Scope for Sidekick

[dundee]

I intend to transfer the scope which is on my 30-30 Marlin to my
new Sidekick NEF.

It is a plain 4/32 Bushnell Sportman (3 years old) Did a great
job on the 30-30.

How do you view my decision?

Thanks............Dundee

[jbtazgrabber]

im 44 years old cant see like i used to so i perfer a 3 x9 but have used 4 x with good results..........jb

[dundee]

Thanks for your reply it is very much appreciated. Will keep in
mind that a 3X9X40 would do a better job.  By the way
I am 64.

Have a nice evening....................Dundee

[BrianV]

Hi Dundee,

 I have to agree, I prefer the 3-9 over a fixed power any day. I always leave it at the lowest magnification anyhow and use the higher powers for acquired targets, so the aspect of the 4x is there anyhow.

 As you no doubt know already, easier to dial in on the target than dial out for a close shot.

 My opinion.

BrianV

[MSP Ret]

I'm close to your age Dundee and I use 2.5 fixed power scopes on my slug guns that have scopes and either Red Dot sights or iron sights on my others that have neither scopes nor Red Dots.  I use iron sights on my ML's so I personally think the fixed power 4X will be fine for your sidekick. Good choice and the best of luck to you....<><.... :grin:

[MI.sabot]

MSP Ret

I've likewise picked up a new SS Sidekick but have yet to shoot it (or any other ML for that matter).

I thought I'd start out at the range without a scope to get acclimated to the gun and the whole muzzleloading loading/cleaning thing without having to worry about a scope getting into the way.  

It's questionable just how much I may actually use it for hunting since it's difficult for me to get away during the ML season here in Michigan. So I don't necessarily want to drop down another $200 for something that may just stay home in a case.

Anyways, you said you just use iron sights on your ML's.
What kind of pattern at what range do you achieve with the open sights?
And if you don't mind, what powder and sabots are you using?

My hunting distances normally would not exceed 75 yards.  I'm 15 years your younger, but I don't kow how well my eyes will handle the fiber optic sights.  In the end this may ultimately determine for me whether I need to scope it or not.

Thanks.

[cattleskinner]

If I may, I'll chime in with my two cents.  My dad who will be 50 this coming December uses a TC Thunderhawk, and put a set of those fiber optic sights on it, and even with his eyesight he is able to keep about a 6 inch group or a bit less at 100yds.  They really do help alot in low light conditions to be able to pick up the front and rear sights.  I put a fixed 4x32 Simmons pro-diamond scope on my huntsman, and harvested a deer at a touch over 140yds. this past year with it.  That scope runs about 60ish dollars at Wal-mart.  I have used a 3-9, and one year a 4-12(way overkill) on a muzzleloader.  I've decided that I like the fixed powers for hunting since there is no need to mess with the scope if the deer is too close/too far away...it's just aim and shoot.  I also think they are a little more durable.  Oh yeah, and I used 80, or 85 gr. of T7 powder, and a 240gr xtp mag sabot.  Good luck.

~~~Amos

[MSP Ret]

MI.sabot, being from the Peoples Republic of Massachusetts break action ML's are illegal to use here so Huntsmans and Sidekicks are out of the realm of legality, and since my old TC Renegades (56 smoothbore and .54 and .50 rifled) still shoot well I use them. I use loose powder, &&& now which replaced Pyrodex. I use between 80 and 90 grains and patched round ball loads and have shot a 4 shot cloverleaf at 100 yards out of my .50 that was fully covered with a 50 cent piece!! (only once but I have done it). 3-4 inch groups at 100 yards are commonplace and a deer is no problem at 100 yards with the rifled barrel .50. The .56 smoothbore is deadly in swamps and thick stuff and is fine to about 60 yards or so...it also shoots a nice close pattern with cardboard wads and 7 1/2 shot... I also have a nice light .45 caliber TC Cherokee but it kicks hard with the small cresent brass buttplate. Roundball's kill way out of proportion to what most people think, at least on Mass and Maine deer!! I think this summer I will work a nice easy shooting load for the .45 caliber Cherokee, it deserves it, it's a nice gun. Years ago and to this day iron sights have taken game for a lot longer distances than 100 yards,  even when they are on on ML's, and will continue to do so as long as the shooter does his part. I feel the allure of ML's is the traditional aspect of hunting so I'm not much into the modern in-lines with scopes. If I wanted to shoot a deer from 150-200 yards away I could do it during rifle season. The ML season with fewer hunters and less hunting pressure gets me back to a time long ago when I suspect hunting called more on tracking and stalking skill than just long range shooting. Funny, I can have a great time "hunting" even if I don't shoot somethig, sometimes I don't even see game and have a great time!!!....<><.... :grin:

[dundee]

BrianV and MSP Ret  (and others)
Thank you both for your good comments.  

We all know that using a scope on a black powder rifle means
cleaning up each time. So this is the reason why I do not intend
 to invest to much money on the scope. I realise that using a 4X,
means only 1 degree of magnification.

 Will use my Sidekick for any shot below 100 yards. What do you
think of 2 pellets of triple 7 (50X2) with a .44 green sabot bullet 240gr
XTP hornady  or the .45 black sabot bullet 240gr XTP/Mag ?

At my age using a scope is easier and a MUST.

Have a nice evening................Dundee

[MSP Ret]

As long as the groups are small enough at your intended maximum yardage to safely, efficiently and ethically harvest your intended game it souinds fine to me. Get to the range, shoot a few and let us all know how it works out!!!. Anyone here with more expierence with shooting Sidekicks and/or Huntsmans to make any suggestions as to exact load combinations that may work better or cheaper? I do know that pellets are more expensive than loose powder and sometimes there is an issue with positive ignition, also they cannot be exactly tailored to the perfect grain weight/amount of powder for the BEST accuracy ( example - you cannot use 85-90-91-92-93.5 etc. grains, only multiples of 50 and 30 grains I think) but they seem to work OK for many....<><.... :grin:

[dundee]

MSP Ret,

Thank you for your reply. You are correct; I can use only
50 or 80 or 100 or 110 gr of triple 7 in pellets. WILL NOT try 150 gr.

It is still winter up here.

Will go to the range end of April.

Have a nice day................Dundee

[dundee]

Cattleskinner, goodmorning,

Thank you for your reply. I agree the fix scopes are a
little more durable.

I hunt in the woods (not in  fields), therefore I expect to shoot
at about 50 to 250 feet maximum.

If I understand you well, you were using loose powder (not
pellets) of  T 7.

Have a nice day...................Dundee

[cattleskinner]

Dundee,

Yes, I use loose ffg Triple 7 powder.  It works really well, and is a cinch to clean up, but recoils alot differently than Pyrodex(sharper recoil).  Since I ground flats into the breechplug wrench so that I can use a regular socket wrench on it, it's even easy to take the plug out at the end of the day.  Good luck!!

~~~Amos

[MI.sabot]

Dundee, you wrote and for anyone else who would like to reply:

We all know that using a scope on a black powder rifle means
cleaning up each time. So this is the reason why I do not intend
to invest to much money on the scope.

Again, I've not shot my Sidekick yet and I'm still undecided whether to scope it or not, but, just how much scope fouling is there from shooting black powder?  What is the proper method for cleaning a scope after a range session?  Does having a scope make the whole proces of cleaning a ML that much more difficult?

Thanks guys.

[dundee]

MI. Sabot,

Thanks for the quote you made. Let's hope we get more comments.

I just put a scope on my sidekick; something not expensive,
a 4X32 Bushnell Sportman. If it gets too dirty, my lost will not
be important.

So we are in the same position. We both own a brand new Sidekick
and personally I will not be able to try it before  end of April.
I will use pellets of 777.   !st:  50gr with a .44 sabot bullet 240gr
Hornady XTP.
2nd: 80gr with the same bullet.
3rd. 100gr with same bullet.

And the same patern again, but this time with a .45 sabot bullet 240gr
 Hornady XTP/ MAG.
This is my first time with ML. I will get back to you when this is done.

Would you accept to let me know about your own tests.

Have a nice evening.................Dundee

[cattleskinner]

When I'm not using my huntsman, I put one of those rubber scope covers on it(I think it's called a tiny bikini).  I keeps the water and spatter off the lenses when I'm cleaning.  The way I figure it, a little water on the scope from cleaning isn't going to hurt it any more than if I was hunting in the rain, but I do dry it off when done.  I've found from owning two different huntsmans is that yes, there is a slight amount of fouling that will get on the underside of the rear of the scope.  It doesn't happen after one shot, but it does accumulate after 40-50 shots.  A damp rag(water) will get most if not all of it off, or you can use a bit of solvent on a rag...just make sure it doesn't get on the lenses.

~~~Amos

[Busta]

If you are worried about a little soot on the scope, just put a piece of tape over that area and you can peel it of and replace as you wish. There is minor blowback that vents up onto the scope as compared to open ignition rifles.

[dundee]

Cattleskinner
and
Busta,  good morning.

Thanks for your help and suggestions, it is very
much appreciated.

Have a nice day....................Dundee