centre bead on O/U shotgun

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jamcam1999

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Looking for some expert advice on how far back a centre bead should be on a field/sporting 20 gauge O/U. I have read a lot of different ideas on the proper distance and am calling all you shotgun wizzards to give me the correct info. The barrels are 28 inches long and vent ribbed. Thanks in advance.
 
I have always gone with 12 to 14 inches trying to match a 'stud' within the rib. It is better to have it forward of the 1/2 way point.
 
I checked this on my guns that have mid-beads and going toward the muzzle they are in the first rib pillar before the half-way point.

FWIW, I have guns that came with factory mid-beads, without them and one that once had a mid-bead that fell out years ago. I don't mind mid-beads if they are there, don't miss them if they aren't and wouldn't have a mid-bead installed on a gun.
 
The only time you would use one is when shooting at a still target. Like a pattern board or turkey hunting. Wing shooting you should be looking at your target not your beads .I'd you are looking at the beads you will be shooting behind your target.
 
dutchhunter said:
The only time you would use one is when shooting at a still target. Like a pattern board or turkey hunting.
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No really... they are mostly used by target shooters on flying clay targets... they are used to check their face placement on the stock and when the stock fits them well, the beads form a small figure 8, one on top of the other. They are not looked at when tracking and shooting as no shotgun sight is in focus at that time...
 
As Guntech said, if you are shooting gun mounted then they can be useful to know if you have your gun in the right spot.

I'm a hunter who happens to shoot a lot of clay targets. I shoot from a gun down position where I am following the target with my eyes and mounting at the same time. I only look to the bird and never the bead.
 
Cintax said:
As Guntech said, if you are shooting gun mounted then they can be useful to know if you have your gun in the right spot.

I'm a hunter who happens to shoot a lot of clay targets. I shoot from a gun down position where I am following the target with my eyes and mounting at the same time. I only look to the bird and never the bead.
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I shoot sporting clays gun down much of the time but pre-mount to my break point then lower the gun and move to my hold point before calling for the target. The mid-bead doesn't make much difference. I've got guns with mid-beads and guns without and I don't think it matters when it comes to breaking the targets.
 
guntech said:
No really... they are mostly used by target shooters on flying clay targets... they are used to check their face placement on the stock and when the stock fits them well, the beads form a small figure 8, one on top of the other. They are not looked at when tracking and shooting as no shotgun sight is in focus at that time...
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This!!! ^^^
 
jamcam1999 said:
My question was only to find the distance between the front and centre bead. I did not ask for opinions on whether you like or dislike centre beads.
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Catch more flies with honey bud.

Your actual question was answered twice in this thread. Here is a video I found after less than a minute of searching on-line.

ht tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy8eSfsUO5A
 
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jamcam1999 said:
My question was only to find the distance between the front and centre bead. i did not ask for opinions on whether you like or dislike centre beads.
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Welcome to the Internet. Getting advice in addition to what you asked for originally is often the price you pay for getting free information from complete strangers. Either tolerate it with a little more grace or do your own research.
 
jamcam1999 said:
My question was only to find the distance between the front and centre bead. i did not ask for opinions on whether you like or dislike centre beads.
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Others use these forums for information as well. Different perspectives/opinions are helpful and they are not out of scope here.
 
gdawg said:
Others use these forums for information as well. Different perspectives/opinions are helpful and they are not out of scope here.
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Absolutely! Nothing wrong with such discussions veering off somewhat on a tangent. I own shotguns with both single and dual beads - makes no difference, to me. Personally, I view the bead on a smoothbore as more cosmetic than anything else - for example, something akin to earrings on a member of the fairer ###. Does serve a small purpose though when shooting at stationary targets. But when it comes to following fast flying targets who has time to focus on the bead(s)? :)
 
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