Shotgun optic..Yes or no?

[870P]

My first reply to this disappeared?

Anyway, as discussed just yesterday on the sporting shotguns sub forum, I have a nice permanently mounted Eotech light on an 870 just for that. In a pinch, a regular light and hockey tape or string or whatever will do.

Its about the sight contrast as more than anything, you can quickly pick up an electronic sight against any sort of background, not just at night, but particularly if you've just went into a dimly lit area from a bright one, or your target backdrop is a jumble of bright and dark.

There's a reason that electronic sights are becoming increasingly popular even on handguns.

My only issue is that most of the EO sights used on shotguns are too big and snag prone IMO.

 

[Butcherbill]

If you aim a shotgun like a rifle, then I guess you need rifle sights. But it's a shotgun.

I guess I feel strongly about this, but I know so many guys who failed at and lost interest in wingshooting because they were only trained (or self taught) on a rifle and shot their guns that way.

If I had to pick one gun to fit multiple roles it would be a 12g shotgun, it doesn’t get more versatile in my books. Many different ammo types can be shot, you can use it many different ways. Where in the country you hunt will also determine the style of shooting you do with it, hunting small game out in the BC interior where I am for example vs Ontario will differ a lot.

I find rifle sights will do it all around here, from shot patterns to slugs. 95% of the time I see a grouse it’s on the roadside or in a tree, I head shoot and rarely get the chance to wingshoot. When they do flush it’s into thick timber on steep inclines, trust me you rarely find them in that #### if you hit them. I’ve spent my time looking for birds in it and it’s pointless unless you saw exactly where they went down.

I enjoy wing shooting but I don’t get much opportunity to do it, most of the low land areas or grassland areas near me are private land with livestock on it and no hunting. For me rifle sights or a rds is the best, 20” or shorter barrels are preferred. My 28” vent rib barrel is a paperweight, I save it for when I need to lend a shotgun to a friend. Not interested in trying to hike through the thick bush with anything longer than 20”. Red dots shine on short choked barrels where you end up with a high poi due to a front bead, just like a ghost ring or rifle sight.

 

[Garage161]

No, it's a shotgun. If you need a red dot or holo, unlimit yourself and get a rifle.

I’m getting into practicing close range tactical style shooting with my shotguns. Working on fast shooting and target transition. Slugs at distance but everything else up close and personal. I can easily sit back 300 meters and shoot targets with a rifle but where’s the fun in that ?

 

[enefgee]

Even for slug ranges a bigger dot is better. A 6 minute dot only subtends 6 inches at 100 yards - if you're looking at an IDPA style target, you should be able to hit it at 100.

 

[Big Bad]

Its about the sight contrast as more than anything, you can quickly pick up an electronic sight against any sort of background, not just at night, but particularly if you've just went into a dimly lit area from a bright one, or your target backdrop is a jumble of bright and dark.

There's a reason that electronic sights are becoming increasingly popular even on handguns.

My only issue is that most of the EO sights used on shotguns are too big and snag prone IMO.

It's a real pity the Eotech lights are no longer being made. Replacing the forend, they were only slightly wider and the controls are right there in your hand. I heard complaints that they're too easily switched off, but the control is right there in your hand to switch it back on again. Not ever great idea gets accepted, that's all.

 

[Big Bad]

If I had to pick one gun to fit multiple roles it would be a 12g shotgun, it doesn’t get more versatile in my books. Many different ammo types can be shot, you can use it many different ways. Where in the country you hunt will also determine the style of shooting you do with it, hunting small game out in the BC interior where I am for example vs Ontario will differ a lot.

I find rifle sights will do it all around here, from shot patterns to slugs. 95% of the time I see a grouse it’s on the roadside or in a tree, I head shoot and rarely get the chance to wingshoot. When they do flush it’s into thick timber on steep inclines, trust me you rarely find them in that #### if you hit them. I’ve spent my time looking for birds in it and it’s pointless unless you saw exactly where they went down.

I enjoy wing shooting but I don’t get much opportunity to do it, most of the low land areas or grassland areas near me are private land with livestock on it and no hunting. For me rifle sights or a rds is the best, 20” or shorter barrels are preferred. My 28” vent rib barrel is a paperweight, I save it for when I need to lend a shotgun to a friend. Not interested in trying to hike through the thick bush with anything longer than 20”. Red dots shine on short choked barrels where you end up with a high poi due to a front bead, just like a ghost ring or rifle sight.

A 'highly trained' Canadian soldier once told me about being in a grouse shooting contest up in Northern Ontario were the grouse are tame like that, it was him with a .22 vs a friend with a shotgun. It must also have been a good grouse year but anyway they went off separately and he came back with something like 6 grouse vs the shotgun guy's 1 or 2, and he'd killed all of his through the head, more sportingly and for less than the cost of one shotgun shell. Like I said, if you're shooting a shotgun like a rifle, consider using a rifle.

 

[Bartok5]

I am a huge proponent of MRDS on shotģuns. I find a circe-dot reticle such as that offered by Holosun to be ideal. Here's my Benelli M4 14" "Entry" with the Holosun 515C in a High mount to clear the Laserlyte Green buckshot patterning laser mounted on the same rail.

 

[Garage161]

I am a huge proponent of MRDS on shotģuns. I find a circe-dot reticle such as that offefered by Holosun to be ideal. Here's my Benelli M4 14" "Entry" with the Holosun 515C in a High mount to clear the Laserlyte Green buckshot patterning laser mounted on the same rail.

Now that’s what I’m talking bout !! Looks great !

 

[Garage161]

A 'highly trained' Canadian soldier once told me about being in a grouse shooting contest up in Northern Ontario were the grouse are tame like that, it was him with a .22 vs a friend with a shotgun. It must also have been a good grouse year but anyway they went off separately and he came back with something like 6 grouse vs the shotgun guy's 1 or 2, and he'd killed all of his through the head, more sportingly and for less than the cost of one shotgun shell. Like I said, if you're shooting a shotgun like a rifle, consider using a rifle.

... really ?... Navy Delta seals shooting grouse with .22s ?

 

[Murray 3-D]

I ran an affordable Vortex spitfire optic on my Fabarm STF 12 back when i used to own it. My Valtro Pm5 has a simple Burris or Vortex reflex sight on it. Both are excellent optics that dont break the bank for shotguns.

 

[Butcherbill]

A 'highly trained' Canadian soldier once told me about being in a grouse shooting contest up in Northern Ontario were the grouse are tame like that, it was him with a .22 vs a friend with a shotgun. It must also have been a good grouse year but anyway they went off separately and he came back with something like 6 grouse vs the shotgun guy's 1 or 2, and he'd killed all of his through the head, more sportingly and for less than the cost of one shotgun shell. Like I said, if you're shooting a shotgun like a rifle, consider using a rifle.

I have rifles and will continue to grab a shotgun when heading out grouse hunting, it’s the best tool for the job round here. Maybe you should try using one in a different way sometime, it really is a do it all gun.

I’d be hard pressed to do better with a .22 as I do with a 12g, I do bring a .22 sometimes but the 12g is what I use more. Snowshoe hare hunting is another story, I grab the .22 the majority of the time.

If you’re ever out west in the interior in sept-nov feel free to holler, always happy to take people out to decapitate some road chickens lol. You bring your rifle and I’ll bring a shotgun and we’ll see who bags out and who doesn’t.

 

[enefgee]

I am a huge proponent of MRDS on shotģuns. I find a circe-dot reticle such as that offered by Holosun to be ideal. Here's my Benelli M4 14" "Entry" with the Holosun 515C in a High mount to clear the Laserlyte Green buckshot patterning laser mounted on the same rail.

What do you think of the Laserlyte - they look like a great idea, they just don't appear to be particularly rugged, from a distance.

 

[1ABNDT]

Mama Mia! That's a spicy SG.

 

[870P]

It's a real pity the Eotech lights are no longer being made. Replacing the forend, they were only slightly wider and the controls are right there in your hand. I heard complaints that they're too easily switched off, but the control is right there in your hand to switch it back on again. Not ever great idea gets accepted, that's all.

I meant electro optic sights, as far as general shotgun use goes I only really like the micro red dots and the like.

 

[Bartok5]

What do you think of the Laserlyte - they look like a great idea, they just don't appear to be particularly rugged, from a distance.

I really like the Laserlyte unit with the Buckshot-patterning filter. It is an extremely cool concept that works very well in practical application when mounted on an 18 or 20 inch barrel. I'm not sure yet how the laser pattern wiĺl align with the buckshot fired out of a 14" barrel, with the pattern presumably spreading faster than if from an 18-20" improved cylinder bore. I will find out during my next outdoors range session.

The unit is actually very solid and weighty in-hand and there is nothing seemingly fragile about the laser. The casing is made of polymer, and is sturdy enough. The Windage and Elevation adjustment screws are recessed for their protection and the mount itself is full-length and screw-tightened.

Unfortunately I purchased my Laserlyte many years ago and they appear to no longer manufacture the unit for sale. I did a recent Google search hoping to find another for my pump-gun, but to no avail. If anyboďy gets a line on more buckshot-patterning lasers please let me know via PM....

 

[Butcherbill]

I don’t think you’ll find much difference in shot spread from a 14” to a 20” barrel, choke constriction will affect pattern density more than barrel length. 6” of barrel isn’t going to affect much, unless it’s barrel swing or muzzle velocity to some extent.

 

[Big Bad]

... really ?... Navy Delta seals shooting grouse with .22s ?

Yes good guess he's a Canadian soldier who's a Delta Navy SEAL. You must know him too?

 

[Scrumbag]

Put a Burris FastFire III (3 MOA) using a Speadbead on my Supernova I use for shooting slugs at turning targets, certainly makes things quick!

 

[johNTO]

When it come to SG's I prefer the KISS principle. After trying GRS, optics, etc., a brass bead sight is all I need......ymmv

 

[Jay]

I really like the HoloSun HS510C that I have on my Derya MK12.

Even took a turkey with the setup this spring!

Cheers
Jay