nksmfamjp

I'm new to this Ohio brush busting type of hunting. . .I'm thinking I need a shotgun now just to get meat on the table. What scope should I be looking at. Truthfully, I have only seen one shootable deer more than 50 yards away. Most are about 15 yards away and the shots would come lightning fast. Like faster than I seem to be able to get my pistol on them!

What optic works well without costing a fortune? I'm thinking an EOTech circle dot would be best, but at $350, that is almost double the shotgun price! BTW. . .I'm thinking about buying an older well used 870 and building into my ideal brush buster.

ChazyKEJ

A Bushnell trophy 1.75-4X power with a circle reticle would be a great start. They run about $100 depending on which model you get. They have a wide field of view, easily acquire the target, and are quite clear for the price. Another great slug gun scope for the price is the Leupold Heavy reticle VX-1 ($180-190). Of course, with the hunting you are describing, standard iron sights would still be the best.

KEJ

TUK101

Some kind of firesight or neon/glow type of sight. A scope is going to be the hardest to get a bead on an animal at 15 yards with, so something open sights and with a good visual.

SwampCollie

A brass bead.


Coming from a bit of experience with scopes on shotguns...if you are going to shoot a fully rifled barrel, with sabot slugs,at ranges of 75 yards and beyond, then a scope is a benefit. It will make you more accurate, allow you some magnification, and gather light at distance.

However, inside of 50 yards, a scope is a hinderence, especially the red-dot/holosight type. They are nice, for sure, but just accidently bump that switch/dial when you put it in the case once and you'll take it off forever when you get to the woods and have NOTHING to aim with but a dead battery in a cleartube.

If you simply must have a scope, check out a low power, traditional crosshair type model. I have oneon my .30/30 AI that I use as my "in yo face" gun. Leupold European 1.5-4x20mm.Nice 30mm tube, heavy German #4 reticle. On the lowest power, I always keep both eyes open, I find that iron sights are more useful inside of 20 yards, but I use this gun in some creek bottoms as well, where shots can stretch out near 125.