WHAT'S THE BEST RIFLE SCOPE FOR SHORT-WALLED PISTOL CARTRIDGE RIFLES?

For the majority of deer hunters, “gun” season means rifle season. But, for a portion of hunters in the hear of whitetail country — think states like Michigan, Iowa, Ohio and Illinois to name a few, gun season once meant shotguns only. Thanks to the adoption of regulations that allow hunters to use rifles chambered in straight-walled pistol cartridges and the development of new firearms to fill the newly minted niche, “gun” season suddenly holds a new meaning.

Two of the most popular cartridges in the straight-walled world are the .450 Bushmaster and the .350 Legend. Both options make 200-plus-yard shots a reality in shotgun-only country and, of course, call for a new focus on the proper optic to top those rifles off with.

Let’s dive into what to look for in a rifle scope for these purpose-built firearms.

EYE RELIEF

Hunters living in shotgun country understand better than most the importance of eye relief on a scope because they’re accustomed to shouldering (literally) the brunt of force that 12 gauge slug guns deliver. A scope with too little eye relief leads to painful endings. The .450 Bushmaster isn’t exactly known for light recoil but it’s far less punishing than even the lightest-kicking 12-gauge slug load. The .350 Legend…even softer yet. 

Eye relief still matters however. The need for increased eye relief on slug guns typically meant scopes were limited in the amount of magnification available. As a general rule, the higher the magnification an optic offers, the shorter the eye relief available. With the reduced recoil of short-walled pistol cartridge rifles, scopes offering higher magnification become viable options.

Bushnell’s Engage 3-9x50 offers four inches of eye relief while the 4-12X40 requires 3.5 inches. For slug hunters, the 3-9X is an excellent option. Those shooting a rifle like the BM450 or the .350 Legend are able to step up in magnification and enjoy increased magnification and the accuracy it can provide at longer ranges without negative recoil-induced consequences.

RETICLE OPTIONS

Shotguns lob heavy slugs and saboted bullets at speeds far slower than those offered by those available in short-walled pistol cartridges. The .350 Legend, for example, sends a 180-grain bullet downrange at about 2,100 fps. It moves 150-grain bullets at about 2,300 fps. Compare that to the 12-gauge’s saboted slug velocities ranging from 1,700 to about 1,900 fps. 

Those slugs weight between 300 and 400 grains which means they’re going to lose energy more quickly than the lighter bullets and the result is significant drops at longer distances. 

This can make choosing a ballistic reticle a bit tricky as the majority of rifle scopes are designed for rifle ballistics not shotgun ballistics.

Consider Bushnell’s Deploy MOA reticle available on the Nitro 3-12x44 rifle scope. With MOA marks for windage and elevation, the optic makes easy work of longer-range shots and while it can certainly be applied to slug-launching shotguns, the flatter-shooting straight-walled cartridges mean you can use more of the reticle marks without the need for extensive holdover. As an example, with the optic zeroed at 100 yards, a 200-yard shot with a slug will drop approximately 10 inches. The .350 Legend’s bullet will drop roughly seven inches.

If you prefer a more classic, streamline reticle such as the Multi-X offered in Bushnell’s Prime and Banner lineups, the advantage is even more distinct. The flatter-shooting straight-walled cartridge rifles mean you can zero the impact to be two inches high at 100 yards, hold essentially dead-on for any range from 50 to 150 yards with just a slight hold-over needed for shots from 200-250 yards.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

There’s no question that a dedicated slug gun can accurately deliver slugs up to 200 yards. Straight-walled pistol calibers, however, do so with flatter trajectories and with tighter groups on average. This opens the door to the full lineup of Bushnell optics.

Consider where you hunt most often when choosing the right scope for your rifle. If you tend to favor open country, opt for a higher magnification. If you find yourself hunting timbered locations most, consider an illuminated reticle like that offered on the Prime 3-9x40.

And, of course, the .450 Bushmaster is available in the AR platform and Bushnell’s AR-specific options are a top choice for those firearms.