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Bushnell Forge 1-8x30 Scope

aron82

Well-known member
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
334
Messages
645
Loc
Casper, Wyoming
Needed a new scope and mount for my SCAR 17 (they are a notorious optic killer). If money was no object I would have goon with a Vortex Razor III 1-10, but I feel they are overpriced at the 2K mark. I was really only willing to spend about 500 (it's a shitty and uncertain economy).

Looked at a bunch of different options from vortex, primary arms, and black hound. It came down to a choice between the US optics TS 12 3-12x40, the Vortex viper PST 1-6x24 and the Bushnell.

Buy Forge 1-8x30 Riflescope Illuminated German No. 4 Reticle and More | Bushnell

I like that the Bushnell is a 34mm tube giving it a better field of view. Unfortunately it is still pretty new and there isn't a whole lot of information or reviews out there. Not that most reviews aren't paid advertisements anyway. The only downsides are the reticle isn't the fanciest and it's heavy at 25.8 oz. The glass is nice and clear, light transmission is as good as my vortex viper. It's not a 2K scope, but I don't expect it to be. Made in Korea, which is better than China, but not as good as Japan IMO.

The scope came well packaged in a nice box, ordered it from Euro-Optic. Shipping through USPS priority mail took 20 days and was terrible. Avoid the postal service like the plague right now.

Mounted it in a Warne 1 piece precision msr mount. This mount is a tank with 4 cross bolts and 2 lugs to interface with the rail. It is heavy at 7.5 oz.

7824M 1 PC Precision Mount 34mm MSR Ideal Height - Warne Scope Mounts

Hoping to get it sighted in this weekend. Will update then.

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Good to have more choices. It is a little strange to me how there are hunting scopes every $100 price point, but “tactical” stuff is either $500 or $2,000. The cheaper options are likely fine for the vast majority of us.
 
It's getting better, but still has a ways to go.

I don't pretend to be some SF door kicker like a lot of people do. You don't need tactical turrets on a LPVO. It's finny to see all the trends that become must haves in tactical scopes. A big one now is First focal plane. I have even seen it on a duplex reticle.

Would definitely like more US made options in a decent price range.
 
I recently ordered a scope from EuroOptic's "other" website, can't remember the site's name. It took longer than it should have mainly because it took forever for them to even start the shipping process. I would still buy from them as their price was the best I could find but their shipping policy is slow. They even called me twice in a week to confirm the order before they would ship. Couple that with shipping times for anything now is rage inducing.

I have never had any long term success with any scope prolly because I only bought the cheapest ones I could find, always less than $100. I have a basketful of cheap scopes that either are now out of focus or simply won't hold zero. I decided to spend the money and buy from a brand with a proven track record and that doesn't spell quality with a K. I think you should be fine with your choice. Opinions on optics are like belly buttons, everyone has one.
 
surpip said:
https://aaoptics.com/
good place for cheaper vortex stuffs
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Still 2K for for the 1-10x razor.

The weather finally cooperated this weekend and I got out to the range and got 3 rifles sighted in including the Scar 17 with the Bushnell with the 1-8x Forge.

Took about 15 rounds to get the rifle sighted in and take it out to 100 yards. Shot some at the 300 yard gongs with good results.

So far I am happy with the scope. Field of view with the 34mm tube is better than my other 24mm LPVOs. Mount was rock solid checked all the bolts and everything was still nice and tight.
I like the simplicity of the scope, nothing fancy no super busy complicated reticule, capped turrets. Adjustments were positive and stayed once set. Didn't do a box test or anything like that.

Didn't put a ton too many rounds through it due to the current ammo situation. Will update this if anything happens good or bad, but so far I think its a good scope for a decent price.
 
aron82 said:
Still 2K for for the 1-10x razor.

The weather finally cooperated this weekend and I got out to the range and got 3 rifles sighted in including the Scar 17 with the Bushnell with the 1-8x Forge.

Took about 15 rounds to get the rifle sighted in and take it out to 100 yards. Shot some at the 300 yard gongs with good results.

So far I am happy with the scope. Field of view with the 34mm tube is better than my other 24mm LPVOs. Mount was rock solid checked all the bolts and everything was still nice and tight.
I like the simplicity of the scope, nothing fancy no super busy complicated reticule, capped turrets. Adjustments were positive and stayed once set. Didn't do a box test or anything like that.

Didn't put a ton too many rounds through it due to the current ammo situation. Will update this if anything happens good or bad, but so far I think its a good scope for a decent price.
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Thanks for the update. The ammo situation has actually had a surprising benefit for me. I typically would shoot ~ 200 rounds on a range day, which required a few hours to make it feasible. Hence, I didn’t go that often.

Lately, I’ve been shooting 30-40 rounds per trip, which has meant I can make it happen in just over an hour, including a 20 minute ride each way. So far I’ve been about as many times this year than I did last all of year. Going again Thursday.
 
aron82 said:
It's getting better, but still has a ways to go.

I don't pretend to be some SF door kicker like a lot of people do. You don't need tactical turrets on a LPVO. It's finny to see all the trends that become must haves in tactical scopes. A big one now is First focal plane. I have even seen it on a duplex reticle.

Would definitely like more US made options in a decent price range.
Click to expand...

There are duplex reticle scopes that use the distance between the thicker lines and the width of the thicker lines to range distance. Thats why they use a first focal plane so you calculate at any mag power instead of having to set it at a certain power to range.

Some people also use LPVOs to shoot out to 6-800yds or more. For PRS as an example or 3 gun both of which have become extremely popular in the last decade. Many LPVOs dont have a mil reticle so if you want to hit a standard IPSC target at 570yds you need turrets. It has nothing to do with being a SF door kicker but how you use the scope. Why would anyone kicking doors choose a LPVO? Red dots much more pratical for entry.

You could extrapolate your comment to since youre only ringing steel at 300yds why do you even need a scope? Or at least why a $500 scope? Thats kind of silly. For what your doing a $50 walmart scope will do, its only 300yds, a $30 chicom reddot that will do the same. Just because you dont need it or understand how its used doesnt mean its not useful
 
Stuck said:
You could extrapolate your comment to since youre only ringing steel at 300yds why do you even need a scope? Or at least why a $500 scope? Thats kind of silly. For what your doing a $50 walmart scope will do, its only 300yds, a $30 chicom reddot that will do the same. Just because you dont need it or understand how its used doesnt mean its not useful
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Harsh...:)

I have a basketful of $50 scopes, I learned the hard way. Not one of them will hold zero and as an added bonus some won't even focus any more. If one is buying an optic, for whatever purpose, it should last longer than a single season. The waste of money here is buying the $50 scope and not the higher priced/quality one regardless of end use. And the last <$90 ChiCom red dot I dealt with hit the trashcan after one range visit (it came as a "for free" addition for a gun that was already on sale so no big deal). He may not have articulated his intentional usage particularly well but, at least, he now has an optic that is reliable and should function properly however he chooses to use it. I would also add that those who advocate for extremely cheap optics in favor of quality may not be that well informed or just have never used them. Optics are like bicycles, buy what you can afford and not what is cheapest, just my $0.02...
 
Stuck said:
There are duplex reticle scopes that use the distance between the thicker lines and the width of the thicker lines to range distance. Thats why they use a first focal plane so you calculate at any mag power instead of having to set it at a certain power to range.

Some people also use LPVOs to shoot out to 6-800yds or more. For PRS as an example or 3 gun both of which have become extremely popular in the last decade. Many LPVOs dont have a mil reticle so if you want to hit a standard IPSC target at 570yds you need turrets. It has nothing to do with being a SF door kicker but how you use the scope. Why would anyone kicking doors choose a LPVO? Red dots much more pratical for entry.

You could extrapolate your comment to since youre only ringing steel at 300yds why do you even need a scope? Or at least why a $500 scope? Thats kind of silly. For what your doing a $50 walmart scope will do, its only 300yds, a $30 chicom reddot that will do the same. Just because you dont need it or understand how its used doesnt mean its not useful
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It's my scope on my rifle for my shooting. If I feel I don't need a feature then or won't ever use a feature then I don't want to pay more for it.
You can buy whatever scope with whatever features you want or feel you need. $50 walmart scopes have shitty glass and break.

I will buy what I want and use it how I want.

The "doorkicker comment" was a satirical way of saying I don't have any delusions about being some bad ass super tacticool poser.

I wanted a well built rugged scope without a busy reticule. It doesn't take much for your ranging of the thickness of a duplex line to be way off. If I need to range something I will use an actual rangefinder and know.

If you want to play with your fancy gizmos and extra crap built into your scope then go for it.:flipoff2:
 
You missed the point entirely. You make somewhat snide comments about tactical scopes and those that have them yet youre putting a scope that cant use the rifles full capabilities on arguably one of the better tactical rifles. Dont worry now I understand, everyone makes excuses for their deficiencies and Im pretty sure nobodys going to mistake you for a badass.

I will play with my gizmos. I have absolutely no problem using my scope to range and hit my targets out 1200yds.
 
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Way to miss the point entirely yourself.

I'm sure you're shooting 1/4 moa groups at 1200 yards and hitting soup cans at a mile on a cold bore shot.

Whatever you write about yourself on the internet must be true.:lmao:
 
Stuck said:
You missed the point entirely. You make somewhat snide comments about tactical scopes and those that have them yet youre putting a scope that cant use the rifles full capabilities on arguably one of the better tactical rifles. Dont worry now I understand, everyone makes excuses for their deficiencies and Im pretty sure nobodys going to mistake you for a badass.

I will play with my gizmos. I have absolutely no problem using my scope to range and hit my targets out 1200yds.
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do you sight your rifle/scope in at 1200 yards as well. :rolleyes:

He said sighted it in and then rang some steel at 300. Seem to be he used what was there to verify the work he was doing. I don't recall seeing anywhere that he was bragging about shooting 300 yards.
 
All this modern hate remind me when people started buy red dots to go on their M16 clones:lmao:. Buy what feels and looks good to your eye. Having all the options is great if you plan on using them but otherwise they are just busy. I hunt big game with a 40 year old redfield Fine duplex 4x glass on a stock 25 year old ruger 77 mark II in 30-06 Works great for that. Yet when I go to shoot with my buddies its an aim small miss small thing and at 300m I cant see the detail in a 4x so I have a Bushnell HDMR Elite FFP with the trmr2 reticle 6-25(I think that magnification range) on a 308 gas gun. We shoot a lot of “unknown” distance when we play and having the FFP w/that reticle helps me range quickly without any other aids. I am the weak link in that system and thats the way I like it.
 
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