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The 450 Bushmaster is one of the most powerful cartridges out there. It is opted for by hunters when they want to ensure consistency in bringing down their targets. Ideal for taking out a larger game, it is often referred to as the “Thumper” by some hunters.
However, consistently hitting a target isn’t just a matter of the cartridge you use. In fact, the scope you opt for also majorly affects your game. Buying the perfect scope for your 450 Bushmaster won’t be as complex as it once was since we have the perfect guide for you, which includes all you need to know.
So, if you want to know more, keep on reading!
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Best 450 Bushmaster Scopes
- OUR TOP PICK: Vortex Crossfire II Adjustable Objective
- RUNNER-UP: Bushnell Dusk & Dawn Circle-X
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Primary Arms SLX 4-14x44mm FFP
Comparison of the Best .450 Bushmaster Scopes
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What Makes a Scope Great for the .450 Bushmaster?
Certain factors contribute and make a great scope, and they should not be compromised if you want a good-quality scope for your rifle. These include:
Eye Relief
Eye relief can simply be described as the maximum distance from the eyepiece's surface from which one gets a complete viewing angle. The eye relief for a .450 Bushmaster needs to be longer and effective as it is known for having a prominent recoil and impact. Thus, opt for a unit with a forgiving, well-designed eye box, and long eye relief.
Multi-Coated Lens
Invest in a unit that has multi-coated lenses. It is an incredibly important feature to have as it directly affects your visual clarity and brightness. Multicoated lenses provide a crisp, bright, and clear image and are also created to be scratch-resistant.
Magnification
The magnification of your scope should work well with your cartridge as it plays a major part in consistency and accuracy. It’s not recommended to go over 15x magnification for a .450 Bushmaster. Thus, look for a unit with a suitable magnification for close range and moving targets.
What Do the Numbers Mean on a Scope?
One of the most confusing parts for first-time scope owners and users in making sense of the scribbled numbers on the product. Well, there are two numbers present on a rifle scope.
The first number indicates the magnification that the scope has, whereas the second number tells us the diameter of its objective lens. These are two important factors when buying a scope; thus, they are always mentioned on top of it.
So, for instance, if a scope has 4.5 x 25 written on top of it, then the 4.5 is the magnification, whereas the 25 mm is the diameter of the objective lens.
Review of the Best .450 Bushmaster Scopes
There are plenty of products out there, which makes it tough to narrow down your options to one. Thus, we’ve listed and reviewed some of the best .450 scopes in the market. All the mentioned products are incredibly well-designed and overall wonderful investments. Make your pick!
Best Overall:
Vortex Crossfire II Adjustable Objective
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Clear vision, user convenience, and durability are a few features of this incredible scope, which made it an incredible purchase and a consumer favorite. Consumers find it to be a great deal at this price point, given its highly functional and sturdy design.
Why it Stands Out to Us
There are several reasons why this scope stood out to us. Firstly, it is constructed to have a long eye-relief and a forgiving eye box, which makes it convenient for users. It has a fast-focusing eyepiece and allows you to get quick reticle focusing. It has aircraft-grade aluminum construction, which is incredibly durable. On top of that, it is backed by a limited lifetime warranty, which is incredible!
This design features anti-reflective and multi-coated lenses that provide a clear and bright view of your target. Moreover, the design is O-ring sealed and nitrogen-purged, which allows it to be fog-proof and waterproof.
Bottom Line
It is an exceptionally well-constructed scope. Be it the way it performs, the incredible optics it provides, or the smart design it carries; every aspect is commendable. At this price point, it works as well as its higher-end counterparts, which is highly appreciated.
Runner-up:
Bushnell Dusk & Dawn Circle-X
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers are pretty happy with this unit overall. It seems to have made quite a lasting impression on consumers with its simple yet functional design and amazing construction. Buyers are impressed with its low-light performance, especially given how affordable it is.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This unit intrigued us with a simplistic yet practical design. It has all the necessary features that allow it to be a worthy tool to invest in without being too overwhelming. Thus, it can be great for beginners looking for affordable scopes.
It has high-quality construction, which allows it to be durable. It is O-ring sealed, which enables it to be waterproof, whereas the argon-purged design allows it to be fog-proof. The lenses are multi-coated to provide clear and bright vision at dusk or dawn. Plus, the fast-focus eyepiece enables quick and easy reticular adjustments.
Bottom Line
There aren’t many products quite as well designed as this one. It tends to have a highly functional and reliable design that too at an affordable price point. It is durable and has great low-lighting performance too. Thus, it’s a great investment.
Best for the Money:
Primary Arms SLX 4-14x44mm FFP
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Users have been highly impressed with this unit. They absolutely love the design, performance, reliable nature, and the incredible price point. Some buyers complain that it is slightly heavy, yet the product is overall worthy of the appreciation it has received.
Why it Stands Out to Us
There are many reasons why this unit captured our interest. Firstly, it has a highly durable construction that is capable of working in several different weather conditions. It is made to be shockproof, fog-proof, and waterproof. Its first focal plane reticle tends to stay true to all the magnifications.
It offers six illumination settings that are powered by a common CR2032 battery. The overall construction is high-quality aircraft-grade aluminum, which allows it to be sturdy, durable, and reliable. It comes with a fast-focusing eyepiece and a side-adjustable parallax for a crisp view of the target.
Bottom Line
Overall, the unit is incredibly well-constructed. It doesn’t just function well, but it is also highly user-friendly and well-designed. The overall construction is solid, and so is the performance. Thus, it proves to be a good investment.
Best Leupold .450 Bushmaster Scope:
Leupold VX-Freedom 450 Bushmaster 3-9x40
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Consumers are ecstatic over this product. The masses appreciate it quite a lot and are fond of how well it performs under different conditions. The design is highly innovative and smart. Although buyers wish that the eyepiece had rubber on it, this unit continues to be a consumer favorite.
Why it Stands Out to Us
What’s not to like about this product? It’s amongst the very few units in the market with little to no design flaws. The construction of this unit is unmatched. It is somehow lightweight and convenient for the consumer to use yet has incredible durability and is heavy-duty.
Furthermore, it has military-standard scratch-resistant lenses that offer excellent quality and bright and clear images. It comes with a twilight light management system, which adds ten extra minutes of shooting light that aid in reducing glare and providing crisper visuals. The unit is waterproof, shockproof, and fog-proof.
Bottom Line
All in all, it is an exceptionally well-designed unit. It performs incredibly well under multiple conditions and has a rock-solid construction that remains unfazed by harsh external factors. It overall proves to be a great investment and is definitely worth checking out.
Best BDC Scope for .450 Bushmaster:
Vortex Optics Diamondback SFP Riflescopes
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
The Vortex SFP Riflescope seems to have made quite a positive impression on consumers. It has a highly reliable and durable construction, which allows it to be incredibly long-lasting. Some buyers wished it came with a flip-up lens cap; however, that is incredibly easy to forgive, given its incredible performance.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Firstly, this unit has a solid single-piece construction which has an anodized finish. This allows it to be capable of handling recoil and impact well by making it shockproof. Furthermore, it is argon-purged, and O-ring sealed, which enables it to be waterproof and shockproof.
As far as the lenses are concerned, they offer incredibly clear and crisp images as they are multi-coated. It offers a fast-focusing eyepiece that enables quick reticular focusing. It has a precision-glide erector system for accurate tracking and repeatability.
Bottom Line
To sum up, this unit is a true gem. It has an incredible construction, wonderful design, and highly functional performance. It is durable and convenient for consumers, which is why it is such a great investment that’s worth checking out.
Best Hunting Scope for .450 Bushmaster:
Vortex Optics Strikefire II
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Another unit by Vortex, the Strikefire II has garnered largely positive reviews. Consumers are impressed with its lightweight, compact, and convenient design that packs a powerful performance. It seems to be a highly versatile unit that is a consumer-favorite due to the structural integrity and innovation of its design.
Why it Stands Out to Us
There are many reasons why this unit stuck with us. It is incredibly well-constructed and has a stunning and smart design. It has a single-piece tube construction that is lightweight, compact yet works as well as any other high-end counterpart.
It is O-ring sealed and nitrogen-purged, which allows it to be waterproof and fog-proof. The shockproof design also allows it to withstand recoil and impact. Another incredible feature offered is its ten different illumination variations for improved clarity.
Bottom Line
Last but certainly not least, this unit is exceptionally well-designed and highly reliable. It has incredible construction and is backed by a great warranty, which makes it a reliable and long-lasting investment. Plus, with ten different illuminations, you are bound to get great clarity.
Are Rifle Scopes Universal?
In terms of performance, there is no scope which does it all. There are different features, benefits, and drawbacks to each product that one should keep in mind when purchasing a unit as it will translate into its performance.
Therefore, research a unit well enough to know how it works and then buy it after understanding how it will add to your hunting experience.
As far as mounting the scope is concerned, most rail-mounted systems are universal and simple; however, there are two types of rail systems, which are Picatinny and weaver. Picatinny is preferred for tactical and long-range shooting.
Pros and Cons of Adding a New Scope to Your .450 Bushmaster
If you still are at a crossroads about investing in a new scope, then perhaps looking at the pros and cons it offers will help you make a firm decision. Have a look:
Pros
These pros are based on both the construction and performance of the scopes, and they tend to make a very powerful case for the product in terms of whether or not it’s worth the investment.
Weatherproof
New scopes put up a better fight against harsh weather conditions. They are usually O-ring sealed, and nitrogen/argon purged to offer water and fog resistance, which can save them from structural damage and unclear visuals.
Durable
New and good-quality scopes are constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum that offers structural integrity and strength to the unit. They also have an anodized finish over a single tube design, which allows it to be recoil and impact-resistant.
Convenience
New and improved-quality scopes are convenient in terms of handling and usage. They are lightweight and easy to mount, along with being sturdy and reliable. They also tend to have longer eye relief and a forgiving eye box to counter recoil.
Cons
Unfortunately, it does have a single con, which isn’t by any means a complete deal-breaker but certainly worth mentioning.
Overwhelming
New and advanced models can get overwhelming to handle for beginners. They offer advanced settings, have slightly trickier installation, and can be expensive at times, which may reflect in its performance.
This makes the unit slightly inaccessible for novices.
How to Zero a Rifle Scope at 100 Yards
People often wonder how to zero a rifle scope. It may look and sound intimidating, but it’s not. Here’s a step by step breakdown of the process to help you:
- When zeroing in your scope, make sure you’re using ammo that you shoot with most commonly; otherwise, you’ll notice a difference in your zero.
- Before you start shooting, use a laser light to get close and adjust the windage and elevation knobs so much so that the laser is at dead center.
- Then, shoot three to five shots and make adjustments from there. Once you have a group of shots, find out how far horizontally and vertically, the group is from the center on the board.
- Use the windage knob for the left to right and the elevation knob for front to center adjustment. Your scope will tell you the cribs per minute of angle.
- If you’re zeroing at 100 yards, then one minute of angle is very close to one inch. So, if you need to come to the left one inch and up two inches on your target, that would be four clicks on the windage knob and eight clicks up on the elevation knob.
- Repeat till you hit zero on a target.
If you still have any reservations regarding how to zero a rifle, here’s a video that goes into a bit more detail of the process. It will surely help you.
What Distance Should I Sight in My .450 Bushmaster?
If you want to be certain, then sight it in for 1.5 inches at a 100-yard distance. This allows you to be in the kill zone even if the shot you need to take is at 200 yards.
How to Mount a Scope on a Ruger .450 Bushmaster
One of the most frequently inquired aspects of buying a scope for your firearm is how to mount it on. It may look like a tricky process to beginners, but trust us, it’s not. With the right directions and a little focus, you’ll surely ace it. Let’s see a step-by-step breakdown of the process:
- It’s ideal to invest in extra-high rings rails that allow the scope to sit well without hitting the barrel.
- First, take the two bars of the scope and align them with the bars on the ring rail.
- Screw them in with your hand first till they sit tight.
- Then using a big screwdriver, further tighten them in place.
- The scope is mounted, and you’re ready to shoot!
If there is any aspect of the process that you need further clarification on, feel free to check the video below for more details on what to do.
Conclusion
The scope you choose plays an important role in your hunting experience. Professional hunters and shooters understand well enough how important the visual aid you invest in is for your hunting endeavors. It can play a crucial role in the consistency and accuracy of your hunt.
With a .450 Bushmaster cartridge, which is exceptionally powerful, having the right scope is essential. Thus, we put together the complete round-up of some of the best .450 Bushmaster scopes out there. This post didn’t just include good scope recommendations but touched upon how to mount one and how to choose one too! Have fun shooting!
People Also Ask
Several questions come to mind when one is looking for a suitable 450 Bushmaster scope. Thus, we answered your most frequently asked questions to clear any confusion you may have. Let’s jump right into them:
How Far Will a .450 Bushmaster Shoot Accurately?
A .450 Bushmaster can shoot up to 300 yards accurately, which is known as its effective range. It is well-established that the Bushmaster isn’t designed to be a long-distance cartridge. However, one can reach out with it for a medium-sized game.
How Much Does a .450 Bushmaster Drop at 200 Yards?
The .450 Bushmaster is said to have a considerably flat trajectory; however, if the firearm is zeroed at 150 yards, it will experience a drop of 4.9 inches at 200 yards and a rise of 1.8 inches at 100 yards.