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Scope - Shotgun question
waltermoe
Member Posts: 2,306 ✭✭✭✭
Have used a Hastings barrel on my 870 for about 30 years now, used a Tasco Pronghorn 2 power, never no complaints until a couple years ago. Tried using a Burris Short mag last couple years, has a long eye relief, hate it, just doesn't feel natural on any rifle I have ever tried it on. I have and old Leupold Vari- X II I bought 20 years ago and have only used it one year then took it off. Here is the question, do you think it could hold up to the recoil of a 12 gauge using 2 3/4 in slugs? Anyone ever try using a Leupold Vari-X II on shotgun before?
Comments
Just a guess, but I would say yes. And it is guaranteed for life if it breaks.
Friend uses a vxII on his slug gun with no problems. If the eye relief is good, I'd say go for it. If your Tasco stood up to it then the Leopold sure should be able to. Bob
Mine takes a licking from a factory weight 700 in 7 magnum.
Tot sure it that helps, comparing apples to oranges?
Thanks for the feed back. Guess I just needed a push to make the decision. Was thinking it would hold up, but just wasn’t real sure.
I have had good luck with the less expensive Leopolds, I think a great deal of the price difference is in the lens and coatings. Air guns are a different matter.
It will be fine. I've ran low cost rifle scopes on shotguns for decades without issue. I didn't run the cheap $30 stuff but i have two right now one with a Bushnell Trophy and one with a Bushnell Banner. At the time 80-100 dollars. Still accurate after 20 years. The last one I bought was a Burris Shotgun scope buy I haven't set it up yet.
I have a Leupold II 2-7X on a 700 8mm Rem. Mag. So far so good. The scope is small and light and is mounted as low as I can get it. I think that makes a difference. A 3-9X or larger/heavier mounted necessarily higher would increase the momentum factor and could cause problems. It would seem to me that an ideal shotgun scope would be a 2.5 or 3X with a thick reticule mounted low. But that's just my opinion and I don't think anybody makes a scope like that anymore anyway.
My BIL has a 20ga H&R slug gun set up with a long eye relief 2.5x scout scope. It has a 20 inch rifled barrel. It's a nice rig and quick. IIRC the scope is an old cheap Tasco or Simmons but it's worked for 20 years too. Granted it doesn't get shot enough to really pound on it but it gets used during hunting season most years.
Many years ago I decided to go for what was then the best set up for a 12 ga. 3" scoped shotgun. Got a Rem. 11-87 special purpose (cantilevered rib) with a Leupold 1-4 various X 2. Never looked back. Accurate as hell.
Yes it’s fine and a safer choice than tasco
african guides use them on meaner calibers