Bushnell Banner or simmons pro hunter?
 

Hi guys, here is the situation. I have a remington 700 bdl 30-06 that I used to use as a kid and now have a kid of my own going to hunt the year after next. I was looking for a decent shooter for 100$ or less and kinda were looking at these two. I remember banging around my scopes when i was twelve and didn't want anything high end for him to start with. Maybe after he has hunted a few years we could buy him a vx-2 or something. Can anyone suggest one of these scopes or another straight shooter for a 100$ or less?

RE: Bushnell Banner or simmons pro hunter?
 

You should be able to get a bushnell trophy for that price or maybe a hair more. They are a bit better scope than the banners are.

If you are setting up a high powered rifle for a kid make sure the scope has enough eye relief and is set up so it won't smack him in the head when he fires it.

Paul

RE: Bushnell Banner or simmons pro hunter?
 

I have heard nothing but good tghings about the new Pro Hunter scopes. That would be the Master Series. Guns and Ammo tasted them in 12 Ga slug guns without a failure. The Trophy is a better scopes than the Banner for just a little more money.

RE: Bushnell Banner or simmons pro hunter?
 

I myself would save my money and get something better...I have found that you get what you pay for. The Bushnell Legend is a better scope if you want to go cheap.. http://www.natchezss.com/category.cfm?contentID=productDetail&brand=BH& amp;category=20&subCategory=20&catLevel=1& amp;prodID=BH753940M&CFID=3160343&CFTOKEN= 78660688
Here are the prohunters that are in your price range...like James said, these are getting some good reviews, Meade corporation now owns Simmons, Redfield, and Weaver. http://www.natchezss.com/category.cfm?contentID=categoryMain&brand=SN&a mp;category=20&mfggroup=0&subCategory=20&a mp;catLevel=1&searchItem=&startRow=201&amp ;CFID=3160343&CFTOKEN=78660688

RE: Bushnell Banner or simmons pro hunter?
 

Bushnell is always good value for the money and around here anyway has excellent service. Never owned a Simmons but have never been impressed with them when looking at them. Have you considered buying a used Leupold?

RE: Bushnell Banner or simmons pro hunter?
 

I'd like to put in a plug for the Nikon scopes.

I picked up a 3x9x40 at Walmart for $150. Its on my .308. I have a nikon 2x30 on my Super Redhawk .454 and it survives the pounding with no problem. And I just mounted a 2x7x30 on my new 336C. I have every faith in these nikons. Walmart and ebay.

Just my $.02

Blue

RE: Bushnell Banner or simmons pro hunter?
 

How do you like the variable scope on the 30-30? I had an old 4x32 scope on mine, but it broke and lost its zero, so I said "the heck with it" and stripped it down to plain iron sights.

I don't know... somehow I kinda like the ol' 30-30 with iron sights. I hunt heavy timber and thickets where there is no way I'd get a 100 yard shot - heck not even a 50 yard shot!

I see Bushnell makes a nice Dusk & Dawn 1.5-4.5 x 32 scope which would be pretty cool on my 30-30, but I don't know if I should bother scoping it again.

RE: Bushnell Banner or simmons pro hunter?
 

I like it a lot, I have it mounted on a Weaver see thru mount for similar reasons, ie I get pretty close. But I wanted the scope for longer and more precise shots when I was left with only those options. I went with the smaller objective lense so it wouldn't interfere with the field of vision. I JUST got it so I haven't tested my theories yet. I'll keep it at 2x unless..........

RE: Bushnell Banner or simmons pro hunter?
 

Paul, I just looked through a bushnell trophy and really liked what i saw. Thanks for the advice everyone!

RE: Bushnell Banner or simmons pro hunter?
 

Here's my viewpoint on the low powered scopes. Mount 'em if you like 'em....

{not to highjack this thread, but...}
...allow me to show some photos of my old Marlin 30-30. I used to have an old
Glenfield 4x32 scope on a low weaver base as you see.

But somehow, someway, the scope lost its "zero" and the rounds would go
all over the place, no matter what I tried to do to the windage and
elevation knobs. :(

So.... I decided to say "the heck with it" and strip down the Marlin 30-30
to plain iron sights. It looks a little better and more classic, IMHO. I like
the feel of it and how I can just whip it right up, and I'm instantly on the
sights. I did take some weird, glow in the dark, clear drying phospherous
paint and dab it on the gold bead, so it now glows when it starts getting
to be dusk and nighttime.

Some people like to scope a 30-30, others don't. I'm still undecided if I
should get the Bushnell Banner Dusk 'n Dawn 1.5-4.5 x 32 small scope for
it again. What do you think?

Butch A.

RE: Bushnell Banner or simmons pro hunter?
 

Delete

RE: Bushnell Banner or simmons pro hunter?
 

should get the Bushnell Banner Dusk 'n Dawn 1.5-4.5 x 32 small scope for
it again. What do you think?

Butch A.
[/quote]

Butch,
I put that exact same scope on my Marlin this last year. I was wanting something smaller than my 3x9. At first, I did not know how I would like the circle reticle. I shot 3 deer with it this past year, and the circle reticle is almost like training wheels. I don't see how anyone could miss a deer with it. I think it is really a shotgun scope, and even though youmay notneed the 6 inch eye relief with the 30-30, it makes it quick to throw up and get on target.

I have a couple of other banners, and I have always known them to keep their zero. I think for the money, they do great. I like a scope in the woods because light can be a factor even in mid morning sometimes around here. I like being in the stand onthose dark dreary overcast days in thein thick woods.

Here is what the 1.5-4.5 x 32 looks like on my Marlin.

C. Davis

Hello there,
I have the same concern as you. I also have the thinking that if we have good hunter scopes we can become a good hunter. :)

If it were me I would go to Wally world and get a Nikon Prostaff in 2-7x or 3-9x for a few $ more.

Both Bushnell and Simmons are good, simmons pro hunter is made with lesser parts than other scopes made from aircraft grade aluminum. people go for bushnell straight because they are known for making best hunting scopes.. here's comparison of both from same site.

http://www.riflescopeguy.com/simmons...-scope-review/

http://www.riflescopeguy.com/bushnel...escope-review/

I would think that the OP after 11 years has a scope for the rifle his son was going to use.


Your post has not value to any one at this point.


:D Al

This thread MIGHT have a little value, or at least a little more current relevancy - although I absolutely F'ing HATE necroposters - since shortly after the original posts, Bushnell purchased Simmons, so the gap between the Banner and the ProHunter is likely much less today than it used to be.

I have post-take-over Simmons ProHunter and a Bushnell Trophy Elite pistol scopes which are VERY similar externally, although I'll admit, the Trophy Elite has a bit more edge distortion and a bit shorter eye relief than the ProHunter. The differences between the two are lesser than the differences between two 3-9x Banners I have from different eras.

I thought perhaps you coined a NEW phrase, but no.........

http://definithing.com/necroposter/

The dude posted that on 4/7/17 and hasn't been back on the site since then!

Maybe this is the deal they are waiting on--this morning I received an ad from Natchez Shooter Supplies. They have a Bushnell Elite 3500 demo on sale(and other scopes & binos). The 2-7 X 32 black multi-X that has a regular price of $258.99 is on sale for $159.99 and there is a rebate that takes it down to $119.99. That sounds very reasonable for a higher end Bushnell even if it is a demo.

Holy thread resurrection, Batman!

I replied way back in the day on this thread, back when I had an old Marlin .30-30 rifle that had a scope on it (I bought it from a co-worker back then).

I parted ways with that ol' .30-30 years ago when I found an amazing deal on a used Savage .308 with a cheap Simmons scope. I ditched the Simmons scope (now I remember why the .308 was a good deal - the scope was junk and wouldn't hold "zero"). I picked up a Bushnell Trophy 3-9x40 scope, had it mounted, boresighted, etc... and it's been perfect ever since! :)

That might be the sale I've been waiting for.... I'll check it out thanks!
-Jake

Ernie Simmons used to live in Lancaster co. PA. We were friends. I did a deal with him for stud service with my lab for a new Side X side SKB SXS 12 ga. for which Simmons was the sole importer. I never did care for Simmons scopes, I would chosen Bushnell over Simmon's every time. I don't know how many here know that Simmons was the company that developed and sold the Polly Choke. Ernie sold the company years ago and I have no idea who is making or importing the Simmons brand of products.

Bushnell bought them several years ago, which is itself now part of the Vista Outdoor family.

Optics
 

Definitely the Bushnell Banner! I've used both and there's no comparison in my mind. Clearer, brighter, and better in low light.

I think Simmons make a working mans scope and you get a lot for your money. Not that the others are bad in any way. Nikon is making some good stuff too. IMHO I'd get 3x9, $100-$200 ish