Scope for a shot gun- Which would you pick, Why?

cloverleaf

Handloader
Sep 10, 2006
4,318
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Hey all- My BIL has finally consented that maybe he should "let me show him how to shoot a scope". He has a blatant dislike/ mistrust of them, in part I believe because no one ever put a scope on FOR him and made sure he got a full field of view, good ye relief etc. Also as much as he argues otherwise a 12 Ga slug aint easy to shoot well. Pretty sure I can take care of those things (if he listens...) I have a VX II 2-7 on my slug gun w/ a custom shop 2 MOA dot and fine cross hair. To me that is perfect, for the mixed opportunities of a deer in two jumps or one that stops for a look at 100 yards. Left at 4 x, its quick, clear plenty bright enough, and has proven reliable and deadly if I can get on target. He didn't like it, :? but it was set up for me....

For him I think a forgiving eye relief, eye box will be critical. If he cant get and keep a full fiel of view, he will get frustrated and give up on it He's tried a DOT sight but found that the cheap variety he has used are fraught w/ parallax, and when you leave them turned off to save the battery :x , you cant hit anything w/o the D@mn dot. He proved that last year.... I cant be too critical, I missed the same deer, on the run, w/ my "perfect" scope.

Theres always a story.... :)

Anyway what would you recommend? (Mossberg 500, 12 GA, rifled barrel. Receiver mounted. Shots between 10 and 150 yards) Price is an issue so used is OK. The Burris "fire dot" intrigues me... kinda the dot he wanted w/o some of the other issues. I know he's gonna look for a $100 heart ache, so help me steer him in the right direction. Thanks CL
 
If you can find a used 1.5x5 VariX III or similar that was the epitome of a shotgun scope for me. I used the plain old Duplex in mine and it provided a mile of FOV along with excellent eye relief across the board. My second pick is to get one of the old M8 4x’s. Both of those can be had for around 200-250 bucks or less and are excellent optics for a shotgun to 150 yards.
 
A 3x9 muzzle loading scope should handle the recoil.

15 years ago, I had a 12 gauge that I could group at 1.5” at a 100 using irons sights.

Can’t any more. Either I see my sites or I see my target. Not both at the same time. So pretty much everything has a scope...

I do shoot red dots for up close and personal hunting (bear at least that 50)

More that 50, I go scopes.


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Have a Nikon 2x7 shotgun scope on a inline ml and it works fine. Nephew uses same scope on a Rem 870 12ga slug gun with no problems. Might find one laying around somewhere. Dan.
 
Unfortunately, he's stopped hunting altogether. Just couldnt be happy about it no matter what, it seems like. I believe the shot gun still wears the $50 "Tru Glo" red dot he wasnt happy with. IMHO that thing was a perscription for frustration, right out of the box. CL
 
Unfortunately, he's stopped hunting altogether. Just couldnt be happy about it no matter what, it seems like. I believe the shot gun still wears the $50 "Tru Glo" red dot he wasnt happy with. IMHO that thing was a perscription for frustration, right out of the box. CL
Sorry to read that.
 
Hey all- My BIL has finally consented that maybe he should "let me show him how to shoot a scope". He has a blatant dislike/ mistrust of them, in part I believe because no one ever put a scope on FOR him and made sure he got a full field of view, good ye relief etc. Also as much as he argues otherwise a 12 Ga slug aint easy to shoot well. Pretty sure I can take care of those things (if he listens...) I have a VX II 2-7 on my slug gun w/ a custom shop 2 MOA dot and fine cross hair. To me that is perfect, for the mixed opportunities of a deer in two jumps or one that stops for a look at 100 yards. Left at 4 x, its quick, clear plenty bright enough, and has proven reliable and deadly if I can get on target. He didn't like it, :? but it was set up for me....

For him I think a forgiving eye relief, eye box will be critical. If he cant get and keep a full fiel of view, he will get frustrated and give up on it He's tried a DOT sight but found that the cheap variety he has used are fraught w/ parallax, and when you leave them turned off to save the battery :x , you cant hit anything w/o the D@mn dot. He proved that last year.... I cant be too critical, I missed the same deer, on the run, w/ my "perfect" scope.

Theres always a story.... :)

Anyway what would you recommend? (Mossberg 500, 12 GA, rifled barrel. Receiver mounted. Shots between 10 and 150 yards) Price is an issue so used is OK. The Burris "fire dot" intrigues me... kinda the dot he wanted w/o some of the other issues. I know he's gonna look for a $100 heart ache, so help me steer him in the right direction. Thanks CL
I installed a Leupold Delta point pro on my Bennelli M4 with American Defense Tactical Lever. I boresighted it and went out and 1st shot at 25 yards dead center ….never in my life I had that happen . Really like the Delta Pro using 2 eyes open. It’s my Bear defense and home shotgun .
 
If you can find a used 1.5x5 VariX III or similar that was the epitome of a shotgun scope for me. I used the plain old Duplex in mine and it provided a mile of FOV along with excellent eye relief across the board. My second pick is to get one of the old M8 4x’s. Both of those can be had for around 200-250 bucks or less and are excellent optics for a shotgun to 150 yards.
This.
 
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