A glorious masterpiece from the astounding life of Bushnell scopes. Known for its impeccable glass quality and affordability, the Banner 3-9x40 is another great addition to the Bushnell line of scopes.
The Banner stands amongst some of the best selling budget rifle scopes on the market today. And we’re here to find out why.
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Bushnell Banner 3-9x40
Pros
Cons
Bushnell Banner 3-9X40 Specs
Eye Relief: 6 inches
Adjustment Options (Parallax, windage, elevation): W/E - 60 MOA (0.25 MOA clicks), Parallax - NA
Type of Reticle: Multi-X
Image of Reticle:
Magnification: 3-9 x
Focal Plane: SFP
Objective Lens: 40 mm
Field of View: 32 - 11 feet at 100 yards
Pros
The Bushnell Banner is a popular scope. Especially with buyers on a tight budget. Let’s check out some outstanding features this scope has to offer.
Clear Optics and Excellent Eye Relief
The first and foremost expectation from a rifle scope is to present good clarity and brightness at all magnification levels.
The Banner 3-9x performs well on that metric and delivers a clear picture. The low light performance of this optic is also appreciable as it will allow you to shoot for about 10 to 15 minutes longer.
The best and most impressive characteristic of this scope is the 6 inches of eye relief. That’s probably the best in its class and supports its use with heavily rebounding calibers. That much eye relief opens up a whole new window of possibilities.
Sleek Design, Thick Reticle, and Good Resistance to Recoil
The Banner scope not only has a tough since piece 1-inch tube design. But it's also quite low profile. The design is fairly simple with no bells and whistles. Which greatly reduces the chances of damage from misuse. Plus, the scope is 100% waterproof and fog proof.
The scope features a second focal plane Multi-X reticle with thick peripheral lines and an aptly fine crosshair in between. The reticle is not illuminated but it certainly offers good contrast and prevents you from missing the target even in a busy sight picture or low light conditions.
Another great feature of this scope is its resistance to recoil. Bushnell has rated this scope for use with calibers up to 50 BMG, and the performance of this scope certainly testifies to it.
Great Value for Money
The Bushnell Banner is an affordable scope that delivers more than you can expect. Plus the trust of Bushnell and its warranty coverage secures your purchase for years, decades, or maybe your generations to come.
Cons
The Bushnell Banner is a pretty basic design and may be considered an entry-level scope. It’s pros certainly outweigh the cons. But we’ll still have to take a look at the drawbacks.
No Parallax Adjustment and Basic Non-illuminated Reticle
Bushnell Banner lacks parallax adjustment which can be a deterring factor when you shoot a magnification over 6x. However, the scope tries to compensate for that using the diopter adjustment feature.
The reticle design is very basic with no holdover marks for distance or wind. The reticle is non-illuminated, and it is obviously not fair to ask for that from a scope that is priced below $100. But it does limit the scope of application to some extent.
There’s pretty much nothing you can complain about for this scope. Especially at this price.
Best Uses For the Bushnell Banner 3-9X40
The Bushnell Banner is an entry-level scope that is best for beginners who are just starting to learn the trade. Or even for seasoned shooters who want a basic and inexpensive scope for shooting their heavy caliber rifles or any other lighter loads below 200 yards.
The Banner is a pure practice and hunting riflescope. The 3-9x magnification clearly says that. Mount it on your slug gun or shotgun and you’ll be dropping gobblers at 40 yards. Mount it on your bolt action rifles and you can drop deer, elk, and moose in their tracks. Or mount it on an AR-15 and just head off to the range for some practice shots.
The long 6 inches of eye relief will quickly convert your brow-busting rifles into a fun shooting experience. Without letting you cringe your neck here and there due to the generous exit pupil.
This scope is also a great choice if you have many rifles and want a few extra scopes that don’t hurt your wallet. The low light performance extends your hunting hours by 10-15 minutes and prevents you from spending unnecessary money on more expensive low light scopes. If you really don’t have a need.
Is the Bushnell Banner 3-9X40 Compatible With Any Rifle?
The Bushnell Banner 3-9x40 is compatible with all rifles available on the civilian market. Obviously, until you start disrespecting the features of this scope and demand more range and tactical precision.
Bushnell has rated this scope for 50 BMG rifles, and users have been using it with heavy caliber rifles like .450 Bushmaster .375 H&H and H&R 35 Whelen.
This is not a long-range scope and won’t be of much use on tactical or sporting rifles. But it’s great for hunting rifles.
What Do I Need to Know About Mounting the Bushnell Banner 3-9X40?
The Bushnell Banner 3-9x40 is a single piece 1-inch tube and weighs 13 ounces. The weight isn’t much so you can choose between scope rings or single piece mount. The scope has an enormous 6 inches of eye relief. That totally eliminates the problem of positioning on the receiver.
You can opt for any suitable 26 mm scope rings but make sure to properly tighten the mount to the rifle. Especially when using it on a heavy caliber.
The lightweight and simple design of this scope does not tip the balance of your rifle and is very easy to carry on long hunting trips.
What Makes the Bushnell Banner 3 9X40 Stand Out From the Competition?
The Bushnell Banner is an ideal exemplar of what’s the best that can be offered in an affordable rifle scope. This is one of those few scopes on the market that can offer good low light shooting capability, a lightweight design, eyepiece adjustment, good optical clarity, and a generous 6 inches of eye relief. All at a price less than $100.
Not only that, this scope is a Bushnell product that is renowned for its comprehensive warranty and customer support.
Conclusion
The Banner 3-9x40 is an amazingly affordable scope for the money. It is durable, sleek and has a very clean reticle. The scope works well in low light to some extent and has a very lightweight design. The best features are its generous eye relief of 6 inches and resistance to recoil up to .50 BMG.
People Also Ask
Before you spend your money on the Bushnell Banner 3-9x scope. Take a look at some important info about its performance, warranty, and other details to understand the scope better.
What Kind of Warranty Does the Bushnell Banner 3-9X40 Come With?
The Banner 3-9x40 is covered by a Bushnell Limited Lifetime Warranty. This covers defects in workmanship and materials for the lifetime of the original owner. Lifetime refers to a period of 30 years.
How Much Does the Bushnell Banner 3-9X40 Weigh?
The Bushnell Banner 3-9x40 weighs 13 ounces or 369 grams. That’s pretty light when you compare it with most other 3-9x scopes on the market. The weight makes it very easy to carry and also doesn’t tip off the balance of your rifle.
Can You Use Bushnell Banner 3-9X40 in Low Light?
Yes. Indeed the Banner 3-9x40 works very well in low light. Thanks to the multi-coated optics and the Dusk & Dawn coating. It will give you about 15 minutes extra to complete your hunt. The clarity is just amazing both in daylight and low light.
How Long Does the Battery Last on the Bushnell Banner 3-9X40?
The Bushnell Banner 3-9x40 does not have an illuminated scope. Hence it does not use a battery.
