BUSHNELL ENGAGE 2.5-10X 44MM

A RIFLEMAN’S OPTICS

- Patrick Meitin

Each spring, I await the emer-gence of local Columbia ground squirrels as anxiously as others anticipate the turkey season opener. I frequently travel days to reach eastern Oregon or shoot “gophers” in southern Idaho. I own two tricked-out Ruger 10/22 rifles, each including $1,000 worth of aftermarket parts to maximize accuracy. So, it was no surprise that I gravitated to the rifle used in this optics evaluation. Ruger’s new American Rimfire Long-Range Target is a serious .22 LR, but I needed a scope.

Bushnell’s 13.5-inch, 19.3-ounce Engage 2.5-10x 44mm scope, with its 30mm tube, wide magnification range, Deploy MOA reticle and exposed turrets, was no doubt designed with centerfire big-game hunters in mind. It includes the excellent resolution and light gathering abilities needed to function in any legal shooting light and features necessary to wring the very most from your favorite big game rifle. I highly recommend this optic for anyone looking for a highly-versatile, feature-packed but affordable centerfire riflescope. The Engage series includes eight other models ranging from 3-9x 50mm to 6-24x 50mm. This host of features, plus side parallax focus, also happen to provide serious rimfire shooters an edge by introducing more precise shot placement, added range capabilities and shooting confidence serious target or small-game hunters appreciate. As such, this review involved targeting mostly varmints and very few paper targets beyond initial sight-in.

The turrets found on the Bushnell Engage 2.5-10x 44mm tracked precisely through literally hundreds of corrections. The click-down locking feature and Tool-less Locking Turrets worked well.