Is there really any need for a "shotgun scope" for one of these slug guns or can I go with a regular centerfire scope?

I used a plain old 2x7 Leupold on mine when I had a 220.

I made that mistake on my Encore. For starters, a shotgun will eat a cheap rifle scope for dinner. The other problem is the eye relief. A lot of rifle scopes only have about a 2" or 3" eye relief. It'll knock the crap out of you. You really need about 5" or 6". About 15 years ago I started using a Nikon Slug Hunter with 5" eye relief. I've only broken one and Nikon replaced it. If I don't hold on tight, it can still get me as seen last January when I was trying a trick 75 yard shot through the thick stuff.

Had the slug hunter and hated it. I have decent to nice glass on all my rifles and couldn't stand the few days I hunted with that scope. Have a vx-r now and it's much better.

I like the Nikon Slug Hunter on my Savage 220. The extra eye relief and ability to withstand recoil are VERY important.

The measured recoil with 3" accutips is similar or less than a 30-06...

If on a 12 gauge be sure you have enough eye relief. Any good scope would work and the drops on the slug gun scopes may or may not work right with your ammo. Velocities are all over the board with slug ammo. Learn your drops and don't worry about the holdover reticles. On your 20 gauge you have no real worries about about recoil unless you really crawl the stock.

I’ll be shooting the 2 3/4 accutips at 100yds max. Really just wanting regular duplex reticle.

Accuracy in my 220 is actually better with the 2 3/4" than the 3" Accutips.

My gun & scope for past 40 yrs - a 12ga Ithaca 37 that shot hundreds upon hundreds of slugs and turkey loads. Leupold M8 2.5X Compact scope. Even shot some clay birds with that setup. Was the perfect setup for me. Lots of eye relief and a wide, fast sight window. That scope was used, abused, misused, dropped, and stayed on target. Still have it. It's on my 20 inch barreled 20ga Encore Turkey taker.

If I were to start again I'd want this scope https://www.leupold.com/reticles/reticle-firedot-duplex-illuminated-22
Would be quicker for these 80 yr old eyes.

A 220 is a different type of shotgun. I would recommend you considerwhat ranges you will be shooting at.

We used Mossberg 500, ithacas and 870 pumps rifled and unrifled for a long time and still do. On those we still use irons, 2.5x fixed, 1.5-4 and some regular 2-7 and 3x9 Leupolds.

We wanted something for one place we shot long range so bought the 220's for their accuracy and the triggers.. I put a 2-7x33 Leupold SABR Duplex on mine for the ranging reticle and use the 3" Accu-Tips. It shoots groups in the 1.5" range 3-shot at 100 yards and almost the same size at 150. I believe it is a real 200 yard deer gun.

In the 20 gauge I had, the 2 3/4 were more accurate as well.

impossible to say for sure until you test your own gun , slug shotguns are highly variable in what they like



I use a FF2 2x7 on my Savage , no issues and the 2x has allowed for some quick close up shots

Here's another vote for the Leupold M8 2.5X Compact. Mine's got 32 years of 12 ga. 870 slug gun use on it. No eye relief issues, great field of view. Also been banged around and dropped a few times over the years. IMHO you really don't need more than 2.5X on a slug gun even at 100 yards. Close shots are also very easy with that wide field of view.

I just purchased the 220 that Dinny posted in the classifieds. It wears a Leupold 3-9, I'll have to post later to report on it as I don't have it in my hands yet.

Scope it like you would a .45/70. Hunt it like it was too.

Yeah I was mowing the yard and you pushed the go button before I finished. You're set!!

My Mossberg has a Cabelas Alaskan Guide 4x44mm,that’s essentially a Sightron SII with SIII turrets.870 wears a Hawke Endurance LER 3-9x40 illuminated reticle.They make a fine slug gun scope too,that my buddy uses.And yes,the Chinese Hawke has probably 100 rounds of 12 guage on it.Still lighting up and holding zero...

I have three of those LERs, one 3-9 and two 2-7s. One is on a TC Strike, which ordinarily would need extension rings or a scout scope. All have been good-to-go thus far. Only scope I have with more ER right now is one of the stubby little. Leupold 2.5s, which is currently homeless.

I could provide you my mailing address and I'd give that stubby little Leupold a home.

Interesting comment on the Leupold website Q/A section:

All Leupold scopes are manufactured to withstand 5,000 rounds of 375 H&H Ackley Improved in a 6.5 pound rifle.

Also states their shotgun / muzzleloader scopes have a 75yd parallax vs 150 for rifle scopes.

The Leupold shotgun scope I put on my 220 (VX1 3-9×40) lasted just long enough to get it sighted in (5-7 shots IIRC). I tested all of my test loads with a different scope when I selected my load. I had to go back to that scope to go hunt.

Did the cross hairs break?

No the reticle seems fine. It went suddenly from holding a 3 shot 1-1/2" pattern sighted in 2" high to spraying slugs all over the target. It wouldn't group anything within a 10-12" circle. Scope was totally useless.

I had the scope mounted with Talley detachable mounts, and immediately replaced it at the range with my other scope and the problem went away.

I would say the felt recoil from my 220 with 2-3/4" Accutips is equal to or less than my 270 with 130 grain bullets. They are not heavy kickers.

Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 on my 220.

Has anyone tried a set of Leupold DD bases and rings on one of these 220’s?

Nikon Prostaff P3 200 BDC 2-7x.

For hunting heavy cover, I would recommend a 1.5-4X. With a 3x9, I think you will have too much scope. That extra magnification doesn't seem to make any difference in your ability to shoot 75-100 yds away.
Here in https://accurateordnance.com/ i found alots of great savage 220 scopes i think you should check.

Always had good luck with hornady sst or remington accutip wouldn’t be worried shooting to 300 at all with savage 220 or what I grew up on H&R bull barrel ultra slugger. Either way all the bushnel, leupold, Tasco etc rifle scopes I had held up to shotguns just fine. For magnification 2-7 or 3-9 is what I’d be looking at.

Typically a fixed power will have more eye relief than a similar adjustable. I’d go with a 6x you like.

I have old Nikon 2-7x32 ProStaff Shotgun scopes on a Mossberg 500 and a Remington 870, both in 20 gauge and both with cantilever mounts. Not the brightest glass, but they are still holding zero.

I have a 2-7 Leupold Heavy Duplex on my 220. No complaints

No.

I have a VXIII 1.5-5 on my slugger.
Taint a fan of the heavy duplex typically found on shotgun scopes.

I have a 3-9 Bushnell 4200 on mine. Has performed like a charm.

Leupold 2-7x on my 20ga 220 has been working very well for me. Accutips.

I have a Vortex 2-7 on my Savage 212

I have a 212 with a Bushnell Prime 1-4X32 in Warne rings. Does everything I need it to do. Good glass, heavy duplex reticle, nice solid clicks, light, not overwhelming on the gun. And it holds zero. With Hornady SST 300 grain slugs, it will hold about an inch at 100 yards. And Hornady SSTs are some heavy recoiling rounds.