4patches

bushnell trophy series, nice optics resanably priced. variable or fixed power. i have the varible and love it, there around $100. good field of veiw is what i look for. if it doesent have at least a 32 mm obj i dont want it. you want good low light capeability, and the widest field of veiw. good scopes arent cheep spend the most you can afford and you will be happy.

Dr Andy

I bought a cheap Readhead scope today w/the red dot. I know a couple of people who love theirs. It wasn't much money and they'll fit in my revolvers as well.

RIStrutStopper

I have a fixed 2.5 Tasco on my 870 and it's worked for me for alot of years. I'm going to order a Simmons 2x32 with the pro diamond reticle later today though because I use the same gun with different barrels for turkey and deer hunting. I don't like having to take a gun zeroed in perfectly for slugs and have to re-sight in for best pattern every spring, then re-sight again in the fall for slugs. The scope mounts are easy to pull off, they are bolted right to where the trigger assembly pins go. I know I could get one quick detatch scope mount for both scopes, but its easy enough to change out. I'm hoping I won't have as much sighting to do every spring and fall.

andrewjoseph

This is just my opinion, but I cant see the point to putting a scope on a shotgun for shots 20-40 yds. This is just my opinion. It seems like overkill, but is you want to go ahead I respect everyones decision.

If you want better sights take the ones off on your gun and buy some tru glo sights from Cabelas and Bass Pro. You can shoot with them basically when its dark. I can shoot in groups at 75 yds with my tru-glos on my BP gun.

SwampCollie

I'm with most everyone else. I shoot an 835 and have a weaver rail on top where Mossberg factory drilled and tapped it. I then used solid steel Thompson Center Rings and a Nikon ProStaff 2-7x32, which I leave on 2x. The reticle is a Heavy Duplex, which is ok, but I would have prefered a diamond plex. So it goes... I had to Lock-Tite the rings, since that baby has a bit of extra bump and I was having trouble with the scope sliding back in the rings and working itself loose. Shoots terrific.

I once had a red-dot on my turkey gun, and after accidentally bumping it into the on position and leaving it on for 36 hours, I had nothing but a hollow tube. Thank god I left my Fiber optic sights on the gun. That and a Leatherman tool to remove the dead scope saved the morning, until I missed a bird at 15 steps by shooting neatly into a pine tree...[:@]

mouthcaller

andrewjoseph

I rejected the scope idea in a shotgun for 25 years. What changed is the emergence of technologies (Hevi-Shot, special buffers, choke improvements, etc) that allow a hunter to set up a gun with a super-tight pattern. With this set-up one needs precision aiming, which is greatly aided by a scope. I could care less about the magnification, it is precise aiming that I am looking for.

Example: My Mossberg 835 putsan average of 255 pellets in a 10" circle at a laser-measured 40 yards with the Nitro 4X5X7 loads. That is about pie-plate size. At 20 yardsthe gun shoots apatternthat isabout dessert-plate size. The gun previously had the Tru-Glo fiber optic sights, which were too big and blocked out too much of the target, particularily at longer ranges. I mounted the Bushnell Trophy 1.75X4 scope this week and will shoot the gun today, but I can tell already that I am going to love this scope.

springspur

I shoot an 870 that I drilled & tapped for a weaver base(429M). Cabela's 2.5 shotgun scope with diamond retical. I tried a Red Dot & didn't like it, I think they sit too high and this does't let you get a good cheek weld. B-Square & Weaver sell saddle mounts and again this makes the optics sit too high. If you decide to get the weaver base and drill and tap your shotgun only a standard length scope will fit, the cross slots on the base are spaced too far apart for a red dot, and a compact scope like a tru-glo 4X will not have the proper eye relief. If you put a piece of 1/2 inch foam under a uncle mikes or allen black elastic buttstock shell holder the comb of the stockis the perfect height. Badger Ordinance and others make a picatanny rail for the 870 but these cost about 50 bucks. If you are set on a red dot this would be the way to go. or you could get additional 5/32'' cross slots milled on the weaver. I was going to do this but I don't have access to an end mill.

weaver 429M base -R&R arms - about 5 bucks
6X48 high speed tap -Brownells- about 5 bucks
#33 drill bit -Brownells -2 or 3 bucks

roman

You may not need a optical device for your turkey gun. If you want to be precise and or have problems with your 50 year old eyes I say go for it. I did last year and tipped over all I aimed at and squeezed the trigger on. Three toms and a 45 lb coyota. (I alsoworked the trigger )
I had missed birds in years before with open sights but this set up made me a believer.
Mine has a Cabelas Alaskan Guide 2.5 X 32 camo with diamond plex.

ye-haw!

SwampCollie

I had a red dot until I left (or more likely bumped) the thing on and ended up with nothing but the equivalent of an empty papertowel tube. I always carried a spare, but the gobbler did not hear me call time out and charged in while I had the cap off. Killed him anyway at 15 steps (cause its all or nothing at that range) but that was it for me and electronic sights.

She now wears a Nikon Team Realtree 2-7x32. Designed more for a smokepole or slug gun, but it works very well.

Whatever you decide, two sets of rings is a good idea

maytom

Another reason for scoping or a red Dot site on your turkey gun, is many guns don't actually shoot to the point of aim, even right out of the box!! A optical sight will allow you to dial in the crosshairs right to the very center of that pattern, making your gun a much more deadly turkey gun in the process.