Bushnell today introduced three completely new optics lines: top-tier Forge, mid-level Nitro and entry-level Prime riflescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes and laser rangefinders. New names, new SKUs, new reticles and some fabulous technological features add up to one thing: a categorical relaunch of Bushnell sport optics as we know them. Here are five things you need to know.
1. There is a lot of new product to interest shooters and hunters.
There are 85 new SKUs including 21 Forge riflescopes, 35 Nitro riflescopes and six Prime riflescopes. There are 13 different binoculars including: a whopping-big Forge 15x56 with an Abbe Koenig prism, extra-low-dispersion glass and Bushnell’s Exo Barrier coating for $960 that may interest big-game guides; and a competitively priced Prime 8x42 roof-prism that is fully multi-coated and includes Exo Barrier for $168 that budget-conscious hunters may find is all they need. There are eight spotting scopes including: the 20X-60X-80mm Forge with an angled eyepiece and ED Prime glass at $1,440; and a Nitro 20X-60X-65mm with an angled eyepiece and ED glass for $900. Two laser rangefinders, one each in the Nitro and Prime lines (a Forge rangefinder will be announced later), feature Bushnell’s Angle Range compensation (ARC) to account for uphill/downhill angles when ranging to provide a true range to target.
2. All riflescopes feature quality construction expected of their price points.
Forge and Nitro riflescopes, priced from $420-$1,140, are made with 30mm aluminum main tubes; Prime scopes, priced from $130-$300, are made with 1-inch tubes. All Forge and Nitro riflescopes, and select Prime riflescopes, feature side parallax adjustment. Forge riflescopes include magnification throw levers, Z-Lok zero stops, locking turrets, sun shades and Butler Creek lens covers. Objective lens sizes in all riflescopes range from 32mm-50mm.
3. Brightness and color rendition are enhanced by numerous lens coatings.
All scopes and binoculars are fully multi-coated. Forge riflescopes and binoculars, and Nitro and Prime riflescopes, include Bushnell’s Ultra Wide Band coating, an anti-reflection coating for lenses that transmits super-bright images and true color in every lighting condition. Additional color fidelity is delivered with extra-low-dispersion glass in Forge and Nitro binoculars and spotters. All Forge and Nitro scopes, binoculars and rangefinders, and Prime spotting scopes, include Bushnell’s proprietary Exo Barrier, a protective coating that bonds to lenses to repel water, oil, dust and debris.
4. Four different reticles are available in Forge riflescopes; three reticles are available in the Nitro line; and two reticles are available in the Prime line.
Hunters may be interested in the Deploy MOA reticle found in Forge and Nitro riflescopes in the first or second focal plane. It allows hunters to forego click adjustments to reach elevation by using stadia lines at various distances.
5. Price points from top to bottom ensure every buyer is covered.
Prices range from a low of $108 for the Nitro 10x25 binocular to $1,140 for the Forge 20X-60X-80mm spotting scope. Some best buys include the Nitro 2.5X-10X-44mm riflescope with Bushnell’s Deploy MOA reticle in the first focal plane; and $168 for the Prime 8x42 roof-prism binocular. All optics include Bushnell’s ironclad warranty that provides complete coverage for the life of the product.
