Slug barrel - best way to mount optics?

Realtor MA

Realtor MA

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I'm looking to put some kind of optics on my rifled slug barrel.. either a scope with base and rings or possibly a simple red dot. I'm thinking there has to be a way. I'm guessing the rear sight is soldered to the barrel. So maybe the solution is to remove it and have a weaver base installed.. That's fine but I think it will screw up the camo finish. Anyone have ideas? Is there a DIY way to do this or do I need a smith?
 

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Usually you don't mount an optic to the barrel unless it's a cantilever barrel. With that type of barrel you just take the grub screws out of the top of your shotgun receiver and mount a rail and your optic to the top of the receiver. If the receiver isn't drilled and tapped your kinda SOL on mounting an optic. For shotgun ranges, iron sights are more than enough if you practice a bit. I spent most of my life hunting deer with a regular 18" cyl bore barrel with a bead sight and regular foster slugs and buck shot, never had a problem, just put the time in at the range.
 
moojpg2 said:
Usually you don't mount an optic to the barrel unless it's a cantilever barrel. With that type of barrel you just take the grub screws out of the top of your shotgun receiver and mount a rail and your optic to the top of the receiver. If the receiver isn't drilled and tapped your kinda SOL on mounting an optic. For shotgun ranges, iron sights are more than enough if you practice a bit. I spent most of my life hunting deer with a regular 18" cyl bore barrel with a bead sight and regular foster slugs and buck shot, never had a problem, just put the time in at the range.
Click to expand...
I can use the iron sights if I have to but was hoping for something a little nicer. I suppose I could add a cantilever mount to the barrel but was thinking something with extended eye relief would be ok out by that rear sight.
 
Long Eye Relief scopes aren't great in my experience, I used to own a Leupold fixed 2.5x LER scope and I wouldn't recommend one to others. They're ok, but give me a regular scope with adjustable focus and preferably an illuminated reticle any day over LER.

Anyways.

Like @moojpg2 said, you should be able to get a receiver scope mount, often where you put the mount in where the receiver pins go. Or, the top of the shotgun receiver should be drilled and tapped for bases.

Another option would be to buy a cantilever barrel with an optics base.

The times I've used slugs, I've had a smoothbore barrel, so I never bothered with optics on a shotgun. That being said, I always keep such shots within 50, or better yet 25 yards, and I use binoculars for target identification.
 
Realtor MA said:
I'm looking to put some kind of optics on my rifled slug barrel.. either a scope with base and rings or possibly a simple red dot. I'm thinking there has to be a way. I'm guessing the rear sight is soldered to the barrel. So maybe the solution is to remove it and have a weaver base installed.. That's fine but I think it will screw up the camo finish. Anyone have ideas? Is there a DIY way to do this or do I need a smith?
Click to expand...
did you remove the rear sight to see if the base is screwed on. Either way going to make for a weak mount.
What platform are you running.?
What are you running for ammo?
Is your barrel actually rifled ?

What distance do you trhink your most likely to take a shot at ?
 
mac1911 said:
did you remove the rear sight to see if the base is screwed on. Either way going to make for a weak mount.
What platform are you running.?
What are you running for ammo?
Is your barrel actually rifled ?

What distance do you trhink your most likely to take a shot at ?
Click to expand...
Even with sight off I see no screws. It's a benelli m2 20 gauge. Still working in ammo choices but some form of 20 gauge sabot. Most shots are probably 30 to 50 yards. Maybe a max of 100. Barrel is rifled. Just found the Burris speedbead which might be a good alternative
 
Realtor MA said:
Even with sight off I see no screws. It's a benelli m2 20 gauge. Still working in ammo choices but some form of 20 gauge sabot. Most shots are probably 30 to 50 yards. Maybe a max of 100. Barrel is rifled. Just found the Burris speedbead which might be a good alternative
Click to expand...
I'm with Bob in this, if you want a deer scope gun, buy the cantilever barrel or drill and tap the reciever.

Alternatively I shoot better with a peep rather than open sights and can generally shoot my lever guns with peeps pretty good out to 100 yards. Think about maybe just putting a peep on the reciever.
 
Did you check the receiver itself (not the barrel)? The receiver might already be drilled/tapped for a Weaver 93 mount or a picatinny rail.
 
Realtor MA said:
Even with sight off I see no screws. It's a benelli m2 20 gauge. Still working in ammo choices but some form of 20 gauge sabot. Most shots are probably 30 to 50 yards. Maybe a max of 100. Barrel is rifled. Just found the Burris speedbead which might be a good alternative
Click to expand...
The speedbead is pretty nifty, I tried one for trap for HaHa’s
It was ok , still just like putting the front bead on what I want to hit inside 50 yards.
The sabot can be very accurate. My friends son is a master with his boltaction 20g and 6x scope. He can hit a playing card at 200 yards with regularity . IIRC though his sabot are like $4 a pop?
 
Mark from MA said:
I'm with Bob in this, if you want a deer scope gun, buy the cantilever barrel or drill and tap the reciever.

Alternatively I shoot better with a peep rather than open sights and can generally shoot my lever guns with peeps pretty good out to 100 yards. Think about maybe just putting a peep on the reciever.
Click to expand...
 
mac1911 said:
The speedbead is pretty nifty, I tried one for trap for HaHa’s
It was ok , still just like putting the front bead on what I want to hit inside 50 yards.
The sabot can be very accurate. My friends son is a master with his boltaction 20g and 6x scope. He can hit a playing card at 200 yards with regularity . IIRC though his sabot are like $4 a pop?
Click to expand...
I shoot Hornady SST sabots that are about 2.50 a piece. They do shoot well out of my rifled 20 gauge Encore.

That said, most of my shots are less than 50 yards when I'm in the tighter stuff, I hunt alot with my old ithaca deerslayer in 16 gauge. I have a lifetime supply of 16 gauge fosters that I bought for like 3 dollars a box.
 
The mossbergs have a few options for a scope mount that uses the existing pin holes. No drilling or tapping required. At shotgun range i would think a red dot would work well provided the dot was small enough.
 
Ok. I'm gathering my thoughts from all of your posts. I really don't want it to be a dedicated deer gun. I have a few of those. Just want it to be a fun alternative.
 
Realtor MA said:
Even with sight off I see no screws. It's a benelli m2 20 gauge. Still working in ammo choices but some form of 20 gauge sabot. Most shots are probably 30 to 50 yards. Maybe a max of 100. Barrel is rifled. Just found the Burris speedbead which might be a good alternative
Click to expand...
i have a benelli m2 in 12, and the receiver was tapped to accept scope rings, but was sold with a slug barrel, so not sure if that is factory without a slug barrel
 
Realtor MA said:
Ok. I'm gathering my thoughts from all of your posts. I really don't want it to be a dedicated deer gun. I have a few of those. Just want it to be a fun alternative.
Click to expand...

Then the best option if you want an optic is to buy a barrel with an optics cantilever mount.
 
The Anchor said:
i have a benelli m2 in 12, and the receiver was tapped to accept scope rings, but was sold with a slug barrel, so not sure if that is factory without a slug barrel
Click to expand...
Right. I believe the guns with slug barrels come thru drilled and tapped
 
killed. The barrel is not made with a rail, don't FAFO. Get another barrel purposely made for a scope. Or get a different gun.
 
dixidawg said:
Would any of these work?


Scope Mounts/Rings

EGW is the leading producer of standard, HD, and pistol scope mounts designed specifically to fit guns made by almost every top gun manufacturer.
www.egwguns.com www.egwguns.com
Click to expand...
I imagine if the gunsmith takes the rear sight off he can then add something like what you've sent.
 
My deer gun is a Winchester 1200 12g with a B-west receiver mount (attaches by just the action pins). The scope is Simmons 4x which are inexpensive models but this thing has held zero as long as I’ve owned it. The barrel is smooth bore 24” modified. A bird barrel that works well with rifled slugs. Im good with it out to 100 yards which is plenty for most shots I’ll be taking here on Cape.
I bought it in the classifieds here years back from an old timer who said he’d used it since the 1980’s and had dropped many deer with it. I’ve taken three deer with it myself. It’s heavy but It’s a tough woods gun that is perfect for where I hunt.
 

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