This CZ 550 was originally chambered for the 9.3x62mm round and scoped with a Bushnell Elite 4200 1.25-4 x24, pictured right. The 9.3x62mm is an excellent cartridge, but one with slow pitch softball like trajectory, which made the scope’s modest 1.25 – 4x magnification range a good fit. However, once the gun arrived from the gunsmith with a new barrel, and chambered for the flat shooting .375 Ruger, the same scope was found to be underpowered and unable to support the new combination’s longer range potential.| 9.3x62mm | Range 0-300 yds | |||
| Range -yds | 0 | 100 | 200 | 300 |
| Velocity – ft./sec. | 2400 | 2172 | 1958 | 1756 |
| Energy – ft.-lbs. | 3453 | 2828 | 2297 | 1849 |
| Path – in. | -1.5 | 3.0 | 0.0 | -12.1 |
| 375 Ruger | Range 0-300 yds | |||
| Range -yds | 0 | 100 | 200 | 300 |
| Velocity – ft./sec. | 2850 | 2613 | 2389 | 2176 |
| Energy – ft.-lbs. | 4869 | 4094 | 3421 | 2839 |
| Path – in. | -1.5 | 1.8 | -0.0 | -7.9 |
Scope Physical Size: A full stock rifle, sometimes referred to as a Mannlicher style rifle, is typically near carbine length. At a little over 40″ in length and just under 7½ lbs in weight, I had a terrific lightweight .375 Ruger, and a compact scope would be consistent with the gun’s personality. By the same token, a big bright image is always appreciated and the Bushnell scope, with 30mm tube high percentage light transmission optics and large exit pupil, are excellent in this regard. The Multi-X Reticle is bold enough to stand out against virtually any background, yet not so bold as to overwhelm the view through the scope.
Eye Relief: While not a major bruiser, the 375 Ruger is a kicker. Keeping a comfortable distance from an eyepiece is high priority, as is not having to crawl up on the stock after pulling the rifle into my shoulder under hunting conditions. The Bushnell has nearly twice the eye relief of a more typical scope with this magnification range.
Increment and range of adjustment: It is common for moderate magnification scopes to have coarse MOA increments of adjustment and abbreviated range of adjustment. These types of specifications are an optomechanical assembly accommodation intended to keep costs low, they are not statements of high performance. The Bushnell Elite 6500 1.25-8x distinguishes itself by providing ¼ MOA adjustment and 75 inches of adjustment range at 100 yards.
With the dust covers removed, pictured, adjustment is finger tip, with tactile feel and audible clicks. Pulling up on a sealed adjustment knob disengages the adjuster and permits zero resetting. In use, adjustment tracked proportionately to shifts in bullet point of impact for both vertical and horizontal axis with no pronounced nonlinear incrementing at adjustment limits.
Point of Origin: Japanese produced optics are typically very good, by both design, production and coating. However, a perfectly good set of lenses can produce less than exciting results when the packaging of lenses is substandard or country of assembly is known for cheap labor and not for manufacturing technology. i.e. I have Nikon Nikkor lenses with parts manufactured and assembled in Japan that are stellar and those made of cast lenses assembled in Thailand with images that appear to be viewed through gauze. My rule of thumb is to not buy optics from any countries where national holidays are celebrated with civil war and/or those that provide technical support to American cable company customers. The Elite 6500 Bushnell line of optics is produced and assembled in Japan.
Fit and Finish: I do not own fancy guns and I am somewhat… frugal. Subsequently, I try to buy things that work as advertised and will continue to do so over the long haul; pride of ownership, making things last, respect for property, protecting an investment – whatever 1940’s thinking applies. I hate when I install a scope carefully then, when I uninstall, find permanent compression marks on scope tube or places where the tube coating rubbed off. Bushnell scopes do not have this problem. In fact, they are about the only brand scope that can even survive sharp edge Ruger ring sets. They are really good looking scopes.
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Compact Low Magnification Rifle Scopes |
Bushnell 1.25-8×32 Elite 6500 |
Burris 1-4×24 XTR |
Nikon 1.1-4×24 African |
Zeiss 1.1-4x24mm VariPoint |
| Length – Inches | 11.0 | 11.3 | 10.5 | 11.8 |
| Weight – Ounces | 15.8 | 17.0 | 16.9 | 15.9 |
| Tube Diameter – mm | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Objective Lens – mm | 32 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
| Exit Pupil – mm | 25.6 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 14.8 |
| Eye Relief – Inches | 6.0 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.5 |
| FOV@ 100 yards – Feet | 60 – 10 (8x) | 100 – 32 | 108 – 29 | 108 – 30 |
| Adjustment Increment – MOA | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1/4 | 1/3 |
| Adjustment Range – Inches@100 Yards | 75 | 130 | 80 | 117 |
| Reticle | Multi-X | Ballistic Plex | German #4 | Reticle 60 |
| Illuminated Dot | N | N | N | Y |
| Parallax Adjustment | N | Y | N | N |
| Multicoated Lenses | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Lens Rain Protection | Rainguard | StormCoat | N | LotuTec |
| Shock Proof | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Water Proof | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Fog Proof | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Lifetime Warranty | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| One Year Replacement Warranty | Y | N | N | N |
| Discounter Price – Typical | $699 | $679 | $769 | $2,199 |
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