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FireFly Reticle

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jrmoore7138 View Drop Down
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    Posted: September/11/2007 at 09:35

Below paragraph is an advertisement for the FireFly reticle.  Any of you guys have experience with the FireFly and willing to share the pros / cons.  Sure appreciate it. John

 

When you see a trophy your eyes light up. Now you'll have the scope to match. Developed by Bushnell® engineers especially for the lowest light hunting situations, Bushnell's new FireFly™ reticle illuminates the cross hairs after only a quick 1-2 minute charge with a flashlight. Unlike battery-powered reticles - which often fail at the absolute worst times - the FireFly reticle will glow green and you will see your crosshairs against the animal. Look for the exciting new FireFly reticle on select models of our Elite 4200 and 3200 riflescopes. It's the pinnacle of reticle innovation.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ND2000 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2007 at 10:37

I have no experience, but it looks like a poor concept.  What are you supposed to do, charge the thing before dusk while in the field or first thing in the morning when you get to your hunting location?  No way am I going to have a white, bright flashlight illuminated for that long in the field. 

 

Also, what happens when the illumination wears out?  The "charge" will only last for so long.  I think this is more likely to fail at the worst times than a battery-powered, particularly if you pay attention to your hunting equipment.  Not sure green is the best color either, depending on your hunting environment. 

 

Gimmicky to me at best.

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Big Squeeze Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2007 at 12:13
JRMoore..................I have an Elite 4200 in a 3X9, but in the multi-plex. However, I have a friend who has the fire-fly recticle in his Elite which sits on a 300 Wby. Mag........  Charging the recticle takes only about a minute or two with a small pocket flashlight. Then, you turn off the flashlight and put it your pocket! The recticle will remain illuminated for quite awhile in the field. When the charge wears out, the recticle returns to the normal non-illuminated standard recticle for daylight hunting........I will kindly disagree with ND2000 on this one. The concept does work. The only inconvenience, if you want to call it that, is to carry a small pocket flashlight in the field with you! Just make sure that your flashlight batteries are charged up & carrying some extra batteries for your pocket flashlight would be a good idea as well........Most of, if not all of your hunting hours will be performed in daylight. The fire-fly concept is designed to work in extreme low light conditions. The hours spent in those conditions will be far less. So most of the time, you will not be using the fire-fly!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roy Finn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2007 at 13:29
I have 6 4200's, two of which have the FireFly reticle. I wish the reticle came out earlier because all of them would have been equipped with the FireFly reticle. I am not a big fan of illuminated (battery) reticles in hunting scopes nor do I want electronic BS in my bino's as well. In all candor, just the design of the FireFly makes it a perfect low light reticle without needing a "charge". If the luminescence wore off tomorrow I won't care. The reticle is very similar to the Bushnell 3-2-1 design which is also a great low light reticle. The glass in these scopes, in my opinion, are one of the very best in any scope I've tried under $750. Optically, they are very close to the Zeiss Conquest. If there is a "con" to these scopes, I haven't found it yet. Oh, by the way, I like em.   
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Big Squeeze Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2007 at 13:58
Roy..............Like me, you love your 4200`s as well.......6 of them uh?........The 4200 on my Ruger Frontier compact is mounted conventionally over the receiver.....I can also do the scout set-up on the barrel too. Unfortunately, no 3200 or 4200 scout scopes available with the right eye relief! Dammit!.......However, my 2.5-8x28 Nikon works very well!  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2007 at 17:35

 

  I haven't used one yet, but it  sure sounds like a great concept to me. It seems to me that I would want it to work exactly as Big Squeeze and Roy Finn claim it does. I always carry  a small flashlight with me while hunting anyway, I would need an illuminated reticle only for the twilight  haf-hour or so and simplifying the scope mechanicals has got to be good, no?   I think many, if not most, battery systems tend to be too bright anyway. My beloved  IOR has, I think, about 10 different brightness settings.  Only the two lowest ones will ever be used.  From what I've gathered from my short time on this great forum, this opinion is far from rare, and not just with IOR scopes, but several others as well...

               

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2007 at 18:35
I agree with Roy on this.  Even if the FF reticle didn't glow, I still like its unique step down design.  So, even if you don't bother with charging it with a flashlight, it's still a nice, well thought out reticle design that shows up well in low light.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2007 at 20:46

Originally posted by RifleDude RifleDude wrote:

I agree with Roy on this.  Even if the FF reticle didn't glow, I still like its unique step down design.  So, even if you don't bother with charging it with a flashlight, it's still a nice, well thought out reticle design that shows up well in low light.

 

  So if I'm reading you correctly, the Firefly reticle is not only luminescent, but has a unique shape/configuration as well?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2007 at 21:22

WAIT right there bambi while I take two minutes to warm up my cross hairs with my surefire flashlight.

Oh No ------ Where did he go?

 

 

 

 

While I do like the 4200 series scopes I really dont think I will be breaking out my flashlight at the critical moment.



Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Big Squeeze Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2007 at 21:36
Imagineryfrnd..............You don`t have to break out the flashlite at a critical moment....Sorry! That`s not how it works! Begin the hunt by charging the recticle. The recticle will stay illuminated for quite awhile until there is enough sunlight. If Bambi comes along,,,Bambi will be quite dead!!........... 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2007 at 21:42

  l would have thought that the phosphorescence should be good for at least a couple hours, kind of like the old alarm clock hands. Going into the woods on an evening hunt, it should not be terribly unstealthy to surreptitiously shine the little Surefire into the bell for a few moments before settling in...

 

 Edited to note that Big Squeeze answered my post before I finished typing it!



Edited by RONK
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roy Finn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2007 at 22:25
If charging a FireFly presents a big challenge then you got bigger problems before ya. Golf is always a good option.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2007 at 22:27
Originally posted by RONK RONK wrote:

  So if I'm reading you correctly, the Firefly reticle is not only luminescent, but has a unique shape/configuration as well?

 

Yes.  It has thick outer posts that step down to a short slightly thinner portion toward the center followed by thin center crosshairs.  The center of the reticle isn't very well defined in this pic, but it gives you the general idea.

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Big Squeeze Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2007 at 22:32
That will do the trick!!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2007 at 19:15

 

 

  Thanks for posting that image, Rifle Dude.  Now you've got me wondering if that is a wire or etched-glass reticle?  Anyone know for certain?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote army_eod Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2007 at 09:11

How about telling us exactly how long the reticles stay illuminated after a charge.

 

Thx

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rocker4 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2007 at 09:13
I had the firefly in the Elite 3200 and got rid of it. The illumination works great, but the crosshairs were WAY to thick for me. Shooting at the range at 300 yards was very tough with the thick crosshairs. I took several animals with this scope, a bear and elk under 250 yards, then went on a mule deer hunt. I had a nice buck at 320 yards, and the crosshairs almost covered his vitals. That was the deciding factor for me. Just my personal preference I guess.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2007 at 10:17
Originally posted by army_eod army_eod wrote:

How about telling us exactly how long the reticles stay illuminated after a charge.

 

Thx

 

  That's the question I forgot to ask. Chime in boys! (And girls, too,for that matter.)

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rocker4 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2007 at 10:28
If I remember right, mine stayed illuminated for about 1/2 hour. They start out very bright, and slowly loose illumination.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roy Finn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/20/2007 at 11:51
RONK, the reticle is wire. One other thing I would recomend is to charge the reticle with a Surefire type light, not the POS it comes with. The reticle will glow for approx 30 minutes.
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