Sumo,

The optic is a Bushnell Elite 6500 4.5 x 30 x 50. It has mil-dot reticle. I really like that scope. My other scope is a Leupold VXIII with a Big Game Reticle. As far as clarity, they are on par at similar magnification. I rarely use the 30 power on my Bushnell. I have used it to look count points on antlers and at the bench at times to look at holes. Most of the time, I keep it from 6-12 power. So, for the most part, that extra power is not used, but it's nice to have when I need it.