So what scope did I end up with? After much thought and research and changing my mind about a dozen times, I ended up trading the Weaver Grand Slam along with a couple of other older scopes I had laying around to SWFA for a Burris Signature African 1.75X5X32 LRS riflescope. I agonized over the Bushnell 4200 1.5X4X24 with illuminated 4A red dot for about the same price.
Why the Burris (vs.) the Bushnell?
My reasoning was for the Ruger .350 Mag it wouldn't hurt to have a little more eye relief for those times, when perhaps I had to make a quick shot from an awkward position. It is not that I didn't feel 3.3 inches was adequate, however 3.8 to 4" is more adequate on a hard kicking rifle. I also liked the "forever warranty" (vs.) a limited lifetime warranty from Bushnell.
The biggest reason I guess was that the Bushnell was a 30mm tube and the Burris was a 1" tube. I already had intregal Ruger rings in 1" persuasion and to replace those with 30mm rings would add up to $75 to the package. Money was an issue this time and that happens after one retires.
I dearly love the rainguard feature on the Bushnell and of course the Burris does not have that. On the other hand, I normally routinely take (2) rifles on an out of state hunt, and I can pick and choose which one I carry on a given day. IF I know I will be hunting in the pouring rain, dripping melting snow etc., I would simply carry the Ruger Hawkeye in .338 Federal which wears a Bushnell 3200 3X9X40 with rainguard and firefly.
Having that option, doesn't necessarily make the Burris a "fair weather" scope as it has a reputation of being extremely rugged and having very good optics. I had previously used a Mueller 2X7X32 red dot scope on my TC Encore 209/50 during very rainy hunts and not been bothered by the performance.
In the end, I could have been very happy with either scope. I never would have traded the Weaver Grand Slam had the reticle set up been a BOLDER duplex. I didn't understand why a scope in the 1.5X5X32 power range would not have had a bolder easier to see duplex reticle to begin with. I bought the scope over the internet and I guess I should have checked it out a little better before making a purchase.
In any event, I put the trade in scopes in today's mail to SWFA after talking to David in their trade in dept. a couple of times and felt they made me a good deal on the trade.
I am going to Ireland on March 11 with my wife for ministry work and hope the new scope is in my mailbox when I return. My Maine bear hunt is scheduled for the first week of Sept and the .350 Mag now gives me another choice of a backup rifle for the hunt. My primary artillery will be the Marlin model 1895 with a Bushnell 3200 scope with rainguard and firefly using Buffalo Bore 350 grain JFN penetrator loads.
Now if I can just keep quiet on stand and the bears co-operate, it should be a good hunt.
Comments or feelings on whether I made a good or bad choice are welcome.
Dan
Phillipians 4:19 KJV " But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in Glory by Christ Jesus"
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