Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    Chicago, Illinois
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    Default Re: Optic for Shotgun Deer Hunting

    depends on the distance you will be shooting. like the great wise one said, an ethical, clean kill is more possible with a scope.
    Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you want

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
    Age
    74
    Posts
    4,291
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    21474858

    Default Re: Optic for Shotgun Deer Hunting

    Due to eye sight issues, I opted for a regular rifle scope in 3X9.
    For me it was a matter of trying to make out a legal buck at distance.
    Originally, i had a cheap Simmons which served me well for 20 plus years.
    I switched to a Bushnell that had come on a gun bash rifle i won.
    I changed glass on 3 rifles and bought a better Leupold for a .300 win mag and have an extra Leupold VX1 also in 3 x9 which ill put on the slug gun.
    My gun is an Ithaca deerslayer in 12 ga. with a 20 in rifled
    barrel. I shoot Rem copper solids. The gun has grouped less than 2 inches at 100.
    For an experiment, I shot the gun at 200.
    IIRC it was a 5 inch 2 shot group avg 24 inches lower.

    Another guy said if I held over a deers back by 12 inches, it would be right where it's supposed to be.

    I doubt I would ever attempt that shot but with a range finder and time, I believe it could be done.

    All that said, the longest shot I ever made on a deer was 95 paces and with my slug gun.
    Opinions are like anal apertures. They all stink but mine.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
    Posts
    1,083
    Rep Power
    20694360

    Default Re: Optic for Shotgun Deer Hunting

    Got a similar gun to 27hand (Ithaca 37 + DS rifled barrel), using a Nikon SlugHunter 3-9. Though honestly I feel like I could use lower magnification than that.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Chester County, Pennsylvania
    (Chester County)
    Posts
    1,029
    Rep Power
    21474852

    Default Re: Optic for Shotgun Deer Hunting

    The most important thing is that the sight holds zero under the punishment of a shotgun. You're not shooting far, so you don't need super high quality glass. Most inexpensive rifle scopes won't work

    I use an inexpensive Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn on my H&R 20 Ga slug gun. The optics are really bright in low light, and I haven't touched the adjustments since I first sighted it in about 10 years ago. Every October I check it from a bench at 50 yds, and every year the first shot goes into the center bull. Since virtually all of my deer shot are cold bore shots, I'm happy with that. In the field, I hit what I shoot at.

    It is a 3-9X, and all of my shooting is at the lowest power. I have on occasion dialed it up to check antlers, but always dial it back to shoot. I could easily live with just a 3X scope.
    Boy, I say boy, you're reaching the limits of my medication!

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    south western, Pennsylvania
    (Beaver County)
    Posts
    5
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    Default Re: Optic for Shotgun Deer Hunting

    fixed4x Leupold on cantilever mossburg

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    North West, Pennsylvania
    (Erie County)
    Posts
    1,537
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    0

    Default Re: Optic for Shotgun Deer Hunting

    I have a 3 x 9 cabelas scope for my mossberg 500.

    With a rifled barrel and sabot reaching out to 100 yds should be no issue.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
    (Chester County)
    Posts
    134
    Rep Power
    1543

    Default Re: Optic for Shotgun Deer Hunting

    I hunt the same area and use a 1.5-6 variable scope on my 870. I rarely have it at more than 2x in the woods or 4x in the open. Two of my buddies use red dots and they work great at our hunting distances. If you are shooting buckshot, say within 40 yds., either one is fine,but i would lean towards the red dot. For slugs/sabots I might go with the scope but 100 yds is a long shot for slugs without an excellent stable hold.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    south western, Pennsylvania
    (Beaver County)
    Posts
    5
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: Optic for Shotgun Deer Hunting

    If you guy's havn't tried Hornady SST out of your rifled shotguns,you don't know what your missing!

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Levittown, Pennsylvania
    (Bucks County)
    Posts
    9,636
    Rep Power
    21474860

    Default Re: Optic for Shotgun Deer Hunting

    Bucks county rules put rifle use above Point Pleasant Pike in an area I used to hunt. Then Bucks went shotgun. Guys were shooting saboted well beyond 100 yards. Got so ruling out rifles seemed pointless.
    There are two kinds of guns. Those I have acquired, and those I hope to.

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