Best Scope for a pistol????

[Aaron Bartlett]

What have you had good luck with? The scope is going on a 44 Mag.
I have been told that a typical crosshair scope will not hold up to the percussion of the bigger caliber pistols. Because of this I bought a 2x red dot scope but I am not happy with it for the following reasons:
1. With it being a 2x scope I dont think that the field of view is big enough and it is very hard to find what your trying to shoot when your in the timber and its almost impossible if its moving.
2. I dont really like having to turn it on and off. The battery will last forever but I always seem to either forget to turn it on or off.
3. It is really bigger than what I want. Would like a more compact but still sturdy and as rugged as possible.
Lets hear it!

[dogrich]

Leupold, Burris, and Nikon all make great scopes that'll handle .44 Mag recoil. For some reason or another, a few years ago, I swore off rifles altogether. I did all my centerfire and rimfire rifle (& pistol) shooting w/ handguns. I used .44 Mag, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, and .475 Linebaugh in revolvers. I had T/C Contenders (and Encores) in .22 LR, .22 Hornet, .223, .243, .270, 30-30, .308, .338 Win Mag, 45-70, and .410. I'm not a big fan of scoping revolvers, but I did have two .454 Casulls (one Freedom and one Ruger) that I scoped and a scoped S&W Classic Hunter in .44 Mag. I came to the conclusion that my revolvers were more for close range shooting (under 75 yards), and at that range, I really didn't need a scope. I liked the Leupold and Burris fixed 2X scopes for the revolvers. On my T/C big guns, I use Leupold, Burris, and Nikon variable EERs. I have a Leupold 2.5X8 on the SSK Custom .338 Win Mag. This thing is a beast. I've actually been kicked off rifle and pistol ranges for the muzzle blast and concussion that erupts from it's 15" barrel. Despite several hundred rounds through that barrel, the scope has held-up well. I do, however, have SSK's TSOB scope mount on that barrel. My experience w/ Leupold EER scopes has been fantastic. I still currently have a fixed 2x and a 2.5x8. If you can afford it, go Leupold. My experience w/ Burris and Nikon is equally as good. In Burris I have a fixed 2x, a 2x7, and a 3x9 in their EER series. I have Nikon's 1.5x4.5 and a 2.5x8 EER scopes.

I think that any decent quality modern EER scope would probably serve you well. .44 Mag isn't all that severe as recoil goes. Buy the best that you can afford. For the most part, you get what you pay for... What is perhaps even more important is a good quality mount. If you put a long, variable power scope on a light weight, hard kicking handgun in a short scope mount (where the bells stick-out quite a ways being unsupported), you will probably ruin the scope. You need to support the scope as far out to the ends as possible. That's what is so great about JD Jones' TSOB mount. It's not so much the extra rings, but all the different positions you can put the rings (supporting the ends of a long scope). Also, go w/ steel bases and rings if you can. I had a Weaver aluminum base bend on a T/C Encore barrel in .270 w/ my Burris 3x9. The Encore barrel tapers quite a bit, and the base extended out over the taper. After a box or so of shells (no more than 40 rounds), I noticed my hits walking. I checked it out, and sure enough, the base bent. The TSOB is aluminum, but it is machined to be fully supported by the barrel.

Sorry so long winded, but I'm a handgun geek...

I hope it helps w/ your decision.

[Aaron Bartlett]

Thanks Dogrich! Any experience with the Burris FastFire sight or the Leupold Deltapoint Reflex sight?

[dogrich]

Thanks Dogrich! Any experience with the Burris FastFire sight or the Leupold Deltapoint Reflex sight?

Hey Aaron,

Sorry about taking so long to respond. I haven't been on in a couple of days. I have no experience w/ either of those. I'm just a traditional scope kinda guy. The way I look at it, the more gadgets and switches and stuff they have, the better the chance of something malfunctioning when you need it most. Now I do have a buddy who swears by Leupold's "red-dot type" of optic for hunting. He has it on a Ruger Super Redhawk in .480. It's proven to be quite durable and accurate out to his self-imposed 50 yard max-range limit. I was impressed w/ the magnification and brightness of the dot on the shooting range. He's killed quite a few dear w/ that rig. As you said in your OP, however, it was somewhat bulkier than a regular EER scope. I almost bought a Bushnell Halosight a couple of years back to put on a S&W 617 .22. I don't know why I didn't. I saw on here that Madcatter either uses a Halosight or something similar on his T/C .410. That got me to thinking about it again. I think that be a pretty cool bunny rig.

Rich