Scope for a Handgun

[LePetomane]

Does anyone have any recommendation for a scope for a Smith & Wesson 629?

[mmcnx2]

Depends on the use, if it is due to age of the shooters eyes like in my case I went with a red dot. If you want magnification I'd look at the Bushnell stuff. Good product/price value.

[gimmefuel]

Put a Burris on my .460. Price and lifetime warranty sold me.

[cobb]

I have or have had several scopes, mostly Burris or Leupold on my handguns. Everything from 1x fixed or 1x-4x variable to a 10x fixed or 2x-7x. My favorite on a revolver is a 2X Leupold, which is my current set up on my Freedom Arms in 454 Casull. I use this setup for hunting in northern Minnesota and it seems pretty balanced. More magnification is always nice, but the distance that a handgun & scope is held away from the eye, more magnification means a less field of view. I currently have a Burris 1x-4x on a Redhawk in 41 magnum and that set up is also nice, but I do lean towards the 2x fixed power on my revolvers.

Currently I also have a 7x Burris on a Contender in .221 Fireball, works very well on varmints. Use to have a 10x Simmons Gold on the .221 and for some dumb reason I removed it and put it on a Contender 22 magnum barrel and then ever dumber, sold the barrel and Simmons scope setup. It was a cheap scope but was excellent on the .221 Fireball, very good clarity and excellent range of eye relief, always regretted selling that scope. Also have a 2x-7x Burris on a Lone Eagle in .358 Winchester, but that is my my open country or longer range setup, not very friendly on a stand in the woods looking over a trail.

Did have a 1x Burris on a .44 magnum, but it seemed to make things smaller than actual when looking through it.

So on a revolver being used on a deer stand at moderate ranges, I would go with a fixed 2x or maybe a 1x-4x.

[Hmac]

I've used this Super Blackhawk/Bushnell 1x combination for over 30 years. It's worked out great. I had to custom-make a holster for it, but it makes for very convenient deer hunting. The scope does have a screw-on magnifier, but I can't say I've ever used it for typical hunting distances out to about 75 yards.

[goalie]

2x Leupold on my deer pistol. It works just fine.

[Holland&Holland]

Another vote for the Burris line. Have a 2-7x32 on my BFR in .45-70.

[LePetomane]

Thanks for the recommendations. You folks have some big guns.

[s4s4u]

If this is your first time with optics I would suggest a quality red dot sight such as the UltraDot. You don't have to worry about eye relief or parallax issues that magnification causes, and red dot sights are quicker to get on target. I don't worry about magnification until I get into the bottlenecks that run 200 yards and beyond.

[Ron Burgundy]

2x Leupold on my deer pistol. It works just fine.

Sorry to hijack the thread but goalie, you're my doppelgänger. My wife thought this was a picture of me. You poor bastard.

[cobb]

If this is your first time with optics I would suggest a quality red dot sight such as the UltraDot. You don't have to worry about eye relief or parallax issues that magnification causes, and red dot sights are quicker to get on target. I don't worry about magnification until I get into the bottlenecks that run 200 yards and beyond.

So then you just have to worry about a dead battery because you did not turn it off last time you used it. Or maybe the battery dying on it's own, low battery and the cold temps effect it. Yes I know several of these have an automatic off function after XX amount of minutes to save battery life, maybe that off timer is about the same time that the trophy steps out. A weak or dead battery is not a thing that I like to find on opening day on my stand that my trail cam has recorded many worthy deer have passed by. For a hunting handgun, or for that fact even a defensive firearm I do not care for a battery powered optic as a primary. I have seen battery optics fail in training, many times not because they are bad, but because they are not maintained, meaning replacing the battery at the start of every activity.

As apparent, I would suggest a simple 2X scope.

[goalie]

If this is your first time with optics I would suggest a quality red dot sight such as the UltraDot. You don't have to worry about eye relief or parallax issues that magnification causes, and red dot sights are quicker to get on target. I don't worry about magnification until I get into the bottlenecks that run 200 yards and beyond.

I disagree completely. Tried a red-dot on the .44 and hated it. Aside from the battery issues, which, if Mr Murphy strikes in the stand, leaves you with NO sight, it just wasn't a good hunting option for me. And, parallax isn't an issue at handgun distances for hunting.

YMMV, but try before you buy.

[goalie]

Sorry to hijack the thread but goalie, you're my doppelgänger. My wife thought this was a picture of me. You poor bastard.

I am so, so sorry.

[Ramoel]

I had a red dot on my Super Redhawk for a couple of seasons but I was concerned about needing a battery at the wrong moment. Also no magnification at all. I switched to a 2X Leupold and am quite happy with it. Not as fast to get on target as a red dot but I still like it better.

[Vlad]

I have a B&L fixed two power on my 44 Redhawk. It does a great job for the range as well as off a deer stand. Not so easy to use when on the move. On my primary Deer Pistol for the last three years, a 300WTF in a AR pistol format, I have a Bushnell dot that I like a lot and works very well. It all boils down what you want to do with it. And if you need a holster, Give me a yell... I know a guy...