Otis, I purchased the Bushnell trophy last season and shot a gobbler with it and slugged a deer with it this fall. They are affordable as a basic single dot trophy is roughly $80 cdn and the multi reticle is $130 cdn and don't forget the tax. A saddlemount cost me an additional $80 for my 870. They are small and compact, their brightness can be varied for various light levels and give a good field of view at most shooting ranges. Having no magnification, you get what you see. I had mine out in the bush at a frigid -24 C and it still worked fine. Battery failure is a drawback, so if this a big concern for you, a good low powered scope with good light gathering abilities is your alternative. Hope this helps.

BTW if your 3.5" mag canon is making you recoil shy, a 3" shell probably is a better bet. Be comfortable with what you shoot.