Quick update on my optics quest for my Ruger Ranch. After toying with the idea of an LPVO like the Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6x24, I settled on a more conventional hunting scope—the Crossfire II in 3-9x50. After some good initial impressions and results, everything went to Poo. I must’ve shot 40 rounds one day chasing a zero that I never seemed to catch. Nothing was working. I thought that maybe I had caught a bad case of the flinches or something. Then I figured it out. I was turning the windage knob and the shot groups weren’t budging. I don’t know if the recoil knocked the scope out, or whether when I first attached it to the rifle using the Allen wrench that came with my rings I over-tightened it by hand. I used a torque wrench for the final adjustments before zeroing, but I admit I was quite shocked by how light 18 inch/lbs actually is.
Rather than try out Vortex’s legendary warranty, I decided to test the theory and exchange the Crossfire II for a Viper HS in 2.5-10x44. Shorter, lighter, and heavier duty, it cost as much as my rifle. But on paper it seemed perfect for the job. The dead hold BDC reticle has subtensions very close to the ones calibrated for straight wall cartridges like ours. At 2.5x, it provides much more field of view than 3x in close than I would’ve expected. And the 44mm bell looks a bit more natural on this compact truck gun than the 50mm did.
At the range, things immediately improved. Twists of the turret had corresponding effects on POI, and by the end of the zeroing session I was plinking 4 inch steel at 200 yards.
I’m not sure if removing the brake did the Crossfire II in, or whether I just got a bad copy. But I must say I was glad to have an excuse to talk myself into the Viper. I was really impressed with the optical quality of the Crossfire II, but the Viper does seem to have better low-light capability even though its objective is smaller. If you’re looking for something between a $200 scope and a $700 scope, I think it’s a good fit for the Bushmaster.