Combining the benefits of a zero magnification red dot and a magnified scope, the popularity of one-to-whatever zoom (typically 4x, 6x, or 8x) optics continues to rise. Add to that an illuminated, BDC (bullet drop compensating) reticle for engaging targets at longer distances without having to dial the turrets, and it’s a potent package.
While options for BDC reticles calibrated for 5.56/.223 ballistics are many, there are far fewer scopes available for 300 Blackout. Bushnell fills this void with their 1-4x24mm AR/300 BLK Riflescope with Throw Down PCL (power change lever).
The AR/300 BLK is a compact (9.5″ long), relatively lightweight (16.9 oz) scope with a 30mm tube diameter and a 24mm objective lens. Everything you can see and touch, other than the fully multi-coated glass lenses, is anodized aluminum.
Clean and precise clicks — both audible and tactile — on the non-locking, tactical (no caps) turrets are in 0.1 MIL increments. Turrets can be disengaged from the internal adjustment by loosening three set screws, allowing them to be zeroed once scope is dialed to gun.
Zeroing can be accomplished with either supersonic or subsonic 300 BLK ammunition. I’d recommend using the specific load you plan to shoot most or rely upon most. If supersonic, the center dot should be zeroed at 100 yards. If subsonic, 50 yards. Then the BDC holds are as follows:
• Supersonic: Center dot 100 yards. Middle dot 235 yards. Bottom dot 300 yards.
• Subsonic: Center dot 50 yards. Middle dot 100 yards. Bottom dot 125 yards.
Assisting in doing your own rangefinding and holdover maths, the inside of the illuminated horseshoe is 18 MOA across and the outside is 22 MOA across. From center dot to bottom dot is 11 MOA. Yes, the reticle is MOA and the turrets are MIL. This is normally a big pet-peeve of mine, but the whole point of this reticle is that you don’t touch the dials after zeroing your rifle anyway.
Which is why, if I were designing the AR/300 BLK, I would have gone with an as-short-as-possible, capped elevation turret. Though the windage dial may well be used regularly to dial-in wind compensation, the set-it-and-forget-it nature of the elevation adjustment doesn’t necessitate a tall, tactical-style turret with rotation indicating marks.
On the left side we find a brightness adjustment dial for the red-illuminated reticle, which cranks all the way up to 11. The AR/300 BLK is powered by a single CR2032 battery housed within this turret.
To zoom from 1x to 4x and back, simply rotate the zoom collar 180°. The power change lever makes this quicker and easier by increasing leverage and decreasing the possibility of your grip slipping over the adjustment collar.
The PCL then folds flat against the ocular bell. A rubber o-ring resting in a machined groove is a simple, effective solution that prevents rattling or marring.
In keeping with current market preference, the AR/300 BLK’s reticle is on the first focal plane. This means the reticle shrinks or grows according to the zoom level, which in turn means that the BDC holds are always the same (e.g. the bottom dot is a 300-yard hold for supersonic ammo whether you’re on 1x zoom or 4x zoom or anywhere in-between). It also means that, on 1x zoom, the horseshoe and BDC dots all shrink down into an extremely red dot-like point of brightness in the center.
While quite difficult to capture on camera, seeing that dot on 1x zoom and full brightness was, usually, fast and easy with the human eye. In most conditions it’s going to be extremely similar to running a red dot, but outdoors on a full-sun day, especially against a light-colored background, it just can’t match a dedicated red dot’s brightness and its illumination will appear dim. Then again, with a crisp, black reticle physically etched in the glass, the illumination isn’t as critical as it is on a red dot optic where the reticle is projected by an LED.
I was very pleased to see that Bushnell created a true 1x optic in the AR/300 BLK, or at least close enough to actual zero-zoom that I can’t tell if it isn’t. Shooting with both eyes open is as easy as with a red dot. Colors and images are sharp and true, and there’s only the slightest little bit of distortion at the very edges of the lens.
At 4x zoom, the Bushnell’s optical clarity continues to please. Especially at this price point (about $259 retail), the glass is very nice. Images are sharp, bright, and clear, and colors look great.
After a rough sight-in with subsonic 208 grain Hornady BLACK ammo at 50 yards, I put two rounds on a steel target at 100 yards using the middle BDC dot. I then switched to supersonic 110 gran Hornady BLACK ammo and used the center dot to put two more rounds on the target.
Though the velocity and ballistic properties of various brands, weights, and styles of supersonic and subsonic 300 BLK loads vary quite a bit (with the 110 grain Hornady V-Max being particularly fast and sleek), the AR/300 BLK BDC dots did great here. For self-defense, hunting, or competition, a shooter can absolutely switch between sub/super loads and use this optic’s BDC dots to confidently engage targets at various ranges, from point blank to 300 yards.
I then settled down at 50 yards to run a quick box test using Freedom Munitions HUSH 220 grain subsonic ammo. Every shot on the target above was fired with the reticle aimed at the center bullseye. The three holes circled in blue were my first three. The scope was then dialed up and right and three shots were fired, again aiming dead-center on the paper. Then the scope was dialed down, three shots, dialed left, three shots, dialed up, three shots, and dialed down and right to return to center where a final three shots were fired.
With perfect mechanics, a scope should produce an exactly-square box in this drill and should return exactly to zero. My 8.3″-barreled, suppressed 300 BLK AR upper isn’t the most accurate thing in the world, but it did plenty well enough to tell that the Bushnell is tracking pretty true.
After a couple months of use, I have only one complaint beyond the MIL turret MOA reticle mismatch: I can see the nuts and bolts of the inside of the scope. Literally. Yes, this is a silly thing to whine about, but it’s weird to move the focus of my eye from through the scope to into the scope and see Phillips screw heads and such sticking out. I’m sure all scopes have similar hardware in them, but most of them hide it from sight.
To be clear, there’s nothing broken here and the scope is perfectly clean and dust-free and as it should be internally and otherwise. It’s more about this hurting the warm and fuzzy feeling of the AR/300 BLK scope’s quality, which I got from the rest of it and felt really good about until spotting those gray screw heads inside of my black Blackout scope.
Overall I’m a huge fan of 1x to WhateverX zoom optics with illuminated reticles. They beautifully blend the advantages of a red dot and a magnified scope, and often do so in fairly lightweight and compact packages. Bushnell’s AR/300 BLK 1-4x24mm riflescope scratches this itch while providing something fairly unique: a BDC reticle calibrated for both supersonic and subsonic 300 Blackout ammunition.
I found the AR/300 BLK to be high quality for the price, with very crisp and bright glass and a smooth and precise feel to all of its adjustments. It’s a solid, yet budget-friendly option for home defense, competition, hunting, and other use.
Specifications: Bushnell 1-4x24mm AR/300 BLK Riflescope with Throw Down PCL
Finish: Matte black anodized
Power x Obj. Lens: 1-4x 24mm
Reticle: Drop Zone 300 Blackout Illuminated
Lens Coating: Fully Multi-Coated
Tube Diameter: 30mm
Parallax Adjustment: Non-adjustable (fixed at 100 yards)
Field of View ft@100 yds: 112@1x, 37 at 4x
Weight: 16.9 oz
Length: 9.5 in
Eye Relief: 3.5 in
Exit Pupil: 13.1mm @1x, 5.2mm @4x
Click Value: 0.1 MIL
Adj Range: 15 MIL (a bit over 50 MOA)
Focal Plane: First
MSRP: $386.95 (more like $259 shipped at Optics Planet)
Ratings (out of five stars):
Glass Quality * * * *
Above average for the price. It’s crisp, clear, and bright with only the smallest bit of distortion at the extreme edges, and colors are great.
Reticle * * * 1/2
It’s great to have a functional BDC reticle for 300 Blackout, but the AR/300’s illumination needs to be a lot brighter if it’s to really function like a red dot at 1x zoom outdoors.
Turrets/Dials * * * *
Again, above average for the price. Turret clicks are clean and precise, and the zoom dial operates smoothly. Everything feels well-fitted and well-sorted. I do wish the turrets adjusted in minutes, though, to match the reticle. I am glad they can be zeroed out.
Qualilty * * * *
It isn’t the nicest, beefiest scope I’ve played with, but it’s rock solid for the ~$259 going rate. Everything about it looks and feels good and it tracks pretty dang well. I just wish I couldn’t see those screw heads inside of it.
Overall Rating * * * *
Bushnell’s AR/300 BLK 1-4x zoom optic is a four-star scope. Maybe not at a thousand dollars due to a couple nitpicks I have and a somewhat low maximum zoom of 4x (at a grand you’d likely be looking at 1-6x or 1-8x), but at its retail price of around $259 it’s a strong option.
I’ve had the Hi-Lux 1-4×24 CMR for a quite a few yrs, have used it on 5.56 and .308 as it has reticles for both, mostly used on a 300 BLK AR, which if performed flawlessly on…30mm tube, both red/green ill. reticles, as well as an NV mode makes it a great choice…My only want was to have it in a 1-6 instead of a 1-4, but other than that, it’s perfect…
https://hi-luxoptics.com/collections/tactical-rifle-scopes-and-optics/products/hi-lux-optics-close-to-medium-range-series-cmr1
They did MOA turrets and a MIL reticle haha. Why do companies do this? It’s crazy. I like the look of that reticle, but I’m not a MILs and meters guy so it would probably frustrate me endlessly haha. I do prefer the location of the brightness adjust dial on this Bushnell.
It would appear that both scopes have mixed Mil/MOA, turrets/reticle…
Nice Review, However I Still Think The Majority Market Is /Will Be For 5.56, As I Fall Into That Category. I’m Currently In The Market For Either Burris XTR II, Leupold VX-R Patrol, or Steiner P4Xi
For sure. Bushnell makes a basically identical scope to this one but with a .223/.308 BDC reticle instead. On Brownells here, for instance: https://goo.gl/SeoGz4 (non-illuminated reticle version is $99)
Sounds like you’re shopping a couple steps up though. Bushnell also has its Elite line, which is a more direct competitor for the ones you mentioned.
Cabelas has a Cabelas branded .223 1-4 illuminated for $150 and it has a lifetime warranty and an included PEPR style mount and capped turrets.
There are Cabelas $100 gift cards on Ebay for $80. Cabelas just recently had it on sale for $135 so you ended up getting it for $115.
I like mine a lot.
(these ones? https://goo.gl/1NqkyP) That’s a strong deal, especially with mount included. I haven’t personally used one of those but we’ll definitely add it to the list to check out. I like the wind holds and the range holds to 700 yards.
I’ve had the 223 version for a couple of years, I like it a LOT but the damned turrets get bumped off of zero dragging it around in the brush. It has held up just fine, but having a half dozen clicks of windage or elevation you didn’t know about is a bummer. If they had locking rings that would be sufficient, or a capped turret as noted in the review. As it is, I don’t use it afield any longer – it’s on a range-use-only upper now.
For the one that likes their AR bumpy.
Nice review. What is it with the Math(s) nonsense. You suddenly decide you’re from Briton?
To Robert, This Comment system really sucks. If Jeremy responds I’d never know it.
Too much Top Gear 😉
…clicking the “Notify me of follow-up comments by email” box doesn’t work for you? I’m able to subscribe to comments on specific posts by using that. Click the box before clicking the “Post Comment” button and it’ll send you an e-mail to subscribe to that article’s comments.
Nope that hasn’t worked in weeks. Not to mention that it’s a silly exercise to go through anyway. I can’t think of another comment system that requires that to subscribe to a comment that you made.
And yes, I have checke my spam filters
This world uses a lot of batteries.
Beats running an extension cord 😛
… but not a small solar panel.
Holosun seems to be making it work.
The Holosun still has a battery. The dolor panel is just to extend battery life.
Haha, true. I’ve never changed the battery in my HS503c and I’ve had it for years. BUT…a red dot uses way less power than an illuminated reticle in a scope like this does. At least CR2032s are inexpensive (50 cents a pop). If you remember to turn the reticle off when you’re done, a battery will last a pretty long time in a scope like this.
You made me laugh. . Smart ass
Hey the Chicoms/PLA have to keep those military battery factories working until the big one kicks off.
I have the ar-223 version of this. It’s nice, but it doesn’t really excel at anything. Not bright enough to replace a red dot, and not powerful enough to replace a more powerful scope for longer range shooting. On mine, the turret for turning on the illumination does not have any positive clicks which is annoying.
I Do Plan On Adding a Vortex Viper Red-Dot Sight Placed On a 45 Degree Angle To Be Able To Engage Close-Up Targets While Also Relying On Whatever 1.25×4 Scope I Decide On…
At the risk of being labeled a spelling or grammar Nazi… why, oh why do you capitalize every word? For the life of me I can’t think of any possible reason, and it seems like it would be a real PITA to do for every post – or especially for all of your typing, if indeed you do. Not criticizing, just wondering.
But it’s interesting… I’m quite surprised at how much that really, really annoys me to read… looks like I’ve discovered a new pet peeve!
Nice review.
One recommendation though. As you note, people are using reticle BDCs more and perhaps this makes capped turrets (or smaller adjustable ones) a more popular choice. Given this, checking the usability of reticle BDCs is probably a valid exercise, at least as valid as “shooting the box” via turret adjustments.
Absolutely! Apologies for not doing that other than sighting it in at 50 yards with subs and then shooting a 100-yard target with both subs and supers to check those two hold calibrations. My long range range has been closed for a couple of months for repairs, which has been frustrating.
We can also look at the math of it, though, by using a ballistics calculator. With the 208 grain Hornady subsonic loads I was shooting, the hold would be about 10.5 MOA at 125 yards and with typical 220 grain rounds the hold is like 10.94 MOA, so that lines up pretty well with the bottom dot being an 11 MOA hold for the stated range. Over on the supersonic side it’s actually harder to be precise, as 300 BLK loads now vary from 110 grain to 150 grain. Through my 8.3″ barrel with the fastest, slipperiest ammo available I’m going to hold about 8.5 MOA for that 300 yard shot, and with the 145 or 150 grain supersonic ammo out there I’ll be holding 11 or 11.5 minutes. Since the center of that bottom dot is, I do believe, 11 MOA from the center of the main center dot, I can use the top edge of it or bottom edge of it to move a half minute up or down. But I’d say it’s decently well-calibrated to a 300-yard shot with 300 BLK supersonic ammo with a nod towards erring on the high side rather than the low side. Being a minute off at 300 yards would mean being about 3″ off, so if I used that 11 MOA hold for one of the fastest rounds out there I’d end up 6″ high.
…that middle dot, to match up with 100 yards subsonic on a 50-yard zero and 235 yards supersonic with a 100-yard zero, should be about a 6.75 MOA hold.
What is the mount shown in the pictures. It looks simple and compact.
I really, really dig it, though it isn’t as lightweight as you might expect: http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2016/03/jeremy-s/gear-review-lancer-systems-single-ring-scope-mount/
I really wish they made this scope in a 1-6x for the 300BLK I know they do for the 5.56 wonder why they didn’t do it for the 300blk as well?
BTW great arricle👍
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