FOG HORN

2014
Twobirds Flying Publication

Bushnell AR Optics 223 1-4 x 24 BTR

By: Sal Palma

Copyright 2014, Towbirds Flying Publication. All Rights Reserved.

FOG HORN

2014
Twobirds Flying Publication

Bushnell AR Optics 223 1-4 x 24 BTR variable magnification

tailored to your AR
reticle, and Ill touch on all of those in my
review, but what really excites me is its
awesome BTR reticle.

With the ever increasing popularity of three gun

competitions and the realization that one can
only do so much with a red dot sight, I thought I
would present to my readers a magnified optic
from Bushnell thats ideally suited to the AR
platform. This isnt a review centered on what
optic is better than some other, its about an
excellent mid-priced optic that will address the
overwhelming majority of your needs.
In selecting the Bushnell AR Optics 223 1-4 x 24
BTR, I committed the cardinal sin of reviewing,
which is allowing a single feature to drive my
choice of what to present to my readers. But,
Bushnells Tactical Reticle or BTR had me
hooked. Fortunately, as I proceeded with the
review, everything else proved itself to be
worthy of admiration. So, in the interest of
brevity BUY this optic.
Yes, it has a 30mm tube, resettable tactical
turrets and an illuminated first focal plane

Meet the Bushnell Tactical Reticle, and it kicks

ass. Up front, Ill apologize for the colorful
imprecation; however, in the words of Louise
Goodbread, there are times where a colorful
anachronism more elegantly communicates the
feeling.
Bushnells BTR is exceptionally capable and
lightning fast. Its design draws the eye to the
target better than a simple duplex with a center
dot. It works well with the eye to get you on
target quickly.

Copyright 2014, Towbirds Flying Publication. All Rights Reserved.

Bushnell AR Optics 223 1-4 x 24 BTR variable magnification tailored to your AR

2014

higher settings, the BTR reticle is quite

comfortable to look at even under low light
conditions.

Figure 1 BTR Reticle at 1x

The BTR is a first focal plane reticle so it changes

in size with changes in magnification, and at a
1x magnification is easily lost against the target.
This is true of all first focal plane optics, and its
the reason I avoid them on a precision rifle
unless Im working with a variable power optic
having a minimum magnification of 6.5x. Here is
where illumination saves the day, and at its
highest setting of 11, the BTR at 1x is visible
against most targets including in bright daylight.
The real benefit to the first focal plane is that
subtensions are consistent through the entire
magnification range. This is a very handy
feature when 1x is too little or 4x is too much.
The BTR is also optimized for M193 and M855,
55gr and 62gr respectively. When the center
dot is zeroed at 100 meters1, the holdover
points for longer ranges are provided by
horizontal stadia as follows; 200m, 300m, 400m
and 500m. So, its possible for the shooter to
engage a target at those ranges very quickly;
even interpolation is fast and straight forward.
I also like how Bushnell implemented the reticle
illumination in this model, and unlike competing
magnified optics that tend to bloom at the
1

If you dont have access to a 100 meter range, zero

the optic at 25 meters so that point of impact is 1.5
inches below point of aim. That should give you a
reasonable zero at 100 meters.

Figure 2 Reticle illumination at the highest setting

Second on my list of likes is its optical clarity.

This scope is every bit as good as optics costing
two to three times more. Looking through the
AR Optics 223 is like looking down into a clean
aquarium, extremely clear. Images were bright
with no noticeable distortion or color
aberrations at any magnification level. The
shooter is provided with a clear sharp image.
Something to note is that the AR Optics 223 is
not a true 1x so you have a slight amount of
magnification.
Zeroing the AR Optics 223 was a joy; windage
and elevation adjustments are in .1 mil
increments per click - translating that to a more
digestible dimension of approximately .36
inches per click at 100 meters. So, its relatively
easy to achieve a high degree of precision. Once
zeroed, the scope stayed zeroed. I fired a total
of 150 rounds in my testing without a single
problem. This scope will keep up with any
modern AR design.
Bushnell used tactical turret caps that are
resettable. Once youre done zeroing, simply
loosen three set screws to reset the caps. Clicks
are audible and the turrets provide excellent
tactile even with a gloved hand.

Copyright 2014, Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved

Bushnell AR Optics 223 1-4 x 24 BTR variable magnification tailored to your AR

Bushnell O-ring sealed the turret caps to

prevent water from seeping into the
mechanism; however, I feel it could have been
accomplished more elegantly, and when
resetting the turret caps you need to be careful
that you dont dislodge the O-rings.
The 30 mm tube adds to optical clarity but more
importantly, it provides an abundance of wind
and elevation adjustment. For example,
windage has a range of about 22 mils on either
side of center, in .1 mil increments, so shooters
have plenty of adjustment available.

2014

adjustment. Sometimes I like it or times I dont

and I guess that all depends on the day of the
week and / or solar activity. However, it is
removable.

For this review, I used a single piece cantilever

mount from Millett that gave me just the right
amount of height. So, I was able to use an offset
rail to mount a micro red dot as a backup.

Overall length is approximately 9.5 inches

weighing in at just a hair over 17 oz., so its a
beefy piece of equipment sitting on that top
rail.
Eye relief is excellent at 3.6 inches and the
adjustable diopter lets you get a very crisp
reticle picture.
Bushnell also added a rat tail to the
magnification adjustment ring, which they
market as Thrown Down PCL; the objective
provide a lever for rapid magnification

In closing, Bushnells AR Optics 223 1-4 x 24 BTR

gives you tremendous bang for the buck. You
get an absolutely smashing reticle, optical
clarity consistent with higher priced optics,
illuminated first focal plane reticle and a robust
30mm tube at an M.S.R.P of $418.95. You cant
ask for much more but dont just take my word
for it, check it out and shop it. Itll be time well
spent.
-SP

Rating:

Copyright 2014, Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved