Today’s deer hunter has better tools and technology than ever before. While no gadget can ever replace woodsmanship or marksmanship, we can at least be confident that our gear allows us to make precise shots at distances near and far.
The tools necessary for such confidence come in the form of a laser rangefinder, binocular, ballistics solver, and capable rifle scope. These tools are at the heart of the new R lineup from Bushnell and offer the whitetail hunter everything they need—and they do so at a reasonable price.
The R lineup is broken into a R3 series and a R5 series with the differences being in the capabilities and features of the products. I received the R5 line for evaluation and found it to be well designed for the diverse challenges and environments that deer hunting can bring. I’ve hunted whitetails in Texas where there was plenty of wide open range, but I know of many who hunt deer in the close quarters of the Eastern hardwoods. It’s a rare product line that can cover the requirements and conditions of the whitetails full range, but that’s just what the R5 series aims to do with its family of resilient and reliable optics.
Again, the R5 series is comprised of three product categories and each features glass with Bushnell’s EXO barrier lens coating. This coating is a major component of Bushnell products because it repels some of the challenging elements you’ll deal with in the field such as dust, debris, and water. All of the optics in the line are also waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof with IPX4 and IPX7 levels of construction.
The glass on each features HD optical systems, with fully multi-coated lenses helping to ensure you get the best clarity and light transmission possible. This is the kicker when the light is low and that perfect whitetail appears from nowhere.
Let’s look more closely at the R5 products and how they will help bring success in the field.
Rangefinder
R5 rangefinder boasts a ranging capability of up to 2,000 yards. Yes, that’s way more than necessary for a good whitetail hunt but it’s nice to have such ranging capability. It will help when truing up your ballistics data and is great for other types of hunts and shooting scenarios. The R5 rangefinder, if Bluetooth enabled, connects with your smartphone so that you can fully exploit the included Applied Ballistics Ultralight app, a powerful solver that can allow you to dial your rifle/ammo combo into high levels of accuracy. Applied Ballistics is a trusted ballistics solution source and I don’t even consider hunting without the use of a solver.
Riflescopes
There are several R5 riflescopes worth considering. The R5 3-9×40 is a solid value proposition and will be the ideal scope for most whitetail hunters. It features a DOA-LRH800 glass-etched reticle. This reticle is a BDC (bullet drop compensator) type and when paired up with the info from the AB app, you can take full advantage of those BDC lines which are good out to 800 yards. It also provides 5/10 MPH wind holds out to that distance.
The use of the reticle is made even easier with the illuminated floating center dot. This provides a solid, confidence-inspiring point of aim when the time is right. Side focus allows you to dial in a crisp image.
The R5 scope features a 1-inch tube and target-style turrets with ample tactile feedback so that you can dial for your shots even if you can’t see the turrets due to low light conditions.
The R5 series also includes a 1-6X24 LPVO for bigwoods deer hunters and a 4-12X40 model for hunting more open country. All feature the same glass and illumination features, so simply pick the scope that best suits your needs.
Binos
Rounding out the R5 lineup are the 8X42, 10X42, and 12×50 binoculars. Binos are a must-have for searching for your target buck, even when you’re hunting the woods. And while it might be tempting to glass with your rifle optic, it’s best to use your binocular (both from a safety standpoint and because it will give you a wider field of view).
The R5 binos are equipped with several coatings and prism enhancements to improve their performance. Seeing well in low light shouldn’t be a problem as I found out during my evaluation of the binos. Real-world results prevailed during a real-world test as I spotted a bobcat well before sunrise, at the end of my driveway. I wasn’t looking for it and have never actually seen a bobcat around my property, although I knew they were out there. The R5 binos did their job.
While the 10X42’s are probably the best choice for most deer hunters, I prefer the 12x mainly due to my time as the spotter for other shooters in the precision rifle world. The 12x does a better job of revealing where impacts impact and where misses miss. They are a bit bigger and a bit heavier but it’s a good trade off in my opinion.
The body of the R5 binos features a dual rubber over-mold construction with textured inlays. They feel sturdy and stay put in the hand. A Value Lite chest harness for the binos is included.
Field Use
I wanted to know just how well the entire system would work in general terms. I mounted up the optic to a 6.5 PRC and headed to the range for a zero session. Then from there I would use the rangefinder and AB Ultralight app to shoot at a distance. This is a straightforward no-fanfare type of test that can be done before going into the field.
I zeroed the R5 scope and was amazed by how consistently small my groups were with only a 9x magnification. multiple sub-MOA groups were achieved with Hornady 130 CX ammunition in my 6.5 PRC with Falkor action and self-installed pre-fit barrel.
While I couldn’t see the illuminated dot due to the brightness outside, the center dot was easy to place right where I wanted. I achieved groups typically shot with much higher magnification.
After zeroing I went to the upper ridge of our range for some long distance verification. I used the R5 binos for spotting targets and the rangefinder for gathering the distance. I ended up truing the ballistics data at 873 yards, using the LRH 800 reticle in the R5 optic to hold precisely for wind while I dialed elevation. This combo made short work of the steel targets.
In one serious range session I got the rifle/scope combo trued, and the binos and rangefinder did their job. They also performed well in low light and allowed me to see much more than I had anticipated. When paired with the AB software, the R5 combo may just be the ultimate line of optics for the modern whitetail hunter.