Bushnell Banner 6-18 x 50 Review

Overall Rating

Clarity
Low light clarity
Build Quality

Paralax adjustment on the objective
Choosing Mounts

Purchased for £118 from optics warehouse, This scope replaced a SMK 3-9 x 40 Deluxe and has transformed my evening hunting!

In low light the 50mm Banner is stunning! the image through the scope appears considerably brighter than even the naked eye and makes hunting at dusk or dawn a dream! The cheaper Chinese scope really struggled as soon as the light started to go which made evening rabbiting a chore. Best low light results are obviously at the lower magnifications, but it is still usable at higher ones.

The zoom adjustment is fluid and has enough resistance to make zooming while sighting easy, whilst resisting any accidental changes. The Parallax adjustment is slightly too stiff for my comfort, but again it does mean that when set, the chance of it 'wandering' is low.

The parallax adjustment ring being placed on the objective does make adjustment tricky when aiming the rifle (unless in prone position), especially when compared to scopes with a parallax adjustment turret. I did find that the ranges are slightly out of calibration (25 yards actual read as 28 yards), but once used to the scope, it becomes very natural to compensate. Finding the range is a simple case of selecting a high magnification and adjusting the parallax ring until the target is crisp and the foreground is blurred.

The other problem with this set up is when using a flip-up scope cover on the objective end, the limited arc caused by the open scope cover reduces the usable parallax range. As I use this scope for air rifle hunting, this limit isn't a huge problem as I generally only use the 9 - 55 yard range I can access anyway. Be warned, this set up is also a pain if you have a scope mounted laser to help with quick range finding etc, the open cover always seems to be in the way of the laser!

The objective bell on this scope is BIG! 62.5mm in total which has made mounting the scope on my break barrel springer tricky! A combination of slight barrel droop and the size of the front lens cap or flip-up scope covers (Butler Creek - 47 OBJ and 17 EYE) meant that initially I was having to pack out the scope quite considerably to make sure the lens cap or the flip-up cover shroud cleared the metal work of the rifle. Ideally, if using a break barrel, I would suggest a mount that gives at least 26 - 27mm between the bottom of the mount and the bottom tangent of the mounts seat. The only one I've found so far is the Sportsmatch 1 Piece Mount AOP55.

The scope is easily adjusted for windage and elevation without tools, and once zeroed, the adjustment markers can be loosened off and re-set to make temporary adjustments in the field easy.

Overall, at £118 this scope is fantastic! At £200 this scope is still good value and an essential piece of kit if you plan to hunt in low light conditions.