Choice of scope
Ken, Welcome to the world of "handgun hunting."

If you practice diligently, you'll be very pleased w/ the decisions you've made. There's a lot to consider in selecting a scope. I have many different scopes on my Contenders/Encore, including 3X, 2-7X, 2.5-8X, 3-9X, 10X and 3-12X. DesertRam is correct in that w/ handgun scopes you end up deciding which is more important--field of view or eye relief. For the type of hunting I do (deer in woods), I've decided that FOV is more important. Consequently, most of my deer hunting Contender barrels have a Burris 2-7X scope on top. Guns that find more use on power lines and right of ways frequently have a 3-9X or even 3-12X on them. I find a generous FOV also very critical for the beginning handgun hunter. The Leupold 2.5-8X is a very nice scope, but it's fov is not as wide as the aforementioned Burris. The 2X has a very wide fov at 100 yards (about 20 feet or so) yet offers plenty of magnification for shots to 200-250 yards. If possible, I'd try to compare the Bushnell w/ a Burris to see what your personal preference is regarding changing eye relief vs. wide fov.
On a sidenote, I live in NW LA. My daughter's a SR in high school and hopes to interview soon at Louisiana College in Pineville. Can you refer me to any good gun shops in the area if I find I need to pass some time while she's interviewing? :roll:
Good luck and good hunting. Gary T.