IOR vs Doctor, Zeiss, Swarovski, Kahles, Nikon, Leuopold,etc

[Big Z]

I am just about to buy a Benelli SBE11 as a slug gun for deer(and also for turkey. I want a low light high quality performance scope for the rifled barrel. Am I  "barking up the wrong tree", to think of putting  a large objective higher power  quality scope on a slug barrel in order to get the best twilight performance?  I  had the experience last year of not being able to see clearly what turned out to be a large buck at 163 yds when it was fifteen minutes before close and misting with my 3-9x40 Weatherby on my .270 Browning rifle.  Going to hunt a new  shotgun only zone and don't want a similiar repeat.  Is it overkill and will a larger objective even fit well. I live in a very rural area and the couple places that sell scopes even told me its the larger tube diameter (30 mm vs 1") that  that matters most not power or objective and  I know thats not true so I really need advice and will buy what's recommended online.  I did get to see a Bushnell firefly and did like that  but  worry about the quality.  Love the Rainguard concept but is it a gimmick-don't all the best scopes have their own special coatings?     How about the red dot sights?  I  can't decide between the 1.5-6x42 or 2.5-10x50 or 56.  These are some of the scopes I am considering:
IOR Valdada Ill ret. 2.5-10x56
Doctor 2.5-10x48
Zeiss VM/V 2.5-10x50  
Schmidt & Bender 2.5-10x56
Swarovski PVN 2.5-10x56
Nikon Monarch Gold 2.5-10x56
Leupold LPS 2.5-10x45
Bushnell Elite 4200 Ill ret. 2.5-10x50

I wish Bushnell gave the option of  the fire fly in their 4200's but its only in one model-a 40mm objective-maybe thats a choice. On my old scope I don't like the fact that I have to lean in and get my eye lined up just right and I see alot of "black around the edges" but the eye relief is only 3 inches.  Any one with opinions one any of this or other things I should consider would
be greatly appreciated.

[Redhawk1]

I am a Leupold guy, but I do have a IOR Valdada Ill ret. 2.5-10x56
on my .308 and the scope is just great. I love the illuminated mil dots and crosshairs. Very good for low light conditions. I myself like big optics.

[DEPUTY]

I have the sbe slug gun, and have a swarovski 3x12x50 ph series on it it is great also had the trigger done by seminole gun works in fla (3.5 pounds)  took a large 8 point last year at 178 yds with a single round in low light, the 56 is too much glass trust me on that it got the scope up to high and ran out of adj!  and most likley you will have to go with extra highs because i had an another aswarovsi on mine the one inch 3x10 x 42  and it would not clear with the rear sight base which is not removable, unless you grind it off! the monarch gold has 4 inches of eye relief as well as the swarvoski the khales is close as well! the burris black diamond and euro diamond have given me of late  great light and were right up there with my swarvoski in low light! at 500 less withthe nikon being a close second  the 56 will give you more headache than anything the sbe already lacks  a good check peice, i used a eagle industries  stock bag with some extra foam under it to give me a good weld or else forget getting good accuracy

[oldelkhunter]

I would go with the Nikon Monarch Gold 1.5-6x42 and not even think about it twice. Main benefits would be a cleaner look to the shotgun the scope mounts lower so you'll have faster target aquisition and at 6x you'll  have 7mm of exit pupil. Its not like your shooting a 7STW or a 300 Ultra mag in lowlight at long distance.

[Big Z]

Deputy, you said you ran out of adjustment using the 56mm objectives but you took a buck-so how did you solve the problem?  How close was the 42mm to clearing?  I looked up the specs and the3-10x42 Swarovski is 12.44".  The Nikon Monarch Gold in the 1.5-6x42 is only 11.4".  Would that have cleared it?  I am leaning now to a 45mm obj. or smaller.  Oldelkhunter mentioned before about  liking the Monarch but only in the Gold I believe  however the dealer I'm buying the gun said now to stay away to get a scope made specifically to take the pounding of shotgun slugs.  Apparently  because many of the higher priced scopes are made for rifles he has  seen a number of them turned into shambles after being tried on a shotgun.  The Bushnell Elite series say they have been tested  on a .375 H&H  so now I  am going to consider the 4200 in the 2.5-10x40 in the fire fly.  I do like the idea of the Rainguard and  having a sight without batteries to fail.  Has anyone heard good or bad about the fire fly recticle?        
I just looked through my scope and no matter what the power  the eye relief doesn't change and I have no "window" for lack of a better term.  Don't most scopes with a larger exit pupil give you  more eye relief and
better  target acquitition or am I wrong?  Also it's interesting  mentioning about getting trigger work done.  I had asked as I've heard about the poor triggers on autoloaders and that its limited on what you can do.  The dealer said Benelli has the best triggers out there and I should wait and shoot 5-6 hundred rounds before even thinking about doing anything.  I do think it's a good idea to get a lighter pulling trigger in a shotgun used specifically for deer and turkey rather than 6-7 pounds.  One word of note I wonder if anybody has experienced the same thing.  I "bought" the gun on Saturday and the dealer said I would being taking it home that day.  After calling it in  he said its being delayed!!?  As of  today, Wednesday he called to check and still can't  receive an answer!  Is this  a great system or what?

[Redhawk1]

the 56 is too much glass trust me on that it got the scope up to high and ran out of adj!  

Very untrue. I have IOR Valdada Ill ret. 2.5-10x56
on my Savage Tactical .308. It is sighted dead on at 200 yards and I have a lot of adjustment left in the scope. Here is the specs on the scope. There is 88MOA of adjustment. This scope was built to mount on extra high mounts and still have all the adjustment needed to function properly.
Leupold has 80MOA adjustment with it's Mark4 scopes, and a lot less with the Vari XIII. I am not knocking Leupold, I owns quit a few of them. Just pointing out the amount of adjustment the IOR Valdada 56mm has.

Magnification 2.5-10x
Objective diameter 56mm
Field of view at 100 yards 34-11.9 feet
Exit pupil diameter 22.5-5.6mm
Eye relief 3.75 inches
Diopter adjustment -4 to +4 DPT
Reticle adjustment range 88 MOA
Click adjustment 1/2 MOA
Tube diameter 30mm
Length 14 inches
Weight 26 oz.

[big6x6]

A slug gun, huh?  I would go with a 1.5-6.  That would be perfectly suited to a good shooting slug gun.

I have a Kahles 1.5-6X42 and a Doctor 1.5-6X42 Aspherical.  Both are really good scopes.  Both have at least 80 inches of elevation adjustment so you should be in good shape there.  The Kahles is a smaller scope but the Doctor does have SLIGHTLY better glass.  

I also have the Schmidt and Bender 2.5-10X56, Swarovski 2.5-10X56 Pro Hunter, and a Zeiss 3-12X56.  Although all three are EXCELLENT scopes, about as good as it gets, they are REALLY big scopes.  Now, after owning, mounting, and using 56mm scopes for several years, I wouldn't buy another one over 50mm.  The 56mm scopes do require extra high rings and other considerations when using a scabbard or gun case.

I'd go with a Doctor 1.5-6X42 Aspherical before they catch on and go up in price.

http://photos.imageevent.com/chill6x6/muzzleloaderpics/websize/savagesheridan1400gps%20046.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/chill6x6/muzzleloaderpics/websize/savagesheridan1400gps%20052.jpg

[oldelkhunter]

Big Z ..I hunted for years with a Remington 870 shooting slugs and I had a 2 1/2 power fixed Redfield scope mounted on it. If that Redfield fixed could take it anything could take it. Nikon Gold is a fine scope and in that power range no need for more magnification not with an exit pupil of 7. I don't want to step on anyones toes that own the German 30 mm scopes but this Monarch Gold is the real deal as far as optics go. I think they are putting them out there and losing money on them just to gain market share and as soon as they really start selling the prices will go up. Its a fantastic scope

[sokool]

Nobody needs a 56mm foreign scope unless they want to impress others.  My advise:  Get a Leuopold  LPS and you have the best and its not overpriced!  (the 2.5-10x45 is perfect)  Also great customer service although you'll probably never need it.

[Redhawk1]

Nobody needs a 56mm foreign scope unless they want to impress others.  My advise:  Get a Leuopold  LPS and you have the best and its not overpriced!  (the 2.5-10x45 is perfect)  Also great customer service although you'll probably never need it.

Thanks for the great input, I can hardly wait for your next post.  :noway:

[DEPUTY]

SORRY BEEN OUT HUNTING,  ok i removed the 56 cause they ran out of adj on my slug gun i replaced it with the swarvoski with the 50 shimmed mount, the 56 was to much on the gun, the 42mm fit well  now depending on the bases you choose to use will give you a bit more height!  to save weight i replaced the 50 mm with a 3x9 36 swarvoski in the a line  and to tell you the truth it is just as good!  as the 30mm with a 50 lens maybe a few minutes better light but not enough to make the differance! but really if possible fit the scopes up at the store first and you will see!  what will clear as for the lps  and leupold ! hahahahaha get a clue on that they are by far from the best and when you do need to use the warranty  be ready for a headache!  never again will a leupold be on my guns  depending on the how you set the eye relief it should clear it also big differance in slug gun and 308 i had one swarvoski that would not come up enough at 100yds on my ultimate muzzleloader  it was still 6 inches low!  had to change mounts bases and rings  to make it all work!

[Big Z]

I finally found out Sat. I can actually pick up my new gun and am going to do so today!  Hopefully can still try it out for turkey hunting as I have a latter tag-does anyone have a load they like as I won't have alot of time to pattern different loads.  I'm going up to Green Bay, Wi  for 4 days and that is a good idea as I will try to fit some scopes on a slug barrel.  At the very least I should be able to find some places with more scopes than what I have here.  Like Oldelkhunter I liked the glass on a Monarch but it wasn't a Gold and the power ring was stiff to turn-dealer said it should loosen up but that bothered me as none of the other ones  were that way??!!.....
       Can someone explain the advantage of Fast Focus?  Maybe I don't understand but  I thought  a scope is set once you have it focused or am I wrong?  I DO like the ones I saw that have a power adjustment "knob" you can quickly and easily change with gloves on and just a thumb or finger.  Its nice to be able to check out antlers quickly and my old scope ring isn't as easy as some of these new ones.