Scope or Red Dot for turkey shotgun

[bbarker]

What do some of my fellow turkey hunters use for optics (if any) do you use on your turkey shotguns? My dad thought he would like a red dot but I saw a short, fixed shotgun scope that caught my eye in the shop today. The only concern I have on the red dot is the batteries going dead during the hunt and possibly not holding up to the recoil. I do not have anyting on mine yet but if I do, I like the idea of the fixed scope. I think they will pick up light better than a red dot too.

I am gonna pick up one or the other for a christmas present but just wanted to see what some of my fellow ingoers use. Thanks all!




Edit: Picked up a red dot....I think he will like it. Easier on the older eyes...

 

[42769vette]

the vortex sparc will defintallyhold up to any shotgun recoil, and has a battery life of 120 or 130 hours at max power and thousands of hours at min power. and wieghs a whopping 5.2 oz

Vortex Optics - SPARC Red Dot

 

[sig shooter]

I have used the Bushnell Trophy red dot. It has four settings small dot, large dot, dot in a circle and a cross. Also comes with an extended grey filtered lense. I have used the same battery for the past year and a half. It has 12 levels of brightness

 

[shooter1054]

Most I know prefer the red dot. I took my friends advice and put a red dot on my turkey gun ( Mossy 500 20 guage). You don't need magnification for turkey as most shots are close range, under 40 yards.

 

[Bosshoss]

Red dot works for me. Really nice as turkeys don't usually do what you plan on. Can shoot red dots from right shoulder or left if the bird comes in the other side, you can shoot from awkward positions, heck you don't even have to have gun on your shoulder. Put red dot on turkeys head and pull trigger.
Been using same battery for several years. I only turn on when I have a bird coming in so I don't leave on all the time. Only had one bird surprise me with scope turned off and getting scope turned on was the easy part, getting gun up and pointed in the birds direction was the tough part.

 

[Shootin'IN]

I shoot a Mossberg with a rib on top of the barrel so it was easy to put this Tru-Glo shot gun sight on my barrel. I also use this gun for deer hunting with a rifled barrel so the sights stay with the barrel they are used on, there is no need to re-zero every time I swap barrel.
It has a front and rear sight that stay on the barrel when removed.
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/truglo-tg946b-trupoint-turkey-shotgun-sight-mossberg-p-76134.html

 

[selinoid44]

For turkeys I'm not sure why you would need such a device on your shotgun. I guess it's just personal preference. I will stick to the good ol tried and tru open sights.

 

[Yeah]

I use an Aimpoint micro because I tend to forget to turn them off.

Red dots and holo sights offer the ability to get sights on a target without having align multiple planes, which as advantage if a guy ever has to contort himself.

 

[Titanium Man]

For turkeys I'm not sure why you would need such a device on your shotgun. I guess it's just personal preference. I will stick to the good ol tried and tru open sights.

+1

 

[Willie]

Scope it...

I have a Simmons 2X Pro-Diamond on my 870 and when Mr. Longbeard's head is in the diamond he is meat in the pan.

 

[Uconas]

just the dot, why do you need a scope? most of the shots are with in 40 yrds

 

[Willie]

just the dot, why do you need a scope? most of the shots are with in 40 yrds

2X ain't much of a scope. More of an aiming device.

BTW - I've killed every turkey that I have shot at. Better than a couple dozen.

Farthest shot was 52 yards..

 

[Yeah]

Why do you need a shotgun? You can kill a turkey with a brick.

 

[hps]

For turkeys I'm not sure why you would need such a device on your shotgun. I guess it's just personal preference. I will stick to the good ol tried and tru open sights.

Same here! Oh man I can wait for turkey season, Turkeys are the only thing I care to hunt anymore.

 

[Adrian8]

Simple is best...Tru Glow type..like a red front and two greens at the back. This just makes the gun handy when crawling around and beating thru the bushes and it is pretty quick shooting at running or flushed birds.

 

[Cerberus]

For turkeys I'm not sure why you would need such a device on your shotgun. I guess it's just personal preference. I will stick to the good ol tried and tru open sights.

+1. Just don't get why someone would need glass for a 40 yd or under shot.

 

[1911Shooter]

This year was my first year out turkey hunting and it went well. I picked up a mossberg 835 turkey gun and put a yukon optics (cheap) halo site on it and I wont change it. That thing worked great and held up very well. Its lite and easy to use, and it did its job. My friend and I went to Kentucky to hunt and we both tagged out. My first bird was a tom with a 10 and a half inch beard and inch and an eighth spurs. My second was a tom with an 11 and a half inch beard and inch and a half spurs. Now Im hooked.

 

[dbd870]

Simple is best...Tru Glow type..like a red front and two greens at the back. This just makes the gun handy when crawling around and beating thru the bushes and it is pretty quick shooting at running or flushed birds.

I have Firesights on mine and even these 50+ yr. old eyes can see them well enough to take a bird at 41 yds.