How thick an area is it where you hunt with a shotgun? I live in a shotgun area and do hunt around home sometimes. If your shots are fairly close, maybe you only need a smooth bore. Lead slugs are a lot cheaper to practice with and shoot during deer season. I dropped a doe Friday about 80 yards out, which is really pushing it for my shotgun. It hit about where I aimed, but I know it starts to open up fast after about 70 yards. I have an old (From the 30's) H&R single shot. The tubes on the old shotguns are really thick and do not flex as much and they are thick enough to silver solder a scope base right on the top of the tube. I have a cheap Leapers 4x rifle scope on it and have had no problems with it even though the recoil is pretty bad on a short, light, 12 gauge. I really put a lot of Federal slugs through it over the years and the scope stayed good. If you do go smooth bore look for one with a thick walled barrel and you should be O.K. Up to you, just telling you some options.