Thanks, Keith. My query was most definitely not about guns and hunting, but about the usability/quality/etc. of the Pentax Lightseeker scopes. Regardless, I've been hunting for quite a while without one and with my current set-up (500c 20ga. with a rifled slug barrel) I can produce a 6 inch pattern at 100 yards with the right ammunition. I'd simply like to tighten this up. In my former life, I hunted in the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas. It's far too dense there to get much benefit from a scope. I'll be endangering fellow hunters in Pennsylvania this year. The brush is fairly dense here as well, but there are plenty of open areas as well. So I'm shopping for low power scopes. I'd never even think of shooting at a deer more than about 50 yards out with my rig. But the scope may make a very clean kill a bit more likely. Since this IS the Pentax Discuss Mailing List, I thought I'd ask about the Pentax scopes hoping that someone may have some experience with them. Online comparisons of Pentax vs. other brands are scarce and uninformative. I'm quite prepared for the flak and have donned appropriately thick skin. <g> Thanks again for your feedback.
On 8/10/05, keithw <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Scott Loveless wrote: > > > Howdy, gang! > > > > I've been thinking about mounting a scope on my slug gun for the > > upcoming annual deer massacre. Would anyone have an opinion about the > > Pentax Lightseeker scopes? I'm specifically considering the SG 2.5x. > > > > Thanks in advance! > > > Hi Scott... > > Personal opinion? > > The first opinion is, you will not like the response you get from THIS > list. I hope you don't find out the hard way. > > The second opinion is as follows: > > A shotgun is not a rifle, accuracy wise. > Some of them will quite remarkably place one slug after another in very > close proximity to one other, but... > Not consistently at distances beyond say 45-55 yards. > I personally think deer should be taken within that range, to assure > humane kills. > That assumes eastern and midwestern U.S. woods, cover, etc. > You almost HAVE to be in that range or less to be able to miss all the > shrubs and trees and heavy brush, to get the clean shot. > In those conditions, a 2.5X scope is sort of over-reaching. > I'd use as large an objective diameter scope I could find, for > light-gathering, and a power consistent with the accuracy of a shotgun, > say 1.5 or 1.75 power, max. > > As you go further west and the country opens up, you can extend the > range and go for the higher power scopes, but now you're making > incursions into rifle territory. > Again, it's only a shotgun. Use your 2.5X scope. Maybe a shade more, but > hopefully you're not going for harvests at over 75 yards or so. > The accuracy is not there, even if you DO have a ping-pong ball-sized slug! > > All strictly my own opinion and worth every cent you paid for the > advice! ;-) > You may contact me privately if the flak gets too thick... > > As for me, I'm butting out of this thread immediately and will not > discuss it further online. > I'll answer anyone via private email, but I refuse to get all red-faced > and upset over guns and hunting vs. tree-hugger liberals again. > Hunting and guns absolutely have their place, but not on the Pentax list! > > keith whaley > > -- Scott Loveless http://www.twosixteen.com -- "You have to hold the button down" -Arnold Newman
