Shotgun optics with slugs

[keystone112]

I picked up a Nikon Omega ML scope in 1.65-5x36. The eye relief is huge. Mine is on a ML. It would be great on a slug gun.

 

[Shō[t]gun]

Are you using sabot slugs in a dedicated slug gun or smooth bore with foster slugs?
I’ve had the Burris signature HD 2-10 on my savage 212 for two years now and I’ve been pretty happy with it in low light and dialing out to further distances. Isn’t illuminated though, and I don’t think they make an illuminated model in that magnification, so I’d second the fullfield recommendation.

 

[Jack321]

In my state I hunt white tails with a shotgun and I’m putting together a new set up. Picking everyone’s brain in case I’m missing a good option. We use slugs for white tail in nj, shots are 100 yards or less, generally less. Looking for a low mag scope. Illumination is a must for what I’d like. I can use irons on the barrel but prefer an optic with a crosshair. I’m thinking either sig 2.5-8 Sierra 3 or primary arms slx 1-6 with the nova dot. Magnification is less of a concern as long at it starts out very low, but sometimes it’s nice to have alittle bit over just a dot. Any thoughts on lpvo vs a 3-9 or something similar. No need to spend a lot for this application as long as it’ll hold up to 12 gauge recoil.

My dad, 4 brothers, and I all grew up in a slug only state. Though last year ours approved single-shot straight wall cartridges. I still hunt with a slug.

Not to mention all my hunting buddies all shoot slugs, so I've seen and shot and used almost everything out there. My older brother and dad first started with smooth bore, iron sights with Remington Sluggers that were pie plate accuracy at 50 yds.

Then I came along with a Hastings Rifled barrel on my 20ga Remington 1100 with a red sot and it was a game changer to double our effective range to 100 yds as an early teen. Within 2 yrs my whole family switched over to rifles bbls and red dots.

Them red dots were perfectly fine til they got battered and abused by bush whacking teens and eventually they chewed thru batteries to quickly. So I switched over to a tradition variable powered scope. I shot a butt load of deer with this red dot and grey box Winchester sabots.

I've shot everything from Nikons Prostaffs, Monarchs, Buckmasters and Slug Hunter scopes. I've also shot the newer Redfield scopes when they came back and made in the Philippines by Leupold.

Currently on my 20ga Rem 1100 I have a Nikon Prostaff 2-7x32 with a standard duplex reticle. My 12ga Rem 1187 has a Burris DropTine 2-7x32 with the subtensions that I can go out to 200 yds.

With my 20ga, I've dropped a coyote at 143 yds with Hornady SSTs (I've since switched to Rem Accutips because I shot one deer with the SSTs and it pancaked as fast as csn be right in the vitals.) I did it with that Nikon 2-7x duplex scope.

Last year, I dropped a nice 4 yr old buck at 153 yards with one slug with Federal 3" Barnes Tipped slug with the Burris Drop Tine 2-7x and my dad dropped a 12pt 164" buck just 30 seconds before I dropped mine. My dad killed the 12pt and the other buck ran towards me and was broadside at 153 yds. It was 3:30pm on the last day of gun season.

My dad was using my 20ga and I had my 12ga. Both performed great.

However my brother has a Leupold Ultimate Slam 3-9 on his 20ga 870 and it's a flat out TACK DRIVER! Like I'm talking 1.5" groups at 100 yds and MAN is that Leupy a nice scope.

When my Nikon or Burris takes a crap. Leupolds Ultimat Slam is probably going to be the answer.

However, this year I got scoped and broke my nose on my biggest 10 pt. (It was my own fault for not holding the gun properly, but he came right behind me at 10 yds and busted me in the stand. I didn't have time to get the gun in my shouldee, and I didn't have time to move, so with the gun on my hip, I just brought the gun under my arm pit, and at 7x power had to find him in the scope as the shadow bubble in the scope was bouncing all around. As soon as I found his vitals, I pulled the trigger and got smacked in the face! All in a matter of 5 seconds. Totally worth a broken nose, but that wasn't the scopes fault!)

However, I can say that a longer eye relief is recommended. Even sighting my 12ga in, she kicks like a mule and often times knocks my glasses.

Nikon doesn't make their Slug Hunter anymore. But that Crimson Trace scope looks promising with a 5 inch eye relief! That's the first time I've ever read about that scope. I'd certainly be interested in seeing that thing and it's performance.

Currently the Leupold Ultimate Slam is what I'd buy next, but it doesn't have the eye relief that the Crimson Trace listed above has.

I wouldn't worry too much about an illuminated reticle. With the recoil of the slug, that's just one more thing that could go wrong and anything that's going to be able to take that type of beating AND be a quality scope, good reticle, cleae glass, is probably going to to cost a lot. And by that, I'd imagine the quality it would be a Dangerous Game African Safari type scope by someone like Trijicon.

 

[Teodoro]

Maybe give the Primary Arms fixed 2x a look? I use my ML during my local shotgun season, not in NJ. It came with one of the Japan-made fixed 4x Weavers, and I've been thoroughly pleased with it from 30-110 yds, though I think a lower power would be handier up close.

 

[mckbcat2000]

I live in Illinois and have shot lots of slugs out of shotguns. Now that I have a 1-5 power scope on my AR15 I think that would be fantastic on a slug gun. Most slug guns shots are fairly close and I have to think a 1-5 would serve a person well. On all my sluggers I have 3-9, if I knew what I know now they'd all wear 1-5. My 2 cents.

 

[HCMike]

Also looking to upgrade my optic on Benelli M2 Had a Burris Signature Select for years and really enjoyed that scope. Finally bit the dust , most cannot handle 220# falling on them more than once. Have been looking at the Meopta Optima 6 or Meostar 1-6 x 24. Both have really good eye relief and I feel a little magnification for a tight shot in timber is valuable, especially in low light.

 

[mtfallon]

1-4 or 2-7 scope is plenty, I've used Nikon Prostaff 2-7 (hold zero but not great in low light), Leupold Vx1 and 3 (no issues), next scope will be a Trijicon Accupoint 1-4 as I want an illuminated reticle and 1X will be nice for still hunting or moving targets.

 

[Wildhorse]

Throw a halosun 507 on with the 3x magnifier with pivot mount if you want some magnification and I bet you will be very happy

 

[Remington92]

Growing up in Southern IL my h&r ultra slugger wore a bushnel 1.5-4.5 for a lot of years and killed a lot of deer. Having a few of them on ARs now I really like the primary arms 1-6 nova scopes, especially the special purchase GLX phillipeans made ones. (picked up another yesterday for $200 on sale). For your shorter ranges Id be all over that.

Ill also echo what some of the other guys said. If you have the option or ability try a 20ga. Never had a deer walk away from a 20ga lightfield when I was younger or the Remington Accutips in later years. Such a nicer shotgun all the way around compared to a 12ga.

 

[Southernfried]

I see now, that Athlon has a slugger scope with 5" of eye relief as well Athlon 3x12x40 with a lit reticle and 5" of relief. I just put a Redfield Rebel from Academy on my slugger, but I got the 3x9x50, had the gift cards so thought why not lol. . It says it has 3.5" of relief but it sure seems longer. Havent even got it sighted in yet lol and already looking for the next one lol but the light gathering is pretty dang good with it. I can still see way past half hour after sunset with it.

 

[LongWayAround]

SWFA 1-4x24 SS - Illuminated MIL-Quad DM Reticle, 30mm, .1 MIL Clicks

SWFA is an optics manufacturing specializing in rifle scopes built for tactical, hunting, and long range shooting known for quality and precision optics.

swfa.com

I've posted this before but... I think this would make a great slug gun scope. I have one on an AR-10 and wouldn't hesitate to buy another for a similar use.

 

[Southernfried]

SWFA 1-4x24 SS - Illuminated MIL-Quad DM Reticle, 30mm, .1 MIL Clicks

SWFA is an optics manufacturing specializing in rifle scopes built for tactical, hunting, and long range shooting known for quality and precision optics.

swfa.com

I've posted this before but... I think this would make a great slug gun scope. I have one on an AR-10 and wouldn't hesitate to buy another for a similar use.

Thanks!, lol Im building a ar10 as well so I have something else to look at lol

 

[UnckleBob]

Sorry for restarting this thread, but I have some follow up questions. Texas has a few areas which are slug only that I want to eventually hunt, To get ready should the opportunity arise, I bought a Mossberg combo with a rifled cantilevered barre and a regular barrel.

To my surprise, I open the box to fund a REALLY CHEAP 2.5x Dead Ringer scope and rings in there. I am not using it. It did boast over 6" of eye relief.

I have not had a 20 gauge, but I don't remember it kicking hard. Do I need that much eye relief?

My current plan is to repurpose an inexpensive scope, probably a 20 year old Vortex Crossfire 3-9 scope. Is there any reason to think that the Crossfire won't work on a shotgun shot less than 10x per year once I get it sighted in?

I don't really want to buy a new scope, even an inexpensive one, for this project.

 

[Jack321]

Sorry for restarting this thread, but I have some follow up questions. Texas has a few areas which are slug only that I want to eventually hunt, To get ready should the opportunity arise, I bought a Mossberg combo with a rifled cantilevered barre and a regular barrel.

To my surprise, I open the box to fund a REALLY CHEAP 2.5x Dead Ringer scope and rings in there. I am not using it. It did boast over 6" of eye relief.

I have not had a 20 gauge, but I don't remember it kicking hard. Do I need that much eye relief?

My current plan is to repurpose an inexpensive scope, probably a 20 year old Vortex Crossfire 3-9 scope. Is there any reason to think that the Crossfire won't work on a shotgun shot less than 10x per year once I get it sighted in?

I don't really want to buy a new scope, even an inexpensive one, for this project.

You'll be fine. (Even if you choose the cheapo scope that came with the gun.)

A good buddy of mine purchased that exact same gun last year, and he was on a budget and used that scope. He dumped 4 deer last yr between him and his two sons. No issues.

Same with the Crossfire, you'll be fine.

Id honestly be more worried about the rings that you put on than the scope itself. But the 20ga doesnt kick "too hard." Dont get me wrong, its no .223, and itll kick, esp with slugs but not like a 12ga or high powered rifle.