I use a scope and haven't ever had problems in the rain. But I wouldn't go too cheap because you get what you pay for. I've always been used to shooting guns (rifles) with scopes on them. Then my first year turkey hunting, I used a 12 ga without a scope. Called in a nice Tom, but when I shot, I wasn't looking down the barrell because I was used to shooting through scopes. I was achored too high on the stock. Sure enough I breasted the bird and he flew away. The next year I bought a new shotgun tapped for scope mounts and put a turkey scope on it and haven't missed a bird in eight years since I put the scope on. Matter of fact, I'm only shooting a 3" but between my turkey load, choke, and scope, last year I knocked one down at 53 yards. Which is a poke for a 3"