5 Best Scopes for 450 Bushmaster

Optics

Decide on your scope’s magnification first. If you’re regularly engaging targets at a wide variety of ranges, get a scope with variable magnification so you can use it for close-range and long-range shooting. 

A scope with adjustable parallax is also a big plus for shooting long distances, but most likely, you’re more concerned about performance inside of 200 yards. If you like shooting steel at common self-defense ranges, a 1x optic is faster than any magnified scope since it’s a natural sight picture for your eye. That way, you can easily keep both eyes open and maximize your situational awareness.

How do we rate it?

High marks go to scopes that offer a view so clear it feels like you’re looking through a freshly cleaned window, not a piece of equipment. Low-light performance and the ability to maintain a sharp, bright image under various conditions also score high.

Focal Plane

Most hunters and serious shooters are familiar with second focal plane scopes since they are the most common design. A second focal plane (SFP) riflescope makes the image increase or decrease in size with magnification while the reticle’s size remains the same. This means that the sub-tension or the reticle’s size relative to the target is constantly changing.

That means SFP scopes with BDC mil-dot or any ranging reticles only work at a specific magnification. SFP scopes are great for taking long-range precision shots on very small targets because their reticles remain thin even at high magnifications. With a simple duplex and a limited range of engagements, it can be a great choice

With a first focal plane (FFP) rifle scope, the reticle changes in size with magnification relative to the target, so the sub-tension remains constant on every magnification setting. This allows you to use the correct holdover point when taking long-distance shots and estimate range efficiently no matter the magnification. FFPs are best for quick-paced high-stress shooting scenarios with widely varying engagement ranges. 

Battery

Running out of battery in the middle of a hunt would be a total buzzkill because you might end up losing your prey while changing batteries. So look for a scope that can last through hours of stalking and hunting.

How do we rate it?

We give lower scores to scopes that require battery changes more often than you change your socks. High ratings go to models with efficient power usage and long-lasting battery life, ensuring you’re always ready for the shot, day or night.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics refers to how well the scope fits you and your shooting style. Can you make all the adjustments easily? Does the scope feel like an extension of your eye when you’re lining up a shot? If the answer is “Yeah, kinda like how my hand fits into a bag of chips,” then you’re on the right track.

Choose a scope with generous eye relief so you can have sighting flexibility and a larger field of view. A long eye relief also protects your eyes from recoil, especially if you’re using a powerful firearm like the 450 Bushmaster.

How do we rate it?

Is the scope’s weight balanced, or does it make your rifle feel like you’re lugging around a medieval weapon? A top-rated scope in ergonomics should feel intuitive like it’s an extension of yourself rather than an awkward appendage.

Build Quality

Accidents are part of game hunting and target shooting. So your scope needs to be sturdy enough to survive drops and bumps, as well as stay dry in rain and snow. Aside from being perfect for the 450 Bushmaster, all the scopes we’ve listed below are shockproof, waterproof, and fogproof so you won’t be disappointed no matter what you choose.

How do we rate it?

Is it waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof? A high rating in this category means your scope is the tank of the optics world—reliable, tough, and ready for anything Mother Nature throws at it.

Value

Price plays an important role in a consumer’s decision-making process. Like what we always tell our readers, if you’ve got money set aside for your shooting gear, splurging on premium brands is best since you’ll likely keep and use it for a lifetime. But if your budget is limited, there are also a lot of budget-friendly but reliable scopes to choose from.

Best Overall: Vortex Optics Diamondback Second Focal Plane Riflescope

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Vortex Optics Diamondback 4-12x40 Second Focal...

$213.47

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Score: 3.36/5

Two of the reasons why we love Vortex Optics products are the premium lifetime warranty and reliable customer service. Like every Vortex scope, the Diamondback is designed to last.

The Vortex Diamondback is equipped with a precision-glide erector system for smooth magnification changes even with extreme weather. Aside from hunting big game, slug shotgun, and brush hunting applications, this scope is also perfect for long precision shooting because it features the Dead-Hold BDC reticle. One minor drawback is that the crosshairs get a little fuzzy at high magnification.

Score

Optics Score – 4.2/5

Good contrast and average glass, but produces a little too much glare at first and last light.

Battery Score – 3/5

Average battery life.

Ergonomics Score – 3/5

Eye relief of 3.1 inches is a little short for powerful rifles.

Build Quality Score – 4.3/5

Well-built scope but Vortex has more heavy-duty models.

Value Score – 3.2/5

Affordable but of excellent quality.

Overall Score – 3.36/5

The Diamondback is a great buy because of its features that are also offered by high-end scopes.

What Customers Say

“Awesome price. Got it for $236 with free delivery via Amazon. Easy setup with the Savage 10TR rifle. Used in conjunction with the Burris Zee rings. 1/4 MOA, dials have an audible and tactile feel when turning the turrets. The clarity is superb, can see clearly at night even at the maximum x12 magnification. One of the selling features of Vortex is their bulletproof guarantee. Can’t go wrong!”

Roadcarver

“For the price, this is hard to beat. Having a 3.5x bottom end really opens up the field of view and a 50mm objective allows a lot of light to come in for those early morning/late night hunting sessions. My only complaint is the eye relief, too short and doesn’t allow for any head movement. Only took off 1 star because for the price idk that it can be beat.”

Matthew R. Haines

Best for the Money: Vortex Optics Crossfire II 2-7×32 Scout Riflescope

Vortex Optics Crossfire II 2-7x32 Scout, Second...

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Category	Vortex Optics Crossfire II	Category Average
Ergonomics	2.5	1.78
Build Quality	3.8	4.22
Optics	4	4.26
Battery	3	3.8
Value	4.1	2.92

Score: 3.48/5

The Crossfire II is a favorite among hunters because it can be used on different hunting applications.

It’s made with aircraft-grade aluminum, like any other Vortex optics on the market. To add to its durability, the Crossfire II has an O-ring seal and is purged with nitrogen, so you don’t have to worry about wet weather. Getting a clear view of your target is also a breeze with the Vortex Crossfire’s anti-reflective, fully multi-coated lenses.

What’s best about the Crossfire II is that it has a Second Focal Plane. So you can zoom all you want and your reticle’s size will still be the same. This versatile optic is worth every penny as it can cater to three types of reticles. So you can use it whatever your shooting style is.  You can use the Dead-Hold BDC (Bullet Drop Compensation) reticle which provides reference marks to compensate for bullet drift, especially at long ranges. You can also use the more traditional V-Plex reticle for short-range day hunting. Or you can use the V-Brite reticle which allows you to adjust illumination depending on the weather or environment.

Pros

• Longest eye relief among picks (9.45 inches)
• Shockproof and waterproof
• Affordable
• Lightweight (13.9 oz)
• Illuminated reticle

Cons

• Small objective lens (32mm)
• Long eye relief can be less ideal in some applications

Score

Optics Score – 4/5

Average tunnel vision and the sight picture gets blurry at higher magnification.

Battery Score – 3/5

Average battery life.

Ergonomics Score – 2.5/5

Plenty of eye relief and a generous eye box.

Build Quality Score – 3.8/5

Vortex didn’t compromise Crossfire II’s material construction despite its affordability.

Value Score – 4.1/5

One of Vortex’s best value scopes.

Overall Score – 3.48/5

The Crossfire II is a great scope for beginners, short-range shooting, and for those who don’t do heavy shooting often.

What Customers Say

“I needed a good long eye relief scope for my Mosin-Nagant, because I decided to put a picatinny rail where the iron sights is instead of near the bolt. Anyways the precision at 100 yards after sighting it in was very good, and I don’t think it can be achieved with any other long eye relief scope at this price range. Would recommend.”

Petar Grigorov

“Great scope. I tried mounting it on a Henry Big Boy Lever action .41 Magnum. With the tiny Picatinny rail Henry makes and a 3″ forward offset QD mount it is still too close for a full eye view and way too high. Not the scope’s fault but just be warned you’ll need to mount it way forward to see out of it.”

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Best for Thick Cover: Aimpoint Comp M4

Aimpoint CompM4s Red Dot Reflex Sight with Mount,...

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Score: 3.36/5

Hunting under unexpected rain or snow or through thick bushes is best done with a heavy-duty optic with easy acquisition and a wide field of view. So for these situations, we recommend the Aimpoint Comp M4. 

The Aimpoint Comp M4 is one of the easy-to-use red dots on the market. It may have a higher price range, but that’s for its top-notch performance and durability against daily stress and abuse. Plus it uses AA batteries so you won’t have a problem buying them. 

Score

Optics Score – 4/5

A heavy-duty optic with a wide field of view.

Battery Score – 5/5

80,000 hours of battery life using easily available AA batteries.

Ergonomics Score – 1/5

Unlimited eye relief and is also parallax-free.

Build Quality Score – 4/5

You can drag this scope through mud and it will still perform well.

Value Score – 2.8/5

The Comp M4 is pretty expensive for an LPVO.

Overall Score – 4.5/5

Its ruggedness and excellent performance make the Comp M4 a great investment.

What Customers Say

“Grade A optic, not the latest model but arguably the greatest model. Price point is a bit steep but you get what you pay for.”

Juan C.

“My first foray into Red-Dot, and it seems pretty sweet. Just what the REC7 DMR needed. 30 rounds into a quarter-sized grouping at 100 yards bench shooting is good enough for me.”

Keith H.

Best Illuminated: NIGHTFORCE SHV 4-14x50mm F1 Illuminated Hunting Scope

Nightforce SHV 4-14x50mm F1 30mm Tube ZeroSet...

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Score: 3.24/5

Everything you’re looking for in a rifle scope, the NIGHTFORCE SHV 4-14x50mm F1 Illuminated Hunting Scope will deliver – fantastic illumination, outstanding durability, and top-tier performance.

The glass in this rifle scope is one of its remarkable features as it offers exceptional clarity no matter the weather. That plus its first focal plane performance and its wide magnification range, you can’t go wrong with the Nightforce SHV illuminated hunting scope.

Score

Optics Score – 4.6/5

This scope’s wide magnification range is perfect for various shooting applications.

Battery Score – 5/5

Average battery life.

Ergonomics Score – 1.1/5

Eye relief of 3.1 inches is not of much help for faster target acquisition.

Build Quality Score – 4.5/5

This scope can take regular use and abuse.

Value Score – 1/5

We give it a 4 because of its reliability in spite of its price.

Overall Score – 4/5

If you’d ask us, the Nightforce SHV-4 is one of the best-illuminated scopes, plus it offers incredible shooting performance, making it worth every penny.

What Customers Say

“Great scope. If you have ever wondered why NF is so hyped, this is a great way to find out. You do get what you pay for with these.”

James Murray

“I own top tier optics. Swarovski, Schmitt and Bender, this NightForce is well worth the money, I’m using mine for prairie dogs and predators on a 224 valkerie. Very happy”

Liz Powell

Leupold VX-Freedom 450 Bushmaster 3-9×40 Riflescope

Leupold VX-Freedom 450 Bushmaster 3-9x40...

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Score: 3.54/5

Our last pick is definitely not the least, because it’s constructed to match the 450 Bushmaster’s power. It comes with generous eye relief and it provides excellent clarity any time of day. It doesn’t have blurriness or smudges around the lens’ edges, unlike other optics at the same price point.

Score

Optics Score – 4.5/5

Its magnification range and Twilight Light Management system are good enough for short to mid-range shooting applications.

Battery Score – 3/5

Average battery life.

Ergonomics Score – 2.2/5

Excellent ergonomics and lightweight.

Build Quality Score – 4.5/5

This scope is proven to perform well under extreme weather.

Value Score – 3.5/5

Excellent features for the price.

Overall Score – 4.5/5

The Leupold Freedom works perfectly with the 450 Bushmaster despite its minor flaws.

What Customers Say

“I have this in a Ruger .450 American. It is sweet. After getting it sighted in I tested it out all the way to 300 yards the dial adjustments were on the money. I would highly recommend this to anyone. Great scope for the price.”

Nolan Emmer

“For 300 bucks it’s like looking through HD very good in low light.”

Wesley