# Contender scope options



## ejs1980 (Oct 19, 2009)

I decided to hunt with my contender this year. I took a scope off of my 44 revolver and mounted it on the 30/30 contender barrel. I've been shooting it a good bit the last month or so off a bench and some offhand. Everything was looking good until this pasty weekend. I hunt alot of box stands and in order for me to use the sides of the stand for a rest I have too put my chair all the way against the back of the stand in order to get far enough away to see through the scope. I was wandering if anyone shoots a scout style scope instead of a pistol scope with the longer barrels.


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## ATLRoach (Oct 20, 2009)

I personally have never seen anyone shoot with one but i don't see a LER rifle scope lasting long on a handgun. A handgun recoil is much more violent than that of a rifle.


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## HandgunHTR (Oct 20, 2009)

ejs,

I would suggest trying to find a used good variable pistol scope other than the Bushnell Elite or Leupold.  Those have good eye relief even when cranked up.  The others that I have used (Burris, Weaver, Simmons) have a shorter eye relief when used at higher powers.

That being said, I know quite a few guys that shoot rifle scopes on their Specialty Pistols.  Of course they have very efficient brakes on them so they don't get whacked.  I would bet that if you tried a scout style scope you won't be that happy with that either as you will soon find out that you have to be too close to get a good picture.

Sorry if I have made it as clear as mud for you.


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## ejs1980 (Oct 20, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. I'd call it a foggy morning instead of muddy water. I thought about the recoil breaking the scope but I doubt a 30/30 super 14's recoil is more violent than a 45/70 guide gun with +p loads. You may be on to something with the variable power though. I have a swift 4x32 on it now and I can get a decent sight picture at about 13 inches but it's alot better at 18-20. That was fine on a revolver but my most comfortable off hand position would need me in the 10 inch eye relief range.  That puts me at the short end of a pistol scope or the long end for a scout style scope. I guess a red dot would cover both ends but I really like that extra few minutes of shooting light.


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## HandgunHTR (Oct 21, 2009)

With the above input, I will add something.

I have a Burris 3-9 pistol scope on my 6.5JDJ pistol.  At 9X the best sight picture is around 11-12".  At 3X it is at around 16".

For my Weaver, it is around 18" at 2.5X and around 13-14" at 8X


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## probass (Oct 23, 2009)

*contender scopes*

I have been shooting deer with a 35 rem contender with a 12" barrel and muzzle brake for several years. I also use a 375 win with a 14" barrel with a brake. I have them both set so that my arms are extended the same way I shoot my personal defense guns.

This is comfortable and seems to work very well as I have killed many deer from 15 to 115 yards through the years ... all with one shot. I also think it is wise to shoot your hunting pistol with the same "hold" as your personal defense gun.

I have eight scoped contenders and use scopes from tasco, simmons, leupold, nikon, and bausch & lomb.  All of them are adjustable to some extent as to the eye relief distance. It doesn't seem to mater if it is a fixed or adjustable scope .. I use both with different calibers. Maybe you should try adjusting yours before you give up on it?


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## cmshoot (Dec 13, 2009)

I use a TC Contender with a 14" barrel in .375 Winchester with no brake.  I use a Burris 2x Posi-Lock that's been on it for 5 years now. Never given me a lick of trouble and has held zero for the entire 5 years.


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## contender* (Dec 13, 2009)

I've found that the best eye relief of the barrels I have is a 2X Burris. I can shoot with elbows slightly bent or fully extended, my Leupolds would be the next in line. I'm afraid ten inches of eye relief is going to be hard to come by.  I'd be mighty careful on getting my eye too close to a pistol scope, I've seen folks with a nice set of stitches doing such..


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## DonArkie (Dec 13, 2009)

My T/C Contender in 45 Win Mag is topped with a Weaver Classic Handgun Scope 2x 28mm Dual-X Reticle Gloss.  Eye relief: 14 to 29", Field of view at 100 yards: 21', Length: 8.5". I hunt woods and find this to be a perfect set-up "for me"


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