Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Turkey gun optic

Looking to put a red dot on my turkey gun? What is your favorite optic for this purpose?

Get an rmr from Trijicon or leupold. Small and tough

I believe that C-more red dots are the best and brightest. Good shooting

I have a Burris FF3, and a Vortex Venom on two different guns and they have done me well for several years now. I have used a Burris FF2 but it was replaced with the FF3.
I mashed my thumb on my left hand really bad back in Jan. and don't have much feeling in it. I say that to say that it is hard for me to tell when I am mashing the button's on these two sights. I just yesterday bought a Holosun 507C with the "shake awake" feature so that if the feeling does not come back in my thumb, I don't have to worry about turning the sight on

On a side note, I would not buy a sight that does not have the battery that can be changed without removing the sight. That was a big draw back to the Burris FF2. The sight had to be removed to replace the battery and then the gun had to be resighted in.
It was always close but never back perfect like before removing it.

I just put a Swampfox Kingslayer on my encore turkey gun

Green dot which I can see better than red

it's an awesome optic

Red dots come in tube types, like Aimpoints, and open reflex like Fastfires. The reflex give you a more open view, with usually just a thin frame around the “window”, and are better IMO for a shotgun, especially if you may take shots on the wing. The FF3 is reasonably priced and excellent, plus the battery can be swapped without removing it from the base. If you’re “accident prone”, they make a tactical mount with protective wings for it.

I have a tiny Bushnell Mini P prism sight on my Henry .410 for this season. Advantages are that it works with or without batteries (illumination off), and the focusing ocular (no fuzzy dot). It allows very precise aiming, almost like a peep sight. The main disadvantage is that it has limited eye-relief like a scope, so needs to be mounted as far back as you can manage. The view is a little tight too, but I tolerate that because it’s so tiny compared to other prisms. The FF3 is equally tiny and lighter, so I may end up getting one for the Henry as well, as soon as I pay off the mortgage on my TSS shells.

I had a tube type way back and I agree with Pappy, the reflex is the way to go on a shotgun.....at least for me

Why

Faster to get on target. Head position is not as critical as a tube type.

EoTech 512, love it.

I put a Burris FF3 on my Winchester sx-3 20 gauge turkey gun last year, I wish I made the move years ago. Like pullit said head position is not critical, makes it easy when the bird comes from a different direction and you are in a bad position.

Got the cheap but low saddle mount from Remington and put a Sightmark M spec reflex on it. Hopefully zero it Monday.

I put a Burris FF3 on my Beretta with the speed bead mount. I like it a lot.

Have only used the FF3. Love it

I installed the FF3 and speed bead on my Benelli M2 20 gauge about 5 years ago works great made in the Philippines then if that's an issue. 40 yards and in it is a hammer just get em to look at you put the dot on his head pull the trigger and watch what happens. I also have a pro hunter with a Leupold VX3 1.5 -5 in an EABCO 1 piece mount it gets me out to 60 for hunting fields. Both are with number 7 TSS

For years I carried a 12 gauge 1187 without sight which I would'nt be without however it's too heavy now and lead in my turkey breast was way more common the with 3" duplex shot.

Good luck and shoot straight y'all

I hunt opening day w my 1100 SP.
Next day is 870 LOL

Lighter and still tired after the hunt

I have a older Weaver 1.5X5 with a diamond reticle on my 20 gauge 870, with a saddle mount. I like it better than any red dot I've tried, and that's been several.

Red dot not faster than bead nor anymore accurate than speed bead

It aint about fast. Its about eliminating error.

I had a speed bead, and I much prefer a reflex open sight. YMMV

I was somewhat reluctant to add a red dot or reflex so I decided on the economical route for trial.
4 or 5 birds later, the Bushnell TRS-25 still hasn't given up the ghost. If I cared more about turkey hunting, I'd likely upgrade.

Nice bird.
I found that there is no right or wrong answer on this. Find what you like and run with it.

I do think a lot if it depends on how tight of a pattern you have as well. Bigger pattern will let you get by with more. SUPER TIGHT pattern, and you have to start thinking about it more like a rifle as opposed to a shotgun.
Shot distance also inter into it as well.
I do like the birds to be at 25 yards or so when I can get them there. I shoot a really tight pattern and have shot them as close as 10 yards.
Close with a really tight pattern give very little wiggle room

This is why I have run the Burris FF#3 for about 8 years. Replace the battery and never have to rezero or remove the sight....

This⬆️

A lot depends on one’s vision. I need some correction to see even a red dot clearly, and definitely a regular front sight of any sort. Prisms have focusing oculars, so everything is sharp and clear just like a scope. I have a PA Prism on a Mini-14 that has a much larger FOV than the Mini P on my .410, but it cost over two times as much and is a lot heavier. Might try it later.

Another reason for an optic on a shotgun is for shooting slugs or other “alternative” ammo. My .410 put three Brenneke slugs under 2” at 50 yards with that Mini P and a Skeet tube.

I run a Venom

Eotech is hard to beat.

Turkey seem to like me so a long shot would be maybe 25 yards. Bead works fine to me. I don’t even call turkey because I’ve found with the high numbers the toms just ain’t rustling up hens like they used to so the calling process spooks them much of the time. I literally make a gobbling sound that the toms respond to which gives away their position, I think it irritates the heck out of them. I just find a spot on their circuit, sit and wait.

For the most part I don’t turkey hunt because I don’t like all the rules. If I do take one its with a single shot sawed off 12 gauge. There just ain’t much sport in it for me, they really are a dumb bird.

I run a sig sauer Romeo 4h. Assembled in the US at least.....



If you’re going to shoot groups like this with a 20 gauge at 45 yards, a red dot becomes a must......

Way too big and heavy

I prefer the Fast Fire 3 style red dots.

I had terrible results with a couple of Trophy RDs that crapped in no time, but a range buddy happily runs a bunch of the TRS-25s, so I took a chance. So far so good on a S&W Victory. Nice sight, priced right. Still, the FF3 is a sure bet if you ever want a change.

Went fastfire 3. Works great.

How do you guys like the Circle/Dot reticles? This seems like it would be great for turkey hunting.

I have a sight coming with one and will play with it but am happy with the dot

Fastfire 4 just came out.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/tmp/159454.jpg


SwampFox Kingslayer

This business of shooting turkeys has sure gotten complicated. When I got a 24” turkey barrel with fiber optic open sights for my Encore I thought I’d hit the big time. Hell, I still slum around running and gunning in fall season with my 3 1/2” Beretta duck gun (no sights) or one of my 16 gauge sxs’s (no sights.)

I've been using Aimpoint for over 15 years. Can't complain. I have my shotgun setup with a super tight turkey choke and I shoot TSS #6 exclusively. I need the accuracy for the tight pattern and my vision. I have to agree, however, that a reflex sight, speed bead or plain ol' iron bead are really what's needed if you get a runner or need to shoot one flying.

Eotech

I have a Fastfire 3 on a 12 gauge 870 and I'm going to take it off. I find it very distracting seeing the barrel and beads. I wonder why they don't make one with just enough magnification to see past the barrel.

Went through all phases of turkey hunting in the last 30 years pick what you like and enjoy and go from there piss on what everybody else thinks. Good calls and learn to call