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would i regret the trade off

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cadiz View Drop Down
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Joined: October/06/2008
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    Posted: February/09/2010 at 14:58
I currently have a bushnell elite 4200 1.25x4 on my ar 15 w/illumination,  this is the first scope i have ever owned and i really like it, but i have never looked through any other glass.  so i guess this is like your first girlfriend i'm happy but i need to see more.  i am considering a bushnell elite 6500 1.25x8, i would lose illumination but double magnification , not much of a review on here about that scope, seems the 2.5x16 gets alot of attention in the 6500.  i sold an eotech and a burris fastfire because i can shoot both eyes open at 1.25 so those items are out of my system.  i can't afford the swaros and iors reticle looks to busy. i can get the bushnell 6500 for about 499.00, have any of you went from an illuminated reticle to non illuminated and had regrets.  i have been looking at alot of scopes used the swfa ranking system as a guide, for the money this seems the best choice.  what scope am i missing in my consideration.
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Craig View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Craig Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 19:49

Over the potential long life of a scope it is likely you will have some regrets over not having an illuminated reticle, if you had good reason to have illumination in the first place.  To resolve your question you must weigh the pro and con of illuminations vs the pro and con of magnification and range in magnification.  How frequently with your present scope have you missed because 4x was not enough magnification?  How often has the illuminated reticle helped you make a shot that you wold not have made without illumination?  To some degree this is hypothetical as you don't get to make the same shot twice.  But you can partially address the question.  Take your present scope and compare how well you shoot with and without illumination under the same conditions.  Then compare how you shoot at the high end of magnification - 4x vs 8x (borrow a friends 3 -9x if you don't have one).  Also compare target acquisition and how well you shoot at moving targers at the low end of magnification - 1.25x v 2.5x.  With these comparisons in mind, consider how you will use your rig.  If 8x allows you to shoot better than 4x at long range, how often will you really get a long range shot?  How often will you get a shot in low light such that the illuminated reticle might help?  So there is a lot to compare here and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Consider with the simplist part, how much does an illuminated reticle help you in low light.  Set up some appropriate targets and compare your accuracy with and without the illumination on.  There are so many scopes to consider you can drive yourself nuts thinking about them.  But the best place to start is know what features of your present scope are truly important for your situation.  

What is obvious today was probably obscure yesterday
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cadiz View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cadiz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 20:18
good advice, i sold the bushnell 4200 today, so i have two 30mm a.r.m.s rings waiting for a new scope.  pretty sure i am going to get ior valdada 2.5x10 with mp8 illuminated.  that should fit what i'm looking for. thx
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