quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
I can't tell you anything about the current Bushnell other than it is made somewhere in Asia or the Pacific Rim and that its optical clarity will likely be very good (as are all modern scopes), but that its function as an optical gunsight in regard to reticle adjustment, eye relief and eye placement, weight, or bulk may be suspect in various ways.

Since Bushnell no longer even owns the Bausch & Lomb name for sporting optics, I'm surprised that they would offer you anything in compensation for your broken Rochester B&L. I would surmise that whatever discount they are offering still prices the scope near its U.S. "street" market price. Additionally, you'll have to discard your B&L adjustable mount to replace it with a fixed mount for the internally adjustable scope.

As an alternative, why don't you go on eBay and look for a Rochester B&L 8 as a replacement? They usually sell very reasonably -- $100 or less (which is probably significantly less than Bushnell is offering their replacement) -- and you wouldn't have to change anything about your rifle or mount.

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:
Stonecreek, who does own the B&L sporting optics name now?

So far as I am aware, once Bushnell's rights to the B&L name for sporting optics expired (or was not renewed, or whatever), no one else bothered to purchase those rights. I assume that Bausch & Lomb, which no longer produces any optical instruments that I'm aware of, is exclusively in the eye care business (contact lenses, chemicals, etc.) and does not care to lend its name to other products. Or, alternatively, its name is "too old" to command much interest among optics sellers.

If Africanhunter's old scope was one of the 'Custom' models, it probably wouldn't be broken. They really are some of the finest scopes I know of and I wish someone made mounts for them to fit modern rifles.

I've owned a couple of the Balvar 8B's (although I'm embarassed that I failed to recognize the designation) and they are pretty decent scopes. If I recall, they were the first B&L product to be made in Asia (Japan, I think). They were introduced when B&L was shutting down their production in Rochester. So, all they really share with the old Balvar line is the name.

The Balvar 5 I've got has the longest, most flexible 'eyebox' (usable eye relief) I've ever seen, they blend fields like an old Zeiss or Nickel and the fixed powers should be the most waterproof design around.