Bushnell Engage Review [2026]: By An Old-school Hunter

As a professional hunter from Georgia, I consider myself an old-school whitetailer. I got this riflescope from Bushnell and decided to put it to the test.

FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.

Bushnell is known for making budget scopes. Many hunters don't know that they also make high-end hunting scopes. They have options that use all the exposed turrets to be adjusted on the shooting bench and all the super cool stuff that comes with the more advanced optics. The Bushnell Engage is a high-quality scope with a lot of interesting features, at a relatively-affordable price.

I chose this scope power for a precision rifle I built in .22 LR. I used an old bolt-action Marlin with a 10-round removable box magazine. I found it very rewarding to tune the bolt and bolt face to as close to perfection as possible with the parts available for this old rifle. I also used this scope on my .243 bolt action rifle because I wanted to give you a fuller picture based on more than one real-life situation.

Now, let's dive in.

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Bushnell Engage - Non-Illuminated Riflescope

HIGHLIGHT:

Easy to see crosshairs with hash marks to adjust holdover on the move.

DESIGN:

The Engage scope uses an old-school crosshair reticle. The reticle is 0.18 wide, making it easy to find the crosshairs on the target. Along with good crosshairs are the hash marks set along the windage and elevation. With very little practice, using the hash marks makes adjusting for moving game easier and quicker. I can leave the turrets alone by hanging the hash marks on the reticle, as a hunting scope should anyway, and use holdover shooting. The side-mounted focus knob is excellent to have, and it makes keeping the scope on game animals as they move around easy. The knobs adjust well and stay where I set them.

RECOIL PERFORMANCE:

I mounted this scope on my old .243 bolt-action rifle, and with that amount of recoil, I don't expect that level of recoil to damage the scope, screw up the crosshairs, move the scope in the rings, or cause it to lose zero.

LOW-POWER PERFORMANCE:

For most of my hunting, I leave this scope at its lowest magnification. Occasionally, I move it up to 4x for a little more precision. The scope is very clear with the low power setting, and the image is much steadier at the lower magnification.

TURRET ADJUSTMENT:

The turrets adjust without tools. I reach up and turn them with my fingertips. After the turrets are turned and set, they lock into place, a very nice feature. I like this feature especially because once I've set my zero, I don't have to worry about accidentally bumping the turrets while carrying the rifle through the woods.

LENS COATINGS:

The lens coatings keep the sight picture clear and clean when looking through the glass and at the target. Bushnell has also made a specific coating to keep the lenses free of damage. The EXO coating works on a molecular level to repel water, dirt, oil, and brush.

VALUE:

This scope is in the $250-300 price range. For some, that money for a Bushnell is a little high. However, the higher-quality Bushnell stuff is worth the money. If that's too expensive for you, which is understandable, you'd be better off buying something more affordable. We have some great options in our Best Rifle Scopes review.

Get it from Amazon now: $349.00 & FREE Returns