Bushnell Legend 5-15x40 AO

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

When these now discontinued scopes first appeared in the UK some fifteen or more years ago, they were priced at about £300. This was a considerable sum at that time.

Reviewers loved the quality of the glass, plus the fact that this centre fire scope was also springer proof, and focused down to ten yards.

I bought mine from America, but it was checked by UK Customs, and in the end I only saved about 40 quid on the UK price.

It is a handsome scope and gives a very bright and clear sight picture.

https://i.imgur.com/ewSGWoC.jpg

Unfortunately it has two downsides.

The first is that the turret adjustment levers are made of some of the cheapest plastic I have ever seen and completely inappropriate for a scope of this quality. Talk about spoiling the ship for a ha'peth of tar. They don't last long and tend to split in half quite quickly. Like many others I contacted Edgar Bros for replacements but was not lucky enough to get Zoe Edgar who is a lovely lady and very helpful. Each time I phoned I was put through to the same man in the stores who took my name and telephone number and promised to get back to me. He never did. Nor could I get any joy from the emails I sent.

I tried superglue but it didn't hold for long. I asked a gunsmith if he would make me a couple of pieces of aluminium with two holes to replace the plastic rubbish, but he wasn't really interested in doing a little job like that. In exasperation, and after many years I got out my black milliput epoxy putty and fashioned two pieces to cover both the screws and the dial. The adjustment is now easy but the dial no longer moves independently, and the job looks very amateurish. Not that it bothered me. You can't see the putty with the scope caps on and fine adjustments with the dial are not needed for airgun ranges. The point is, it works, and setting the turrets is no longer painful on the fingers.

https://i.imgur.com/9teKaZQ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9teKaZQ.jpg


The second downside to this scope is the relative lack of adjustment on the turrets which means you soon run out of elevation trying to zero the scope at normal airgun ranges. After all it is a centre fire scope that just happens to be great on air rifles. This problem can only be fixed with an adjustable mount. I bought a Sportsmatch double screw high one piece mount adjustable for both elevation and windage. Not that it is needed for windage.

http://www.sportsmatch-uk.com/images...55_2_26674.pdf

I also purchased a Sportsmatch one piece medium single screw droop compensation mount for use on pcps.

http://www.sportsmatch-uk.com/air-ri...h-medium-range OP15C

Both work fine.

Externally the scope is in very good condition apart from a couple of little light marks near the ocular end. It functions perfectly with the correct type of mount and is spoiled only by the unattractive modelling job I did with the milliput. And the putty does set like concrete and is not going to break away.

I am selling off what remains of my air rifle related items, which will include this scope. So I would be grateful if you could help me value it before I put it in the sales section.

Do you think it would be reasonable to ask £80 for it or is that a bit too much? You would have to pay £250+ these days for anything with glass to match it, and it has actually spent much more time in its box than it ever has on a gun.

Please don't pm me any offers. It is against the forum rules. The scope will only be available from the Sales Section on a first come first served basis.

[Rich]

Anyone getting that scope for £80 is getting a bargain. I've known them fetch £120 and more.

Good review, the adjusters are poor. I have two of these scopes and one has lost the top adjuster. I keep telling myself to make a new one, it won't be all that difficult but it might not look like the original.

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Thanks Rich, but my solution isn't very aesthetically pleasing, is it?

Even though you can't see it.

It is the second best scope I have ever owned. And the first was another Bushnell - an Elite 4200 8-32x40 AO.

All my others have been relatively cheap ones.

[Bob6500]

great scopes I have owned a few..my only criticism is the mildots being rather large....the 3200 had a nicer size to it ....bargain and still worth 120£ all day long

[oldskoolzzz]

Interesting review Arthur,

I must have owned at least 7 or 8 of the Legends over the years as I’ve always found they were really suited to Theoben Rapids (again owned loads of them also) they fitted perfect in the factory mounts with just enough clearance for the AO over the barrel.

Strangely though I’ve never encountered any of those two issues you have

I’ve also had the legend on other PCP’s and even a springer but never ran out of adjustment or had to get adjusting mounts

Bizarrely I’ve also never encountered the plastic turret issue either how strange especially as I’ve owned quite a few of them.

I guess I must have been extremely lucky perhaps but once zerod I wouldn’t need to keep adjusting the turrets so assume I must have been lucky.

[Col. Johnson]

I have owned two of these scopes and can agree that the glass is superb, bright, crisp image with good contrast.
The mildots are large and spaced quite far apart (believe the dots were true on 15x mag) which unfortunately is not so great for competition shooting.
Good however for those with older eyes.
Never seemed to shift zero either.
Class

[monkeytree]

Great little scopes , and i agree with the dots been a little big , but never any turret issues . But for anyone that has , a cheap bit of aluminium round bar drill a couple of holes , file the finger holds or a simple driver slot .

[The Squire]

I've had one of these on my 97k for the thick end of 15 years, they are great scopes. The combination barely moves from the zero year to year, and if it has it perhaps needs 4 clicks on one of the turrets max. After that if I miss then it ain't a scope/rifle problem!

[stevo128]

hi, got one on my tx200mk2,superb glass for the money,

[edted]

I would have to agree with the 120 estimate. It is the only scope I use on my rifles and I currently own 7 of them