Should shotguns have scopes?
 

Since I started huntingI never believed in putting a scope on a shotgun. I always thought that putting a scope on a shotgun completely defeats the purpose of using a shotgun over a rifle. However, my dad recently bought an 870 express magnum and put a scope on it....and i got to admit,I love it. I want to know how you feel. Do you like having a scope on a shotgun or dont you believe in it????

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

No scopes - we need more wounded deer.

Steve

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

I have an 870 with a fully rifled slug barrel and a scope (on a see thru mount)

To be hinest it is more like a rifle than a shotgun. 3 inch groups at 100 yards. Buckshot isn't legal in Ohio so its slug only.

Nothing wrong with a scope on a shotgun. All depends on how your gonna use it.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

Nothing wrong with scopes... and infact it makes my life a bit simpler as the shotguns in my house is shared among me and 2 of the kids.. open sites have to be sited in for each where as a scope is good to go for us all.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

Shotguns with slugs have some inherent accuracy limitations. That being the case I think its smart to use the most precise aiming system you can, and for 99 percent of people that's a scope.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

Frankly I find it bizarre to see a scope on a shotgun. Never happens here that I know of.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

To be honest... it didn't seem right to me at first either. I went ahead and put a fully riffled barrel and scope on my Mossberg 835. Lucked out and found a local die hard "Slug Gun" guy at work and he directed me on what kind of ammo to get. To make a long story short I can hold a 2" group at 100 yards with my setupusing Hornady SST slugs. At $2.80 a trigger pull it better be right on the money...lol

There are slugs out there that can make a clean kill at 150and possibly up to200 yardswith a proper set up on a shotgun. So yea, I have no issue with scopes on a shotgun at all now.

I know I for one am not going to even attempt a 150 yard shot with open sights....

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

Quick, clean kills are what you should be aiming for...

Scopes are most certainly an added improvement to most shotgunners shooting slugs/sabots over 50 yards+.

"No scopes - we need more wounded deer."
Steve

What he said.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

I have a Trijicon 1.25-4 scope on my rifled Beretta ES100. I use it as a red dot (x1.25) at close range and switch to x4 when I am anticipating shots up to 150 yards. Trijicon Accupoint scope allows you to aim with both eyes open and I do not have limited field of view at close range.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

I go to both sides of the fence. I use a scope on my 12 gauge H&R (of course there's no other option) and for the distances the gun can shoot a scope is the way to go. However I have an old Higgins 12 gauge pump that has a bit of ashortened barrel and rifled sights brazed on that I use in heavy woods where I expect shots to be within say 50 yards. I don't like a scope for that close in woods due to it is easier to aquire a target with open sights.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

I have three slug guns, a 1187 and a Mossberg 500 both with scopes. My 870 I have rifle sights. I don't use any of the shotguns much anymore cause I'm using my muzzleloader. I have to have a scope on all my long guns due to some eye surgery I had years ago.....I got no choice.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

If they are legal in your area then it is a no-brainer.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

Scopes increase your distance for a clean kill, open sights have their place as well, it depends on how and where you hunt. If you choose to go with a scope get a shotgun scope with a longer eye relief and a cantilever barrel mounted mount. Good Luck

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

In my opinion the scope offers more precise aiming which means less wounded deer. Also as my eyes age I find it difficult to use open sights (to focus onfront/rear at the same time).

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

I don't use a scope, but I stay within 50 yards. Just personal preference on how I like to hunt. I like 'em up close. If they are 100 yards, oh well, I don't need to kill a deer that badly. Open sights, close shooting is for me. :)

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

Depends on why your using a shotgun I guess. Many of us don't use them because we feel it's a challenge, we use them because we have to. Many states don't allow rifles so you either use a slug gun or muzzle loader. Both of which I personally will use a scope on because they both have usable ranges up to and beyond 100 yards. I normally go for low power scopes on a shotgun though, like 1.5-4 or something like that.

If you don't plan on taking shots farther than 50 yards or so or if you good with open sights out to 100 then there is nothing wrong with a nice quality open sight over a scope. Really depends on what your more comfortable with. I actually prefer a scope myself to be honest. I scope pellet guns for crying out loud.:D

Paul

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

My thoughts exactly! The only thing i would add is, if they are 100 yards, I'll try to make it 50. If i can't make it 50, oh well, it was fun trying!;)If you want to scope your Shotgun, by all means, do so. There is nothing wrong with it.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

I don't use one and never have. I've always used open sights from .22's to shot guns. My shots are all usually within 50 yards and I just can't see a benefit at that range. I do admit im pretty unfamilar with scopes, but im accurate with open sights so why change?

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

Boy is it nice to be able to dial in a shotgun like a rifle. Here in Pittsburgh, Pa a rifle is not allowed to be used, but the advances in rifled slugs barrels and sabot rounds have made it easy not to care.

500 Mossberg with rifled ported barrell shoots a heck of a nice group at 100 yrds and i shoot 300gr hornaday sst sabot rounds. Its a heck of a brush gun as well. Its no longer a spray and pray attitude with a shotgun. I have a Nikon Prostaff 2-7x32 on it and have been very happy with it, and i dont miss the rifle all that much...

If you cant use a rifle a rifledslug gun is still a heck of a firearm to have available.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

Its a personal preference. If I hunted with a shotgun, id put a scope on it. I just put a scope on my turkey gun.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

i probally would scope a slug gun if i had one, but not for buckshot or even birdshot (turkey hunting). when your bullet(s) spread as soon as they leave the barrel, it kinda defeats a scopes purpose...imo

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

I have used a scope on a shotgun for for many years. With the right combination of slug, scope and barrel you can get some great accuracy beyond 100 yards. Scopes work pretty good for turkey hunting as well. If you just want to limit yourself to 50 yards you can get away without a scope. What ever is legal and you prefer is what you should do.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

No problem putting a scope on a shotgun as it makes it a better shooter .
I don't have my winchester 1200 pump scoped . I bought in in 1965 and my wife bought me a Weaver Quik-Point sight that Christmas . No magnification . Just an Orange Dot . It works . The fartheste I have shot a deer is 95 yards so I never bothered to scope it .

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

In my part of NY, we cannot use rifle. I've been using a fixed 4x scope on my 870 for a number of years. It has definitely helped me pick out a "hole" through some thicker areas. With open sights, I do not think I would have been able to see some of the smaller branches that might have deflected the shot. The drawback is that I have to be a little more careful with the handling of the gun as to avoid knocking it out of center.

For turkey hunting, I hate using a scope. I greatly prefer my tru-glow open sights.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

I agree with SteveBNY, I love seeing pourly shot wounded deer running around I vote for no scopes.

Seriously I grew up hunting with rifle and scoped guns nad would never hunt without one, I realize there are hunters that are marksmen and love the added thrill of hunting with open sights like the pioneers did but for most and I bet 80% or higher any advantage they can get to make a good shot should be taken advantage of to avoid poor shots.

RE: Should shotguns have scopes?
 

During a party last Christmas I was talking hunting with my 20 year old nephew and ended up showing him my Rem 870 with scope mounted on the cantilevered rifed barrel. He told me scopes on shotguns were for wimps. I asked him how he did deer hunting this year, and told me the story of how he shot a doe with his smooth bore bead only sight shotgun at 100 yards. He ended up wounding the deer, tracked it for hours, and at the end of the day, never recovered the deer. I may be a wimp, but I've always put down deer with accruate shots with my scope, and have never lost one.