Product: Shotgun/Muzzle Loader Scope
Company: Mueller Optics
Retailers: Gander Mountain and many others
Price: $174

Shotgunworld Overall Rating:  5-Stars - "So far the scope has outperformed my expectations and compares favorably to scopes costing much more. I would gladly recommend the scope to anyone looking for a reasonably priced scope. "

Worst 1 - 5 Best

Recently ShotgunWorld was sent one of the new 2-7x32 Multi-Shot Shotgun/Muzzleloader scopes from Mueller Optics to run through it’s paces and give our opinions on (see table at end of article). "We made this scope to withstand the punishment of magnum shotgun slugs and blackpowder loads and also added the precision low-light capabilities of an illuminated center dot", said Schlampp. "After designing the reticule myself, the manufacturing facility was asked to assemble the most rugged scope ever turned out by the factory and I think they have done a fantastic job", he added.

When I received the scope immediately I noticed the large ocular lens and third (illumination) turret atop the scope. While I have never owned a 32mm objective lens or illuminated scope of any kind, I found the overall look of it to be very nice and did not detract from the look of the guns it was mounted on. The instruction pamphlet included in the box is for the entire line of scopes and could, to a new gunner, be kind of confusing. I would like to see scope specific instruction booklets. Other than that, the instructions were fairly easy to follow for adjustment, eyepiece focusing and the added bonus of using the patent pending circle-dot reticule as a range finder.

The first test was to check the seals and durability of the scope. After arriving home I set the oven to 140 degrees and set the scope inside to simulate sitting in a hot car. After one hour of baking the scope it was rushed off to the freezer to see if we could get it to crack, fog or freeze up. I am happy to report that the scope came out of the freezer/oven test looking clear and everything working fine. The scope performed equally well later in the week when carried in an air conditioned car and then taken out into 90 degree temperatures with 80% humidity. Also when completely submerged in water no leaks were noted.

At the range the Multi-shot turned out to be a very user friendly scope with finger turrets, audible ¼" click (at 100 yards) adjustments and turret caps that were very easy to remove and replace. One feature that I really liked is the center dot of the scope. The dot covers 1" at 100 yards. This is very precise sighting and when compared to the 4 MOA dots found on most red dot scopes is a very welcome feature. Adjustments in the scopes magnification settings were also easy and could be done while the gun was mounted to my shoulder without taking my eye off of the target. In a matter of 8 shots I had the scope zeroed on my slug gun and sat back and waited for dusk to check the low light capabilities.

The illuminated dot of the Multi-shot is a feature I am not sure I can live without any longer. As the sun was setting I sat both white and black background targets out to 100 yards and took shots with and without the dot illuminated. There are 11 settings on the illumination turret. I found that #5 was the lowest setting that allowed the center dot to be visibly red during legal shooting light. The #11 setting was very bright and made shooting a dark target, even with the scope turned up to maximum magnification, fairly easy. After legal shooting light had passed the #4 setting was visible and could be used for pig or varmint hunting after dark. If this were my scope I would probably use the #7 setting for overall low light use. In my opinion the scope would be better served with a three position adjustment on the illumination turret. The settings from 1-4 were not useful and the #11 setting caused a little bit of tube glow in very low light. Against the dark background target the low 2x power setting in combination with fast focus eyepiece, illuminated center dot and clear optics made target acquisition very easy. There would not have been any problem putting the scope on an animals vitals even in the last few minutes of legal shooting light.

The next day I returned to the range to test the scope after being dropped from two feet onto the butt of the slug gun and also dropping the unloaded gun on its side from 3 feet once onto a carpeted floor. Rechecking the zero at 50 yards the scope had taken 25 shots from 1550fps-1800fps slugs and been dropped 4 times but was still on target.

Next to test the POA tracking. Most scopes I have found in this price range have a considerable arc when adjusting windage and elevation at the same time. Checking this with a slug gun can be a little difficult as slugs sometimes don’t group as well as rifle bullets and are punishing for the shooter. Clicking elevation 16 up and windage 16 clicks right the next slug was roughly 4" high and 4" to the right of zero. Then clicking 32 down and 8 left the 2nd slug was 4" low and 2" right of zero. I continued moving around the target for 2 more shots but ran out of shoulder and slugs with turkey loads still to shoot. The overall POA performance was as good as my gun and marksmanship could allow. I did not perceive there to be any arcing in this test. I think in a follow up I would like to mount this scope to a tack driving rifle and give it a complete square walk around the target.

Our Multi-Shot then was mounted to a B-Square Remington 870 mount and I set to patterning. Using the center dot like shooting slugs I and a friend managed to get the gun in hunting shape in 4 shots at 25 yards. An additional 2 shots were needed to center the circle reticule into the pattern at 40 yards. The instruction booklet notes that the circle portion of the reticule encompasses 15" at 40 yards on the 2x setting. The circle coupled with the center dot makes the scope a very precise instrument for turkey hunting. I’ve not ever hunted turkey with a scope but plan on giving it a try this spring. Even very close shots at 10 yards put the load in the kill zone of the target. At 25, 35 and 50 yards it was very easy to acquire the target and put a lethal load into the kill zone on the 2 power setting. We did not use the variable magnification for this part of the test.

For Foster slug and buckshot deer hunters that have the luxury of fall turkey seasons I imagine that this scope could pull double duty with practice at the rifle range. Sighting the gun in at 50 yards with Foster slugs, then moving the target to 25 yards and shooting a turkey load to see where the pattern centers in comparison to the center dot. A quick adjustment in your head to accommodate for the difference between slug zero and center turkey pattern and BOOM! Turkey dinner and pass the mashed potatoes.

The final portion of the Multi-Shots evaluation will be done during this upcoming deer season. So far the scope has outperformed my expectations and compares favorably to scopes costing much more. I would gladly recommend the scope to anyone looking for a reasonably priced scope.

Pros:

Cons:

• None noted

You can see and purchase this scope at Mueller Optics or phone 1-888-775-8885