Sorry in advance for this being so long but I've already put a lot of research into this and I figured that I'd put my initial thoughts down in an attempt to help "fill the gaps" in my thought process (so to speak). Before anybody asks, no a rifle is NOT an option. We are in "slug country".

Anyway, I've decided that it's time for me to upgrade/supplement/whatever my current (primary) slug gun which is a 12ga Remington 870 Special Purpose Deer with a 23" cantilever rifle slug barrel. This shotgun is currently equipped with an older model Bushnell Elite 3200 1.5-4.5x32mm FireFly. I also bring along another pair of 870's, one is a 12ga the other is a 20ga youth model, both sport rifled barrels and open sights. These "secondary" slug guns are generally only used (by myself and others in my hunting party) when still hunting or tracking game. I'll be adding yet another slug gun to the stable shortly, a Browning Maxus Deer, and that is what my next scope will adorn.

My primary mode of hunting is sitting in a tree, most days you will find me in my tree from about 45 minutes before sunrise to 40 minutes after sunrise (or, until I bag a buck that is). The area that I hunt is very hilly (SE MN) and I sit in the bottom of a wooded ravine (primarily oak and cedar trees so it does get pretty thick). Once out of the ravine, it's farm country. Lots of pasture land (cattle) and fields (corn, alfalfa, soybeans). Over the years I've taken deer from distances measuring as few as 10 yards out to 195 yards (laser verified) with the average distance in the 95-110 yard range. With a 12ga sabot slug, I'm comfortable shooting at distances out to 225 yards which is roughly the max that the location that I hunt in will allow for (although, I strongly prefer to keep it under 175 if at all possible. The buck that I took at 195 was a follow up of a wounded animal).

With the type of terrain that I slug hunt coupled with the fact that I'm throwing a 12ga slug, I generally gravitate toward a low powered scope. Unfortunately, low power generally means lower quality scopes and smaller objectives. Thus, it's been a tough hunt for quality glass. If possible, I'd like to adhere to the following;

• objective > 30mm
• price < $1250
• low power between 1.5x and 2.5x (mainly for wide FOV)
• FOV > 45' @ 100 (on low power)
• fixed eye relief > 3.5" (sucks to get slapped by a scope mounted on a slug gun)

As a baseline I've been comparing the new potential scopes to my tried and true Elite 3200 (although I'd strongly prefer something of much higher quality this time around). For reference, here are the details on my Bushnell...

Bushnell 1.5-4.5x32mm (discontinued)
- FOV@100: 63'-20' (HOLY FOV BATMAN!)
- Eye Rel: 3.6" (advertised as fixed but I do not believe that it is)
- Reticle: Heavy Duplex
- Length: 12.5"
- Weight: 13oz

I do like a number of aspects about this scope. The FOV is fantastic (although I believe that this has more to do with the power range than anything else) and the size/weight has been fine. It's also held up to the beating of a 3" magnum 12ga slug just fine. On the flip side, the low light performance is what you'd expect from a $200 scope. In the ravine bottoms this isn't a huge concern (it goes from light to very very dark quickly) but when I'm hunting in other stands (along fields or pastures) this is obviously less than ideal. I also hate the reticle. Although it's been great in the woods, it's far bolder than it really needs to be.

I've run through my list of options and here is what I've come up with so far, coupled with my thoughts on each...

Swarovski Z3 3-9x36mm
- FOV@100: 39'-13.5'
- Eye Rel: 90mm Fixed (3.543")
- Reticle: 4a
- Length: 12.13"
- Weight: 12oz
- Price: $779

I LOVE Swarovski glass and put one of these Z3's on a .270 WSM it's been a great scope on that gun but I think that the 9x is more zoom than I really need considering my 225 yard ceiling. The FOV is also a little tighter than what I'd consider ideal. I still can't wrap my head around a 3-9x on a slug gun either, it just feels wrong. I do love this scope though so I didn't want to exclude it from consideration.

Leupold VX-3 2.5-8x36mm
- FOV@100: 37.5'-13.7'
- Eye Rel: 4.5"-3.6"
- Reticle: Duplex
- Length: 11.4"
- Weight: 11.4oz
- Price: $400

I have one of these on another .270 WSM and, like the Swarovski, I really like it on that gun. This offering doesn't appear to better the Z3 in any way however, lower power but tighter FOV? It made the list mainly because it's the best fit from the VX-3 line that I can find and, quite honestly, when I purchase the one that I already own my intent was to put it on my 870. Instead it ended up on a .270 WSM. It looks like a good choice at first glance but I think that there are better options out there.

Leupold VX-2 2-7x33mm
- FOV@100: 44.6'-17.8'
- Eye Rel: 4.2"-3.7"
- Reticle: Duplex
- Length: 11.3"
- Weight: 9.9oz
- Price: $300

A 2-7x seems IDEAL for a slug gun and this is really the only offering from Leupold that appears to fit. The FOV looks good, the size/weight fit the bill, the reticle is alright and you certainty can't complain about the price. I have never owned a VX-2 though, what am giving up in comparison to the VX-3/Mark-4? Is this going to be the big step up from the Elite 3200 that I'm looking for?

Zeiss Terra 2-7x32mm
- FOV@100: 46.5'-13.5' (actual zoom is 2.3x-7x)
- Eye Rel: 90mm Fixed (3.543")
- Reticle: 20 Z-Plex
- Length: 11.5"
- Weight: 13.4oz
- Price: $350

Ohh, ahhh... With no real-world reviews though... I'm hesitant. Sure, for the price, I'm not sure that I could go wrong but... There are so many questions about the new Terra line that I'm just not sure what to think. Looks great on paper and it's hard to have anything but confidence considering the reputation of Zeiss but ????

Meopta Meostar R1 1.5-6x42mm 30mm
- FOV@100: 67'-20'
- Eye Rel: 3.7" Fixed?
- Reticle: Illuminated 4C
- Length: 13.25oz
- Weight: 20.6oz
- Price: $1100

I like everything about this scope but the weight. I'm betting that this is due to the illuminated reticle more than anything else but that's a feature that I don't feel I need. Quite honestly, I've only ever used the FireFly feature on my Elite 3200 once and that was to see if it worked. It didn't really wow me so I haven't used it sense. Maybe on a scope with better low light performance I might find it more useful? Even though the weight is high, it is a stand gun so that's not a total deal breaker either.

Kahles CL 2-7x36mm (discontinued)
- FOV@100: 48'-17' (actual zoom is 2.3x-7x)
- Eye Rel: 3.6" Fixed
- Reticle: 4a
- Length: 11"
- Weight: 13.6oz
- Price: ???

This looks PERFECT on paper! Seriously, where can I get one? Didn't Swarovski make a similar scope a few years back as well? Why would they discontinue such a perfect fit??? Sigh...


So, what am I missing??? What makes/models did I overlook? Your thoughts on the various options that I listed above? Thanks for your input on this. This is a decision that I'm really struggling with...

Leupold VX-2 2-7x33mm
- FOV100: 44.6'-17.8'
- Eye Rel: 4.2"-3.7"
- Reticle: Duplex
- Length: 11.3"
- Weight: 9.9oz
- Price: $300
Been running these on my slug guns for many many years

I have and like a fixed 4X on my slugger. Mine's a Leupold with a duplex, but I'll probably have the reticle changed out to a heavy duplex this summer. For the ranges I shoot it to, it works well for me.

You can't go wrong with any of those options.

I used to hunt deer in Indiana-which was slug gun only.

I had a Burris 2X7 with a ballistic plex. Inexpensive and good out to 200+.



Pick the one you like the most and go hunting.....


.

Wow, that slug gun looks very familiar! Nice.

I use my Weatherby slug gun for Pig hunting and find my Leupold 4x33 is fine out to its max reach. It is 2.5 inches high at 100 and drop less than 7 at 200 so I really do not see a need for a special recticle.

Leupold 1.75-6?

Nitrex had one that might be worth a look but it may be discontinued. Natchez had them on clearance awhile back.

I just scoped my wife's and daughter's turkey shotguns with the Leupold VX2 1-4x20. I really like it; it's easy to get behind and provides more than enough power for turkey hunting. However, we the NEF Ultra Slugsters in 20 gauge, and those are 200 yard slug guns. It's uncanny how accurate the Ultra Slugster is in 20 gauge. For right at $200.00 you can buy one of the most accurate slug guns produced. I don't know if I'm going to limit my upper end at 4X.

I know a seriously cool fella with a couple of these, how bad do you want one? *grins*

I love those slug guns as well. My brother uses one himself (12ga) and has very good success with it. I'm convinced that if we put a quality scope on it (opposed to the $20 Wal-Mart special he's using right now) that we'd get some very good groups out of it. Even so, it puts deer in the freezer every fall so it's done the job (all of his deer have been inside of 75 yards so far, if he sits somewhere that a longer shot may be required, he takes my 870 - go figure).




Not so bad that I'd throw an obscene amount of money at one but bad enough that I'd do what I could to work out an advantageous deal for both parties. Side note; I do have an 07 FFL and am a dealer for a number of products that could certainly help if said party wanted to barter.

My vote goes to the Nikon Slughunter scope. I have one on a Savage 210 and it has great eye relief (a #1 first and foremost in my book on these guns!) and extremely clear glass for the price. Mine is the 3-9x40 model with the BDC reticle.

I'm very pleased with it, although the tube is quite short and posed some mounting challenges on my Savage. I wish they would make that damn tube about 2 inches longer, and then it would be perfect for the Savage 210. On the newer 212 and Browning A-bolt 12 gauge, you wouldn't run into any issues, and they have a fully-enclosed bolt so the mount won't allow the shells to hang up as they do on my 210 with the Nikon mounted on it. That damn gun is about a single shot with how long it takes to fish out the empty, but hey- it's the first shot that counts, right?!?

-John

1st shot certainly is where its at.

I put one fo these on my dads savage and it helped substantially.
http://www.opticsplanet.com/dnz-products-18200os.html

Does anybody have any opinions/experience on the Meopta Meostar R1 1.5-6x42mm? This looks very similar in specs to my old Elite 3200 (although heavier) but, I'd expect, it would be a major step up in quality. Anybody know of any good, real world, reviews? My Google-Fu has been weak as of late.
Thanks!

I have used a Vari X-III 3.5-10x40mm for the past few years:


This year that scope was removed and mounted on a .257 Wby Mag. Mounting length is the most critical issue on my Savage 210F. I had one of the Nikon Slughunter 2-7x32 or whatever it was and it was too short with the Talley LW mounts. Same with a Trijicon 1-4x24mm; it is now on a NULA M209 and is an awesome optic to about 300yds.

It's not on your list but I'm looking to use one of the Vortex Viper PST 2.5-10x32mm FFP scopes on my Savage 210F for the future. It is like my NXS 2.5-10x32 but has the FFP and parallax adjustment NF didn't see fit to use.

I've had the Kahles you asked about as well. Great optic.

The Leupold 2.5-8x32mm you asked about is one of my all time favorite optics.

I've got a Vortex Viper 2-7x32 with dots on my 358 WSSM for Indiana deer hunting. Works great out to 300 yards (max range ill shoot with the rifle). I think that would be a perfect scope for a slug gun.

Is that yet another discontinued 2-7???

Leupold VX3 2.5x8x36!

Nikon Slughunter scope

Schmidt&Bender Classic Fixed 6x42 w/ 1" tube

Right here! I've used one on my Encore slug gun for 10 years in the same stuff you hunt.

I would think recoil is a consideration with 12 ga slugs. A friend of mine told me that a custom maker of heavy recoiling african guns will only stand behind his MOA grouping if the owner shoots fixed power leupolds. I would think lighter scopes with less bell would withstand recoil better. Then there is that pesky gaurantee of never failing at all ever by Leupold.

Sweet, an S&B recommendation! I've actually been looking at the Schmidt & Bender 1.5-6x42 Zenith 30mm Riflescope. It looks very similar to the Meopta 1.5-6x42 Meostar R1. Both look like they'd be fantastic options.

Any comments on either???

Love the discussion so far. Even though many have pointed to the VX-3 2.5-8x32, I think that I've all but crossed it off my list since I'd really like something with a wider FOV.

Hence the VX 2 2x7

Yes, but Cameraland has them with the Vplex.

http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/vortex.pl?page=vortexviper2-7x32

IMHO, what you are missing, is that there are numerous good scopes on the market at prices far below your ceiling price. The shotgun is a good instrument, but it does not require the same optics that a varmint or bench rifle might benefit from. At shotgun ranges, your prime challenge will be a scope that handles recoil.

Personally, I would choose something from Leupold, because of the forever warranty. Fixed power scopes are reportedly tougher than variables. If you want custom reticles, they are about $70 from the factory.

Best wishes, jack