Old Bushnell Scopechief/Banners~any fans here?

[.22LRGUY]

Hey guys~been wondering this as I have a few and am always looking for others... As much as I like them, they don't get asked (in my case) to do any more than get punished by 22LR and 17HMR recoil Anybody else have/use them on a regular basis? Anybody have them on anything with a little recoil? Ever have one fail? What do Bushnell say if/when you send one off for service?

I'm not sure ANYTHING Bushnell sells in their lower end optics that rival the glass quality on these old Japanese gems, but I'm curious how many guys have them/use them/collect them? Photos welcome!

 

[TAP375]

I have a 4x fixed ScopeChief, manufactured by B&L for Bushnell, that I bought in 1981; It has a bit longer tube than newer scopes, but there's absolutely distortions in the image, and the clarity is at par with the newer FXII scopes I have (yes, I'm a fixed scope fan... .) The only reason I took it off from my 30-06 was it's 3 1/2" eye relief. I had it on the EE a while back, but got no reasonable bites on it.

Don't know about older Banners, but IMHO ScopeChiefs are way underrated scopes by the "newer" generation.

 

[Slamfire]

I picked up a couple of new old stock Bushnell Banner 1.5-4x20mm scopes for cheap from a retailer a while ago. These were made in the '70's based on the date shown on the literature included with the scopes. Absolute gems! These have a rather sturdy and hefty feel, and are surprisingly clear and bright with generous eye relief.

I contacted Bushnell to register these scopes for warranty purposes but this product wasn't recognized by them. Not sure then what they can do for me if these scopes ever malfunction.

I had one on my Ruger No.1 .45-70 and it withstood the recoil just fine. I now use these as shotgun scopes.

I also have an old Bushnell Banner 4x scope that still functions perfectly.

Ruger No.1-S .45-70 with Bushnell Banner 1.5-4x20mm scope

H&R Survivor .410 / .45 Colt with Bushnell Banner 1.5-4x20mm scope

Mossberg 930 12 ga. autoloader with Bushnell Banner 1.5-4x20mm scope

 

[AP]

i have a 4x fixed scopechief, manufactured by b&l for bushnell, that i bought in 1981; it has a bit longer tube than newer scopes, but there's absolutely distortions in the image, and the clarity is at par with the newer fxii scopes i have (yes, i'm a fixed scope fan... .) the only reason i took it off from my 30-06 was it's 3 1/2" eye relief. I had it on the ee a while back, but got no reasonable bites on it.

Don't know about older banners, but imho scopechiefs are way underrated scopes by the "newer" generation.

shhhhhhh!!! No need to announce it to the whole neighborhood.

 

[tinmandan]

I have a Bushnell Scope Chief 2-8 x 32 on a .308 Parker Hale 1100 Deluxe, both bought new in the early 80's. It's a nice clear scope and has held up well. The eye relief is not as long or forgiving as I prefer but still good enough. From the reviews I have read on the old Scope Chiefs they were a quality piece of glass back in the day.

 

[lledwod]

I'm a fan

 

[Raton57]

I have an old Bushnell that I bought at the Calgary gun show in the early 80's used. It turned out to not work right so i sent it back to them with a note that it wasn't under warrenty but was willing to pay a bi to have it fixed. They sent me a scope back and I never did figure out if it was the old one fixed or a new one as it had new rubber on it even and a $35 dollar charge. The scope is on a 30-06 for the last 30 some years now and still works.

 

[freezer filler]

I picked up a couple of new old stock Bushnell Banner 1.5-4x20mm scopes for cheap from a retailer a while ago. These were made in the '70's based on the date shown on the literature included with the scopes. Absolute gems! These have a rather sturdy and hefty feel, and are surprisingly clear and bright with generous eye relief.

I contacted Bushnell to register these scopes for warranty purposes but this product wasn't recognized by them. Not sure then what they can do for me if these scopes ever malfunction.

I had one on my Ruger No.1 .45-70 and it withstood the recoil just fine. I now use these as shotgun scopes.

I also have an old Bushnell Banner 4x scope that still functions perfectly.

Ruger No.1-S .45-70 with Bushnell Banner 1.5-4x20mm scope

H&R Survivor .410 / .45 Colt with Bushnell Banner 1.5-4x20mm scope

Mossberg 930 12 ga. autoloader with Bushnell Banner 1.5-4x20mm scope

I sold over 50 of these last year with not one single complaint. I use them on everything from muzzleloaders to several 243s and 270s without issue. Even if newer coatings make for better lenses, the mechanics of newer scopes may not be as rugged as these golden oldies.

 

[Ganderite]

The ScopeChief is a quality scope.

 

[kc34]

I acquired one of the old Japan made Bushnell Banner 1.5-4x20 scopes on the EE and it is surprisingly nice. You can't go to wrong with one of these little scopes.

 

[t-star]

damned pussies- I have a BANNER 4x12 x40 vintage 1979 that sits atop my savage 99 in 308- now THAT'S a scope- and it's mij- I also got a bunch of bunch of sportview 3x9 that had French only instructions- I haven't bought scope since 1990- I also got a scopechief in the same specs

 

[TheTooner]

I have a Banner (B&L, made in Japan) 4x40mm Lite-Site. It takes up a lot of space but I wasn't going to put anything else up there on top of a rifle and it works. It'll probably still be working long after I'm dead. I doubt I could get more than $50 for it. I doubt a $500 scope works twice as well.

 

[ben777lemay]

I had a 4X Scopechief IV on a Parker Hale 1200C Safari in .308win.

It was really a great scope !

I no longer have the scope ( and the rifle ) but I would not hesitate to buy another one.

Very clear optic, hold zero perfectly and handle the recoil very well.
Typical Japan optic quality of this era.
The gloss finnish and the gold lettering was a candy for the eyes.

 

[Pat Brennan]

I used several variable scopechiefs for a couple decades. I found the eye relief to be a bit short (and have the scars to prove it) and had some shake apart (leak). Bushnell service at the time was abysmal (like waiting over a year for one to get fixed). I found the image quality good, though looking close to the sun rising was a challenge. They were on a few different 270s, at least one 30-06, a 308, a 7mm mag, a 300 win mag and a 338 win mag. They were affordable in a time where a low end leupold was close to the cost of a new rifle and I had a young family to consider.

 

[.22LRGUY]

damned pu**ies- I have a BANNER 4x12 x40 vintage 1979 that sits atop my savage 99 in 308- now THAT'S a scope- and it's mij- I also got a bunch of bunch of sportview 3x9 that had French only instructions- I haven't bought scope since 1990- I also got a scopechief in the same specs

^huh? lol

I have the same scope, 4-12 Banner, AO, sitting on a shelf in my office. New condition, and too delicate to use on any firearm. Actually, it is new condition..sitting on a shelf..waiting for the right gun to come along. I have the same scope, same condition, only in 6-18x riding on my Marlin 917 out in Alberta. Beautiful thing, not a common scope to find used and BOY did it help put down A-LOT of gophers in 2016.

 

[AP]

I used several variable scopechiefs for a couple decades. I found the eye relief to be a bit short (and have the scars to prove it) and had some shake apart (leak). Bushnell service at the time was abysmal (like waiting over a year for one to get fixed). I found the image quality good, though looking close to the sun rising was a challenge. They were on a few different 270s, at least one 30-06, a 308, a 7mm mag, a 300 win mag and a 338 win mag. They were affordable in a time where a low end leupold was close to the cost of a new rifle and I had a young family to consider.

If you thought the Scopechief was bad when dealing with flare ... I can tell you that the several low variable Scopechiefs I have picked up over the years were vastly superior to my first 'expensive' scope which was a Leupold Vari-x III low variable. I dumped the Leupold pretty quickly due to extreme flare (even from extraneous light over my shoulder that struck the ocular washing out the image) and replaced it with a Zeiss. As other folks have found .. sometimes price and quality are not synonymous. I am convinced that the major reason for Leupolds higher prices are due in great part to the very generous warranty they can afford to provide.

 

[Dogleg]

Or maybe the warranty is so generous because it is seldom used. Did you know that one guy handled all the warranty work for all of Canada? He may have got on full time by now.

 

[AP]

Or maybe the warranty is so generous because it is seldom used. Did you know that one guy handled all the warranty work for all of Canada? He may have got on full time by now.

Well if its not the warranty (although some benchrest guys do abuse it trying to get their Leupolds adjusted so that they track consistently) It must be the cost of marketing that inflates the price of Leupolds...because the price sure isnt demonstrated in their lack lustre optical performance or limited mechanical precision or scope of adjustment. Weaver microtracs are more consistent in tracking and most B&L labelled scopes exceed leupolds in contrast, clarity and brightness...and every European scope I have used and own has fast focus with greater range to accomodate most people who use reading glasses....unlike the majority of Leupold's scopes. I still have several Leupolds...they are light weight...but I dont drink that koolaid anymore.

 

[BCrecce]

Picked up an old 6x fixed banner for an Enfield Enforcer clone project from a gunshow for @$60 and was amazed how clear she was, its had acouple hundred rounds of spicy hand loads and holds zero.

 

[Dogleg]

Well if its not the warranty (although some benchrest guys do abuse it trying to get their Leupolds adjusted so that they track consistently) It must be the cost of marketing that inflates the price of Leupolds...because the price sure isnt demonstrated in their lack lustre optical performance or limited mechanical precision or scope of adjustment. Weaver microtracs are more consistent in tracking and most B&L labelled scopes exceed leupolds in contrast, clarity and brightness...and every European scope I have used and own has fast focus with greater range to accomodate most people who use reading glasses....unlike the majority of Leupold's scopes. I still have several Leupolds...they are light weight...but I dont drink that koolaid anymore.

I've got somewhere between 6 or 7 dozen of them. Guess how many I've broken? That would be none.

Ultimately the biggest factor in scope pricing is what the market will stand.