Hello all ! New member here with a question. I?m contemplating the purchase of a Bisley Super Blackhawk Hunter and intend to scope it as I?m 73 with retina damage in my right eye. I can still use crosshairs but irons are difficult to say the least. I?m no stranger to scopes, as my OM SBH has a 2X Nikon and my Contender wears a variable Bushnell Trophy. I?ve seen some mention of using ?scout scopes? on handguns and I?m wondering about the pros and cons of each as I?ve always used handgun scopes. Enlighten me please..

Thanks !

I use only handgun scopes on all my handguns, especially revolvers. Handgun scopes are getting rarer to find because most companies are dropping them.
I'd recommend Bushnell Trophy (on .44 or lesser), Simmons 2-6X, Weaver 2-8X or Leupold 2-8X (but very big for a revolver).
Good luck. Look on various sites for 2-6 Bushnell Elite, old Simmons 2-7X. Both aren't made, but are tougher than nails. Work for me on .500 Mag. & .416 Taylor Encore.
Try hard to find a variable handgun scope. Almost everyone I know that bought a 2X has regretted it and had to go bigger.
Good luck.

I have zero experience with a rifle scout scope on a handgun. The only experience that I have with a scout scope was on a Marlin 450 Guide Gun. It was a Burris and was nice. I know several guys and one lady handgunner that have them on TC Contenders and Encores, and they seem to like them. If you are comfortable with the eye relief provided by a scout scope, I'd say go for it. Eye relief would be by only concern.

Thanks guys. Eye relief and size were my concerns also, but I thought maybe I was missing something. And yes, pistol scopes are getting hard to find.

What are you going to use the gun for? My son uses 2x7 scout scopes on his pistols ,Bushnell mostly as he likes the cross hair on there scopes best. When using pistol scopes you need full arm extension which can be hard to get in a tree stand, so he uses the intermediate eye relief scout scope. I use straight 4x on some and variable on most . I like the variables best and rarely use below 4x, 2 x is not enough. When you get above 4 x eye relief gets pickier and a good rest is a must for me.

My two cents,

having a Bisley hunter in 45 Colt myself, whatever scope you go with, make sure the ocular lense does not hang over the rear sight. I had a Burris 2-7X on mine in the beginning and during recoil the scope (i am assuming) flexed enough that the rear sight would dig into the scope. It made some nasty marks on the eye piece.

it did this even with the sight cranked down all of the way and what seemed like enough space that it should have been OK. It even broke the sight blade and I had to replace it!

Mine now wears a Luepold 2x that fits nicely in between the front and rear sights

I have a Nikon 2X on my Super Blackhawk, but I?m contemplating a Bisley Hunter for my hunting gun. Since pistol scopes are so scarce I thought about a scout scope but I?m reluctant to try a $400/$500 mistake. I just don?t know what the sight picture is gonna look like at arms length, and that?s the only way I shoot, bench or stand.

I would suggest Ebay.

You can usually find most any current scope made on ebay and a cool bonus is that you can find some past models sometimes new and still in the box.

I just took a quick look and there are Luepold, Thompson Center, Burris, Simmons, and Tasco Pro Class scopes all on there right now. All are Handgun models

Good thing about Luepold and Burris is they have lifetime warranties no matter if you were the first owner or not

I lied, there are more brands than that even;

Redfield, Bausch and Lomb, sightmark, BSA, Bushnell

Lots of options. If I were you I would look that way instead of going the scout scope route. If buying a used scope I wouldn't buy one that didn't have a bunch of good detailed pictures and good description of of the condition

Vortex and Bushnell both make scout scopes under $300 and they work well from tree stands, and have held up well on his 7-30 Waters. Use 3 rings on whatever scope you choose if possible.

Those of you that have not looked Leapers UTG makes several scopes for handguns.

I just purchased one of these scopes for my 350 Legend AR and was quite surprised with the quality.

I my look at these to replace the Bushnell Trophy's in the future.

They also have some nice rings at a very reasonable price.

https://leapers.com/index.php?act=listproduct&midx=2125&allids=2107_2125&svroot=

I've been hunting with scoped handguns for at least 25, if not 30yrs. At last count, 19 handguns with optics, with an even split between scopes and red dots. I have several scopes that are floaters and only used for testing. A revolver is usually considered a 100yd gun. As such, I find no utility in a big variable on a revolver. I've had a Burris 2-7x for probably 15yrs or more. It started on my SRH .480 and have yet to find a permanent home for it. The parallax issues at 50-70yds at 7x are terrible. For me, a red dot, fixed 2x or at most a 1-4x is perfect. The 2-7x's and 2.5-8x's belong on specialty pistols.

I have 2-7X Burris scopes both old and new, a 4X Leopold, a Simmons, as well as UltraDot/MatchDot Red Dot Sights. I also have multiple Weaver Classic Extreme Rifle scopes on my Encore barrels. (Way to big for a revolver)

I have always used a 30mm UltraDot on my 480 Ruger Super RedHawk. Ruger will normally swap the 1" Rings for 30mm if your rings are still new, and unused. I prefer the Red Dot on my woods revolver. I much prefer a 30mm tube over the 1" also.

One consideration using a scope, make sure you get one that is very Bright and Clear. My older Burris 2-7X scopes are no where near as clear as the new ones I have. I was starting to swap out my older Burris scopes for MatchDots when I broke a Burris and had it replaced with a new one. I now have several more new Burris scopes. I am very impressed with the clarity of the new Burris scopes.

Bob

Dang, I looked on eBay yesterday and didn?t find much. Guess I?ll take another look. I might have put in a specific brand, can?t remember. I haven?t bought the gun yet, I?m still vacillating on that. I appreciate the help guys !

I had a Leapers on a .450 Bushmaster AR before I bought a night vision scope for hunting hogs at night. Never had a problem with it. The reticle was a little bright in full darkness but I saw that the one in your link had the option to go with black also. Mine did not. I?ve read that being designed for airguns, they are pretty tough, lifetime warranty too. Food for thought !

One thing to consider some spring air guns are harder on scopes than magnum handguns and rifles.

2X Weaver is perfect for the Bisley Hunter. More eye relief and FOV than the 2X Leupold and holds zero.



Kodiak Island Blacktail...

Hell yeah Snyd, that is good shooting, and a hell of a nice Sitka blacktail buck!

that hunt is on my short list

Drycreek, just type in "handgun Scope" . I just did and there are some options on there. two Bausch and Lombs a 2x and 4x, plus a few Luepolds.

sometimes a more generic search will turn up more but it does "ebb and flow" a bit

Snyd I can't get over that buck, just an awesome blacktail!

I lived on the Olympic Peninsula of WA for 3 years and had real close encounters with some that looked a lot yours, but It was always when deer season was closed and I was hunting elk. the deer on the OP seemed to look more like the ones up there than those down the coast.

I have a vendetta for a blacktail buck now for sure!