# Good Glass for my H&R USH



## SmithDerek16 (Jan 19, 2010)

Morning Ladies/Gents,

Sitting here at Ft. Custer bored out of my mind, eye's bleeding as I've been surfing forum after forum for good glass combo's with my H&R USH 12 Gauge. Just bought it, Laminated stock, with the thumb whole (pretty exciting ).

I've seen/heard/read concerning a few different set-ups that are just the cats meow - as follows:

Nikon SlugHunter 3x9/40
Leupold VX-1 2x7/33
Bushnell Banner Series
Nikon Pro-Staff..


I've called a few shops in/around where I live here in SW MI and I've been getting mixed messages and too many personal opinions - people who straigh up dispise Nikon or Leupold...

I'm just like anyone else - I wouldn't mind havin a Benelli M2 with a bitchin Swarovski mounted - but the truth of the matter is I don't have 3 grand to spend - my fiance' is already going to have my ass for spending the 320 on the weapon, but I can squeak out 200 solid for an optic....

Just need the help of others - I'm hoping you all could help, perhaps.

Thanks for you attention in the matter!


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## Craig M (May 17, 2000)

SmithDerek16 said:


> Morning Ladies/Gents,
> 
> Sitting here at Ft. Custer bored out of my mind, eye's bleeding as I've been surfing forum after forum for good glass combo's with my H&R USH 12 Gauge. Just bought it, Laminated stock, with the thumb whole (pretty exciting ).
> 
> ...


I think we all can understand the Cadillac taste, Chevy budget dilemma. I have the 20 ga. USH and have had the Bushnell Banner 1.75-4 on it for the past couple of years. Great eye relief (6 inches) and no issues so far. The gun is a little under-scoped if youre hunting the big fields, Im not so it's perfect for what I do.


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## DuckOfDeath (Jul 5, 2010)

Got a Leupold Rifleman Shotgun scope on my H&R. Great combo that shoots very well for a slug gun. The scope is right in your price range, too.


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

Of those you mentioned the Nikon Slug Hunter would be my second choice. My first choice would be the Leupold Ultimate Slam 3-9x40mm. It is a muzzleloader/slug gun scope and it has better glass than the Nikon Slug Hunter. Both are good, but the Leupold has a bit better glass. Cost is about $270, a bit more than the Nikon. Lifetime warranty and built in the USA. I have a Leupold VX II 2-7x33mm shotgun scope with the Heavy Duplex and it has been a tremendous scope. But I would not buy another with the heavy duplex for todays slug guns. At 150 yards, the duplex is to heavy, covering a lot of the target. Todays guns, like your USH are 200 yard guns with practice and the Leupold heavy duplex is just to thick. 

I put a 4x Banner on my stepdads slug gun and for $75 it is pretty nice. It does not compare to the Leupold or Nikon but then again, it is not supposed to.


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## giver108 (Nov 24, 2004)

DuckOfDeath said:


> Got a Leupold Rifleman Shotgun scope on my H&R. Great combo that shoots very well for a slug gun. The scope is right in your price range, too.


I have the exact same setup and agree with this post. I think the scope cost me $200.


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## SmithDerek16 (Jan 19, 2010)

Swamp Monster said:


> I have a Leupold VX II 2-7x33mm shotgun scope with the Heavy Duplex and it has been a tremendous scope. But I would not buy another with the heavy duplex for todays slug guns. At 150 yards, the duplex is to heavy, covering a lot of the target. Todays guns, like your USH are 200 yard guns with practice and the Leupold heavy duplex is just to thick.
> 
> I put a 4x Banner on my stepdads slug gun and for $75 it is pretty nice. It does not compare to the Leupold or Nikon but then again, it is not supposed to.


 
I'm green lighted to spend just about $200, I would like to stick with a Leupold - but as you say the duplex is seemingly too thick - where is the happy medium? I would like to stick with a "_x_ - 40" for the amount of light - but i've heard Leupold 32MM are as bright as Bushnells 40's.. (rumor mill)

I want to invest in the weapon to make it last, being why i would like a decent scope.


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## SmithDerek16 (Jan 19, 2010)

Here's what I've found:

Leupold VX-I 2-7x33mm Matte Duplex, $204 - Total

Leupold VX-I Shotgun 2-7x33mm Matte Heavy Duplex, $204 - Total

Leupold VX-I 3-9x40mm Matte Duplex, $224 -Total

Are these "VX" built to withstand me shooting countless 2 3/4 12 guage Hornadys?


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

SmithDerek16 said:


> I'm green lighted to spend just about $200, I would like to stick with a Leupold - but as you say the duplex is seemingly too thick - where is the happy medium? I would like to stick with a "_x_ - 40" for the amount of light - but i've heard Leupold 32MM are as bright as Bushnells 40's.. (rumor mill)
> 
> I want to invest in the weapon to make it last, being why i would like a decent scope.


You can get a standard Leupold VX I 2-7x33mm with the standard duplex for about $200. Will work just fine even though it may not be labaled a shotgun scope. Right now, Cabelas has the Nikon Slug Hunter on Sale for $229 and Nikon has a $30 Rebate for that scope so your end cost is $200. For $200, that is a nice scope! At $200 the VX1 and Nikon Slug Hunter are neck and neck as far as glass quality. The Nikon has the BDC reticle and many like it, it works if you sight in correctly. The Nikon has a bit more eye relief which is nice but those big USH's don't recoil like your typical slug gun. Either of these scopes would be a solid choice for your budget. 

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...parentType=index&indexId=cat601233&hasJS=true

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...parentType=index&indexId=cat601233&hasJS=true

Just for comparisons:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...parentType=index&indexId=cat601233&hasJS=true


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

SmithDerek16 said:


> Are these "VX" built to withstand me shooting countless 2 3/4 12 guage Hornadys?


Absolutely! Should it fail....all things mechanical can fail afterall, Leupold will take care of it. You can buy their Gold Ring products with confidence, 


My Leupold slug gun scope has never failed. I have however busted a cheap Simmons and a Bushnell Trophy on slug guns. I wasted money on those two before I purchased the Leupold. Would have been money ahead had I done it right the first time! Lesson learned anyway!


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

If you can round up a Cabelas cash coupon, you can save yourself another $20 as well. You can often times find better prices on optics other than cabelas but Nikon and Leupold hold their prices pretty tight so beware prices that seem to good to be true on some internet sites. 

Check out Natchez Shooting Sports, and Bear Basin for good prices and reputable shopping.


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## SmithDerek16 (Jan 19, 2010)

First off Swamp, and the other posters, you're saving my ass on here, and I thank you for that.

Alright, say I go with the standard duplex Leupold 2x7/33... Is it feasible to set it up to allow some clearence under the scope (raised rings) to be able to use an iron sight for those wicked close shots? I have this set up on my muzzelloader, but I didn't know if you could do this with this particular shotgun.

ps. been shopping through budsgunshop,com 193 for that scope, 11 bucks for insured shipping.


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

SmithDerek16 said:


> First off Swamp, and the other posters, you're saving my ass on here, and I thank you for that.
> 
> Alright, say I go with the standard duplex Leupold 2x7/33... Is it feasible to set it up to allow some clearence under the scope (raised rings) to be able to use an iron sight for those wicked close shots? I have this set up on my muzzelloader, but I didn't know if you could do this with this particular shotgun.
> 
> ps. been shopping through budsgunshop,com 193 for that scope, 11 bucks for insured shipping.



Buds is a good place as well. I window shop there weekly!! You could use medium or tall see thru rings but unles they changed the USH's, you don't have open sights anyway so I would mount the scope as low as possible and take into account the hammer, make sure it has some clearance. the USH already has a Weaver style base installed for rings in place of open sights. Personally, I hate see thru sights and use scopes for everything from real close to way out there. With practice and quality optics, scopes are just superior to open sights in most every situation. But if it works for you then it ain't broke!


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## thongg (Jul 10, 2007)

check out the mueller shotgun scope 2x7x32 with sport dot and circle reticle cost is around 150.00 with shipping great scope model mu2732igr


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## SmithDerek16 (Jan 19, 2010)

Is the 3x9/40 worth the 20 extra dollars vs to 2x7/33 ? In your opinion..?


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

SmithDerek16 said:


> Is the 3x9/40 worth the 20 extra dollars vs to 2x7/33 ? In your opinion..?


Personally I like smaller low powered variables like the 2-7x33mm but either is fine. If you can't hit your target with a quality scope set at 7x, (4x for that matter!) you probably can't hit at 9x either!  Thats how I look at it. For 99% of deer hunting, you will likely have the scope set on the lowest setting anyway, or cranked up at maybe 4x, 5x, or maybe, maybe 6x. At the range, while sighting in and load development, high power is nice to have but it is hard to use under real world hunting conditions. Most folks can't use high magnification in the field but most think bigger is better and will pay to have it. In the end, go with which one you prefer and you'll be happy. 

I have two 3-9 scopes in my arsenal. I do have one 3-10 but the rest are:
2-7x33
1.5-5x20
1.75-6x33
2-8x36
1.5-6x26


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## pescadero (Mar 31, 2006)

thongg said:


> check out the mueller shotgun scope 2x7x32 with sport dot and circle reticle cost is around 150.00 with shipping great scope model mu2732igr


I've been shooting a Mueller 3-9x40 SportDot for the last 5 years - it spent 4 years on a Mossberg 695 (12ga bolt slug gun that kicks like crazy) and last year on an USH with no issues.


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## SmithDerek16 (Jan 19, 2010)

Although my knowledge of optics isn't very well versed I have wanted to stay on the Nikon/Leupold ladder. My grandfather has taught me everything I know about weaponry, and I haven't scratched the surface. Am I possibly paying extra for the name? I'm sure of it...but my grandfather's cabinet has Leupold's and Nikon's in it, I'd like to take his word for it.


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## Bulletproof (Jul 26, 2005)

For the $ that Banner isn't a bad move.


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## sixft4par (Apr 1, 2008)

I have 3 leupold scopes and have never had an issue with any of them......and if I do they will fix it. Get the Leupold and be done with it......cabelas has the 3-9 rifleman with long range duplex for 179 right now. Low end for a leupold....but still a gold ring scope.


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## TheCrawdad (May 9, 2009)

I put the Nikon Prostaff 3x9x40 on my Rem 1100 slug gun. It shoots awesome with the Hornady ssts. CDAD


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## SmithDerek16 (Jan 19, 2010)

sixft4par said:


> Get the Leupold and be done with it.....



This was my thought process.


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## littlebuck (Jan 9, 2009)

I just picked up a cabelas slug sxt scope last weekend for my ultra, 3X9X40 with BDC, for 99 bucks it's real clear, and mill dots seem to be dead on with the sst loads.


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## BowtechGuy (Jan 5, 2007)

The Nikon BDC is a touch out of your range of $200, I have this scope on my H&R 12 gauge USH. With 2 3/4 Winchester Platinum Tips the yardage recticles are deadnuts. From a bench I can snowman at 100, and hold a 2-3" group at 150. I have taken deer the past two years from 20 yards out to 155 yards with this gun without hestitation. This is my favorite gun/scope combo in my arsenal.


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## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

I have the Nikon Slughunter w/BDC. I'm very happy with it, but I haven't compared it to a leupold. I personally haven't found a good slug to work with the BDC yet....but I will. Great feature if you can get it dialed in.


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## SmithDerek16 (Jan 19, 2010)

I finally stopped at a store tonight, Dicks in Eastwood town center, and was checking the different scopes out.

I was pretty amazed at the quality of both the Leupold VX-1 series and the Nikon Pro-Staff series...

Where I thought I had made up my mind....I'm leaning on the pro-staff where i can save hell, nearly a hundred dollars...

Now my question is - do i go 2-7x32 or 3-9x40? Does the x40 and extra zoom really worth the extra $30-$40?


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## littlebuck (Jan 9, 2009)

your magnification depends on your shooting situation, if your like me, and hunt in a little more open country I'd definitely sacrifice a little bit of field of view for some more magnification out further. 

you have supposedly the most accurate slug gun made, 9X at 200 yards is nice, and also gives you a little bit more to work with when fine tuning BDC (if you go with a scope with it)

I actually have a nikon pro staff on my muzzle loader, nice glass for the price


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

SmithDerek16 said:


> I finally stopped at a store tonight, Dicks in Eastwood town center, and was checking the different scopes out.
> 
> I was pretty amazed at the quality of both the Leupold VX-1 series and the Nikon Pro-Staff series...
> 
> ...


If you like the Pro Staff, do yourself a favor and check out the new Redfields built by Leupold. They are about $10 cheaper accross the board than the Pro staffs and they feature a lifetime warranty by an American company. The Redfields are assembled in the US in the Leupold plant but much of their parts/lenses are imported. (Even Leupold imports the actual glass on much of their line). The Glass on the Redfields are just a touch better imo than the Pro Staff line....these new Redfields were designed, built, and priced to take some of the Pro Staff market. The Redfield 2-7x33 is $130 and the 3-9x40 is $150. You can also get them with a mil dot reticle that works the same as the Nikon BDC. The mil dot reticle versions are $10 more. They are worth a look.


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## UNREEL (Jun 8, 2007)

SmithDerek16 said:


> Is the 3x9/40 worth the 20 extra dollars vs to 2x7/33 ? In your opinion..?


Um, ya. Its $20, not 200. I wouldn't even consider anything less than 40mm. Don't get too confused on here. You are getting a ton of input from a lot of people which is good, but if you have it narrowed down to a Leupold or Nikon, flip a coin and don't worry about it. Just get what you want, either way its good for life. I own both Pro-Staff and VX-1, and neither is a favorite, though I am more partial to Leo (usa) than Nikon. My Rem 1100 wears a VXII 3-9X50 and wouldn't have it any other way. On that little gun, it would be the 3-9X40 without a doubt. And, all the driving around you are doing looking at scopes undecided is eating up that $20 you are questioning. _Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SmithDerek16 (Jan 19, 2010)

Game over, bought the Nikon Pro-Staff Shotgun 2-7x32 for $128.42 out the door at budsgunshop,com. Shipped directly to me. Way less than anyone around. Coupled with my coupon for a free scope mount/bore sight from gander (due to my hangun purchase back in march). The money I saved on the scope will cover the 20-25 dollar scope rings.

Should have her all set up by next weekend. Will post a pic on the forum, along with my 100/150/200 groupings.

Also I picked up the Hornady SST's from gander...they had a whole slue of 'em for 12.99 a box...beats 15 bucks a box. 

Thanks to all for your input - I genuinely appreciate it!


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## BowtechGuy (Jan 5, 2007)

Congrats, in the end it comes down to what your preference is you picked a good piece of glass Iam sure you will be happy with it. Bud's is awesome! I have bought a lot from them and no one has been able to even come close to their prices even after shipping!


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## SmithDerek16 (Jan 19, 2010)

H&R 12 Guage USH. Bull Barrel, Laminated Thumb Hole Stock.

2-7x40 Nikon Pro-Staff, mounted and bore sighted.

Bench shooting on Friday Morning...will post pic's of groupings.

Thank you to those and their input I really appreciate the help!


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