Shotgun sights

[commygun]

So has Yankee ingenuity yet come up with a reliable aftermarket workaround for rigging some kind of rifle/ghost ring sight on a plain-barrel-bead-sight shotgun? Something that doesn't require a gunsmith or the skill of a machinist?

 

[entropy]

No. Take the word reliable out; then yes, there are some.
It would help to suggest better alternatives it we knew what the use is.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I used Truglo Turkey sights on a vent rib shot gun for slug hunting deer in shotgun only zones for years and years.

Worked as I wanted them to with the smoothbore fosters.

What’s the application?

 

[Palladan44]

So has Yankee ingenuity yet come up with a reliable aftermarket workaround for rigging some kind of rifle/ghost ring sight on a plain-barrel-bead-sight shotgun? Something that doesn't require a gunsmith or the skill of a machinist?

Drilling and tapping a small hole in a receiver can be done with success with a tad of preparation and a few tools...but, this is me....I know many would be uncomfortable doing this. I'd avoid it unless necessary. The ghost ring sight does help a tad with slug accuracy at say 15-50 yds. And is really no help with any form of "multi projectile" load, and IMO slows me down in that regard.
Without a built in rail or factory drill n tap, there isn't much left to go on.

Ventilated barrel ribs have easy "snap on" from tru-glo 3 dot rifle-type sights that I like A LOT for the small amount of money they are. (I believe Earlthegoat is referring to these)
I know Remington 870s have numerous options that attach via replacing the trigger group pins in the receiver. I have no experience with these, but they sound intriguing if you wanted to get some sort of optic on and not have to drill into your piece.

 

[herrwalther]

If the receiver is drilled and tapped, yes. Plenty of options. If not, there are ways to work around them. For example, there are a few rails that you can bolt onto the receiver with just a few parts swapped out. On Mossberg and cloned shotguns, you will have to take out the extractor screw but it isn't very hard. I am not sure how the 870 models fit because that extractor is riveted in and not easy to replace with a screw. Once the attach rails go on, just a matter of picking ghost ring sights you like.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1003983532?pid=660088

 

[entropy]

For the 870 you could get a "side saddle" mount, (better yet, the "U" shaped one the goes over both sides of the receiver) and mount whatever you want on the Picatinny rail. They attach with screws through the trigger group pin holes. You have to be careful to not overtighten the screws, that can bind the action. They make them for Mossbergs, also. Most newer 870's have holes drilled and tapped for scope mounts, usually the Rem. 700 base.

The main problem with a bead for your front sight with a ghost ring is rear sight placement. Put on top of the receiver, or in the barrel, it raises the POI. A tang mount (which will require drilling & tapping) is best here, but can't be done on the Mossberg 500, as that is where the safety is. You'd need plug screws for when you don't want the ghost sight on. (bird hunting, clays games) The saddle mounts require you to change the gun to that, zero it, and leave it on there the whole season/time you need it, also. No switching back and forth from birds to deer easily.

The solution I went with for my 870 was Hastings cantilever scope mounted barrel. I had a Bushnell 2.75x on it, but if Turkey or HD are you goals, a red dot or 1-4 would be great for this, and the 1-4 would be the best deer solution. What's nice about the cantilever is to change back to bead, you change barrels. (30 seconds) You might want to check zero on the scope when putting it back on, but I did so for 20 years when I had it, never moved once. I gave the scoped barrel to my son for a back deer set-up after WI went to rifles statewide.

 

[commygun]

I'd like to shoot Fosters from a Mossberg 500 with an 18.5" barrel. I've tried it with just the bead with unknown results. Unknown, because I didn't get any of them on the target at 50 yards.

 

[entropy]

You're assuming a rear sight will help?

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

You can a Stevens for around 200.00 with the ghost ring rear sight and fiber optic front sight. I have one i like it a lot for shooting rifled slugs.

 

[commygun]

You're assuming a rear sight will help?

Couldn’t hurt….

 

[slickracer]

Why? You point a shotgun and aim a rifle.

 

[Blue Jays]

Alternately shoot the existing shotgun (with bead sight) until it is ready for a "refresh" anyway.
Have the new ghost ring sights installed, add any upgrades, have it refinished, and life is good.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Why? You point a shotgun and aim a rifle.

Not with slugs and hopefully not with buckshot. Slug shooting is basically short range rifle shooting with a very inaccurate rifle. Don’t handicap yourself any further by merely “pointing” it.

 

[twofewscrews]

I'd like to shoot Fosters from a Mossberg 500 with an 18.5" barrel. I've tried it with just the bead with unknown results. Unknown, because I didn't get any of them on the target at 50 yards.

I though Mossberg 500's came drilled and tapped from the factory . . . anyway you could add something like the UTG 590 (replace ejector screw and the trigger group pin to install, takes all of a maybe minute) and a red dot/scope, that way you could switch from bird/clay to deer/slugs without too much of a fuss. I just added a UTG 590 to my Maverick 88 because it isn't drilled and tapped for a rail/optic, and I wanted to throw a red dot/scope on for shooting slugs out to 50 and up to 100 yards, but still wanted to be able to shoot clay.

https://leapers.com/index.php?act=prod_detail&midx=2483&allids=2448_2483&itemno=MT-MB590