Need advice on a scope ?

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
AS MY EYES ARE GOING ,
I have been thinking of buying a scope for my Redhawks.
So I would appreciate any advice that some of you might have.
Also want to use the scope to work the new acc. loads after the gunsmithing work is finished on the redhawks.
Have had success w/ both Redfield & Burris on rifles, did not like the busnell & tasco rifle scopes I once owned.

[felix]

Take advice from 44man. ... felix

[44man]

If you are hunting, buy the Ultra Dot, 30MM. If all you do is target shoot when the light outside is good, the Leupold, Tasco and a few others are good but I would stay away from Burris. The tubes are dead soft.
However as large as the dots are in the Ultra Dot, all of the groups I post were shot with them. Anything that will stand up to the .475 and keep on ticking will be all I buy.
A scope of any kind can not be seen through in early morning or late evening. You can't see the deer or cross hairs in dim light. You need a 5MM exit pupil but the long eye relief of a scope will scatter that so the light is gone. Get a good red dot like the Ultra Dot. They are cheap compared to the military stuff. I think they are around $130 from Ultra Dot West and they pay shipping.
I learned the hard way by my revolvers eating stuff for breakfast.

[BCB]

BOOM BOOM,

Gotta disagree with 44man on the Burris 'scopes. I have a 2x-7x Burris on my SRH and I shoot very stout loads using H-110 and the 429650's (310+ grains) and it has held together nicely. Mine is the nickel finsh to sort of match the stainless SRH. I have 5 other Burris handgun 'scopes on Contender barrels and all have been good and dependable. Good-luck...BCB

[Heavy lead]

I've got Weaver fixed power 2x scopes on a 454 SRH and a BFR 475, my only beef with them is the little weaver brand (green in color) label on the turret came off both, just glued on, so they are both gone, but they don't wander zero and seem to be accurate. I do wish the reticle were bigger. I have Burris rifle scopes and they are all excellent, I have one 2.5x7 old stock Burris handgun scoope that I have never mounted, it sure seems stout, but it's the older generation. I've been saving that for something long range someday.
I did have a Tasco on the SRH for 5 shots when I first got it, glad I didn't pay much for it, the guts imploded.

[crabo]

I use the Ultradot 4 30mm for shooting and hunting and a Luepold 2.5X8 for accuracy testing. I think the ultradots balance well and some of the scopes tend to throw the gun off balance for off hand shooting. The Ultradots are a compact package compared to some scopes. I really like being able to change the size of the dots in the 4 model.

http://www.ultradotwest.com/ultradot_2008_006.htm

I haven't quite worked out a good target for shooting the Ultradot for groups at 100 yards. I am pretty sure I need to go with a big black circle to make a figure 8 with. As I am typing this up, I just came up with the idea of using 2 very heavy black lines in a V and setting the dot in the lines. Maybe 3" lines? Anyone have a good idea for red dot targets?

I'll have to try the heavy V lines and see how that works. That will definately be a Office Depot copy job. Use all of their toner.

[Lloyd Smale]

a agree with 44man back when i put those ugly things on guns i went through two burris scopes. I actually had better luck with tascos holding up believe it or not. The only scope id put on an handgun anymore is a 2x leupold. but like 44man said they aint worth dog popo in low light.

[jhalcott]

I've got Leupold, Burris, Redfield and other scopes on bolt ,break open and revolver handguns. I rate the Leo's tops and the Burris a close 2nd. I use them for targets and hunting and the Leupold 2.5 to 8x is the best I've ever used. Bushnell's are a distant 3rd or 4th! I use the Burris red dot on a couple automatics for target work and some varmint hunting.
A scope on a Redhawk MIGHT make it a bit top heavy . So you may want to use some sort of rest (bipod or monopod) when hunting. Depending on max expected range, a red dot could work better than a heavy high X scope.

[218bee]

I've had good luck with a Weaver on a Contender in 357Maximum. It really holds its zero and has a bright image. The one Burris I tried was very picky with eye relief...this Weaver is more forgiving for my eyes anyway. Most of my rifles have Luepolds on them although one has a Weaver Grand Slam that is so far so good...so I would look at a Weaver

[Doc Highwall]

For hunting I use the Burris 2-7x on my 375Win in a T/C Contender and on a Encore in 7mmBR.

[fourarmed]

The Ultra Dots are great. Anything that can ride the slide of a .45 is tough. I have had ups and downs with Burris, but their old 7X IER scope is what I use for load development on silhouette pistols. It is a great scope for that purpose, but probably too much magnification for what you want. I did have to send it in for repair once - the elevation adjustment quit. It was back in my hands like new in less than 2 weeks with a nice letter thanking me for my loyalty.

[Dale53]

I started out with scopes on my .44 magnums. I have a Burris with a large dot (Gil Hebard used to be the only place you could get the large dot but believe it is available elsewhere now) on the S&W Model 29 8 3/8". I have a Leupold with duplex crosshairs on my Ruger Red Hawk. Both have worked well and have never given me any trouble. However, as my eyes got worse with old age (I am now 73), for my target guns I have gone exclusively to Red Dots.

I agree with 44Man regarding both using 30 mm Red Dots (smaller diameter are harder to "find the hole" and larger over balance the hand gun) and for heavy recoiling guns you cannot beat the cost and strength of the Ultra Dot.

However, I do have several Simmons Red Dots. I talked to the Techies at Simmons at the NRA Convention and was told that they are "proofed" to handle the recoil up to and including .44 magnums. However, they specifically stated that was the limit (do NOT use with a .454 Casull, as an example). He also mentioned that using a Red Dot on the .45 ACP slide is NOT a big deal. That kind of surprised me. However, he stated that some handgun loads develop as much as 2200 "G's") and THAT far exceeds the load of a Red Dot on a 1911 .45 ACP slide. If those figures are true (I assume he was talking about .454's, .460's, and .500's) then it is easy to understand why some scopes fail on heavy loaded handguns.

At any rate, I have Simmons 30 mm Red Dots on my easy recoiling .45 ACP revolvers and Ultra Dots will ride my .454's. I also have some Bushnell Red Dots on my lighter guns and they have given yeoman service (.32's and .357's).

Dale53

[mike in co]

I USE AIMPOINT RED DOTS.
not only can you adjust the brightness for the conditions, they are "easier" to use.

whether you do it consiously or not, with cross hairs, your brain thinks adjust right /left, and adjust up down.....the line put your brain into two modes to get to the center.
with a dot...its just put the dot on the target......
i have used 2x luepold and 2-7 redfield on my 44 srh.

i shoot quicker and better with the dot....for competition, two hands standing up.
for small group, off a bench i'd go with crosshairs.

mike in co

[missionary5155]

Good morning I put a Burris 1.5 x 4.5? on my Dan wesson .375 Supermag some years ago thinking I just MIGHT need that little extra... Actually a 1.5 or 2x would take care of all my needs. Only time I crank it up is to test loads and a 2 x would do that just fine.
GOD Bless You.

[shotman]

This is one place a cheap scope will not work. I had a older tasco that was given to me. Put in on a 629 . Lasted about 12 full power loads and was rattling.

[Heavy lead]

Buying a Tasco is like buying a Big Mac, sometimes they can be better that a fillet, others they are not even worth the postage. I've had a couple real good ones, One rifle scope I gave to my brother fell off his shoulder and bent the ocular lens, broke one crosswire and he shot a 100 target without having to adjust it, and several hours later plunked a pronghorn at 200 yards, then fixed it at no charge, this was in the late 80's, but then I had a handgun scope that blew up quick. So maybe Gump was right.

[Gunfixer]

Just my .02, I dont have any scopes on my wheelguns but after blowing the lenses out of a bushnell 4x, and cracking an ocular lens on a Leupold 2x, I have put Burris 2-7 or 3-9 on all my contender BBLs. They stand up to 375 JDJ and 444 marlin

[44man]

Here is my Burris that was on my XP100 7BR. Those are the first marks. The bad marks are from a 10" SBH. Nothing would hold it in Burris mounts. I lapped them, used paper tape and even rosin. The tube looks like it was crushed as it slipped but the screws were torqued properly. There is a tilt to the crushing, more on one side then the other. The tube is dead soft. Just using the small end of an Allen wrench would crush the tube so I switched to the torque wrench at 17 inch pounds and it also crushed the tube. When I shot it the recoil bulged the tube as it slipped.
Now the Tasco has been on many guns and has withstood about 1000 rounds from the .475 BFR.
My Ultra Dots Have ZERO damage to the tubes. My old Leopold 2X is still perfect after about 20 guns.
Ask me what scope I would buy?

[44man]

I had to send two scopes back to Burris because the objective lens adjustment was so far off they had to be set at 50 yd's to get parallax free at 200 yd's. They fixed that. The 6X20 target scope for my rifle was so dark I could not see crap through it. I sold it and bought a Loopy, no way I will look back!
Unless Burris has changed, I will never buy another one.

[Dale53]

I have VERY high regard for Burris Signature Rings. These are the scope rings with polymer inserts. They have MUCH more surface area of contact and will NOT damage a scope. Further, you can buy offset inserts to help you sight in properly without using up all of your scope sight adjustment (scopes work MUCH better when the adjustments are near the center of their adjustment).

After you install the scope with polymer rings, it IS a good idea to go back a day later and check them for tightness (I have occasionally had them "creep" the first time - never after the second tightening).

I hate scope ring marks on a scope. Most scope rings flat suck!

Dale53

[BD]

After six years my Ultra Dot let me down this past deer season. I brought it along to the peoples republic of NY to use on a shotgun with slugs and after a day of freezing rain it fogged up. I'll let you know how they treat me on the warrantee.

I have a Leupold that's been on a succession of .44 mags on and off since 1995 and it's still doing the job.
BD

[BlackDiamond]

Hi everyone ! My name is Sandro and I live in Italy. I see lot of Ultradot fans here !
I just got an Ultradot Matchdot and I wondered if you could help me about mounting it.
Istructions doesn't tell anything about what torque value to use for the screws in the rings.

Leupold scopes usually require about 15 in*lbs but I guess it could be something less for the Ultradot ?

[Dale53]

I would guess that you would be safe at 15 inch pounds of torque. I was trained as a machinist so just tighten by "feel" but I DO see the wisdom of using a torque wrench to do it correctly all of the time. Again, I MUCH prefer the use of Burris Signature rings with the polymer inserts. However, I must admit that if the Red Dot comes with rings, I tend to use those.

Dale53

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
I have been computer locked out at work, so have to travel elsewhere to call up the site.
I do greatly appreciate the input by all of you.
I went ahead and bought the B-Square mount to use as a base for the optical sight.
I do hope it is a good base.

What do you all think of it?

I want to do a new series of accuracy tests on both my 357 & the 44mag. Redhawks using Russian unique, WC820, & 2400.
I use a 180gr slug in the 357 & tend to load it on the hot side.
The 44 gets a 250gr slug & is also on the hot side.
These loads were developed using eyeballs & sandbags.
But now I want to get serious as I have access to a machine rest.
Both guns have now gotten target crowns, Taylor throats, & the chamber mouths uniformed since my original load work ups. I figure the improvements will have changed the guns enough to warrant redoing the load work ups W/ Pb slugs after a 100+ jacked rounds as a break in.
So I want to use optics for this work.
But I am a hunter, and although most of my rounds are shot at the bullet trap on paper, I am doing this as practice for hunting.
Am looking forward to some more of your input.

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
After reading this thread 2Xs I am seriously considering a red dot sight.
2 more questions?
What do you think of the Tasco Pro Point Plus?
What do you think of the Bushnell 1X30 Trophy with 4 changible reticles crosshair, 3 moa dot, 10 moa dot, & 3moa dot w/ circle ?

[milltownhunter]

i have had good luck with a 1.5 x4.5 burris on my custom 7mm rem encore pistol and 2 power leupold on my super redhawk 454 also i got a 2.5 x 8 power weaver on a 500 s&w mag

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
My nephew who is a gunsmith & worked for some time in a gun store has suggested the Aimpoint, the Eotec, & Bushnell Holosight as good options.
The Eotec & Holosights are even smaller in size & so would change gun balence less.
Have any on the board had experence with these?
Another question is where does one get holsters for Redhawks with a scope, reddot, or holosight?

[Dale53]

I have a scoped Ruger Red Hawk 7½" and a scoped S&W Model 29 (8 3/8") that I have hunted extensively with. I found that the best way to carry them is in a Bianchi Hush System cross chest harness and holster. It is easy to adjust for different weight clothing (I have hunted in weather that runs from rain, to shirt sleeve weather to 10 below zero. A holster that will not quickly adapt to different clothing is a "pain in the tuckus". I could wear that outfit even with a back pack on without a single problem. It gives the gun and scope great protection in brush country, also. This is all important when you are really hunting.

Dale53