I actualy like fixed mag side PX scopes, but the choice is a bit thin. I've had three Falcon Menace 7.5 x 50 and was well pleased with them, though I found them a bit bulky and heavy.

I had a Menace on my Anschutz .22lr, it performed well enough and frankly excellent for the money but the size and weight didn't really suit the Anschutz.

I searched the net and found the Bushnell 6500 2.5-16x42 for £408 posted, brand new on special offer from a reputable UK on line retailer (I won't name them out of respect to JSR). Too good to be true it seemd but I took the plunge and bought it on Monday. It arrived Tuesday.

Unfortunately the special offer was removed as soon as I bought mine, so you will just have to shop around yourselves!!

To say I was impressed with the service was an understatement. As for the scope, I'm very impressed. It is light and sits low on my rifle. The optics are excellent, the adjustments are smooth and not at all stiff. The windage and elevation turrets are not the tactical type, which removes the worry of knocking them. The side PX and mag ring are as smooth as any I've owned before.

At the moment, the scope has only been boresighted in the garden. I did take it out last night to a farm on MOD land, only to find the MOD range open and therefore the farm out of bounds so it will have to wait till Saturday for a full trial.

I have owned a Zeiss and Leupold VX111, both with side wheel PX. I can't put my finger on why, but I just didn't get on with the Zeiss, not a critisism just my personal preference. The VX111 was fantastic and was easily reparrallaxed to make it more usefull at airgun and .22lr ranges. The only reason I sold it was because I was skint at the time. The Bushnell appears to have all of the advantages of these other higher end scopes, doesn't need to be reparrallxed and it has a mildot reticle, which for me is a massive bonus.

My personal preference has always been for big objectives, but the write ups on this scope tend to suggest it is as good as many others with 50 or 56 mm objective lenses, only time and bunnies will tell.