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Optics Special - Shotgun Optics

Fitting some form of optic to a shotgun can pay real dividends; Bruce Potts picks a couple of favourites, plus a clever scope mounting solution…

Shotguns are obviously used in the main with a sighting bead, or possibly two, mounted on the gun’s rib, and this serves well for the majority of people but there are times when some form of optical sight can really help; some shooters simply don’t get on with the conventional set-up. Shooting solid slug is another application and launching large chunks of lead is often perfect for wild boar but also for target shotgun competitions, where targets are set out at 100- and 200-yards. Red dots and scopes are the answer and here are a couple that I consider perfect for the job.

 

  • Aimpoint Micro H2

    Aimpoint Micro H2

    The Micro H-2 comes from a long line of very good red dot sights from the world-renowned firm of Aim Point. This is a small red dot type sight, designed for extreme use, yet offers excellent overall performance. It uses a reinforced body shell that is fully waterproof and the exterior has instant flip up, see-through type lens covers to protect the new coated lenses.

    This new Micro ensures that the red dot is optically clear yet vivid, without any bleed around the edges. You have an integral Weaver/Picatinny type base for fitment to a similar rail mount, which uses Helicoil type threads for longevity and weighs 136-grams with the mount and 93-grams without. This mount also has a recoil absorbing feature, to minimise damage.

    The one battery supplied lasts up to 50,000-hours, thanks to the ACET technology and, with the improved lenses, light transmission and the red dot on the Micro is clearer and more distinct than before. There are 12 brightness settings for use in both daylight and low lighting situations.

    You can order the sight with the dot in two sizes, 2 or 4 MOA, to suit your style of shooting. Adjustment for elevation and windage is precise and uses the turret caps to adjust the dials; so, there’s no need for other tools. Overall, a great compact red dot sight from a long-standing maker.

    Price: £599

    Contact: Edgar Brothers Ltd. edgarbrothers.com

  • Hawke XB30 Compact Scope

    Hawke XB30 Compact Scope

    The Hawke XB30 compact 2-8 x 36 SR sight is primarily aimed at the crossbow or bow hunting fraternity, as it uses Hawke’s excellent ballistic correction reticle. This can be used very precisely via their app from the website to correlate the exact aiming marks for the speed of your projectile. On a 12g slug gun, that’s a great asset, as it allows correct hold over at extended ranges.

    The Compact has a 2-8x magnification range, ideally suited to the shotgun market and range usage. The lenses are very good and are all multi-coated with 14 layers and the wide angle achieves 65.7 - 16.4ft view at 100-yards dependent on magnification used. It’s a compact scope at 10.1-inches long and weighs 435-grams and has a 30mm one-piece aluminium tube. The scope ring spacing is a bit tight, as expected, so a one-piece rail mount is best.

    You have precise, ½ inch adjustment clicks, with a parallax free image at 50-yards. The glass-etched reticle is very clear and illuminated by a saddle mounted rheostat with 5 brightness levels and a choice of red or green illumination too. You also have a locking speed ring on the eyepiece that is used to adjust for the speed of an arrow at 250 - 475 fps, but on 12g or .410 slugs, you can set to suit your own ballistics via the Hawke app.

    It is a super compact scope with very good optics and a superb reticle for slug use and only costs £229.99, a bargain!

    Price: £229.99

    Contact: hawkeoptics.com

  • Recknagel 70 MOA adjustable mount

    Recknagel 70 MOA adjustable mount

    Recknagel are a German company that manufactures an amazing array of scope mounts, custom gun parts, triggers, rails and more. Their scope mounts and rails are second to none, but it is their Tactical ERA-TAC 70MOA one-piece mount that solves all your scope mounting problems of running out of adjustment.

    This mount is built to the highest quality; made from high-grade aluminium, the whole mount is hard anodised to Mil Spec Class 3 for extreme use and longevity. Available for 30, 34 or 36mm scope tubes and Weaver/Picatinny onepiece bases. As the name suggests, it elevates from 0 to 70 MOA compensation with precision, to ensure repeatability and exact adjustments.

    Basically, you have one large pivoting mount in two major sections. The front fixing screw joins the top and bottom halves and allows a forward pivot and thus downward motion, which translate to increased MOA. The rear fixing screw is very clever, as when this and the front screw are loosened in unison, the pre-machined square edged cam can be rotated at 10 MOA increments for exact adjustment with zero run out. For those who may wish to take the scope on and off regularly, there is a QD version, but this facility obviously costs extra.

    For 12 slug shooting at extended range, it means that you will never run out of elevation again with either full power loads or subsonics.

    Price: £450. QD version: £514

    Contact: Alan Rhone. alanrhone.com

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