maddhunter Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 My son and I are going to try using scopes on our shotguns this year. I had a Reddot on a .22 and liked it except sometimes had trouble seeing the dot on bright days with it on full power. What scopes do you guys and gals use on your turkey guns ???? Size ?x? Brand Reticle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodshed Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 I had a red dot on my last shot gun, and I liked it. The one I'm using now, I'm just staying with the fiber optic sights. I like it better because the gun is lighter and easier to handle. I also like the full field of view. To me I don't seem to think a scope or red dot is necessary with a shot gun shootin a big pattern like that. I haven't seen any difference in my accuracy for killing turkeys. They still go down the same as before. Plus it's cheaper!! Then you can go buy some other neat gadget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 I use a bushnell trophy red dot and like it. The main reason I use a scope is because I'm shooting a really tight pattern out to 30 yards. When I shot the gun at a piece of cardboard, the hole wasn't hitting POA (point of aim). With the scope, I sighted it in like a rifle and got the most of my pattern hitting where the dot is. For all the bigger the scope is...it doesn't change the weight of the gun enough to matter. Only disadvantage I see is a posible battery death during the moment of truth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 I'm personally not a fan of any type of scope which is why I use a Holosight on my turkey gun. Scopes (excluding red dots) have limited eye relief and I've been in some pretty contorted positions aiming at turkeys before. Scopes are also apt to fog up in rain, fog, etc. I cringe at the thought of finding out I need to wipe the eyepiece and objective lens so I can see a bird that is moving into range. They also limit your field of view. For those reasons I'll stick to a holosight sight. They have unlimited eye relief and you don't have to have your eye directly behind it to aim at your target. They are also a lot easier to shoot with both eyes open. I've never had a problem seeing the sight even in bright south Texas sunlight. The only negative is batteries going dead but to cure that potential problem I put new batteries in my holosight before every season. Batteries will last a lot longer than a season but I've found you are pushing the battery life if you try to use them through 2 spring seasons. I've had 2 occasions when I've had to change batteries in the field and both have been while using the same batteries during a 2nd season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodshed Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 Snapper, I've heard of that happening before. That is, not being able to adjust a factory sight over enough to get the Point OF Aim to where you want the pattern to be. It makes sense to use a mounted sight for sure then. Good point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maytom Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 I'm still using the Leupold 1X4 shotgun scope on my 1300 since 1992. It's never failed me yet!! Love that extra heavy reticle, really helps centering your pattern in low light!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 I'm personally not a fan of any type of scope which is why I use a Holosight on my turkey gun. Scopes (excluding red dots) have limited eye relief and I've been in some pretty contorted positions aiming at turkeys before. Scopes are also apt to fog up in rain, fog, etc. I cringe at the thought of finding out I need to wipe the eyepiece and objective lens so I can see a bird that is moving into range. They also limit your field of view. For those reasons I'll stick to a holosight sight. They have unlimited eye relief and you don't have to have your eye directly behind it to aim at your target. They are also a lot easier to shoot with both eyes open. I've never had a problem seeing the sight even in bright south Texas sunlight. The only negative is batteries going dead but to cure that potential problem I put new batteries in my holosight before every season. Batteries will last a lot longer than a season but I've found you are pushing the battery life if you try to use them through 2 spring seasons. I've had 2 occasions when I've had to change batteries in the field and both have been while using the same batteries during a 2nd season. Most of my sentiments exactly other than I shoot red-dots rather than the Holosight. Scopes add weight. They are more critical of eye relief and parallax. Scopes that magnify can give a false sense that a gobbler is close enough when he's not (seen it happen several times). I've yet to have the sun be a factor to the point where I simply could not shoot with the red-dot. It's also my own opinion that red-dots are less affected by recoil and accidental jarring than scopes. I also change in new batteries before each season whether I think I need 'em or not. Batteries are cheap. I have also practiced an "emergency drill" and can change batteries from a "ready-to-shoot" position (I keep a spare in my right vest pocket) and a turkey would not bust me doing it. Besides that.....the B-Square saddlemount still allows me to look through and use the factory beads if I need to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maytom Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Scopes add weight. They are more critical of eye relief and parallax. Scopes that magnify can give a false sense that a gobbler is close enough when he's not (seen it happen several times). Really??? It's also my own opinion that red-dots are less affected by recoil and accidental jarring than scopes. Really??? I guess I'm just lucky that since 1992, my Leupold scope hasn't ever lost the point of aim due to shooting many deer slugs and 3" turkey loads!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Really??? I guess I'm just lucky that since 1992, my Leupold scope hasn't ever lost the point of aim due to shooting many deer slugs and 3" turkey loads!!! Glad it's done well for you. But I've seen it happen.......scope failure of one variety or another.......and more than once. Like I said......the part about losing zero easier is "my opinion". We all know what those are worth. But it's the one I've got. As far as range mis-estimation with a scope goes..............it's a fact. Seen it with my own two eyes on several occasions. Now that there's rangefinders, it could be improved. But I've seen guys blow it royally by messing up on range judgment.......even with the fancy turkey- diamond reticles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest turkeynutz64 Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 I wouldnt go with a scope myself! Because I watched my bud miss birds that were in too close and out too far! We were in Kansas a couple years back and had a double come in and I dropped mine his ran off! I dont like leaving that much of a chance of missing a long beard! When you hunt out of state its hard to find a nice one that hasnt been herassed already! Of course thats how I bow hunt too, instinctive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maytom Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 I keep hearing that over and over again about missing a shot due to a "scope's" magnification?????? Now just what power setting do you guys use? A 1X or a 2X power is all you need, and I never miss-judged a distance by using these power settings? I look over the scope to verify the distance a head of time, then look through the scope to place the reticle where I want for the sure kill. I can see if someone has the power setting on 4X and just looks through the scope the entire time a bird works in, they will be out of range!!! NO brainer there!!! I guess it's the guy behind the scope that's at fault here, not the scope!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 Been considering this myself, and was thinking about going with a red dot and a see through mount system that would allow me to still use my sites. Kind of like the tru glo red dot sight in the new cabelas turkey catalog, but it is only made for remington's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HUNTINGMAN Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 Just posted a question about red dots in the lounge,wondering about the open or tubeless red dots that look like hologram sights.Anyone know anything about them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest turkeynutz64 Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 I keep hearing that over and over again about missing a shot due to a "scope's" magnification?????? Now just what power setting do you guys use? A 1X or a 2X power is all you need, and I never miss-judged a distance by using these power settings? I look over the scope to verify the distance a head of time, then look through the scope to place the reticle where I want for the sure kill. I can see if someone has the power setting on 4X and just looks through the scope the entire time a bird works in, they will be out of range!!! NO brainer there!!! I guess it's the guy behind the scope that's at fault here, not the scope!! He got a 2x from b.p. And a new 835. We shot the gun a half dozen times each, only to find out it shot way low and way to the left, hence we put the scope on and adjusted it to the gun pattern! If it was me, I would have took the gun back and got it replaced! 500bucks on a gun, it should be on the money! I think hunting all these years without using a scope plays a factor in it too! I have tried a red dot and didnt care for it! I like the truglo sights though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldreloader Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 I use a red dot and haven't had any problems yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest turkeynutz64 Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 It would be nice if I liked scopes! I had trouble with the dot, it just messed with my mind too much! I like things simple I guess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddhunter Posted February 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 Well I decided to give the Red Dots a try. I ordered 2 BSA Reddots from Natchez for $19.95 a piece. And bought B-Square mounts for my 870 12ga. and my son's 870 20ga. And as someone stated, I can still see my sights to an extent. Thanks for all the input guys, it's really appreciated !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldreloader Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 OK yet got here today.I went to the range to do some patterning and I too had some trouble seeing the dot in the bright sunlight.I now have a Williams slugger firesight on order. http://www.williamsgunsight.com/gunsights/image_s.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Horton4life Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 I use the nikon. never fails. whether its slugs or pattern shooting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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