I have a 16ga over 7x57R Franz Sodia combo gun. It has an old Hensoldt Diavari rail scope in claw mounts. The scope was great in its day but I want to retire it and get a new one.

I prefer lower powered scopes and I like the classic duplex/German reticles with illumination for late evening hogs. Claw mounts add additional restrictions on scope selection and I understand those parameters. I do not want another rail scope.

I own scopes by Swarovski, Kahles, S&B, Zeiss and Leupold. I am looking at the lower powered 30mm tube scopes with illuminated reticles from each of these brands.

There are a lot of options out there now and I would like to hear some ideas and thoughts from the experienced hunters.

I made a decision. I bought a Swarovski Z6i 1-6x24 with the #4 reticle from SWFA.

quote:

Originally posted by SFRanger7GP:
I made a decision. I bought a Swarovski Z6i 1-6x24 with the #4 reticle from SWFA.

excellent choice!

Hope You choosed the SR-rail mounting option as well...

I agree excellent choice. I have shot several squirrels, quail, dove, ducks turkey and grouse with a scope on my Combo Gun.

No the birds were not flying, I "skillet" shot them...

I didn't get the rail scope. I wanted the option of being able to move it to a different gun if I wanted to. I have to get new rings made for the claw mounts no matter what modern scope I choose.

SWFA sent me the wrong scope; they sent an EER scope. However, they are going to correct the error and I should have my new one next week.

I hope to use my combo gun on some game in the near future. It shoots great and the 16ga barrel with slugs and the 7x57R barrels are very accurate and shoot close to the same POI.

Let us know how and where you get the rings. This has been a problem for me lately. My old gunsmith can no longer get claws to fit existing bases.He was reasonable.Now quotes are over $600 just for rings and instillation.

I did something different, simple and very inexpensive to mount a scope on a combo gun. There were claw bases in the rib, but no rings. And the cost of rings was going to be punitive. So, I removed the claw bases from the rib, and took Weaver bases.....ground them down in front and rear such that they would fit the channels cut in the rib to formerly hold the claw bases. Then, I simply used Weaver rings to hold the scope (no need for a scope with rails) in place.