scope for a smooth barrel shot gun?

[fr0sty]

Is there such a thing?  

[beagleman23]

There are plenty of scopes for shotguns whether they're smooth or rifled but to give you appropriate suggestions I would require more information such as does the gun have a 'bird' barrel with a fixed choke or a smooth bore slug barrel.

[fr0sty]

It's a beneli super nova.  The smooth bore barrel isn't drilled for a scope though.  I thought about buying a rifled barrel for it, but cost wise that would take me a long way to an actual rifle.

[beagleman23]

If your area allows the use of a rifle that's the way I would go.  You'll never get the accuracy of a rifle from a shotgun whether its' a rifled or smooth barrel.  Even if your shots are limited to under 75 yards there will come a day when you'll need to thread the needle to harvest that trophy buck.  You may not be able to it with a slug gun but there isn't many companies producing rifles that will not shoot a 1" to 1 1/2" group at 100 yards.
My Benelli semi-auto came drilled and tapped which is the only way to go.  I have tried the saddle mounts and believe me they move which reduces accuracy.  I even tried placing a piece of rubber between the top of the receiver and the bottom of the mount.  I still didn't get exceptable accuracy, matter of fact I shot better with the rifled sight on the barrel(the gun was a Browning sweet 16 w/buck barrel).
When Uncle Sam sends that tax refund buy a rifle, I don't think you'll regret it. 

[sprcub]

I dont know bennelies but you can sure put a scope  on other smooth bore shotguns  you have to drill and tap the reciever not the barrel  beagleman made a point of mention the saddle mounts  OMG i tried one many many years ago  I couldnt guarenty that i would hit a 12 inch cicle at 25 yds with that thing anyway   years ago just after the sadle mount came off my smooth bore 870 i drilled and tapped it and put on a scope  it did pretty good  about 5 inches at 100 yards  now realize that an 870 has a terrible trigger  to be bench resting  id bet it would do better with a good trigger  a couple years later  i got the rifled barrel and the timney trigger  but thats another story   answer  you most certainly can scope a smooth bore shotgun but  keep in mind  if your stand hunting its one thing but if your in the brush you might lose a deer because you couldnt get him in the scope   I lost an absolute monster with mine  I couldnt get the shot  if i would have had open sights  I could have taken the shot  he was plenty close

[Rocky Landsverk]

I had a gunsmith drill and tap my smooth bore Mossberg 500 many years ago and I've been shooting with a low-power scope ever since. Identify the scope you want to use first, so he can put on the exact mounts you need to hold that scope.

if you find a local gunsmith this should be very affordable. it's touchy work if the receiver is aluminum, but it still shouldn't be expensive.

If you mostly hunt in the woods, I would recommend a red dot. you can also get a 2-power red dot.

otherwise just a low-power scope. make sure you get a big eye relief. a smooth bore shotgun can hit you with a scope, and I've done it. there are muzzleloader and shotgun scopes with eye relief of 5 inches or more. also, trust the eye relief measurement of an expensive/good scope much more than the eye relief measurement of a cheap scope. i've learned that too; cheap scopes that say 5 inches rarely are.

or use a red dot, which has unlimited eye relief but won't give you the power of a regular scope. again that depends on whether you're going to shoot far. from 50-75 yards, it is nice to have a 2 power scope or a little more.

[hunt4fun]

My dad got his Benelli SBE tapped for a scope for turkey hunting.  It was pretty inexpensive and has worked well for him.  Also, he uses the shotgun with the scope on it for deer hunting as well.  He bought a rifled choke tube from Cabelas and it groups really well at 75 yds.  The rifled choke tube is less that $50 I believe, which is a steal compared to a Benelli rifled barrel. 

[fr0sty]

Interesting about the rifled choke tubes.  I always wonder how effective they are.