Jacob MurphySince the 1950s Bushnell has dedicated themselves to the production of optics. Everything from binoculars to rangefinders are in their wheelhouse but the rifle scope has long been their staple product. With over 65 years of experience, they have ironed out the process of producing high-quality scopes that come in on a budget price.
While the history of Bushnell has not always seen the best quality optics, more recent scopes have seen drastic improvements in overall quality. This all leads up to the current iteration of the Bushnell lineup which has overturned any bad reputation they may have had. Many of their most recent scopes challenge the biggest names in the industry when it comes to quality.
Among that lineup, we have the Engage series. Though it is available in a variety of powers and setups, the one we are most interested in is their most powerful model. While there is a niche for any of the Engage series of scopes, it is this one that promises 1000 yard performance.
Construction
Older Bushnell scopes were plagued by problems of using thinner walled tubes on their scopes. The recent change to a more durable, thicker one-piece construction is perhaps their most important improvement. This keeps the scope in alignment and provides much more protection for the sensitive internals of a modern rifle scope.
At 14 and 1/4 inches long and weighing over a pound and a half, this is a serious scope that deserves a place on a long range platform. Bolt guns, as well as automatics of any caliber up to the largest magnums, are fine choices for this scope. On the other side, smaller calibers shooting for absolute precision are also fair game.
Lens Quality
When they first started their production, the lenses in Bushnell optics were poor, to say the least. With modern advancements in glass technology, the modern ED prime glass used in this scope is simply astounding. It is easily among the best glass used by any company producing optics today.
Bushnell has also developed their own multi-coat technology and applied it to all glass surfaces of the lenses. Not only does this give the scope an anti-glare coating but their mixture also improves brightness and contrast while limiting eye strain.
On top of this, Bushnell developed their own Ultra-Wide Band coating that improves light transmission across the spectrum. This means you get true color even in poor lighting for the best possible target acquisition.
Durability and Weather Resistance
Not content with just the protection offered by their newer, more robust construction, Bushnell has added a number of features to make their rifle scopes even more durable. The lenses of these scopes use a proprietary EXO barrier that helps prevent intrusion of any foreign material into the scope and improves their scratch resistance.
To further protect the internals of the scope, the entire tube is vacuumed sealed and nitrogen purged to make sure nothing on the outside makes it inside. This should keep the scope working for a lifetime with little additional care.
Features and Function
Considering the power of this Bushnell Engage, it is really meant for the long-range shooter. Not only does it have the magnification but it has the clarity to pick out targets at extreme ranges out past 800 yards and probably much more. On the other side, with a low-end power of just 6x, closer shots are quick and precise for shorter ranges.
The reticle they have chosen for the Engage is Bushnell’s own Deploy Reticle. This is a good mix between the simple and the complex. It has the bold crosshair lines that will get you a dead-on shot but has a multitude of hash marks for different calibers to help you get your bullet drop spot on. While it will take some time to nail down the complex side of the reticle, this is the most comprehensive option on the market. All measurements on the reticle are in MOA so getting everything tuned to your favorite load is simple and quick.
With both focus and magnification adjustments at the eye-piece, everything is close to hand when you need it so your eye never has to leave the scope while you get your shot worked out. Parallax adjustment is on the side of the erector and can be adjusted from 10 yards to infinity.
Eye relief is a consistent 3.6 inches which works well for even the higher recoil of some of the larger calibers. It may be a little on the short end for the truly large calibers unless you are acclimated to shooting them and understand their recoil but anything up to a .300 Win Mag will be no issue at all.
With turret adjustments in MOA to match the reticle, the Engage is easy to adjust for windage and elevation. You get a total of 50 MOA of adjustment from either and both lock but have no zero-reset. You will get consistent shots every time but keeping your hundred yard zero memorized is on you. Adjustments are in 1/4 MOA increments with a total of 8 travels per rotation.
Of course, the Engage comes with Bushnell’s legendary warranty and customer service. Though you are never likely to have significant issues with one of their scopes, knowing that you are well cared for is a good addition. Any scope is an investment, even one with the lower cost of the Engage. Having the peace of mind that it is fully backed by the company that produced it adds nothing but pure value.
Conclusion
If you are new to Bushnell scopes, their recent additions are an amazing opportunity to get an absolutely amazing scope for a very good price. If you have tried their scopes in the past and found them less than desirable, it may be time to give them another chance. With the growing competition in the optics market, Bushnell has really stepped up their game to produce some truly astounding options.
