scopes on bird guns

IMO the scope would limit your field of vision to much to properly lead the bird on the wing?
 
The late Floyd Natrass used to use a scoped model 12 for trap. This was before he marketed his Natrass Super Sight.

That said, I think that scopes, holo sights, true glow, hi viz etc. are all gimics that cater to those that have not or will not take the time to learn how to point a shot gun.
 
I'm not too worried about looking silly, so that's beside the point. The first guy that showed up to hunting camp with a scoped bolt action, in a lever action world, probably looked pretty silly too.
Mike
 
Pretty slow target acquisition with a scope on unexpected moving targets. Scopes are designed for pinpoint accuracy, primarily on static targets or for longer ranges. Not saying it couldn't be done but think it would be a whole lot less of a learning curve to learn to properly shoot a shotgun without one than with one and I can't think of a single advantage to having one on a bird gun. You'd have to look at a new stock with a higher comb as well to quickly and properly align your eye with the scope.
 
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mike shickele said:
I'm not too worried about looking silly, so that's beside the point. The first guy that showed up to hunting camp with a scoped bolt action, in a lever action world, probably looked pretty silly too.
Mike
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It also looks silly when you miss a gimme shot because you can't find the bird in your scope. A red dot might work but why bother? Shot guns are swung not pointed or aimed, either shoot lots of birds or lots of clays, a scope won't help you.
 
It's not that I can't hit what I'm shooting at, but any gun with a sight path along the bore, beats up my right cheek something nasty with extended shooting. here's the scoop, I'm right handed, but left eye dominant, and being so, I can wink with my right eye, but not my left; I tried for years as a kid to change this. When I shoot with open sights, because I'm having to focus on 2 sighting plains verses 1, my left eye always wants to get in on the action, squishing my cheek down into the stock, thus turning it into hamburger after a few boxes of shells.
Mike
 
Mike,
Two eyes are better. It is certainly easier to shoot with two eyes if your master eye is on the side of your gun hand or shoulder. Sometimes it is easier to close your master eye and sight with you other eye. This may work, but causes problems, one of which is the one you describe. Think about a couple things for a moment. You are a right handed ball player. You are about to catch a ball with your left mitt hand. No matter which is your dominant eye, do you close the other? Another one to think about. England or North America? You are driving a car. If you are left handed or right handed, if you are sitting on the right or the left and no matter which is your dominant eye, do you need to sight along the hood ornament to steer the vehicle? Now, I hope you have answered NO to each of these, or I have typed for nothing! Catching a ball by keeping your eye on the ball is instinctive. Driving a car by watching the road is also instinctive. These skills are easily learned with a minimal amount of training. What many wing shooters are not willing to do is to train themselves to steer their shot gun the same way they drive a car, catch a ball or swing a bat or spray a hose. You probably will not hit your target the first time? You probably didn’t catch the ball the first time either. Practice it. It may be easier than you think.
 
Covey ridge- I do shoot shotgun with both eyes open, I think that I have to train myself to not let the left eye want to take part in the action, and focusing more on the target. you do have a point about driving and catching, maybe I'll go waist some crows tomorrow for practice.
Mike
 
mike shickele said:
Covey ridge- I do shoot shotgun with both eyes open, I think that I have to train myself to not let the left eye want to take part in the action, and focusing more on the target. you do have a point about driving and catching, maybe I'll go waist some crows tomorrow for practice.
Mike
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I think you have the idea. Your eyes are really able to focus on only one thing. It requires a little dicipline. Unless you train your focus, your eyes will probably be drawn and then focused on the closest moving thing. That quite often becomes the barrel or the sight and if you have master eye problems your computor gets fed all sorts of conflicting information. Insert your shot into the equation when you have target lock.
 
Mike, a couple hours with a coach will change your life. I too shoot right handed but am left eye dominant and experienced many of the same issues you are. A couple hours with a coach and my left eye never got in the way again. Way better money invested than a scope I'd say.
 
Agreed - recoil can be tamed with a better-fitting stock, pads, gas auto, etc.

As for the left eye dominance, put a strip of clear tape along the top edge of your shooting glasses on the left lens, maybe 1/4" wide. Blacken it with a marker. Now, when you are heads-up, your vision isn't affected at all. But when you put your cheek down on the gun and look down the rib, your left eye should be looking directly at the back of that strip and won't see the gun or the bead, so the only vision available to you is your right eye, sighting down the rib. Try it.
 
Grouse Man said:
Agreed - recoil can be tamed with a better-fitting stock, pads, gas auto, etc.

As for the left eye dominance, put a strip of clear tape along the top edge of your shooting glasses on the left lens, maybe 1/4" wide. Blacken it with a marker. Now, when you are heads-up, your vision isn't affected at all. But when you put your cheek down on the gun and look down the rib, your left eye should be looking directly at the back of that strip and won't see the gun or the bead, so the only vision available to you is your right eye, sighting down the rib. Try it.
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Or have a friend extend his arm and index finger straight out, at eye level. Then walk into him.

:)
 
Grouse Man said:
As for the left eye dominance, put a strip of clear tape along the top edge of your shooting glasses on the left lens, maybe 1/4" wide. Blacken it with a marker. Now, when you are heads-up, your vision isn't affected at all. But when you put your cheek down on the gun and look down the rib, your left eye should be looking directly at the back of that strip and won't see the gun or the bead, so the only vision available to you is your right eye, sighting down the rib. Try it.
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What he's saying here would be my recommendation. That and lots and lots of practice - much of it with an eye patch on the left.

There are some types of holo sight that might work on a shotgun but I think that you would still have the same problem of trying to look through it with the wrong eye.

I've got a rolling block 12ga that came with a really big Y shaped sight on it. Actually worked pretty well in a trap shooting situation after half a box of shells to get used to it. Still took it off soon after.
 
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