sauer14

Quick question, will a regular rifle scope last if it is put on a 20 gauge slug gun? Another quick question, what is a good slug gun scope for under $400. Thx for any advice.

Bocajnala

Yes, any quality scope will last on a slug gun.


I have two Nikon Slughunters with the BDC 200 reticle. I've been very pleased with both of these scopes. Ones a 3-9 and the other is a 2-7 I believe.


Both are plenty clear and bright for under 200 yard shots IMO.. The key with the BDC reticle is to practice at the ranges and figure out where your scope/gun combo is shooting. Then it makes 200 yard shots pretty simple as long as you know the range to the deer.


But any quality scope will work fine. And there's lots of good options under $400


Hope this helps.


-Jake

MALLARD76

Another vote for the Nikon Slughunter scope. For the price you can't go wrong. Mine has stood up to 3" 12 gauge shells with no problem at all.

brokefootkenny

I just put a leupold ultimate slam on my mossberg 930, $175 2-7x32. Works great and it's a leupold, made in usa and awesome clear optics! That said I should have spent the extra $40 and bought the 3-9x40. Live and learn.
I got mine online from Wally world and bought the rings and had mounted and bore sited free at cabelas.

salukipv1

Leupold Ultimate Slam 3-9x40

BOWHUNTERCOP

With today's slug guns combined with today's sabot slugs will reach out further then ever. With that said, Slug Gun ONLY scopes are a myth from the scope makers. They make these scopes to add models and to jack up the price more often then not. I have many dedicated slug guns each one wears a Leupold VX-2, one wears a Bushnell Trophy XLT all in 3-9x40, these are rifle scopes, and never one issue. Scopes are made to withstand the punishment of a shotgun they are all tested with more force then we can handle. Of course some makers have better warranties then others. The Bushnell Trophy XLT for the money is a great scope it can be found on average for $100 but I have seen it for alot less, and it has a lifetime warranty. But my favorite is the Leupold VX-2, now the VX-1 is well worth it as well somewhat less in price but still Leupold quality,and with all Leupold products lifetime warranty. Search the internet for the best price. In fact a good friend of mine just purchased the VX-1 for his 12ga Remington 870 slug gun, he saw it on Ebay for $138 with Free Shipping. He will be getting the VX-2 after the new year for the Savage 220 he is getting....Also whatever scope you get, get it with the standard PLEX reticle, don't opt for the heavy version, it will obscure your vision

robertaboone100

Yeah, I think a regular rifle scope will last on a slug gun.
Nikon is one of the best brands you can choose when looking for a product offering a clear picture and high quality focusing features. This makes the Nikon Slug Hunter Riflescope one of the best scopes from others available on the market. While it still offers general shape, the traditional magnification range and style of a riflescope.
The Nikon SlugHunter Riflescope cost between $180 to $200 online. So, you can buy it within your budget.

Coastal Mountaineer

I happened to research this yesterday. I found the best answer on Field and Stream's web page posted by BEEKEEPER. After reading this, I will keep using my regular Leupold 1.5x6 on my TC:

The difference in shotgun scopes and rifle scopes falls mainly in two areas. The first is eye relief; most shotgun scopes have slightly more.

The second and biggest difference is in how the scopes are adjusted for parallax. Typically a shotgun scope is parallax adjusted for 75 yards or less, some are adjusted at 40 or 50 yards. Most rifle scopes are adjusted at 100 yards or more.

Without going in to a treatise on optics the reason this is important is the relationship of how your eye views the image formed by the scopes lenses. Differences in how one angles their head can even cause a difference in how you perceive the image. This difference can lead to sighting errors at long range and short range as well, therefore shotgun scopes typically have parallax adjusted for shorter ranges as that is where they a used.

hunters_life

I know this is an old post but Coastal Mountaineer showed one very important point. Slug guns have a very long push in their recoil. Because of this one should think seriously about eye relief. If you have never experienced "scope eye" then pray you never do. I know the few times I have experienced it I bled like a stuck hog. That longer eye relief built in to most slug gun scopes is a necessary thing in my opinion. Even your hard kicking magnum rifles don't have that length of push in recoil. While standard good quality rifle scopes can easily withstand the recoil of a slug gun, your eyebrow may not like the results of your typical 3" eye relief offered in most rifle scopes.

brokefootkenny

i just put a leupold vx1 on my mossberg 930 12 gauge slug gun. if its a quality scope it will last. my .308 winchester savage rifle kicks harder than my slug gun does. the savage has a nikon prostaff on it.