It’s always interesting to see the different changes in the firearm industry. Most of the time industry changes happen at a quick pace to keep up with consumer demands.
The 450 Bushmaster is a cartridge that was developed out of consumer demands. Shooters wanted a large bore cartridge that could be fired out of a semi auto rifle. The Rise of the .450 Bushmaster brought a semiautomatic round that could take down big game in one shot.
Hands down the best 450 Bushmaster scope for the majority of people is going to be the Vortex Crossfire Scope. With an extremely durable design and crystal clear sight picture, it’s going to be hard to beat for the price. If you can increase your budget a bit you might want to also check out the Leupold VX-Freedom scope designed specifically for the 450 bushmaster.
What’s The Best 450 Bushmaster Scope?
The 450 bushmaster is a hunting round that packs a serious punch. The recoil of this round is comparable to a 20 gauge shotgun so you will need a scope that can handle a little bit of a kick. The following are a few of the best scopes you can find.
1) Vortex Optics Crossfire II 3-9×40 Riflescope
Notable Features:
- Affordably Priced Vortex Scope
- 3-9x40mm Magnification(Other Options Available)
- Sturdy Shockproof Waterproof and Fogproof Construction
- Vortex Lifetime Warranty
When you need a little bit of magnification on your rifle the Vortex Optics Crossfire II is a great choice for the 450 Bushmaster. Vortex is known for loading their products with features without upping the price tag.
The 450 Bushmaster round was designed for hunting big game at a fairly long range. The large bore round with a relatively flat trajectory is perfect for a traditional mid to long range scope.
The Vortex Crossfire II will exceed your expectations without breaking your budget. Paired with the Vortex lifetime warranty this scope is sure to meet your hunting and shooting needs.
If you’re looking for an affordable option look no farther than the Vortex Crossfire II. The Crossfire II scope comes in a wide range of magnification levels.
Personally I recommend the 3-9×40 scope, because it’s a high quality mid range scope. With a 3-9x scope you can effectively hunt fairly close range while stretching out a few hundred yards.
Offering a ton of premium features this scope will outperform almost every other similarly priced rifle scope. You can tell that it was designed to offer high levels of performance and reliability.
Vortex Optics uses a nitrogen purging system to make this scope 100% waterproof, shockproof and fogproof. With an O-ring seal and aircraft grade aluminum tube the Crossfire II should last a lifetime.
The fast focus eyepiece and fast turrets will allow you to quickly dial in your target and reset back to zero. The long eye relief lens has a very clear sight picture for the price.
With fully multicoated lenses you won’t have to worry about glare interrupting your hunt. You’ll be able to see in just about any conditions throughout the day. Clear, tough and bright the Crossfire II rifle scope is a great value for the price.
2) Leupold VX-Freedom 450 Bushmaster Scope
Notable Features:
- Premium Rifle Scope
- 3-9x40mm Magnification(Other Options Available)
- Crystal Clear Bright Sight Picture
- Shockproof Waterproof and Fogproof
- Lifetime Warranty
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Leupold’s new Vortex Freedom line of scopes really deliver. They offer both the versatility and performance hunters and shooters deserve. As with all Leupold products the VX-Freedom 450 Bushmaster scope is a budget friendly option that performs like a premium scope.
When Leupold first launched its VX-Freedom line at the 2018 shot show they unveiled a wide lineup of magnification ranges, but they really delivered for the 450 bushmaster community.
They beefed up on of their 3-9x40mm scopes and designed it specifically for the 450 Bushmaster. With one of the most durable designs on the market this scope is sure to withstand even the meanest 450 bushmaster load.
Like the rest of the VX-Freedom lineup, this dedicated 450 bushmaster scope comes with a 1-Inch Main tube and second focal plane reticles. With a second focal plane, the reticle size will remain the same as you dial through the 3-9x magnification range. This allows you to really dial in those long-range shots.
Leupold offers some of the best bang for your buck scopes on the market. This competitively priced model falls at the upper end of this list, but it’s well worth the slight budget increase.
The entire VX-Freedom rifle scopes are both machined and assembled in the United States. As sad as it sounds that’s a rare occurrence these days. Most so called American Made scopes on the market are manufactured overseas and only assembled in the United States.
One area that really shines is the lens coating. Leupold’s designers really went all out when designing this special formula. Not only is the lens coating crystal clear, it’s also one of the most durable coatings on the market. The end result has to last since Leupold offers a full lifetime guarantee on this product.
Leupold calls its lens coating the Twilight Light Management System. As the name implies the glass is absolutely brilliant in low light conditions. When combined with the perfectly paired lens system you’re left with vibrant colors and excellent contrast in highlights and shadows.
This scope is guaranteed to work from sunrise to sunset. You don’t have to worry about glare when aiming into the rising sun. The proprietary lens coating almost completely eliminates glare in all light conditions. Waking up early to use this scope over the past few months has really forced me to appreciate the lens coatings on premium scopes.
With easy to control dials and turrets, you can easily dial in your reticle. Further, adjust the clarity by loosening the textured lock ring and dialing in the magnification and sharpness.
Parallax has been fixed, which keeps the cost down. On a hunting rifle parallax isn’t all that important. Even if it had parallax, few people actually know how to dial it in.
Under the turret caps you finger click adjustments for both windage and elevation. The numbers are easy to read and you can quickly adjust your scope for long-range accuracy. I’ve never had a problem dialing this sucker in even when extending my range a bit.
Leupold is known for having excellent eye relief. With a generous 33/4 inches at 9x magnification and over 5 inches at 3x that’s more than any shooter should need. You don’t have to worry about seeing that black outline most new shooters are used to.
For its magnification level the scope is downright light at 13 ounces. Don’t worry about the lightweight design, this bad boy can handle some serious abuse. It’s waterproof, extremely durable and has a lifetime warranty backed by the best customer service in the industry. You really can’t go wrong with this mid-range scope.
3) Trijicon AccuPower Scope
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Trijicon has a reputation for making amazing glass. With crystal clear glass and rugged designs they’re designed for use on the battlefield. They really went all out when designing their RS20 lineup of scopes. By making an affordably priced scope in the 3-9x range they’re influencing a whole new generation of hunters/shooters.
With this crystal clear scope you can see perfectly clear at distances that most of us will never have enough skill to actually make. Being a photographer, I’m a bit of a glass snob and Trijicon always delivers.
There’s no comparing the Trijicon RS20 to similarly priced models. With sharper, brighter, high contrast images this scope is guaranteed not to disappoint. The Accupower lineup comes in a wide variety of magnification levels and ranges in price from $400 well into the thousands. Every single one of these models offers a crisp and accurate picture without any distortion throughout the magnification range.
Although this scope is designed for the civilian hunting community you can see the military influence. The second focal plane reticle paired with Trijicon’s state of the art reticle designs you can extend this scope out to 1000 yards.
Personally, I prefer the added versatility of the 2.5-12x56mm magnification level which is available in a wide range of reticle designs. Most of the models even come with a RED LED illuminated reticle which is unheard of at this price point. You just don’t see the combination of crystal clear glass with an illuminated reticle at this price point.
There isn’t a Trijicon scope on the market that isn’t built like a tank. Without literally blowing this scope up or running it over with a car you’ll never destroy this thing.
It’s not a budget scope, but if you can afford it you can never go wrong with Trijicon.
4) Eotech Vudu Scope
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Let me start off by saying that the Eotech Vudu Lineup of scopes isn’t cheap. These scopes can go well into the $1000 range. It doesn’t make sense for your budget 450 bushmaster rifle, but it’s perfect for a premium build. You need to match the scope to your gun.
EOTech hasn’t been in the long range scope game for long, but damn do they make an impressive product. If you’re in the market for a new scope this is the time to purchase an EOTech scope. I really think they are underpriced at the moment.
All military members are familiar with EOTech’s holographic weapon sights which are currently being used by elite military units and the law enforcement community.
Although there are short magnification range models the Vudu lineup is mostly targeting the long-range rifle competition community. As with most scope manufacturers, higher magnification range versions will be more expensive.
Every competition scope needs to have several key features and this scope has them all. It needs to have crystal clear glass, extremely durable design, a zero stop, and a quality holdover reticle.
What really sets this scope apart from cheaper models is its size. At every single magnification level this scope destroys the competition when it comes to weight/size.
Comparably priced Leupold, Nightforce, Vortex, Kahles, etc models are always close to twice the size and weight(although Leupold’s VX-5HD comes close). This isn’t a big deal for most long range shooters, but I love that I can pair this scope with my night vision optics.
Eye relief is the only problem you might run into with this scope. With such a short tube length there’s not a lot of wiggle room for adjustments. You might need to shorten your length of pull to find the sweet spot.
If you can afford the high price tag you can never go wrong with an EOTech scope.
5) Bushnell Elite Tactical Riflescope
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Bushnell’s Elite Tactical lineup of scopes is really all over the map. They have scopes ranging from 400 dollars all the way up to a few thousand. I know they’re going after the premium market, but they’re all over the place.
Honestly, I don’t have a lot of experience with this scope. I can only afford to buy so many scopes and these are out of my price range for now(Bushnell’s Engage Riflescope is a more affordable option). With that being said I do know a few guys with these at my gun range and they seem awesome.
These scopes offer a lot of magnification for the price. For the price Bushnell glass is incredibly good. I’ve seen guys make shots out past 1000 yards on sunny days.
There are way more expensive scopes that have clearer sight pictures at the upper magnification range, but there’s not much to complain about at this price range. You need to be a serious shooter to need a 30x magnification range.
Definitely check this scope out if you’re looking for a moderate to high end option.
6) Vortex Optics Strikefire II Red Dot
Notable Features:
- Affordably Priced Red Dot
- Sturdy Construction and 100% Waterproof
- Backed By Vortex Lifetime Warranty
- Fixed 1x Magnification
- Crisp Red Dot with Multiple Brightness Settings
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If you’re looking for a red dot don’t pass up the Vortex Strikefire 2. Vortex Optics are known to give you a lot of features at a low cost.
The Strikefire 2 is a simple yet effective red dot that should stand up to some decent abuse. The only downside for some hunters is the magnification.
This vortex sight has no built in magnification, so if you have bad eyesight this might not be a good choice for you. Most people will be deadly accurate out to 100-200 yards with this red dot.
The Vortex Strikefire 2 is one of the best budget red dots on the market. You can expect an extremely durable scope packed with lots of premium features.
I wouldn’t throw this sight around like you see with some of the Aimpoints, but you shouldn’t have any trouble with durability. The Strikefire was built to be taken into the woods and occasionally banged against a tree or dropped on the ground. It features a completely shockproof, waterproof and fogproof design.
The Strikefire 2 optic offers quick target acquisition with it’s 4 MOA sight. With a 4 MOA sight you’ll be able to get an easy kill shot at most hunting distances. You won’t have to worry about any parallax with both eyes open.
With ten adjustable intensity levels you’ll have a clear and bright sight picture in any lighting condition. The two lowest intensity levels were even designed to work with a night vision sight. Night vision compatibility is a feature that you normally don’t see on a red dot in this range.
You can even switch between a red and green reticle for added versatility. It even has unlimited eye relief so you’ll be able to co-witness your sight on any rifle.
The respectable battery life is enhanced with the 6 hour auto-off feature. It would be a safe bet to change the batteries at the beginning of every hunting season. If you are in the market for a red dot don’t pass up the Vortex Strikefire 2.
7) Burris 3-9x40mm Fullfield II Plex Rifle Scope
Notable Features:
- Premium Burris Rifle Scope
- 3-9x40mm Magnification
- Lifetime Warranty
- Clear and Bright Sight Picture
- Waterproof Fogproof and Shockproof
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My last 450 Bushmaster scope choice is made by Burris. Burris is known for making a wide range of optics. They make everything from budget optics to scopes that cost 1500 or more.
Burris scopes makes some of the best optics on the market. The Fullfield II scope is a great entry level optic that can be used on almost any rifle.
Made to last and Burris even offers one of the best warranties in the optics world. They offer a no questions asked lifetime warranty regardless of who originally purchased the scope.
The Burris Fullfield II Scope is a well designed optic. This scope is found in the middle of Burris’ lineup, offering a wide range of features for the price.
All Burris scopes are tested for complete quality and reliability and come with a forever warranty. Like the other scopes on this list it’s completely waterproof fogproof and shockproof. The reinforced quad-seal gas seal will offer a lifetime of protection.
The Variable 3-9x40mm glass looks great in just about any environment. Using Multi-coated glass you won’t have to worry about glare on early morning hunts. Burris uses a steel on steel adjustment system to provide easy repeatable adjustments. After a few minutes at the range you’ll be able to quickly adjust this scope in the field.
They use a rather short eye relief of 3.1″-3.8″ which could be a problem for long armed shooters. At a little over 6ft tall the eye relief is about perfect for me. The Fullfield II scope is an improvement over the previous generation.
They shrunk the length, reduced the weight and improved the clarity. You should definitely consider the Burris Fullfield II rifle scope for your 450 Bushmaster.
8) Vortex Diamondback Rifle Scope
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Lately, a lot of people have been talking about vortex optics. They offer a high quality product, with lots of features at an affordable price. So it’s no surprise that there’s more than one Vortex scope on this list.
The Diamondback lineup of scopes is just one step above the Crossfire series. There’s a noticeable increase in optical clarity, but it’s slightly more expensive.
Both Vortex Diamondback and Crossfire scopes have been dominating the hunting market. These scopes can be found on hundreds of thousands of scopes across the country and you never seem to hear any complaints.
This is a fairly no-nonsense scope with variable magnification, a clean reticle and a traditional one-inch tube. It would be hard to tell the difference between a Vortex and Leupold Scope(the clarity is that good).
It can be found in just about any magnification level you can think of, but I prefer either the 3-9x40mm or 4-12x40mm version. For a strictly hunting gun you might want to go with a smaller magnification range.
You can really see the difference between this scope and cheaper models when looking at the higher magnification range. There’s no visible clarity difference up in the 9x and 12x magnification range. Plus you’ll love the adjustable parallax knob and easy to turn turrets that have a tactile click to them. It’s the little things that make a huge difference.
With a second focal plane reticle it will look exactly the same throughout the entire magnification range. Since it always maintains the same appearance it’s so much easier to make minor distance adjustments.
There are a few different reticle styles to choose from, but I would go with the BDC Reticle. Although I like the simple V-Plex design the customized dot design really eliminates the guesswork on holdover and windage corrections. It’s so much easier to quickly adjust at varying ranges when hunting.
Just like every other Vortex product, the diamondback lineup of scopes is extremely durable, lightweight, waterproof and backed by a lifetime warranty. Personally, I love this scope, but I don’t know if the slight increase in optical clarity over the Crossfire is worth the increase in price.
9) Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn 3-9x40mm Riflescope
Notable Features:
- Extremely Affordable Scope
- 3-9x40mm Magnification
- 100% Waterproof and Shockproof
- Bright Sight Picture
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Bushnell really delivered with their Banner Dusk & Dawn Rifle scope. Bushnell designed this scope to be extremely affordable without sacrificing quality. With its extremely bright sight picture the Bushnell Banner scope is an excellent buy.
Like the name implies Bushnell designed this scope to be extremely bright in low light conditions. Other budget scopes don’t even come close to Bushnell’s brightness.
With multicoated lenses that transmit more light and reduce the suns glare. Using high quality materials this scope was built to last. With 100% waterproof/fogproof and shockproof construction you won’t have to worry about damaging this affordable scope.
While you aren’t going to get Leupold or Vortex clarity you won’t be disappointed. For the money you aren’t going to beat the clarity of this Bushnell Banner Riflescope.
10) Primary Arms 4-14x44mm FFP Scope
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It’s really impressive how far budget optics have come. For a Chinese Company Primary Arms is really starting to gain traction in the United States. They’ve really started to build a cult-like following by jamming lots of features into an affordable package.
I really love all the innovative features found on Primary Arms scopes. They have really fancy first focal plane reticles, 6 illumination settings, and shockproof/waterproof designs. All those features are amazing at such a low price point, but there is one problem.
The image quality is just mediocre when compared to Vortex and Leupold Scopes. On the 4-14x model the image quality is ok out to about 400 yards which is good enough for most hunters. It just starts to get a little fuzzy, which is alright with targets, but borderline unethical when hunting.
That being said, most people will never take a shot past 2-300 yards. So this scope will work for the vast majority of the population. At this price range you have to take the good with the bad. All those great features really start to outweigh the bad.
I really love the reticle on this scope. With a front focal plane, and built-in holdovers it’s easy to estimate range at any magnification level. Reticle clarity isn’t an issue like other similar priced scopes.
What really sets this scope apart from the competition is the illuminated reticle. That’s just not a feature that you’ll find on American made scopes in this price range.
Although the image quality isn’t quite as good as other scopes on this list, all the amazing features really make up for this one shortcoming.
11) Nikon Prostaff 5
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It seems like Nikon’s Prostaff lineup of scopes have been around forever. Go into your local gunstore and I can guarantee you’ll see a Prostaff scope. The Prostaff is currently in its 5th generation of scopes and every model continues to improve. For the price Prostaff scopes really perform.
The Prostaff lineup is Nikon’s flagship line of rifle scopes and the good news is they’re downright affordable. Nikon has been around forever so they have just about any magnification level you can imagine.
On most of my hunting scopes I just go with the basic 3-9x40mm variant which is available, but I really like Nikon’s 2.5-10x40mm scope. The slight increase in range is so worth the extra 30-40 bucks.
At it’s lowest magnification level this is the perfect scope for most hunting applications. It’s crystal clear from the 150-300 yard range regardless of ambient light.
Like most of the other scopes on this list the Prostaff is equipped with easy to use finger adjustable turrets. That’s a common feature found in scopes that cost over $120-150. Every click is a 1/4MOA adjustments and you can easily adjust the scope on the fly.
All Nikon scopes are water, shock, fogproof and backed by Nikon’s excellent customer service. Nikon has been making scopes since before I was born so they’ve really dialed in the intricacies to bring the most bang for your buck.
12) Leupold VX-5HD
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Leupold’s VX-5HD is one of the most expensive scopes on this list, but oh is it worth the price. I bought one of these scopes about a year ago and I absolutely love it. Although my relationship with the VX-5HD is fairly new it’s my new favorite scope(wish it was a little bit cheaper).
At about twice the price of the VX-Freedom lineup you have to be pretty serious about optics to buy this scope. The VX-5HD series is geared more towards the moderate to high magnification range.
It goes all the way from the somewhat affordable 2-10x42mm (which is my favorite) all the way up to 7-35x and everywhere in between. Weighing in at 30 ounces this scope is coming ridiculously close to competing with the EOTech Vudu’s(which is another great scope) at a fraction of the price. Although it’s not the lightest on the market it’s a seriously light weight scope.
Thanks to the easy to use throw lever, which is removable, the zoom is quick and unobtrusive. When you go into higher magnification ranges a quick throw lever is almost a necessity. It’s absolutely ridiculous how crystal clear this sucker is at upper magnification levels. You have edge to edge clarity regardless of the magnification range.
All leupold scopes are built to last a lifetime(and warrantied for it). So the VX-5HD scope obviously offers the same durability as the most expensive scopes on the market. Unless your day to day life is a literal warzone there’s no destroying this scope.
The turrets on this gun are the best in the industry; it’s not even close. You can hit targets well over a mile, so more can you want from a mid-high end rifle scope.
How Much Should I Spend on a Scope?
Ask anybody at the sporting goods store how much you need to spend on a scope and they will all tell you the same thing. The old rule of thumb was to spend the same amount on glass as you did on your gun.
So if you have a $450 Ruger American 450 Bushmaster rifle you need to spend at least $450 on your scope. On paper that sounds like a great way to think about it, but that line of logic is outdated in a modern age. Through mass manufacturing the price of both scopes and rifles are dropping fast.
Nowadays you can find high-quality glass without spending a small fortune. A $1000 scope will never be 5 times better than a $200 scope. You get what you pay for, but at the upper price range the price to reward ratio really starts to taper off.
The Bottom Line is About $150
As a general rule I won’t buy scopes that cost less than $150(with a little wiggle room). That’s the price point where you start to see extremely durable designs with well above average glass clarity. At this price point your lacking some features, but the glass quality makes up for it.
Middle range scopes typically cost about $500. Companies like Vortex/Leupold really shine in this price range. They offer a ton of features, crystal clear glass and moderate magnification ranges.
High-Priced scopes range from $1000-$8000+. These scopes normally have every advanced feature you can think of, but that’s not what makes them so expensive. They offer crystal clear sight pictures at extreme magnification ranges. At this price range you better have a high dollar gun to get the most out of it.
FAQ About Scopes
In the article above I used some terms that you might not be familiar with. Unless you’re an experienced shooter you probably don’t understand terms like eye-relief, tracking, parallax, etc. Here’s a short guide to explain some of the unfamiliar terms.
Eye Relief refers to the distance from your scope to your eye where you can see the entire sight picture without distortion. With a wide eye relief range, it’s much easier to square up to your rifle and dial in a shot in a hurry. Due to the heavy recoil of the 450 bushmaster you want to have a longer eye relief.
Move your head left and right when looking through a cheap rifle scope. As you move your head from left to right the Point of Impact will also move. Expensive scopes used advanced designs to stop this problem.
Windage and elevation can be adjusted by cranking on the knobs on the top/sides of your scope. The top of your scope adjusts the elevation(up/down) and the side knobs adjust windage(left/right).
First and second focal plane refers to the way reticles are designed. A second focal plane reticle will stay the exact same size across your magnification range.
On a first focal plane scope the reticle will increase in size as you zoom in. First focal plane scopes are more expensive, but the hashmarks since the hashmarks will always refer to the same distance regardless of the magnification range. FFP Scopes are much easier to use on long range target shooting.
Tracking refers to the horizontal/vertical distance that you can adjust the reticle within your scope solely using the windage/elevation knobs.
Hunting With The 450 Bushmaster
The 450 Bushmaster makes for one heck of a hunting round. Updated hunting regulations have quickly pushed the .450 Bushmaster into the spotlight. 450 Bushmaster is quickly becoming a very popular hunting round in a lot of states.
Until I tried this round I never realized how much I was missing. Recent changes in hunting laws allowing straight wall cartridges made this one of my rounds of choice. This round can be used to take down anything from deer to bear.
Where I’ve found the most success with the 450 bushmaster is with wild hogs. The flat trajectory and one shot take down makes this one of my favorite boar hunting calibers. Not only is this an effective round it can be easily found. My local Walmart is stocked with a wide variety of 450 rounds for sale. With a set of 450 reloading dies(which are surprisingly expensive) you can make rounds that pack a serious punch.
450 Bushmaster Scope Durability
You can’t just put any old rifle scope on your new 450 Bushmaster Rifle. With such a powerful round you are going to need a scope that can stand up to serious abuse.
Go with a brand like Leupold, Vortex or Burris that have proven track records and lifetime warranties. The scope needs to be able to withstand powerful recoil without taking on damage.
There’s a reason manufacturers give you a lifetime warranty. They don’t think you’ll ever have to use it. All the manufacturers above have proven for decades that they can build a high-quality product that withstands the tests of time.
Which is the Best 450 Bushmaster Scope?
The best 450 Bushmaster Scope will largely depend on where you want to hunt. Personally I like to do a lot of hog hunting and I prefer the Vortex Strikefire 2. I prefer a red dot when hunting hogs because they are much easier to hunt while running. Traditional scopes like the Vortex Crossfire II, Burris and Leupold scopes are great for deer, bear and almost any other big game.