Ithaca Deer Slayer

[MRP2003]

I bought 2 ithaca deer slayer shot guns. Both are older models and are not drilled and tapped for a scope. Are there any options currently available other than having the guns drilled and tapped by a gun smith, such as a saddle mount?

Also which would be better, a saddle mount or having it drilled and tapped?

 

[wabash]

see if the rear sights have grooves for mounting a scope.

 

[MRP2003]

Nope. The rear sights are actually on the barrel and they are no screws holding it on. These are pretty old shot guns. The 12 GA only shoots 2 3/4"

 

[snapping turtle]

I used to setup slugguns for people all the time and had some very happy people who rewarded me very well for doing so. I have setup over 100 slugguns of all types and budgets.

With most shotgus the best is a fully rifled cantilever scope mount. In the Ithica's case that is not the best option as the barrel is pinned in place and does not wobble around. I take it you have one of the smoothbore models as you said older model. The ithica deerslayer is one of the most accurate of the smoothbore sluguns. Great if you are left handed also. I have setup 3 of them and they were all very respectable at the range and cheap to feed. Good old pumpkinseed winchester slugs and brenneke slugs both will group well. There are not many people making aftermarket items for the deerslayer as Ithica has been in and out of business over the years. In the east coast area's they well very popular and looked at as the deerslayer of choice for many years.

Myself if I were still a shotgun deer hunter I would leave one as is (The Best looking one most likely) and have the second one tapped and add the lowest scope rail and mounts you can get on it. The cheek weld on a shotgun is setup for open sights and you raise your head up to see thru the scope and that increases felt recoil and leads to accuracy issues. You might want to get the front sight out of the way and the rear sight also. I think they come off easy but I can't remember for sure.

For scopes on them one of the best I have come across is the Leopold Ultralight 2.5. It has very good field of view, good light gathering in a little package and is small and can be mounted as low as about any scope. You can get them parralex set to 75 yards in the custom shop at times for free with purchase and always with a nominal fee. The other cheap option would be bushnell banner shotgun scope in like 1.5-4 power. bushnell used to make a fixed 2.5. Another I recommend in between would be a classic weaver V 1-3 series scope. You are not going to need much magnification on a sluggun.

What i should have invested in would have been a caldwell lead sled. My shoulder still pains me at times (rotator cuff issues) from all that lead i slung downrange.

 

[wabash]

Nope. The rear sights are actually on the barrel and they are no screws holding it on.

see if the sight itself has grooves along its sides.