Shotgun Optics

A discussion about Turkey guns, rifles, black powder, handguns, chokes, cleaning, and accessories.
Post Reply
alpha burnt
Posts: 290
Joined: May 11th, 2015, 9:47 pm
Location: WV

Shotgun Optics

Post by alpha burnt »

I have been using a Simmons Prodiamond for about 10 years and have not had a problem with it. With that being said, what recommendations do you all have for a turkey scope. Presently looking for one to put on a Winchester SXP 20 gauge. What eye relief do you all find necessary? What power, mine was a 4 fixed with 32mm objective? Anyone using one of the small 20mm objectives?
User avatar
hookedspur
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 2367
Joined: May 24th, 2012, 8:44 pm
Location: Ohio

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by hookedspur »

Leupold 2X7
K9Doc
Posts: 401
Joined: January 23rd, 2015, 5:29 pm

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by K9Doc »

Nikon TURKEYPRO BTR. 1.65-5X
Best ever made. Have 4 currently and 2
For sale
KPcalls
Posts: 788
Joined: January 21st, 2014, 10:22 am
Location: Livingston La,

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by KPcalls »

The first scope I had was a Simmons 4x pro diamond scope. It's a good inexpensive scope, but a fixed 4x is in my opinion not the way to go. I have a variable power Leupold and a Nikon scope on my guns now. I would buy another Simmons but it would be the variable power model.
User avatar
vaturkey
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 3617
Joined: June 27th, 2011, 10:54 pm

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by vaturkey »

hookedspur wrote:Leupold 2X7


This :thumbup:
alpha burnt
Posts: 290
Joined: May 11th, 2015, 9:47 pm
Location: WV

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by alpha burnt »

I purchased that one on a smokin' deal from Natchez, came with a box of Fed Premiums if I remember correctly? My thoughts on fixed power is there are less moving parts that are subjected to a shotgun blast, less to go wrong. Do the variable powers just help with identification of turkeys features (beard or spurs) or do you all really dial them up on 6 or 7 when hunting? I could see where the higher magnification would be of benefit when sighting in and patterning though.
KPcalls
Posts: 788
Joined: January 21st, 2014, 10:22 am
Location: Livingston La,

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by KPcalls »

I like the variable power because 4x is too much for me, and lower power also gives you more field of view. The only time I use the higher settings is sighting in.

I was watching hens travel through a hardwood bottom in Ms. on 7x ONCE... The gobbler came in view and looked close....in reality, he was WAY too far.... :banghead:
User avatar
RapscallionVermilion
Posts: 484
Joined: February 17th, 2013, 4:24 pm
Location: New Mexico

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by RapscallionVermilion »

As my eyes are getting older (and my patterns are getting tighter :) ) I'm getting more intrigued by the idea of going with a scope. I gave up on fibre optic sights because they had become glowing blobs of target occlusion, especially in low light. I would like to hold off on wearing glasses while hunting as long as possible. I now use a Fastfire III and that is much better than the fibre optics, but I think a scope with a diopter adjustment might be just the ticket for low light levels and days when my eyes are tired. Do these recommended turkey scopes all have diopter adjustments? I fear that without it the reticle would be a blur.
KPcalls
Posts: 788
Joined: January 21st, 2014, 10:22 am
Location: Livingston La,

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by KPcalls »

Mike, I know my Leupold shotgun scope does and I'm almost certain the Nikon does too. I was going to leave the fiber optics on my new gun, but I'm seeing just about double on the fiber optics.
User avatar
Johndoe
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 3420
Joined: June 22nd, 2012, 9:50 am
Location: Tallahassee Fl

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by Johndoe »

It's a shotgun boys. No scope needed. Now a sight. That's another story. I recommend a reflex sight of some kind. We are only talkin 50yds.
Image

There are no numbers on any of my clocks below 8. Then all of a sudden, 2 days before turkey season they appear. Then right after the season they disappear.
What's up with that
USMC0331
Posts: 29
Joined: May 12th, 2015, 12:46 pm

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by USMC0331 »

If you can see your intended target better with a scope due to your eye sight, by all means get one. At the end of the day the only thing that matters is if you are happy, comfortable, and able to see and hit your target.
alpha burnt
Posts: 290
Joined: May 11th, 2015, 9:47 pm
Location: WV

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by alpha burnt »

I have used a bead, sights and a scope. I am more successful with a scope and believe it does have some advantages. With all of my hunting weapons, I use a scope with the exception of my bow and it is peep and pin. I realize it is a shotgun also, but within 20 or 25 yards, you are guiding a baseball size swarm of pellets and need precision in my opinion. I thought about the FF3 and was actually discussing it with WVRidgeReaper not too long ago and he made a good point. In the process of keeping things simple, the reflex sight relies on battery power that could poop out and how do they react to a good rainstorm? That is when I pretty much decided on another scope.
User avatar
RapscallionVermilion
Posts: 484
Joined: February 17th, 2013, 4:24 pm
Location: New Mexico

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by RapscallionVermilion »

KPcalls wrote:Mike, I know my Leupold shotgun scope does and I'm almost certain the Nikon does too. I was going to leave the fiber optics on my new gun, but I'm seeing just about double on the fiber optics.
Thanks Kenny, I did some digging and it sounds like the Nikon Turkey Pro does too.
Yeah, when the turkey has two heads, I know he is really close. :lol:
User avatar
Shooter
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 5488
Joined: April 19th, 2012, 1:29 pm
Location: Deep South, Middle, TN

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by Shooter »

I dread the day I can't see the bead, or see double,... but I know it's coming!!! :mrgreen:
User avatar
Spuriosity
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 2760
Joined: April 23rd, 2012, 10:12 pm
Location: Western North Carolina

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by Spuriosity »

Not interested in carrying around the extra pound on my gun that a scope represents. That's why it's a FF for me.
pedro
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 2190
Joined: June 6th, 2012, 9:21 am

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by pedro »

I like a dot of some kind. Also used a leupold 1-4x20, worked well also. With tss I can get a 250/250 pattern with my m2 and like no sight with a forgiving pattern.
KPcalls
Posts: 788
Joined: January 21st, 2014, 10:22 am
Location: Livingston La,

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by KPcalls »

My friend Tim and I have killed approx., 15 birds with our backs against the same tree. He shoots fiber optics sights on his 1187 and I shoot a scope. There have been three times I can think of, that he couldn't find a hole to make the shot that I could easily make with a scope and did out of turn. A slight magnification is a definite plus. If you think not, you haven't used a scope. In all the years I've used a scope I've only missed three birds that I can think of... knock on wood. I bumped a scope once...missed bird. I shot to far because I was on 7x and he looked closer...lesson learned.. and one miss because it was still dark.
User avatar
crenshawco
Posts: 587
Joined: May 10th, 2013, 12:28 pm
Location: Alabama

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by crenshawco »

Shooter wrote:I dread the day I can't see the bead, or see double,... but I know it's coming!!! :mrgreen:
X2
alpha burnt
Posts: 290
Joined: May 11th, 2015, 9:47 pm
Location: WV

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by alpha burnt »

Well, the wait was killing me. I put a Weaver 416M base on it, Weaver low mount rings and scavenged an Tasco WC 1.5-4.5x32 (http://tasco.com/products/index.aspx?Cl ... ductID=674) off an old Knight MZ with a rusty bore. It has an advertised 4" eye relief and I really had forgot about it, made more for a shotgun than a MZ but kinda big. The 32mm objective clears the rib of the gun by about 1/16", so it was really close but low. Had to take the fiber optics off because I could see them through the scope but after I develop a load that patterns good, might put them back on and sight in as a back up. If you have a Winchester SXP 20 gauge, this is a cheap scope and mounts but would let you experience scoping a shotgun cheaply. If it holds zero as good as the Weaver base and rings I have my Simmons in on my Win 1300 12 gauge, it may just stay put. Weaver stuff is cheap but I have had good luck with them returning to zero on MZ and shotguns and they have not moved.
User avatar
poorcountrypreacher
Posts: 677
Joined: July 10th, 2012, 1:39 pm

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by poorcountrypreacher »

Shooter wrote:I dread the day I can't see the bead, or see double,... but I know it's coming!!! :mrgreen:
I was 51 the year it happened to me, if that helps you any. :)

I could see the 3 beads just fine when I put the gun away one May. Got it out the next Feb and then I saw 9 of them. Life has been a lot more complicated since then.
blunderbuss
Posts: 150
Joined: April 7th, 2013, 12:20 pm

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by blunderbuss »

hookedspur wrote:Leupold 2X7
:thumbup: :thumbup:
timbrhuntr
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 2008
Joined: August 28th, 2011, 7:13 pm

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by timbrhuntr »

I had a pro diamond on my 12 gauge for years and it was good but I found that I had a hard time getting on a quickly moving bird or if a follow up shot was required. When I went to the 20 I decided to try the FF3. I must say I like the reflex site much better. I change the battery every spring and haven't had an issue with it yet. The one problem I seem to have (which also happened to simmons) is that on long trips it seems to get bumped sometimes and be off and require it to be sighted in again ! However it sure is nice to just lift the gun up and put the dot on the head no matter what angle and shoot unlike the scope where you need to twist around sometimes to get the proper alignment to be on target ! Also like was earlier I like that the 20 is light and would rather have a small reflex site on it than a big scope.
alpha burnt
Posts: 290
Joined: May 11th, 2015, 9:47 pm
Location: WV

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by alpha burnt »

timbrhuntr wrote:I had a pro diamond on my 12 gauge for years and it was good but I found that I had a hard time getting on a quickly moving bird or if a follow up shot was required. When I went to the 20 I decided to try the FF3. I must say I like the reflex site much better. I change the battery every spring and haven't had an issue with it yet. The one problem I seem to have (which also happened to simmons) is that on long trips it seems to get bumped sometimes and be off and require it to be sighted in again ! However it sure is nice to just lift the gun up and put the dot on the head no matter what angle and shoot unlike the scope where you need to twist around sometimes to get the proper alignment to be on target ! Also like was earlier I like that the 20 is light and would rather have a small reflex site on it than a big scope.
I may reconsider and go with the FF or some other reflex sight eventually. That Tasco looks out of place on the 20, it is quite large and it is not light by any means (weight equivalent of 6 20 gauge 3" magnum shells). Any of the cheaper reflex sights like Weaver any count?
User avatar
HunterGKS
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 5554
Joined: January 2nd, 2013, 5:12 pm
Location: North Central Ohio

Re: Shotgun Optics

Post by HunterGKS »

I have been using a Leupold 1-4 Turkey Plex scope for several years. It acts as a range finder as well as a scope. When set at 4 & the birds head fills the reticle, he's at 40 yards. I'm real pleased with it & recommend it if you decided to go with something other than what you put together.

Image

Image
George

YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR BODY STILL. YOUR HEART JUST HASN'T CAUGHT ON.

.17 = NITRO OF THE RIMFIRE WORLD USAF 1969-1973


Image
Post Reply

Return to “Gun Talk”