New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

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The Annoyed Man
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New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

#1

Post by The Annoyed Man »

The brown truck of happiness delivered a package I’d been waiting for from Brownells for about a week now. My son and I split the cost (well, more like 2/3 me, 1/3 him, LOL) on a Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60mm spotting scope. What distinguishes this one from most others is that it has a milling reticle located on the first focal plane - so it has the same kind of reticle as most of our longer range riflescopes. If you don’t know what the difference is between first and second focal plane, in layman’s terms, “first focal plane” means that the reticle calibrations are valid at all magnifications. When you zoom in and out, the reticle will get bigger or smaller accordingly, so the stadia lines are always registered to the size of the target in your field of view. A second focal plane scope has a reticle whose size does not change when you zoom in and out, and therefore the stadia lines are only valid for measuring at one fixed power in your range - usually at maximum magnification. The last time I priced out a spotting scope like this, it was a Leupold, and the price was over $4K at the time. This Bushnell’s MSRP is $719.99, but you can find them for between $450 and $500 on the web. I paid $449.95 at Brownells for mine, but they are sold out now. Amazon has them for $458. Here is the Bushnell.com page for this scope: http://bushnell.com/all-products/spotti ... m-t-series.

The first thing you’ll notice is that the color is FDE. So far as I know, this model is not available in any other color - if that matters to you. In addition to the usual tripod mount on the bottom of the scope body, there are pic-rails on the top and both sides for mounting your tacticool stuff.....not that I know why anyone would want to do this, but still...... But those things are secondary. In some of the pictures below, you’ll see that I put it next to my Glock 19 to give you a frame of reference for size. Overall, it seems smaller than a lot of spotting scopes I’ve handled over the years, but it is, for purposes of comparison, a fair amount larger (and heavier) than my Vortex 15x50 Recon R/T monocular.

Having not yet had a chance to take it to the range and really try it out at longer ranges, I cannot say for certain how perfect the glass is, but it seems to be very good - nice and clear with no discernible halos or cameo around the edges. At the occular end, you find the following rings: a twist up eye cup, a reticle focus ring, a target focus ring, and the zoom ring. All the controls turn smoothly, although the target focus ring seems to require a little more effort than the others. I’m still unpacking from moving, so I haven’t located my camera tripod yet, and preliminary testing was done laying across the hood of my SUV, and focusing on trees in the distance. I have about a 300 yard view to some far off tree-tops to the east of my house, and that’s what I focused on. At 45x, the distant tree-top looked like it was next to my car, and it came in nice and clear. The reticle was easy to focus at all magnifications, however, it does not illuminate. Fortunately, the glass is nice and bright.

As of yet, there are not a lot of video reviews of this spotting scope on YouTube - particularly ones that give you a good look through the scope - but I did find one that is in Spanish, so maybe you can tell me what it says. The video does give you a good look though at what you’ll see through this scope. Be advised that the reticle is in reality MUCH sharper than it looks in this video at lower magnifications.

https://youtu.be/-Z5PDMboU0Y

Here are some images of mine:

What’s in the box besides the scope? A fitted black cordura nylon carrying case and strap, a lens cleaning cloth, and the usual instructions and warranty info:
Image


Right side:
Image

Left side:
Image

From the front:
Image

From behind the scope:
Image

The tripod mount:
Image

Top view:
Image

Reverse top view:
Image

Occular end, from left to right - the twist up eye cup, the reticle focus ring, the target focus ring, the zoom ring.
Image

Fitted case:
Image

Anyway, when I have a chance to go try this bad boy out, I’ll post any relevant info, pros or cons. But I’ve waited for a LONG time to spring for a spotting scope because I really wanted that reticle feature, and from what I can tell Bushnell has put one on the market at a heck of a deal.
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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

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Post by PBratton »

that's purdy!

I ordered a fixture to attach my phone to my spotting scope over the holidays. Allows you to set the camera up to view through the scope.
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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

#3

Post by The Annoyed Man »

PBratton wrote:that's purdy!

I ordered a fixture to attach my phone to my spotting scope over the holidays. Allows you to set the camera up to view through the scope.
Can you please point me to it? I’d definitely be interested in getting one.
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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

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Post by Scott B. »

I've tinkered with a couple of digiscope adapters. Seems to be real hit and miss.
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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

#5

Post by puma guy »

Very Nice! Thanks for the photos and review. Looking forward to your field review. I have a Leopold Sequoia 20-60X80 that I'd like to get a set up for my viewing with my phone or through my computer. I bought an Alpen Micro Adjustable Table Top 705 tripod for my scope that I really like. Has knobs for small adjustments for windage and elevation.
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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

#6

Post by flechero »

The Annoyed Man wrote:
PBratton wrote:that's purdy!

I ordered a fixture to attach my phone to my spotting scope over the holidays. Allows you to set the camera up to view through the scope.
Can you please point me to it? I’d definitely be interested in getting one.
Something like this.... and has a bluetooth button so you don't shake it hitting the phone pic button.

https ://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CFZ7SC0/_encoding= ... 9J38&psc=0

I realized you asked Phil but I had been looking at these for my son for Christmas and had it bookmarked.

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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

#7

Post by flechero »

Strange- I had to break the link (by spacing the http from the ://) to get it to show up... are we no longer allowed to link to amazon? (if so, please delete it- but not until TAM clicks it) :lol:
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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

#8

Post by The Annoyed Man »

flechero wrote:
The Annoyed Man wrote:
PBratton wrote:that's purdy!

I ordered a fixture to attach my phone to my spotting scope over the holidays. Allows you to set the camera up to view through the scope.
Can you please point me to it? I’d definitely be interested in getting one.
Something like this.... and has a bluetooth button so you don't shake it hitting the phone pic button.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CFZ7SC0/_e ... 9J38&psc=0

I realized you asked Phil but I had been looking at these for my son for Christmas and had it bookmarked.
Fixed it for you. Put all links between the tags, and it works perfectly every time. Thanks for the link!
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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

#9

Post by Abraham »

TAM,

Are those photos you took?

If so, they are fantastic.

I haven't a clue how to do much of anything (most especially post a fine quality photo) with a computer unless SWBO laughing at my computer ineptitude does it for me, but she can't start a chain saw...so there.

Plus, I can dig a ditch, run a tractor, a boat of almost any size, well you understand, I can do man stuff she can't, though to be truthful, I'd trade some of my man knowledge for what she can do....in fact a lot of it as cave men skills are less and less in demand...
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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

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Post by The Annoyed Man »

Abraham wrote:TAM,

Are those photos you took?

If so, they are fantastic.

I haven't a clue how to do much of anything (most especially post a fine quality photo) with a computer unless SWBO laughing at my computer ineptitude does it for me, but she can't start a chain saw...so there.

Plus, I can dig a ditch, run a tractor, a boat of almost any size, well you understand, I can do man stuff she can't, though to be truthful, I'd trade some of my man knowledge for what she can do....in fact a lot of it as cave men skills are less and less in demand...
Thank you, but nothing took much effort. The pictures were taken with my iPhone at my kitchen table, and edited where necessary on my iPad while I was still sitting at the table; then uploaded to my website using my iPad, and posted here again using my iPad. Nothing too sophisticated. It took about 20 minutes from start to finish.
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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

#11

Post by Abraham »

TAM,

Thank you for your response. You do good work.

I gotta get out of my cave and learn computer stuff.

SWBO who used to part of the shuttle mission, knows all sorts of 'way out there' computer stuff and has tried to teach me, but my noggin soon goes into non-listening mode as computer information has a way of soon sounding like Mandarin, which I don't speak. I then start nodding off... I'm unteachable with computer...anything, except posting here,doing email and looking for good deals on ammo.

She, on the other hand distinctly shows 'eyes glazed over with much sighing syndrome' when I speak of gun stuff...so, we're even.
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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

#12

Post by Bitter Clinger »

Scott B. wrote:I've tinkered with a couple of digiscope adapters. Seems to be real hit and miss.

Just ran across this:

https://snakelook.com/products/spotting ... 1218829443
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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

#13

Post by Scott B. »

Bitter Clinger wrote:
Scott B. wrote:I've tinkered with a couple of digiscope adapters. Seems to be real hit and miss.

Just ran across this:

https://snakelook.com/products/spotting ... 1218829443
That's priced right. If it doesn't work, not much crying involved. Some adapters are specific to a phone model which is great as long as you never upgrade the phone. Hmmm...take an old cell phone and use it solely as a video screen / recording device. Project time!
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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

#14

Post by PBratton »

Tried it out on my Simmons scope. (Not as good as TAM's...)

Not bad, easy to setup and adjust.

Image

Image

Image
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Re: New Spotting Scope: Bushnell Legend Tactical 15-45x60, lots of images

#15

Post by The Annoyed Man »

A friend of mine who, unknown to me, had already purchased one of these Bushnell spotting scopes recommended the PhoneSkope adapter, which he has used successfully: https://www.phoneskope.com.

At $78 for the case and adapter, it’s not cheap, but it apparently works quite well. I’ve seen video he shot with his cellphone through the Bushnell scope, using the PhoneSkope adapter while shooting the 1000 yard line at ETTS, and it worked beautifully. OTH, the kit seems to be unique to your phone and that scope. It doesn’t look like it would adapt to other optical devices.
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