turkey gun red dot

[Beaneater]

What would be a good red dot to put on a Mossberg 500 20 gauge? How do you sight them in. At this point I'll be using Federal TSS

 

[N2TRKYS]

The 2 most popular ones seems to be the Burris fastfire 3 and Vortex Venom, both in 3 MOA. Which one you choose is really just personal preference.

 

[Wild Bill]

^^^^^
Burris FastFire III with 3 MOA dot for a muzzy is what I like. The 8 MOA may be what you like for turks. User preference.

 

[KayakMacGyver]

I have both and prefer the vortex. The profile is a little slimmer and I like the cover better. Functionally, they both perform great.

When it comes to a mount, check out sumtoy customs. They make a really slick base that's about as streamlined and light as it gets. No need for a picatinny rail or anything like that.

I suggest buying some high brass loads to get you close on paper, then throw some lead Turkey shot to get a little closer before burning up the $10 a load TSS dialing in the red dot. Unless you get really lucky, plan on a $50-$60 (box) sight in session regardless and hope that's all it takes!

I don't know that I'll ever own a Turkey gun without a red dot again. It's a game changer for sure..

 

[RunNGunSC]

I just got a hollosun red dot and a universal rib mount from meadow creek. Plan to mount and sight it in this weekend. A friend told me to shoot bird shot at 10 yards, then two shots at 20 or 25. Confirm it with a turkey shell at 40 (he recommended a cheap shell versus TSS). I will pattern the TSS once I feel like the red dot is set.

 

[howl]

There are enough pellets in a 1 5/8oz load of T9s that you can reach forty yards with just a full choke. The gun may be good to go just using the bead.

The next cheapest option is probably a weaver rail on the receiver and Bushnell TRS-25. If you're gonna choke real tight, a Rib Rider type mount to get the sight on the barrel would be best. The Mossberg barrel will wander slightly within the receiver.

I have a Mossberg done that way. I have used it fooling around and check it before turkey season every year. I never hunt with it though. The guns I actually use have Burris Fastfire IIIs on SumToy mounts. I prefer the sight where I can reach it with my off hand from the firing position. The Fastfire IV hadn't been made when I set them up.

You can bore sight easily if the sight is mounted on the barrel. Just look down the bore and adjust.

TSS point of impact is most like a heavy steel duck load. I'd shoot at ten yards with whatever bird load. Move that out to twenty and start with heavy steel load, check with TSS load. Then move to 40 with TSS.

You can go broke trying to get a shotgun zeroed exactly with TSS. POI moves some and the most dense part of the pattern wanders more. It's voodoo. Within inches is good enough.

 

[N2TRKYS]

There are enough pellets in a 1 5/8oz load of T9s that you can reach forty yards with just a full choke. The gun may be good to go just using the bead.

The next cheapest option is probably a weaver rail on the receiver and Bushnell TRS-25. If you're gonna choke real tight, a Rib Rider type mount to get the sight on the barrel would be best. The Mossberg barrel will wander slightly within the receiver.

I have a Mossberg done that way. I have used it fooling around and check it before turkey season every year. I never hunt with it though. The guns I actually use have Burris Fastfire IIIs on SumToy mounts. I prefer the sight where I can reach it with my off hand from the firing position. The Fastfire IV hadn't been made when I set them up.

You can bore sight easily if the sight is mounted on the barrel. Just look down the bore and adjust.

TSS point of impact is most like a heavy steel duck load. I'd shoot at ten yards with whatever bird load. Move that out to twenty and start with heavy steel load, check with TSS load. Then move to 40 with TSS.

You can go broke trying to get a shotgun zeroed exactly with TSS. POI moves some and the most dense part of the pattern wanders more. It's voodoo. Within inches is good enough.

I like my red dot on the receiver as close to me as possible. I’ve never had an issue with the barrel moving on my 870 and throwing my sights off. I prefer the Marlin 336 over the Sumtoy. I get just about all of my shot back and reuse it during my pattern testing.

 

[Don Fischer]

I don't know a thing about Red Dot sight's. Aren't they a lazer light that goes to the target? If so I would think they travel in a straight line and a gun would have to be sighted in with that in mind. The bullet is affected by gravity, the lazer not. Bullet travels in an arc, lazer soes not. If that's true what is the advantage of a Red Dot sight at much over 25 or 50 yds? I have heard some people tell me just put the dot where you want to hit; that can't possibly work at much distance!

 

[KayakMacGyver]

I don't know a thing about Red Dot sight's. Aren't they a lazer light that goes to the target? If so I would think they travel in a straight line and a gun would have to be sighted in with that in mind. The bullet is affected by gravity, the lazer not. Bullet travels in an arc, lazer soes not. If that's true what is the advantage of a Red Dot sight at much over 25 or 50 yds? I have heard some people tell me just put the dot where you want to hit; that can't possibly work at much distance!

It's definitely a close range tool. Popular on handguns. I like a tight choke that'll really let me reach out and poke a hung up bird. Turkey purists are probably cringing as they read that.

My pattern is super tight at 20 or less yards and in my opinion brings the greatest value there. It's amazing how little room for error I have at close range with a tight constriction choke. If I was just shooting birds at 30-50 yards, I don't think the red dot would as important to have since the spread of my shot is enough to compensate for any slight aim deficiencies.

 

[KayakMacGyver]

TSS point of impact is most like a heavy steel duck load. I'd shoot at ten yards with whatever bird load. Move that out to twenty and start with heavy steel load, check with TSS load. Then move to 40 with TSS.

I'd caution folks reading that to proceed with caution shooting steel shot out of a tight Turkey choke. Many Turkey choke makers explicitly state that steel shot is NOT ok to shoot through their choke. Lead and TSS only....

 

[N2TRKYS]

I don't know a thing about Red Dot sight's. Aren't they a lazer light that goes to the target? If so I would think they travel in a straight line and a gun would have to be sighted in with that in mind. The bullet is affected by gravity, the lazer not. Bullet travels in an arc, lazer soes not. If that's true what is the advantage of a Red Dot sight at much over 25 or 50 yds? I have heard some people tell me just put the dot where you want to hit; that can't possibly work at much distance!

It’s not a laser sight. The red dot is only seen in the sight itself. You could sight in your AR or slug gun or pistol in at 100 yards or whatever distance you want.

 

[Scott85]

I like my red dot because in the heat of the moment or if the bird is looking at me and I can’t get a great cheek weld as long as I put the red dot on his head he is dead.

 

[Don Fischer]

I like my red dot because in the heat of the moment or if the bird is looking at me and I can’t get a great cheek weld as long as I put the red dot on his head he is dead.

Well doesn't that depend on what the distance iss you sighted in? I'm thinking what ever the sight is it does travel in a straight line doen't it?

 

[N2TRKYS]

Well doesn't that depend on what the distance iss you sighted in? I'm thinking what ever the sight is it does travel in a straight line doen't it?

It’s the same as every other aiming device.

 

[howl]

I'd caution folks reading that to proceed with caution shooting steel shot out of a tight Turkey choke. Many Turkey choke makers explicitly state that steel shot is NOT ok to shoot through their choke. Lead and TSS only....

I'd add that if you're worried about what may happen to your choke, or gun for that matter, don't run any TSS through it neither. TSS is unkind.

 

[howl]

I don't know a thing about Red Dot sight's. Aren't they a lazer light ... I have heard some people tell me just put the dot where you want to hit; that can't possibly work at much distance!

An LED emits the light. The light is reflected off the lens. You can Google up a diagram and probably a video pretty quickly.

 

[KayakMacGyver]

I'd add that if you're worried about what may happen to your choke, or gun for that matter, don't run any TSS through it neither. TSS is unkind.

You're right. I just assumed tungsten deformed and steel doesn't. I did some edumucatin' and it seems the tungsten is actually harder.

I don't want to derail the OP, but I'm now curious why they (in this case Sumtoy) put that warning out there yet expliy state TSS is ok.....

 

[howl]

You're right. I just assumed tungsten deformed and steel doesn't. I did some edumucatin' and it seems the tungsten is actually harder.

I don't want to derail the OP, but I'm now curious why they (in this case Sumtoy) put that warning out there yet expliy state TSS is ok.....

Call SumToy and talk to William a minute. That will probably put it into proper perspective. If the warning covers all his chokes consider some situations are bigger loads of bigger pellets that won't flow like smaller 20ga steel and the tiny TSS. I've shot 20ga steel loads through tight chokes plenty. It's fine.

 

[Hem]

I'm following the path of Stevens 301 20gauge topped with a Vortex Crossfire, shooting Federal TSS #9 through an Indian Creek.555.

 

[EKYHunter]

I'm following the path of Stevens 301 20gauge topped with a Vortex Crossfire, shooting Federal TSS #9 through an Indian Creek.555.

I’ve got a .555 in a TC Encore. Patterns at 20 are like a baseball. Can very easily miss close birds.