Best all-round shotgun sights

[12GA00buck]

Here is the situation: I use one shotgun, Mossberg 12 GA pump, for all my shotgun needs (social work, birds, small game, slug gun etc.) For short range work, I've been reasonably happy with just a bead sight. However, I would like to mount a red dot or fiber optic sights in order to be able to accurately place slugs at longer ranges.

I'm sure a new sight would enhance the accuracy potential for buckshot, slugs, and small game/turkey hunting, however, I'm concerned that mounting a red dot/fiber optic sight will diminish the guns ability to be used for wing shooting. Does anybody have experience /recommendations on this issue? Perhaps the smartest thing to do is have one wingshooting barrel and one 20 in. barrel with a red dot sight.

Also, what would you estimate the maximum effective range for unrifled slug shooting on a silhouette target is?

Thanks

 

[Waywatcher]

Maybe I am not quite getting you, I'm somewhat confused by your post.

A red dot sight is very similar to a scope, and used in similar cases, and looks more like a 'scope'.

A fiber optic sight is a small piece of fiber optic 'cord' that fulfills the same objective as a bead, and usually ends up looking like a "red dot" where a bead would be. I think this would be a better choice for most shotgunning than a real red dot scope, especially wingshooting.

For slugs, do you mean that you will be shooting sabot ('unrifled') rounds through a smooth bore? Or do you mean rifled slugs (the cheapest kind) through a smoothbore?

The sabot rounds through a smoothbore would get really crappy accuracy, but rifled slugs through a smooth bore will probably be around 2" at 50 yards or so.

What kind of a silhouette target? I'm 100% positive I could hit an ISPC/IDPA silhouette target at 100 yards with my smoothbore and rifled slugs.

 

[GunNut]

I'm assuming your looking for some sort of rifle sight or ghost ring sight setup?

If so, check out the offerings at Brownells.

Steve

 

[12GA00buck]

Waywatcher,

I'm looking for a sight which allows better accuracy (due to improved sight picture) for slugs, but does not handicap wing shooting. The situation I had in mind was: I'm out grouse hunting, and I happen to stumble across a deer or bear. In which case it would be nice to have some form of rifle sights so I can place the slug more precisely. I've had terrible luck grouping slugs with a bead sight, which is why I'd like something different. However, I don’t want a sight that works great for slugs, but is no good for wing shooting.

I'll be using regular (not sabot) slugs.

I think your right about the fiber optic sights. My buddy's turkey gun had two green dots in the back and a red in the front. I suppose I could use the red to point shoot, and line them up as intended for slugs/buckshot.

GunNut,
Thanks for the pointer, Thats a great site.

 

[Fred Fuller]

IMHO your best bet for multi-purpose shotgunning is to have a second barrel for slugs with rifle sights on the barrel itself. That way when you change barrels, all the sight apparatus goes away and leaves you with a 'clean' receiver for wingshooting/clay games/small game hunting.

If you really do need optics, you might consider getting a cantilever type barrel like the one listed at http://cgi.ebay.com/Mossberg-500-12...ryZ36258QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem . You could mount either a traditional scope or a red dot on this one and have the optics attached to the barrel.

hth,

lpl/nc

 

[Dave McCracken]

Sights and wingshooting do not work well. A second barrel with sights is way better. So is a second 870. Or a third 870 or a fourth......

870s aren't that expensive. I've less money tied up in six here than in my new Beretta O/U.

 

[RNB65]

IMHO, the best "all around" shotgun sight is just a single bead front sight. Just sight along the top of the barrel. I have no problem shooting softball sized slug groups at 50yds with my 870 Marine Magnum.

 

[theCZ]

Another vote for just buying another barrel to specialize in wingshooting and keep another for your non-swinging type of shooting. If you try to have a single shotgun barrel for everything, expect to have mediocre results in all areas of shotgunning. Like the old expression, "Jack of all trades, master of none."

 

[Zero_DgZ]

I have a reflex sight on mine. Specifically, a Tasco Optima that was originally intended to be perched atop a Glock. I cut a Glock rear sight dimensioned dovetail into the sight rail for my gun (a spare Mossberg rail to chop up costs less than ten dollars from anywhere) and stuck the Tasco on that so I can take it off whenever.

I like the Optima because it's so bleeding tiny. It sits close to the bore so you can shoulder the shotgun like... well, like a shotgun, instead of like a rifle, peering through a scope.

Since the Optima is an open sight I'm not actually peering through anything. I'm focusing on the target, and the sight is projecting a little red dot that conveniently coresponds with where the shot is going to go. I still have to lead and all of that nonsense, but the dot is right where slugs go and it's 'close enough' to plug birds (clay ones, anyway) and just about anything else. To me the dot sight is a bit more natural than the sight bead for placing slugs, because I don't tend to get my up-and-down wrong quite so much.