shotgun scope on handgun

[ubetcha]

Has anyone used a shotgun scope on a handgun if the eye relief is long enough. was talking with my brother about scope our handguns and was wondering if it would hold up to a handgun type recoil,similar to putting a 22 scope and an air rifle.Recoil if different.The tought was putting it on my SBH 44mag

[onondaga]

If you have a shotgun scope you think may have sufficient eye relief for your handgun, it could work. Some 1X, no magnification, shotgun scopes have infinite eye relief and would be fine. Some Shotgun Scopes are designed for mid-barrel mounting with 8 -12 inch relief and would likely work on a handgun well with a neck sling installed on the handgun to hold the eye relief in range for your eye with a 2 handed grip on your handgun. If you are looking for a shotgun scope with typical 4-6 inch eye relief to try, you are staring at a broken skull, a scope eye fracture of the orbit bone and even a lost eye from a 44 Mag. Don't do that.

Gary

[x101airborne]

So, what is the difference in eye relief between a scout scope and a handgun scope? I dont have any experience with shotgun scopes.

[ubetcha]

I'm really not committed to doing it completly.Just wondering if possible in case someone would ask me. thanks for the advise

[Doc Highwall]

Shotgun scopes are no different then a regular scope when it comes to eye relief but are focused at 75 yards and have a low power 6x-7x max.

[onondaga]

Google SHOTGUN SCOPES and study their eye relief specifications. Specifications will vary among manufacturers and models. Shotgun scope eye relief with Bushnell and Nikon models are 4 inches . That is not a big increase over rifle scope.

There are scopes designed mid barrel mounting on AR15 and AK47 platforms and so on that are longer eye relief 10-14 inches or so.

Scopes designed for pistols have the longest eye relief. Google Pistol Scopes and study their eye relief specifications.

Try this simple test you can do at home to determine the approximate eye relief you will need for your handgun:

Duct tape a scope on your handgun. Have someone help you with a yardstick and measure the distance from your eyeball to the scope at the shooting positions you use in your shooting.. It is best to do this with your eyes closed so that your vision does not have any effect on your handgun hold and your position is natural for your body with your eyes closed.

The eye relief measurements you obtain will be useful for comparison to the specifications of eye relief on the scope models you are interested in and searching.

Like most things in hobbies, this boils down to finding what will work for you at a price you can afford and a quality you can accept.

Gary

[stubert]

I have 2 Leoplod M-8 scopes, one is mounted on a Ruger Red Hawk, the other is mounted on an Ithica Deerslayer, scout-style, both are 2x , I think a shotgun scope on a handgun will hurt you.

[nicholst55]

The inexpensive way to do this would seem to be a red dot sight; many have almost unlimited eye relief. Whether or not they will withstand magnum revolver recoil though, I don't know.

[twotrees]

I have scopes on most of my Contender barrels. (30-30,22322LR) and a red dot on my Ruger Blackhawk 44 mag.

Don't buy one of the cheapie red dots and expect it to hold up to 44 mag. The first chi com one I put on it lasted 10 rounds before it went pieces.

You can get most pistol scopes for about the same price as a shotgun scope, so why bother. Try them before you buy them (look through them) as the small field of view and getting it centered on your eye takes some getting use to.

Yes you can use close eye relief scopes, but you might want to leave that to the experts, as you can "Part your hair" with them, very easily.

Good Shooting

[Mk42gunner]

If you are going to buy a scope anyway, I would buy one meant for a handgun. If you already have the shotgun scope, you could try it if the eye relief will work for you.

With that said, the only one inch tubed scope I have broken in the last ten years was a Simmons 4X shotgun scope, mounted on a Ruger No1 in .45-70. It did see a few stout loads before the horizontal crosshair came loose.

Robert