Ruger Mark III Hunter scope or red dot?

[drumbum77]

Hi folks, I think this post could be listed in small game hunting, firearms, reloading, and scopes, as well as here.

Anyway, I recently inherited a Ruger Mark III Hunter and I would love to make this my primary squirrel gun this fall.

I was thinking about putting a red dot or a small scope on it. Can anyone recommend a decent red dot or scope that won't break the bank that will be good for hunting squirrels? Also, what kind of accuracy and distance can I expect with a red dot?

 

[KILLNTM]

I had a red dot on a Ruger Mk II, and it worked well for squirrels. It was a BSA and quite bulky by today’s standards, but you could knock them out with it. I used it when I had squirrel dogs so most of my shots were fairly close with me directly under the tree. Just make sure the dot you pick isn’t too large. If I remember correctly mine was a 3 moa.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Vortex makes a couple of red dots that are really good for the money.

 

[Lilly001]

I used a cheap Tasso 2x on that same gun.
Tack driver. Killed a lot of skerwls with it.
It was a blast hunting with it.

 

[james243]

This year I got a Burris fastfire iii 3 moa and I have used it on a Contender. It took the place of a 1.5x scope. I don't miss the scope at all even though it's a fine optic. I have shot a few squirrels with it from 10-20 yards and have no problem making head shots. I did have to work on the base clamping bolt so it would fit the weaver base, bolt diameter bottomed out in the slot before the base sat down fully onto the rail. Just a little filing on the sides of the bolt fixed that. I have also killed two hogs and a coyote with that sight on my 357 max barrel and I don't know if I could have pulled the shots off quickly enough with a scope.

 

[drumbum77]

Do red dots cover up too much of the squirrel? I really have no experience with them. Wouldn't a 1 MOA be the smallest/best for a dot on bushy tails? Again, I just don't know much about them.

 

[Lilly001]

This year I got a Burris fastfire iii 3 moa and I have used it on a Contender. It took the place of a 1.5x scope. I don't miss the scope at all even though it's a fine optic. I have shot a few squirrels with it from 10-20 yards and have no problem making head shots. I did have to work on the base clamping bolt so it would fit the weaver base, bolt diameter bottomed out in the slot before the base sat down fully onto the rail. Just a little filing on the sides of the bolt fixed that. I have also killed two hogs and a coyote with that sight on my 357 max barrel and I don't know if I could have pulled the shots off quickly enough with a scope.

Not to derail the thread, but I will.
I've got a Contender in .357 max (10").
What loads are you useing?
I'm useing 200 grain HCGC from Reed's custom reloaders and they seem to work well (no game shots yet, but good accuracy.)

 

[NCHillbilly]

Do red dots cover up too much of the squirrel? I really have no experience with them. Wouldn't a 1 MOA be the smallest/best for a dot on bushy tails? Again, I just don't know much about them.

If the dot is covering up a lot of the squirrel, you are probably too far away to be shooting at it with a pistol. I like a 1 MOA myself.

 

[AceOfTheBase]

Sig Romeo5, its a 2moa dot.
I have three of them on different stuff, may get more.
PSA has them on sale for $120

 

[james243]

Mine has a 3 moa dot and it's fine for squirrels at the ranges I can make unsupported shots; maybe 25 yards. At that distance mathematically the dot appears to be 3/4 inch, which still fits inside a squirrel head.

For the 357max which is really a 357 mag with the throat extended to seat bullets out to almost max oal , I load 180xtp to about 1700fps.