Best all around package for a varmint rifle (.204 or 22-250) at $500 or less.

Leaning towards Bushnell Elite 6-24x40.

Thanks in advance.

My vote is Vortex.

Andrew, I'm not diagreeing with you, but could you explain why you like Vortex products so the OP could have more useful information?

I have Bushnell Elite and Vortex, and they are both great scopes. The Bushnell Elite Tactical lives on my 22-250. It is a Mil Dot reticle, and that is my only complaint about it. I like the Mil reticle of Vortex and SS much better. Having the .5 Mil hash marks is a big help.

What you need is a good quality MOA reticle with matching adjustments.

Just always have been a fan of Vortex products. I own a few of them and really enjoy them. I really like the viper 4x16 HS LR. I will say I ordered a Bushnell scope for my AR just to try it out. From what I understand the Elite line has always been great everything else not so much.

I just picked up a viper 4-16x44 hs lr from cameralandny.com for $464. They are regular $569 but if you ask for the end of year special price they reduce it. I couldn't find it cheaper anywhere.

Anybody have any reservations about exposed turrets vs capped? Obviously make on the fly adjustments easier, but seems like easy access for dirt and moisture. I have zero experience with turrets that are not capped, so maybe my worries are unwarranted.

I never have any problems with them. I also mark down where my gun is sighted on on the turrets

Why? So you're not the only weirdo riding the short bus?

Every scope I have, has exposed turrets, and I'm not a fair weather shooter. Rain, snow, blowing dust and sand, zero problems. Another reason to buy quality optics; they should be clear, tough, and track as they are supposed to.

Lol I'm sure I'm not the only window licker around here.

I am not a target shooter...I hunt, toss my guns around in the truck...some never leave my truck and stay fully loaded 24/7...I have never felt the need or desire to own turret scopes...I sight them with a favorite load...make up a bunch of that load then, never really have to re-adjust the scope...you can do that with quality optics with the caps...Can't even discuss the turret option...I am sure they have their place...just not in my world...hope this information helps.

My exposed turret scopes get treated the same except they do get turned when shooting out there a good ways. I have yet to have a turret get turned without intentionally turning it.

Unless you intend to bang the scopes around with or without covers is a non issue..If it is an issue, get another scope..I have a Burris XTR 3x12, and a 8.5x25 Leupold Mark IV. The first has covers and second doesn't
always set your zero points and shoot..I'm probably more affected by budget constraints than most, but I will say this about glass and rifles...the scope should costs as much as the rifle up to a point..Good glass means being successful or not..if you have done your job on the rifle and ammo and range time. I have considered purchasing a Millet 4X16 for my spare Rem 700 SPS .308 or even the larger one. One is about $300 and the other
about $50 to $75 more..Both have some issues as all cheaper line items do..I put a Rem BDL syn stock on the SPS
because the rifle comes with a pc of junk. But they had to cut cost somewhere to be competitive. If you are planning on shooting range 300 yds or more, you may wish to look at Burris or a Mark III Leupold..Don

If a fellow has a relatively flat shooting rifle (270, 25-06, 260, etc.) you don't need the exposed turrets and you don't even need the BDC type reticle. Out to 400 it's the same, but only if you really know your rifle well. Past that you probably do need the exposed turret type scope if you plan to hit anything without it being an accident. I have no scopes with exposed turrets, but if I was going to shoot prairie dogs at distance or targets at serious distance, I'd get the exposed turrets. And if a fellow does go with the exposed turret scope, I'd think you had better get a good one. Without repeatable tracking it would not be worth the expenditure. So if I had the need for a scope with the turrets, I'd ask the opinions of the fellows that do the long distance shooting. They have the knowledge and experience of what works and what doesn't work and how much it'll cost at minimum. Anybody else is probably just guessing or speaking from the position of a little knowledge but not a lot of knowledge. I've been hunting for many decades, but I'm not shy about asking the right questions of the right people if I need info.

Bottom line - if your varmint shooting is inside 300 yards, you don't really need the exposed turrets. Sight your 204 or 22-250 in at 200 yards and your trajectory will only be down about 5 inches at 300 and 15ish inches at 400. I've got a Leupold 6.5-20 with covered turrets on my 220 Swift and God help the coyote that gets inside 350. Between 350 and 400, he has a small chance to live. Past 500, he can stick his tongue out at me and be pretty darn safe. To get him at 500, I'd need those turrets.

"Out to 400 its the same". Not quite.

2 1/2 hours ago I shot my 260 Rem. to 600 yards, from 200 out, every hundred. Same as I did yesterday.

POA for each

200/ .4 Mil (2.88")
300/ 1.0 Mil (10.8")
400/ 1.8 Mil (26")
500/ 2.6 Mil (47.9")

At 200 I had a 4" plate, 300 a 6" plate, 400 an 8" plate. That's really not shooting tiny, just 2 MOA. If someone wanted to hit vitals of deer, or the smaller coyote, the proper scope and knowledge is necessary.

The cartridges that don't fall to earth much to 300 yards are doing it because of sheer velocity. The 22-250, 220 Swift, 243, ect are fast. But what they have in velocity out of the gate they lack in BC. Because they leave at blistering speed, they are light bullets. Light bullets don't have a high BC, therefore their major downfall is the great equalizer, the wind. That is outside 300-ish, where their velocity starts to hemorrhage.

I've got a speed demon, the 22-250. And this year it got a new barrel to stabilize a bullet with a much higher BC than the standard 50 or 55 gr. It too has exposed turrets and a Mil reticle.

I was thinking the same thing FiremanJG my 7mm is no slouch with 150's and drops 5 MOA at 400 with a 100yd zero. Now I could adjust my zero distance and just hold over but that is a big gap to cover on a game animal.