Poor Man’s Precision

My Ruger Hawkeye is set-up for what I call a “utilitarian rifle.” Normally, it sports a slim and trim Weaver 2-7X variable. Perfect for deer hunting, riding in the Suburban, plinking or defending the home front, it can manage a hodgepodge of duties and shine while doing it.

Bushnell recently released a new line of optics in the “Engage” line, meaning those who are frugal at heart can obtain a target scope with turrets for $300. Power range was 2.5-10X, perfect for my paltry long-range system.

Dialing in the scope is easy with the Tooless Zero Reset Locking Turret. Once you’re dialed-in, simply unscrew the turret knob top and reset your reference zero. Clarity and glass are exceptional for a scope in this class of affordable optics.

Mounting the Bushnell Engage couldn’t have been easier with the Ruger rings. Since the scope has a 30mm tube, I did have to order 30mm rings for it. Once mounted, sighting in was a breeze. Starting at 25 yards, I removed the bolt and bore-sighted the gun. I know “dead-on” at 25 yards usually puts you within a few inches of zero at 100. It took two shots, with adjustments, to get where I wanted to be and move on to Bill’s 100-yard range.

I was in the bull the second shot and started to build a nice 5-shot group. It measured .920, impressing me and further instilling confidence in my faithful “utilitarian rifle.”