Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Handgun scopes

It appears Leupold is in limbo on just about everything, and the handgun scope line up is getting smaller and smaller with all companies. Doug @ Camera Land is there any news from Meopta getting into the handgun scope market?

I'd like to know the answer to this question also, ESPECIALLY since Nikon dropped their big bomb on us. Loved their 2X, and 2.5-8 BDC setups. BDC was OK, most of their horizontal plex reticle subtensions were just right for windage apps., and the low profile target turret was excellent. Darn shame they couldn't have just contracted out at least some of their scope models.

sscoyote.....I spoke with Doug at Camera Land, and he basically said it's about supply and demand. Just to small of market for most scope manufactures to get involved with handgun scopes. Nothing from Meopta at this years shot show about getting into the handgun scope market. Basically it's Burris and what Leupold has. Oh well.

For a handgun scope, I have a Leupold 4x on my 309-JDJ It has worked fine for over 20 years.

WOW.. How is still the condition of the scope after 20 years, you might want to share pictures with us?

I sold my M8-2x EER after I tried a friend's 3x Burris EER. Larger field of view even with an extra 1/2 power. Bought the Burris used from a member here (its one of the older models now apparently out of production) for what I sold the Leupy for. I have it on a 357 revolver, so am not looking for anything more than 75 yards or so. I like it a lot. If you can find one, you may too.

I have used both Leupold and Burris handgun scopes and the Burris doesn't take a back seat to Leupold!

I dropped a TC Contender and it landed on concrete directly on the target knob of my Burris scope. I called first and then returned it to Burris, freely admitting that I had dropped the Contender, and Burris replaced the scope. I was astonished by their customer service!!!

As far as I am concerned, they are of equal quality.

Craig, great to hear the nice people at Burris took great care of you. I'm with you. I feel the same as you about these two companies.

Wishing you the best.

It doesn't look bad. It has the silver finish. Works great on top of the 14 inch heavy barrel TC It's locked down on my barrel with three TSOB rings.

Thks guys--just miss all the features Nikon offered with their optics. Loved the 120ish MOA target turret the 2X has. 2.5-8x had a ballistic reticle and turrets all in one package. Pretty sure the others don't offer that anymore. Burris had those features but don't think they do anymore.

That is my opinion, too. I had a Burris 2X on a .308 Lone Eagle, it was a good scope. Someone else owns it now.

I imagine we’ll be down to just Burris pretty soon. Maybe even just no one. Handgun scopes are a tiny market share of optics.

leupold 2x8 you can't used the whole power range. they go black at 6-6.5x. get a older burris 2x7 and forget the rest. for a cheaper model the 2-6 bushnell is pretty good.

I have a Burris 2x6 on a Ruger Supreme Hunter and have been well pleased with it.

I'm not a fan of variable power scopes on a hand-gun.

I have some friends who tried some variable powered scopes on their hand guns, they all gave up the ghost. These were hard kickers. (.375-JDJ & .358-JDJ)

Just an FYI

I have had 2x scopes by both Burris and Leupold on my Freedom Arms .454 Casull for many years now. I have found that after around 250 rounds of full power loads, the scopes would go south on me, and I would remove one, send it back for repair, mount the other, and continue on until the replacement also bit the dust.

I now run only Ultra Dot red dot scopes on my Casull, as well as a .480 Ruger, and much prefer them to conventional scopes, when used on revolvers.

I was thinking about trying a red dot on my TC 309-JDJ

Can anyone recommend a good red dot that can hang to the recoil?

Thanks

Red Dots have kind of been a death nail to handgun scopes. I have to admit they are much easier to use and at typical handgun ranges are pretty darn useful. If you are just looking to try a scope on the cheap, I have a 2.5x NC Star that is like new. Not sure how long it would last on a heavy kicker but has been pretty fun on 22's and 38's. Let me know if you are interested.

As I mentioned previously, I use Ultra Dot red dots on my heavy handguns. If you do a search on them, you will find that they are widely recommended and used by handgun hunters, including Whitworth1 here on the 'Fire.
I have now run hundreds of full power loads thru my .454 Casull and .480 Ruger, wearing these red dots, and they absolutely hold zero.
Here are pics of my handguns, both wearing Ultra Dot Gen 2 red dots, with 2 moa dots.

Bighorn those look good. What distance are you shooting out to? Might have to give that a try if my scope fails.
Pic of mine in current configuration.