is different, I wear glasses which puts me a little closer to getting hit by the scope in recoil.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote martin3175 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/20/2009 at 19:08
I have a 4200 elite 2.5-10 on the top 300 WBY MK V , on the bottom photo- the 300 WBY Vanguard wears a 3x9 4200 and the 338 Win Mag next to it wears a 4200 2.5-10 , as does the Winchester 70 7mm/08 on the end ...No eye relief issues with any if them ( or any other problems for that matter ) .. 
 I have a Rem 700 LVSF with  Leupold 3.5-10 and the optics are certainly nice, but I gotta give the nod to the 4200's Rainguard feature
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/20/2009 at 19:26
I have total confidence in leupold when it comes to heavy recoiling rifles, though I wouldn't hesitate to put a 4200 on almost any rifle either.  I believe both scopes have comparable optics and both have there following.  It's a toss up and comes down to personal preferance and which features are most important to you.
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CodyBrown View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CodyBrown Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/20/2009 at 21:46
What does Bushnell offer for a warranty on their scopes nowadays? Do they stand behind them, and is it like pulling teeth to get them warrantied? 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote danjojoUSMC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/20/2009 at 22:11
They have a one year no questions asked return policy and a lifetime warranty.  Some guys have been on here lately to say the service they received from Bushnell was very good.  They take care of a few different scope brands so there might be times it isn't as fast as others.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CountryLegend Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/2009 at 10:15
I had a similar problem a while back. I was looking for a good scope for varmint scope for low light and no light hunts. I thought the Firefly reticle was pretty cool but prefer Leupold. I ordered the Bushnell 4200 2.5-10x50mm Firefly, and the Leupold VX-III 3.5-10x50mm with 30mm tube and an illuminated reticle. I wasn't expecting the 4200 to really compare to the VX-III, but was very impressed with it. It had very nice glass, very clear. I mounted both on to rifles and shot both. In the end I kept the VX-III. In low light I felt it was better (not worlds, but to my eye anyway) and  you can turn the reticle on and off. They eye relief was deffently better on the VX-III hands down. I did almost keep the 4200 on the rifle I shot it on but sent it back because I couldn't afford to keep it. The only things I saw with the 4200 was eye relief, and the Firefly reticle didn't seem to stay glowing as long as it should have. Had to shine a light on it to often. Maybe it was just a bad one in the bunch?? And there's my $0.02 worth. Good Luck Cool
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John Barsness Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/2009 at 10:59
I would prefer the eye relief of the Leupold on a .338, though my own .338 (a custom FN Mauser) is pretty light, around 7-3/4 poudns with 12-ounce scope, so comes back more than some other .338's.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote boliodogs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/24/2009 at 12:18
I am sure many shooters have the 4200 2.5-10 on hard kickers with no problems and it is a great scope . I measure the eye relief of every scope I own carefully by holding it as far from my eye as possible while still getting the full field of view and check the distance between my eye and the front edge of the scope with a ruler. I own many dirrerent model scopes from Bushnell , Weaver, Leupold, Burris and Zeiss and the 4200 2.5-10x40 has the least eye relief of them all. It has about .5 inches less than the 4200 3-9x40 and about an inch less than a Leupold vx3 3.5-10x40. So if you have ever been bothered by to little eye relief in another scope you need to look through a 4200 2.5-10x40 because it has the shortest relief of any scope I know of.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Randall45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/25/2009 at 06:35
The new VX3 is a nice scope and has a slight edge in low light.The 4200 has the rainguard that is a plus for wet hunting conditions.I would buy the 4200 because it's cheaper than the VX3.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote c0d3x5 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/24/2012 at 19:14
if ur hitting ur face with the bushnell.. perhaps ur shooting a gun more powerful than u can handle..  i mean wtf? 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote biggreen747 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/24/2012 at 19:20
Really old thread....
We measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a crayon, and cut it with a chainsaw.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/24/2012 at 20:22
Originally posted by biggreen747 biggreen747 wrote:

Really old thread....

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