Questions on pistol scopes for hunting

[frayluisfan]

Dear All,

A couple of quick questions on pistol scopes. I have a Redhawk in .44 mag that I love to shoot and would like to do some hunting with it.

1. Does a scope make a big difference over iron sights?
2. Do you know of good mounts for a Redhawk that do not involve gunsmithing? (my Redhawk does not have the factory marks for rings like some Ruger pistols do)
3. What is a good basic scope for hunting out to, say 50 yards tops? I'm thinking of hunting deer in moderate cover, perhaps piggies and/or bear later on. (Side note--Í'm having a very hard time finding just a basic scope on the web pages of companies like Tasco, Leupold etc. Rifle scopes abound, but I can't seem to find anything but red dot sights for pistols. Am I missing something?)

Many thanks in advance!


frayluisfan

 

[critter]

I use scoped handguns for several applications, including hunting. I took a deer last fall with a Ruger Blackhawk Hunter Model with a 4X scope at 65 yards. I think I hit the very hair I was aiming at! YES, they help.

Some things to remember. With a scope, you need not line up a rear sight, a front sight AND a target. Put the crosshairs on the target and SQUEEEEEEEEEEZ it off. With a scope, you will see MUCH more wiggle than with irons, so DO NOT go too high with the scope power, especially at first. I started with a 2X on my .44.

It is also harder to get your eye in the right position to see a full field of view if the power gets too high. I have a variable that goes up to 9X on a Contender .223. VERY, VERY accurate, but at 9X, you need a rest to tame the wiggle and you have to be careful when you line it up and put your eye behind the scope.

Too much power is also BAD if you are hunting large game and they suddenly show up at 5 steps! Can only see hair everywhere!

I HIGHLY recommend a scope on a hunting handgun. Try some. Start out by looking through some 1X, 2X and maybe up to 4X to begin with. Look at close things and far things. Check out eye releaf, field of view, the wiggle, etc before you decide what is best for you and what you are hunting. Good luck.

Sorry, no advise about the mount.

 

[critter]

Handgun scopes-Leupold makes some GOOD ones with long eye releif for handguns.

 

[mrgrinch]

Since you said "50 yards tops", you should consider Ruger's gold bead and v-notch iron sights. They would provide precision aiming for that distance. http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/FAAccView?acc=1103&type=Revolver&side=Sights&RE=Y

 

[bicyclewrench]

Watch eye relief. My Bushnell elite 3200 is a great scope but the eye relief is pretty long. At 6x I can barely keep it far enough away. 4x should be plenty at 50 yards. I wouldn't sneer at 2x.

 

[tickfarm]

I have a Ruger redhawk that had a scope. I removed it and am using the Ruger gold bead front and the deep V rear and love it. At 25 yrds I can shoot a 1" target dot out. it's great sight.