The .450 Bushmaster rifle is a newer cartridge that continues to increase in popularity, especially with the change in hunting regulations in several states. It’s the perfect rifle to hunt large game. But like with any rifle, having the right optics enhances the effectiveness of the .450 Bushmaster, including having the right rifle scope. We’re going to take a look at the best scopes for .450 Bushmaster.
Choosing the best .450 Bushmaster scope isn’t easy. But once you know what you’re looking for in terms of your needs and skills, it becomes a lot simpler. Keep reading to discover the best scope for .450 Bushmaster rifles and find out how to choose the right rifle scope to have the best impact on your target. After testing them all, I decided the Vortex Crossfire is the best choice.
The Best Scopes for .450 Bushmaster
Choosing the best scope for .450 Bushmaster rifles isn’t an easy task, especially if you’re a beginner. But as long as you can figure out what your needs are, it is a doable challenge. To help you out, here are a few of the best scopes for .450 Bushmaster rifles for you to improve your visibility and accuracy.
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Huntershalt: #1 Choice
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Pros:
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Pros:
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- Best Value For Your Money
- Highly Durable
- Lightweight & Portable
- Great For Long Range Shooting
- Durable - Made From High Strength Material
- Great Adjustability
- Crystal Clear Lens Quality
- Very High Quality Scope
- Easy To Zero
Here are the 5 best scopes for the 450 Bushmaster.
- Vortex Optics Crossfire II Second Focal Plane
- UTG 3-9X32 1″ BugBuster Scope, AO, 36-color Mil-dot
- Leupold VX-Freedom 450 Bushmaster 3-9×40 Riflescope
- Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Circle-X Reticle Rifle Scope
- Burris Fullfield II Hunting Scope, Ballistic Plex Reticle
1) Vortex Optics Crossfire II Second Focal Plane
First on our list of contenders for the best scope for a .450 Bushmaster rifle is the Vortex Optics Crossfire II Second Focal Plane.
The Vortex Crossfire II provides the best value for the price. It’s effective at shooting at varying ranges, especially where estimating holdover is difficult. The anti-reflective, fully multi-coated lenses provide a clear view of your target.
What’s more is that the Vortex Optics Crossfire II provides long eye relief and a fast-focus eyepiece so you can quickly hone in on your target and make your shot.
What is the Vortex Optics Crossfire II made out of?
This Vortex scope is made overseas out of a single-piece tube constructed from aluminum, ensuring the durability that the .450 Bushmaster rifle requires. The scope also has an O-ring seal and is nitrogen purged, making it waterproof and fogproof.
What type of crosshair does this scope have?
The Vortex Optics Crossfire II has a duplex crosshair and three ballistic-drop-compensating hash marks on the bottom of the reticle. This makes it exceptionally easy to make MOA adjustments on your scope from various distances.
2) UTG 3-9X32 1″ BugBuster Scope, AO, 36-color Mil-dot
Next on our list is the UTG 3-9X32 1″ BugBuster Scope, AO, 36-color Mil-dot. This .450 Bushmaster scope has a straightforward magnification setting of 3x-9x, which is perfect for the type of shooting you would be doing with your rifle. The mil-dot reticle has a dual-color red-and-green illumination as well as a memory that lets you get right back to the last color and brightness setting you used. The emerald-coated lens provides a clear view with maximum light transmission.
Beyond that, the BugBuster has a large, wide-angle field of view and very accommodating eye relief, making it an optimal choice for long sessions. In fact, the BugBuster is one of the top long-range rifle scopes for people on a budget.
How adjustable is the objective?
The objective is adjustable from three yards to infinity to achieve Parallax-free view.
3) Leupold VX-Freedom 450 Bushmaster 3-9×40 Riflescope
Next on our list of the best scopes for the .450 Bushmaster rifle is the Leupold VX-Freedom 450 Bushmaster 3-9×40 Riflescope. This scope is made specifically for the .450 Bushmaster. Leupold is known for great quality, so if you’re looking to splurge on a high-quality scope, this should be a top choice.
Known as a premium scope, this attachment gets great ratings in image clarity, light transmission, and color fidelity. The 3x-9x magnification range is versatile for many types of shooting, and it also has a twilight light management system that adds as much as 10 additional minutes of shooting light and improves prime image quality by reducing glare. This also makes Leupold the best 44mag scope for long-range shooting. Of course, this scope is 100% waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof.
Where is the Leupold VX-Freedom made?
This scope is designed, machined, and assembled in the U.S. Very few optics are manufactured in the US nowadays. Off memory, the Trijicon RMR and the SRO are some of the only other optics made in the U.S.
How much impact can the Leupold VX-Freedom handle?
According to Leupold, every one of its rifle scopes is designed to handle a minimum of 5,000 impacts on its recoil simulation machine. Furthermore, each scope is tested to perform from -40ºF to 160ºF.
4) Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Circle-X Reticle Rifle Scope
Next, we have the Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Circle-X Reticle Riflescope.
As the most affordable option on our list, this Bushnell scope is great for beginners who want a high-quality sighting tool to enhance their hunting experience. That’s why I have also considered Bushnell to be one of the best Henry H001 scopes for new hunters.
This rifle scope provides quality optics with HD clarity and is made from high-performance material for durability. The fast-focus eyepiece enhances your ability to catch your target quickly and effectively.
What’s great about this Bushnell scope is that it’s made for hunting during low-light conditions so you can hunt as early in the morning as you want to. What’s more is that you can use it for middle- or long-range shots, making it versatile enough to pair with other rifles.
Who is this scope made for?
This Bushnell scope is a great choice for those who want an affordable option that is well-designed, has multi-coated lenses, and has an adjustable, fast-focus eyepiece.
5) Burris Fullfield II Hunting Scope, Ballistic Plex Reticle
Finishing off our list is the Burris Fullfield II Hunting Scope, Ballistic Plex Reticle. This is one of Burris’ most popular and well-known scopes. It provides great image clarity thanks to its grade-optical glass that delivers optimal brightness. The outer tube is durable and can withstand the .450 Bushmaster’s shock and vibration. Combined with the no-glare, multi-coated lenses, it’s possible to hunt with this scope in a variety of lighting conditions, including environments with low light.
What’s more, the power ring has a no-slip grip for easy adjustment, and the positive steel-on-steel quick adjustment ensures repeatable settings.
What are the Burris Fullfield II’s other features?
The Fullfield II scope is also waterproof, shockproof, fogproof, and nitrogen-filled for maximum durability.
Does it have an adjustable objective?
Yes, this scope has an adjustable objective, which makes it suitable to also shoot at long range. Make sure you know how to adjust your scope before you attempt to make changes yourself.
About the .450 Bushmaster
Before we try to find the best hunting scope for the .450 Bushmaster, it’s important to understand what the .450 Bushmaster is.
The .450 Bushmaster is a rifle cartridge that is designed for hunting game. In fact, many of the best elk hunting scopes work great with a Bushmaster rifle. It was developed out of consumer demand – the desire for a large-bore cartridge that you could shoot with your semi-auto rifle, like the Ruger American. What makes it appealing is that this caliber is legal in the states that do not allow traditional bottleneck cartridges.
The .450 Bushmaster is all about having a big impact in a relatively close range – usually about 200-250 yards or closer in the AR-15 platform. Although I would not necessarily recommend getting one of the best ar 15 red dot with iron sights for your Bushmaster. Bushmaster rounds will travel further than 250 yards, its trajectory is designed to drop and lose velocity at that point.
The best scope for the .450 Bushmaster can allow you to get a better and more accurate shot with this powerful cartridge. Let’s take a look at your options.
How to Choose the Best Scope for the .450 Bushmaster
It’s not only important to have a scope for your .450 Bushmaster; it’s also important to have the best hunting scope for your firearm.
Choosing the right scope involves finding the right features for the best performance. Although it may seem like the more features your scope has the better you can perform, this isn’t always the case.
Sometimes, you don’t need a scope with all the bells and whistles for optimal performance. In fact, too many features can sometimes be detrimental to your .450 Bushmaster, as it provides too many distractions. We saw in our comparison of 450 bushmaster vs 223 that the 450 is great for hunting!
There are a few general rules in terms of choosing the right scope for the job, but it is also a personal choice. Different elements that affect your choice of scope include:
- The range from which you’ll be shooting
- The weight of the scope for mobility
- Desired eye relief
- Required field of view
Let’s take a look at some other qualities to consider in choosing the best scope for .450 Bushmaster rifles.
Image Quality
Image quality is the top consideration you should keep in mind when choosing the best scope for .450 Bushmaster rifles. After all, this is the main purpose of your scope. The clarity of your image can be the difference between accurately catching your target in one shot or just missing it.
A few of the most prominent factors to consider in terms of image quality include:
- Light transmission – Light transmission involves the amount of light that is lost through the lens as it reaches your eye. There are multiple factors that affect light transmission, such as the diameter of the optic lens and exit pupil, the quality of the glass, and the multi-coating on the lens.
- Color fidelity – Although color isn’t as significant as light transmission, it still plays a role in your viewing experience. The bending of light can affect the coloration of the image, and multi-coating helps filter out the light colors. This has the effect of making the image easier on your eyes, and in critical times of low visibility, it can be what helps you more easily find your target.
- General image clarity – There are several other characteristics that affect the image quality of your scope, including distortion. Some scopes have distortion and blurred colors around the edges of the lenses, which can prove to be a distraction.
Magnification
To play it safe, you want to opt for a scope with at least a moderate magnification range. If you tend to shoot at long ranges with another one of your rifles, it may be worth investing in a scope with a high-quality magnification range. However, these scopes are quite expensive and best suited for firearms that are of a similar caliber. If you want a scope with less magnification consider a LPVO or even a red dot optic for your gun.
Price
Although the optics and your hunting needs are main factors to consider when choosing the best scope for .450 Bushmaster rifles, you most likely also have a budget.
Scopes for .450 Bushmasters can range from under $100 to over $1,000. However, you don’t have to shell out the big bucks to get a good-quality scope with the features you need. There are several scopes at the mid-range price that will do the job, and some of the ones in the higher price range sometimes include extra features that you may not even need.
Durability
Finally, one aspect of your .450 Bushmaster scope that you don’t want to forget is its durability. With such a powerful round, you need to choose a scope that can withstand a large impact.
Choose a scope with features that ensure durability through its design and coating. This includes making sure that it’s made from the right material, as well as ensuring that it can withstand the elements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum effective range of a 450 Bushmaster?
What is a 450 Bushmaster good for?
Is a 450 Bushmaster powerful?
Is a 450 Bushmaster good for deer?
Conclusion
With the .450 Bushmaster’s rise in popularity, it’s no wonder there’s also a demand for the right optics that can handle this powerhouse rifle and enhance your shooting experience.
The best scope for your .450 Bushmaster rifle is a personal decision, one that depends on your skills, needs, preferences, and budget. With such a saturated market, it can be hard to choose the right one at first. But once you do, you’ll take your shooting experience to a whole new level.
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