Aimpoints and slug guns

[Jared]

I’m thinking about taking up deer hunting next year. In the woods I’ll be hunting in, a red dot sight will be plenty good enough to make any shot I’m gonna take. I know Aimpoint sights are probably the toughest ones out there, so I’m assuming they’re up to being used on a 12 gauge slug gun.

Am I correct in my assumption, or will the rather harsh recoil of 12 gauge slugs be more than it was designed for? I’m definitely not going to be doing hundred round sessions with slugs in practice.

Thanks in advance!

[GJM]

I’m thinking about taking up deer hunting next year. In the woods I’ll be hunting in, a red dot sight will be plenty good enough to make any shot I’m gonna take. I know Aimpoint sights are probably the toughest ones out there, so I’m assuming they’re up to being used on a 12 gauge slug gun.

Am I correct in my assumption, or will the rather harsh recoil of 12 gauge slugs be more than it was designed for? I’m definitely not going to be doing hundred round sessions with slugs in practice.

Thanks in advance!

I have approaching 20 years of experience shooting Brenneke slugs through Aimpoint micro and legacy dots on 870, 11-87, Benelli and 1301 shotguns. Sometimes the combination is hard on my shoulder but so far no issue with any Aimpoint.

[Norville]

I have Aimpoints on 2 shotguns, an M2 and an 870, no problems at all.

[TCinVA]

Shotguns are rough on any optic, but if I had to put a red dot on top of a gun to depend on it would be an Aimpoint in a CROM.

For deer hunting with slugs, a gun set up to use magnified optics with sabot slugs is as good as it gets. I've always appreciated having magnification in the woods hunting deer. Not even necessarily for the shot all the time, but to allow me to pick animals up sooner. The ability to see through that spot in the brush over there and positively determine what that flash of movement was has made a difference a number of times.

Pick the slug that you use carefully. Generally for deer a softer foster-style slug is often preferred because it deforms more easily and that helps it punch a bigger hole. If you use something like a Brenneke slug expect it to punch a cookie cutter style hole right through the animal. Same with a Deep Penetrator slug.

Sabot slugs are generally designed to deliver greater accuracy and more reliable terminal ballistics, which is why they are favored by those limited to shotgun slugs for deer hunting. You can sometimes get excellent results from a sabot slug out of a smoothbore as well...but you need to test the ammo you want to use through your gun to be sure.

[oregon45]

Back before the micro Aimpoints came out, I had an Aimpoint Comp 9000L on a lightweight CZ550 in 9.3x62 Mauser in Warne 30mm rings. That rifle generated substantial recoil, particularly with 286gr bullets, but the Aimpoint held zero just fine. I suspect the real issue with Aimpoints on heavy recoiling guns is the mounting system.

[GJM]

If we want to talk recoil, I have had legacy Aimpoint optics in a 30 mm ring mounted on 416 Rigby, 458 lot, 375 H&H and 45-70 rifles. No issues.

[Rex G]

If your barrel has a rib, the Aimpoint Micro S-1 is designed for the task.

[Jared]

Don’t have the barrel yet. Was planning on scouring the used racks at my LGS around March (traditionally a good time to buy deer hunting items cheap around here). Shotgun could be an 1100, more likely an 870. For slugs, I was gonna go with Federal or Winchester foster type. I’ve deer hunted the woods I’m planning to hunt before, about 25 years ago and my daughter an I hiked in it a couple times in September. It’s dense enough that seeing 50 yards is a challenge, so Foster type ought to be enough.

I may look into a 1-4x scope after reading TCinVA’s response though.