OpticsTalk by SWFA, Inc. Homepage SWFA     SampleList.com
Forum Home Forum Home > Scopes > Rifle Scopes
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Burris Fullfield II or Bushnell Elite 3200?
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Visit the SWFA.com site to check out our current specials.

Burris Fullfield II or Bushnell Elite 3200?

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
slowr1der View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
Optics Apprentice
Avatar

Joined: March/25/2010
Status: Offline
Points: 247
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote slowr1der Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Burris Fullfield II or Bushnell Elite 3200?
    Posted: April/14/2011 at 00:12
I'm trying to decide which one of these I'm going to mount on my rifle. I bought a Burris Fullfield II 4.5-14x42 a while back when SWFA had them on clearance. I found a problem with it out of the box so sent it into Burris to get it repaired. This honestly, made me kind of lose confidence in it even though I've been a big Burris fan in the past. It's supposed to be back from Burris in a couple of days. I also have decided to purchase a Bushnell Elite 3200 5-15x40 in the meantime, but haven't gotten it yet. I just couldn't pass up so a good deal on a slightly used one. So now I'm undecided on which one to use. I have neither in my hands right now so I can't compare directly yet, but will be able to in a couple of weeks hopefully.

They both have their pro's and cons. This will basically be going on a rifle that will be used for 80% target shooting, 8% varmint hunting, and 12 percent deer hunting. I've found for hunting I never put my scope below 5 power, so the minimum power on both is fine. I like that the Bushnell goes slightly higher in the power although it's just slightly. I also like that the Bushnell has a sunshade for when I'm out on bright days. I also have more confidence with the Bushnell after having an issue with the Burris. On the other hand, I know the Burris has fully multi coated optics while the Bushnell doesn't. I've had a Bushnell Elite 3200 10x40 tactical in the past and the glass was decent, but nothing spectacular and I preferred the Burris. This is the biggest downside to the Bushnell, since I do hunt with it and would like it to last until the last legal light.

So which of these two is the better option? If the Burris is, I may mount it on my rifle this weekend after getting it back. If the Bushnell is, I will just wait until I get it.
Back to Top
Vermin93 View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
Optics Apprentice
Avatar

Joined: June/22/2010
Status: Offline
Points: 104
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vermin93 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/14/2011 at 00:46
Not too long ago there was another FFII vs 3200 post here. The responses showed that it's basically a Ford vs Chevy type of question where some favor one and some favor the other. No clear-cut favorite, although 3200 has RainGuard.

That being said, you bought two decent scopes that are basically the same. You want to know which one to put on your rifle. Unless you have two rifles and need both scopes, then honestly I would sell them both or trade them in and use the combined funds to move up into a single, better scope. Just my opinion.
Back to Top
lucytuma View Drop Down
Optics Jedi Knight
Optics Jedi Knight
Avatar

Joined: November/25/2007
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline
Points: 5389
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/14/2011 at 07:28
+1, good sound advise.
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson
Back to Top
tman1965 View Drop Down
Optics Master
Optics Master
Avatar

Joined: July/20/2010
Location: South Georgia
Status: Offline
Points: 1456
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tman1965 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/14/2011 at 09:42
+2
Back to Top
slowr1der View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
Optics Apprentice
Avatar

Joined: March/25/2010
Status: Offline
Points: 247
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote slowr1der Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/14/2011 at 10:09
I've thought about that, and I don't have two rifles that need scopes, and I actually have another scope that I need to get rid of. I have more scopes than I do rifles to put them on right now, so I need to downsize a bit. The problem is I really just can't find anything that I really want until I get in the $800+ range, and that's more than I'm willing to spend right now and it's about double what I think I could get for these two scopes. I really want a SWFA SS scope, but I don't want a 3-9. I know there has been talk for quite a while of a 5-20 or similar SS scope, and I'd love to have one of these, but I need something to use until it comes out which I think these would be good for.

I've looked at the Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x44 and I really like this, but the cheapest one comes in at $799, and I figure if I'm going to spend that I'd rather get the reticle I really want which is mil dots, so that bumps it up to the $849, and I just can't see spending that. It's a nice scope, and a lot nicer than these two, but it's also literally over double the price of what both of these scopes together cost, and I can't see spending that. The other one I've looked at that has really tempted me is the Vortex Viper 6.5-20. I really like that it has 20 power on the top end, but I'm not sure that I really want to have a minimum power of 6.5, since like I said, when hunting I usually leave my current 3-9 on 5x 95% of the time, and the other 5% it's on 9x. I may be able to get away with using 6.5x instead though, and that's what I'm trying to decide on. I'm also wondering if the glass quality is better enough that it's worth getting rid of two scopes for one.

I know that the glass in the Burris Fullfield II is good enough to do 100% of what I want to do as I've looked through it, and I've got a 3-9x40 also. I'm just not sure if the Burris 3200 is going to be a big step down since the optics aren't fully multi coated, or if they will be similar. I've read the "Inexpensive Scope Comparison" thread where it compares both and it rates the Burris slightly higher, but I'm just wondering how big of a difference it is. The Bushnell Elite 3200 I had was a fixed 10x, so it was hard to compare the glass quality. It was decent, but didn't impress me, but it was hard to tell since I could only compare it on 10x.

Any suggestions to look at in the $4-500 price range that has good glass, is reliable, and has somewhere around 5 or less minimum power, and when it comes to the max power, the higher the better, but I want at least 14x. I'd prefer a Mil Dot reticle, but since neither of these have one, that wouldn't be a deal breaker if it didn't have one either.


Edited by slowr1der - April/14/2011 at 10:12
Back to Top
supertool73 View Drop Down
Optics God
Optics God
Avatar
Superstool

Joined: January/03/2008
Status: Offline
Points: 11814
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/14/2011 at 10:21
I have the 6.5-20x Viper and while it is a great scope I surely would not want that on a big game hunting rifle.  Mine is on a 223 WSSM that I use for longer range shooting but nothing up close.  But I am the kind of shooter that thinks 3x is almost to much for big game hunting.  

Have you looked at the Minox line?  They say glass is as good or better than Conquest and price wise they are a good deal. 

http://swfa.com/Minox-4-20X50-ZA5-Riflescope-P46141.aspx


http://swfa.com/Minox-3-15x42-ZA5-Riflescope-P46139.aspx

Or just get the SS 3-9x and use it til they come out with the 5-20x.  But I dare bet that one will cost quite a bit more than $600 like the 3-9x.   I am sure it is going to rewrite the rules on long range tactical scopes like they have with the 1-4x.  So while it will be much cheaper than the scopes it is competing against I bet it is going to cost more than the rest of the line.

Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service don't mean a thing when your gun fails during a zombie attack.

"A Liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own."
Back to Top
Vermin93 View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
Optics Apprentice
Avatar

Joined: June/22/2010
Status: Offline
Points: 104
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vermin93 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/14/2011 at 10:36
I found the answer to your question.

http://www.opticstalk.com/swfa-scope-scale-discussion-thread-2009_topic16515_page1.html

Unless you decide to sell both and move up a level, then keep the 3200.
Back to Top
slowr1der View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
Optics Apprentice
Avatar

Joined: March/25/2010
Status: Offline
Points: 247
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote slowr1der Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/14/2011 at 10:39
Originally posted by supertool73 supertool73 wrote:

I have the 6.5-20x Viper and while it is a great scope I surely would not want that on a big game hunting rifle.  Mine is on a 223 WSSM that I use for longer range shooting but nothing up close.  But I am the kind of shooter that thinks 3x is almost to much for big game hunting.  

Have you looked at the Minox line?  They say glass is as good or better than Conquest and price wise they are a good deal. 

http://swfa.com/Minox-4-20X50-ZA5-Riflescope-P46141.aspx


http://swfa.com/Minox-3-15x42-ZA5-Riflescope-P46139.aspx

Or just get the SS 3-9x and use it til they come out with the 5-20x.  But I dare bet that one will cost quite a bit more than $600 like the 3-9x.   I am sure it is going to rewrite the rules on long range tactical scopes like they have with the 1-4x.  So while it will be much cheaper than the scopes it is competing against I bet it is going to cost more than the rest of the line.

Thanks for the suggestions on the Minox. I'm going to do some research on them.

As for the SS of a higher variable power, I'm sure it will cost more than the 3-9 too, but I think it will be worth it. It's what I want, and it's not that I won't spend that much on it, just that I'm not willing to spend that much on something else when it seems like I'm having to make compromises on what I want. I really would like something in the 5-20 power range with target turrets that track well, and a first focal plane mildot reticle, that will be very durable with good glass. It seems like the SS is going to be the answer here. With other brands $1000 and under it seems like I have to compromise and give up some of what I want there, or I have to spend well more than $1000 on a Nightforce, US Optics, Schmidt and Bender, or similar to get what I want.

I don't want to use the 3-9SS in the meantime though, just because I have a 3-9 on this rifle right now and I'm not at all happy with the power range. I've found myself in a lot of situations where I wanted more power, and I've yet to find any situations where I cared to have less than 5 power on this rifle. I tried leaving my scope set on 3x and I found that it just wasn't working out for me. I don't find 3x to be enough at much past 100 yards, and where I hunt we often have to take shots at deer that are running through a field, and we don't have long to take the shot, so I often don't have time to be sitting there adjusting the magnification ring from 3x up to more power. So that's why I just leave it on 5x and it works perfect. If I'm hunting deer from a stand where I'm likely to get a shot at them standing in a field I leave it on 5x, but sometimes crank it up to 9x before taking a shot. I find 9x works fine for this, and most of my hunting needs. However, when I go to the range I'm finding I want a lot more than 9x, and I also find I'm wanting more than that when varmint hunting. That's why it seems like a 5-20 or 5-15 would be perfect. It meets my deer hunting needs on the low end, but my range and varmint needs on the high end.

Back to Top
slowr1der View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
Optics Apprentice
Avatar

Joined: March/25/2010
Status: Offline
Points: 247
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote slowr1der Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/14/2011 at 10:43
After looking some more, I'm really liking the Vortex Viper PST 4-16x50. Does anyone have any experience with this one yet? If so how would you rate it?

Edited by slowr1der - April/14/2011 at 10:44
Back to Top
powderburn View Drop Down
Optics Journeyman
Optics Journeyman


Joined: April/09/2010
Status: Offline
Points: 345
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote powderburn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/14/2011 at 10:46
    As a general rule based on my past experiences with both companies ( I have/had burris scopes and productes as well as bushnell) I would generally go with the burris overall compared to a bushnell. I just get a better vibe from Burris products.
Back to Top
supertool73 View Drop Down
Optics God
Optics God
Avatar
Superstool

Joined: January/03/2008
Status: Offline
Points: 11814
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/14/2011 at 11:25
I am with you, I am waiting for the new SS as well it is going to be a dandy.  I guess I will have to just get by with the 10x HD til then.  Big Grin

There are tons of reviews of the PST scope both here and on Snipers Hide.  I would just use the search tool to find them.  For the most part they are getting good reviews, they offer a lot for the money.
Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service don't mean a thing when your gun fails during a zombie attack.

"A Liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own."
Back to Top
ar15a292f View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
Optics Apprentice


Joined: May/26/2004
Status: Offline
Points: 77
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ar15a292f Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/14/2011 at 12:21
Both are good scopes but I would pick the Burris Fullfield II because of the Ballistic Plex reticle.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.947 seconds.