Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
There's several options here, let's start with the simplest.
Simplest, of course is none. Assuming good fit, form and technique, amazingly good work can be done. Some excellent game shots take the beads off. Since we focus on the target, oft good close work is not as hard as one might think it is.
The plain bead, whether mounted right on a non ribbed barrel,on a platform, or on a rib, has a lot going for it. It's easy to use, cheap, and works for a variety of missions and conditions. A bit of bright enamel or one of the fiber optic versions can aid in low light or generally for some people. I find them distracting, but YMMV. For a pure D wingshooting gun, a bead's the best choice. For "Serious" work, a good one.
Two beads, one mounted about midways betwixt muzzle and eye, are often used in trap shooting and found on many shotguns. The middle bead can detect cant or bad fit, and one can adjust. This also works well for turkey hunting and slug use, tho other sights are better for the latter most of the time. Downside, they can lead to aiming, not pointing.
Open sights are often found on slug shooters and "Serious" shotguns. The short barrels typical of these leave rather short sight radii, not much more than a handgun. They're also hard for older eyes to use. If they work for you, fine.
Better for most folks, peep sights add sight radius and ease acquisition. It's fashionable to call these Ghost Ring or GR sights in recent times. By any name, these are oft the best choice for slug use and "Serious" shotgunning. Easy to adjust, the better ones are very durable and keep zero.
Scopes have limited use for shotgunning. Some deer hunters use them for longer range slug work, but the best slug gun in the world is not a long range weapon. They also, in the better brands, add a few minutes to the hunt by gathering light in predawn and twilight, times the deer move most. I don't use a scoped shotgun, but if I did, I'd pick no greater than 3X in a fixed power scope and 1.5-5X in a variable.
Red dot scopes have their fans, but they're bulky and often delicate. Some folks praise them to the skies, so choose wisely.
I pick sights by mission. My wingshooting shotguns have beads. My trap shotgun has a two bead setup and my "Serious" shotguns double as slug shooters and have peep sights. I can group slugs from a single bead sighted, short barreled 870 into 3" from the bench at 50 yards, but YMMV.
For beginners, I suggest trying out various sized beads and becoming accustomed to one before getting into other setups.
Simplest, of course is none. Assuming good fit, form and technique, amazingly good work can be done. Some excellent game shots take the beads off. Since we focus on the target, oft good close work is not as hard as one might think it is.
The plain bead, whether mounted right on a non ribbed barrel,on a platform, or on a rib, has a lot going for it. It's easy to use, cheap, and works for a variety of missions and conditions. A bit of bright enamel or one of the fiber optic versions can aid in low light or generally for some people. I find them distracting, but YMMV. For a pure D wingshooting gun, a bead's the best choice. For "Serious" work, a good one.
Two beads, one mounted about midways betwixt muzzle and eye, are often used in trap shooting and found on many shotguns. The middle bead can detect cant or bad fit, and one can adjust. This also works well for turkey hunting and slug use, tho other sights are better for the latter most of the time. Downside, they can lead to aiming, not pointing.
Open sights are often found on slug shooters and "Serious" shotguns. The short barrels typical of these leave rather short sight radii, not much more than a handgun. They're also hard for older eyes to use. If they work for you, fine.
Better for most folks, peep sights add sight radius and ease acquisition. It's fashionable to call these Ghost Ring or GR sights in recent times. By any name, these are oft the best choice for slug use and "Serious" shotgunning. Easy to adjust, the better ones are very durable and keep zero.
Scopes have limited use for shotgunning. Some deer hunters use them for longer range slug work, but the best slug gun in the world is not a long range weapon. They also, in the better brands, add a few minutes to the hunt by gathering light in predawn and twilight, times the deer move most. I don't use a scoped shotgun, but if I did, I'd pick no greater than 3X in a fixed power scope and 1.5-5X in a variable.
Red dot scopes have their fans, but they're bulky and often delicate. Some folks praise them to the skies, so choose wisely.
I pick sights by mission. My wingshooting shotguns have beads. My trap shotgun has a two bead setup and my "Serious" shotguns double as slug shooters and have peep sights. I can group slugs from a single bead sighted, short barreled 870 into 3" from the bench at 50 yards, but YMMV.
For beginners, I suggest trying out various sized beads and becoming accustomed to one before getting into other setups.
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