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Bushnell Tactical Releases the XRS 4.5-30x50mm
by John McQuay

Bushnell has been producing high performance sport optics for more than 60 years, however most held little interest to the professional marksman or long range competitor. Bushnell turned this around with the introduction of their “Elite Tactical” line. Scopes with the “Elite Tactical” title offered features such as milliradian turrets and reticles in the first focal plane. They are solidly built, high quality options but nothing groundbreaking. This changed with the release of the Bushnell HDMR. The HDMR offered the same blacked out cosmetics, first focal plane reticle and mil turrets of the other “Elite Tactical” scopes. Then it upped the game with locking turrets and a wide 3.5-21x magnification range. This scope quickly positioned itself as a “best buy” for the tactical rifle competitor, showing up in the winners circle at many national level rifle matches.

It seems that Bushnell was not content to enjoy the popularity of the HDMR. Taking the winning combination they went to work a new model appropriately named the XRS (extreme range rifle scope). The XRS retains the same family resemblance as the HDMR and the other “Elite Tactical” rifle scopes, but again ups the ante. Bushnell listened to the criticism from the HDMR and added a zero stop to their elevation turret. Dubbed the “Z-Lok”, the zero stop feature is a great benefit to the tactical rifle competitor in that it allows him to quickly and reliably return his scope to zero without worrying about which rotation the turret is on. The windage turret functions the same as the HDMR with the “T-Lok” locking feature. Both turrets will offer ten mils per revolution. The most exciting feature of the new XRS is the expanded magnification range. The XRS offers a mind-blowing 4.5-30x power range. A power range this wide allows for a scope that will be equally at home on a .223 AR15 or a .338LM. Normally this wide magnification range would lead you to believe it’s going to be a large scope but Bushnell managed to pack this power into a 14.4” package. The XRS also borrows the 34mm forged aluminum maintube and 50mm objective features from the HDMR. The initial reticle offering will be the G2DMR, but the Horus H59 and Tremor2 will also be available. The XRS will be widely available in January 2013, but some dealers are already taking pre-orders for it. Basic black MSRP is $2149.99. In Flat Dark Earth the MSRP is $2199.99.

Also for release in early 2013 will be the second generation of the HDMR. The ERS (extended range rifle scope) will retain most of the same features of the HDMR, but will add the “Z-Lok” zero stop elevation turret and ten mils per revolution. The magnification range will remain the same at 3.5-21x. We recently got a chance to shoot the new ERS and it is an exceptional scope. It will also be available with the G2DMR, H59 and Tremor2 reticles. The upgrade will move the MSRP to $1949.99 for black and $1999.99 for the Flat Dark Earth version.

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