Thoughts on a scope

[khawk]

I have a 835 ultra mag. I am currently looking at maybe mounting a scope. Pros and cons??

 

[turkeyhunter]

I had this same decision to make last season. After some unexplained misses from two seasons ago I decided what the heck. I put a cheap bsa red dot on my 870. It was the best decision I could have made. I researched the pros and cons on here and else where . Most all reports where positive. I was worried about turkeys busting me because of a glare or something. But I never got busted because of a scope. I had 4 kills and 8 assist.

 

[muddyboots]

I put a leupold 1.75 x 6 on my 870 3 years ago because those fiber optic sights kept getting knocked off. Only con i can think of is it makes gun a little heavier but other than that i give it two thumbs up. After initial sight in session I have just shot it once to confirm zero before the season starts and then put x on turkeys waddles and its a done deal.

 

[Lawrence]

No scope for me! I have never used one
maby thats why

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

A scope/red dot helps in that you can pattern your gun and center the best shot area with the crosshairs/dot. Some guns may have the "meat" of the shot pattern off to the side a bit, low, high, whatever. But if you pattern your gun, zero the scope with the "meat" of the shot pattern you should be good to go!!! I prefer the scope to the red dot because there are no batteries to fail or something happens and the dot won't come on....

If you get them in close and your gun shoots a good pattern, you probably wouldn't need a scope anyway..... I took 4 turkeys last spring with just the factory front bead..... ALL were within 30 yards. I had to make sure I kept my cheek down so as to aim down the barrel and not just aim across the end of the barrel....

 

[TiminTN]

I say do it. I shot and shot for years testing chokes and loads. I sold several screamer guns that shot really high percentage patterns because they would not hit center. Many guns shoot nowhere near center. The scope is adjustable to get you lined up perfect. No drawbacks as far as I`m concerned.

You cannot comprehend the confidence you have when a bird works in when you KNOW you have your equipment sorted out.

 

[khawk]

I just cant seem to find the good sights like come on the newer model 835's. What are some good aftermarket sights?

 

[SHARPSPUR]

I had the same questions a couple years ago. I first put a red-dot on and ended up not liking it due to not having enough light early. I replaced it with a Leupold vx-1 2.7-9x33 and love it. Wouldn't go back.

 

[turkeyhunter]

The red dot type scopes are very easy to see turkeys in thick stuff because there is no magnifcation. As for quick shots a buddy of mine shot one on the fly. You can leave your head up or down. You can open both eyes which I like. I practice with mine, I have people throw cans and what not up and I shoot useing the scope. Once pattern is centered, red dot on target equals death. I even know guys that rabbit hunt with red dot type scopes. All I know is that it helped me. I also can see my reg sights under my scope in bad weather.

 

[TheLBLman]

I'll prefice my comment by bringing in these quotes from another thread:

. . . . I shoot at 25 yards which is where a turkey has to be before I lay him down. Tight patterns at 40 can be wayyyyy too tight for 25 and closer. What is more concerning is the 10 yard shot with a 50 yard pattern.

I totally agree with you on that Captain, and have killed most of mine at 15 to 22 yards over the years, limiting my shots to no more than 35 yards. Most factory "Modified" and/or regular "Full" chokes are just right for these ranges.

IMO, most turkey hunters would actually bag more turkeys if they were NOT using the tightest of tight "turkey" chokes --- mainly because these tight chokes are a handicap at close range, and may encourage many hunters to take longer shots at ranges more difficult to assess, rather than call up or wait on a surer thing, up close and personal.

That said, a true expert and accomplished turkey hunter will sometimes benefit from a choke tighter than factory full, but the hunter needs to do his homework in knowning exactly where his pattern is centered and with which particular loads it works best. But I suspect most hunters are simply being duped out of their money when they think a tighter choke is the magic pill.

The Captain and I have some similar views on "turkey hunting", but we disagree on scopes. That's all right, he'll grow out of it.

For many years I've used a side by side double as my "turkey gun". With it's factory full choke and 2 3/4" squirrel loads, I've killed as many as a dozen consecutive Toms with a single shot each, and very few others have needed a follow-up shot. But then I limited my shots to 35 yards or less, in part so that when I misjudged range, should the bird actually be at 40 yards, I still had him.

As I've gotten older, my eyes don't focus as well on both the gun barrel, sights, and distant targets. So in Spring 2008 I decided to try a scope on my turkey gun. Couldn't find a competent gunsmith willing to mount a scope on my side by side, so had to buy a new "turkey" gun.

IMO, the gun is not that relavent.
But the Nikon Monarch 1.75X scope is just what the doctor ordered!

I can see clearly now!
Field of view is exceptional and no problem on an up close bird.

I spent several days patterning different loads and sighting it in. Since it has a little tighter choke than my double gun, I would now go out to about 40 yards (or a ranged 45).

In my first turkey season with it (2007), I fired it 3 times and took home 3 mature Toms ---- all killed at under 30 yards.

For me, going to a quality scope was the best thing since sliced bread. I tried a red dot scope and didn't like it. But the low-power Nikon Monarch was just perfect.

And by the way, Captain, I'll probably use the "Modified" choke tube for most of my 2009 turkey hunts. With a precisely centered pattern, I might add.

 

[WTM]

dont use one, i put the white bead on his neck or his white head and i like to shoot them at 20 to 25 yards for reasons mentioned above.

 

[Anonymous]

I've seen some who put them on and hate them and some that put them on and can't believe they ever hunted without them. I love mine and wouldn't go back but you won't truly know how you feel about one until you try it. From my experiance I have never been handicapped by them. Mounted one on my gun 4 yrs. ago and have killed close to 40 birds with it on and have never been held back by it but most definitly have been helped by it in certain situations.

 

[DBLAARCHERY]

Tru-Glo are fine, but in reality shooting turkeys isn't the challenge. You are firing 400 pellets at under 30 yards, it takes 1-3 to take one down. Don't over complicate the easiest aspect of turkey hunting.

Thats funny that is what I was thinking...I have shot the same 870 Express Mag for years with the factory site well when I knock my fiber optics off...I like to be able to throw my gun around...I do not want to have to worry about another scope being knocked around...All personal preference...I could see both sides tho...

 

[bonekelektr]

Alot can depend on the style of hunting you..If you sit in a blind watching decoys it might be o.k..For me, I'm on the move alot and I don't want to have to worry with a scope..Also with the terrain and set-ups I find myself in I sometimes have to make quick shots at odd angles..I don't want to worry about getting my head knocked off shooting a 3.5....... :grin:

 

[buckdead]

I just bought a TRU-GLO scope and mount from Midway i gave like $90 for it. Hope I dont pay for taking the cheap route. But the factory sights on my gun have me shootin high and to the right with a couple of diffrent chokes ive tried out. after mmissing two turkeys anything is better than what i got on it now.

 

[showmehorns]

Don't do it!!! It is fine if everything happens as it is supposed to when a bird comes in, but if they surprise you and you have to take a quick shot the cope will cost you every time. They fog up, get knocked off, and cut your view down considerably.

Keep in mind a turkeys head never stops moving, and trying to keep the cross hairs on him when he is popping in and out of trees is a real trick.

I urge you to reconsider.

Bull... :grin:

One of the great things about a Red Dot, is that you can actually shoot with both eyes opened, acquiring your target even quicker.

In your defense, I guess a true, crosshair scope might put you at a disadvantage when trying to draw down on one.

 

[jaybird62]

Since the average turkey hunter is 46 years old, and 90% of men over 40 need some type of vision correction, a scope is a great addition to a tight-shooting turkey gun. I've used more than a dozen different scopes over the years. The Pentax 1x-4x Lightseeker SG Plus is my favorite.

I'll bet that if you shot a round of trap with your 835 without a scope and then mounted a scope, either red dot or crosshair, that your scores would go up. 'nuff said.

I've killed turkeys with scopes in just about every situation, i.e., standing, running, flying, close range, long range and in thick cover.

All of the positive comments about mounting a scope on your turkey gun are pretty close to reality. You'll probably find it a benefit. With all that being said, my current favorite turkey gun is a Benelli M1 with rifle sights because I do a lot of walking and don't want the extra weight.

 

[TheLBLman]

Since the average turkey hunter is 46 years old, and 90% of men over 40 need some type of vision correction, a scope is a great addition to a tight-shooting turkey gun.

That was the main reason I went to a scope, but wish I had done it years earlier.

The Pentax 1x-4x Lightseeker SG Plus is my favorite.

I think SCN has a Pentax Lightseeker on his turkey gun and is extremely happy with it.
I strongly considered that very scope before choosing the Nikon Monarch 1.75 x 4.5. The Monarch has a 20mm objective, thus a little smaller profile than the Pentax, and I assume a little less weight. Despite the small 20mm objective, this Monarch scope is awesome even in low light (seldom even a concern in turkey hunting), and doesn't look like a grapefruit sitting on the reciever like the red-dot scopes.

IMO, the main thing regarding putting a real scope on a turkey gun is to go with a quality low-power scope that has at least 3 1/2 inches of eye relief, and as small an objective lens as possible.

 

[megalomaniac]

Burris speedot on mine. heck, I can even shoot it one handed through a wovenwire fence at arm's length if need be. Just put the red dot on the waddles and he's toast. Killed one last year with my 10 gauge at 45 yards, another at 60 yards (f/u shot after my partner crippled him at 35 yards- I would never take a 60 yard shot otherwise).

 

[Gravey]

I used to shoot a Mossberg 500 and put a scope on it. Eventually sold it and bought the 835. Hunted the first year or two without a scope and missed 2 birds on the first shot but ultimately killed them. I think what I was doing was raising up throwing my line of site off. So I bought a B-Square mount and scope set at Bass Pro for $79 or $89 and haven't missed one since then. Also the mount has a small see through window where you can still see your fiber optic sites if you wanted to but I never use them.