Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics New holo sight for shotgun

If anyone here was to shop for a new holo sight this year to put on a 12-gauge shotgun for indoor and outdoor work with heavy loads, would a Burris Fastfire be on your list?

Anything you like better?

I've had Burris FFII and IIIs on handguns and they are reasonably good sights. I think some people complain about their durability but I never had a problem. I like the auto brightness adjustments. I think they'd be find on a shotgun.

I just looked at a Holosun 510. It's bigger than a standard sized reflex optic sight you find on pistols, but not as a big as a EoTech. It looks like a nice size for a shotgun. I like the bigger window it offers over smaller reflex sight, but its not as tall or bulky as an EoTech. I think I may get one for my Winchjester SX4.

https://holosun.com/index/product/detail/id/124.html

Pic of it on a Rem 870

https://2rdrtx4bt29lo91s31mjhkji-wp...gun-survival-defense-optic-review-22.jpg

I use several Burris FF's on pistols, like them a lot. I also have Holosums, & a couple of EOTECHs. Currency have two CMore models that are almost a copy of the EOTECH 512, one of those is the only "holo" sight I am using with a shotgun - it's on a Moss berg 20 pump, & I like it for that.

Mike Holmes

The C-MORE I referred to is their "Railway" model.

Mike Holmes

Mikewriter, what size dot are you using on your Mossberg?

I'm thinking one holo sight for a Beretta A400 for hunting, and another for a Mossberg 500 for HD.

I put a Vortex Venom. On my predator hunting shotgun

Hope you're doing well. I've been using a Fastfire on an M2 for several years and like it. Spring it gets used for turkey with a 21" barrel. I've killed more coyotes while turkey hunting with it than turkeys. Rest of the year I use a 26" for everything else. I've been shooting a fair amount of clays thrown with friends. I like the FF for all of this but the thing I like most about it is the ability to still use the front bead if the battery dies. I'm sure this could vary with the type of mount, stock fit, someone's build, etc but it's a major plus for me.

I can't say anything about others as I've not used them or researched them.

i could see putting one on a shotgun for slug hunting or maybe turkey hunting , but not for using in a shotgun with bird shot for naything else the best shotgun shooters never aim there shotgun its a hand and eye thing you have to learn . ever watch the better trap shooters they shoot fast and smoke the clay pigeons quickly and never aim , aimers are to slow and mis more always. don`t believe guys that just bird hunt are better shots with a shotgun that is not true guys that shoot trap , skeet ,sporting clays or just shoot clay pigeons are very good at shooting live birds . i have seen guys try those holo sights for trap shooting they do not do very well they chip some. matter afcted i have been coaching a 12 year old neighbor how the hand -eye trap shooting is borrowed him a BT-99 to learn with and use . i am sure by the end of the year he will be best youth shooter in the area too he listens very well and a very smart kid ,reminds me of my son when he was young and he also did well shooting shotgun . its hand- eye coordination not aiming and the younger you learn it the better or easier you will hit targets with a shotgun , look up Tom Knapp the famous trap shooter.

I like the FF II. Have one on my Ruger MK IV Hunter and it works well for me. My experience with Holosun was not great. First one wouldn't turn on, battery tested by substitution, second one failed after about 25 rounds on the Mk IV. Returned it and bought the Burris which has been great.

I’ve got (I think) six of the FF3s and an original. No failures yet on stuff up to and including .357 revolvers. OTOH a supposedly bullet-proof Sparc II bit the dust after about ten round on one of those .357s. I suspect the small light ones mounted low are subject to fewer stresses. The FF3 also shuts off after a time, which helps old guys from running out of juice.

Another option is one of the 50,000 hour Aimpoints. Leave it on and the battery on your birthday and you’ll never be without juice.

JB has an interesting story about a bunch of folks shooting clays with a red dot of some sort. Apparently pretty much everyone did better with it. I’ve tried one on an O/U set up for turkeys and did fairly well, but it was mounted out a bit too far to be ideal.

My notion is that most instinctive shooters of all sorts are actually aware of the “sight”, be it arrow tip or shotgun bead, but in the periphery. Been watching a bunch of videos about shotguns and clays and even the top shooters talk about seeing the barrels, sometimes with the wrong eye. I struggle with that some myself as I’m not strongly dominate with either. Still mange to break some when the off eye takes over in mid-flight if I keep focused on the bird.

I'll note that when I shoot clays, I rarely turn it on. I've tried it both on and off and really couldn't tell much of a difference. That said, it's just something I do for fun. I'm not good enough and don't do it enough to be at a point where it might have a noticeable effect one way or the other. I wouldn't purchase one for just that reason.

The biggest plus for me on the FF was that when turkey hunting I could still use the bead if needed. The line on the rear of the FF actually works very well with the bead and gives me a better reference point of alignment when turkey hunting than if the FF wasn't there and I was only using the bead. With an Indian Creek choke and turkey loads, it's more like shooting a rifle than a shotgun....and for this, the FF is a nice point of reference both off and on.

yep i did the exact same thing on my target Ruger 22 pistol and it does work super too !

Saw a video the other day where the battery died on the RD and the guy was still able to get his bird looking through it. A number of shotguns are cut for the RDs now, which puts them in line with the bead.

I can see the front sight on my Smith 620 through the FF with the very low mount I installed. No rail or PIC mount, the FF screws directly to it.

Okay, guys, for those who put these things on a shotgun:

Burris FF comes with 3MOA and 8MOA dots. Which do you like?

I have a Delta Point Pro on a M2 and it's been a great performer. I would strongly suggest you get the 3 MOA version. The 8 would look like a basketball. These sights have a bit of a halo around the dot that makes it look a bit larger than it actually is.

Great. Thanks.

I think Burris has out a FF 4 now. I have a FF 3 on my turkey gun and don't like the view. I wish it had just enough magnification so I didn't see the barrel and bead.

Have both. I think an 8 is probably better for wingshooting and close-quarters work with about anything, but a 3 allows more precise aiming for slugs and maybe tight turkey loads. I have a Henry .410 SS and have tried the 3, the 8, a SeeAll open sight and a Bushnell MiniP prism. The prism can be focused to your eyesight and looks like a post and bead iron sight when the light’s off, and like a tactical red dot when lit. I can put slugs right on the dot with it, but the tight field ain’t for wingshooting, for me anyway.

Okay, I'm getting two of these. One for a hunting shotgun and the other for a short-barred HD shotgun. So a 3MOA for the field and an 8MOA for inside the house and around a campsite?

Sounds like a plan. Can’t go far wrong anyway. When you get them, mount them up and it should be pretty obvious.

If you need any correction for distance vision, you’ll probably want to wear it for shooting with the FF, as there’s no focus capability.

LOL

I have a Holosun 507C on my turkey shotgun and it has worked great.
I have a FF3 on another turkey shotgun and can't complain about it either.
The FF2's I have used on shotguns were not something I would use again on a shotgun. I had 3 of them fail.
The Vortex Venmo was another sight I had good luck with.

I've got a Holosun 510c on stoeger m3000 tactical .. works fine it will raise you face a bit fron the stock . I put a padded check riser / shell holder on mine .. much more comfortable to shoot now

Pullit, how do you think a 507c would work on a BL-22 rifle? Sure seems more compact than a 510, and I'm trying to keep that little rifle slem and trim

Another vote for Holosun. I really like mine.

Pretty sure it was a holo sight, not a reflex or tube.

Doug was blowing out the made in Japan Sightron SRS-2 for less than $200 a short time ago. I bought one (direct ship from Sightron) but have yet to mount it. It will go on my Glock M40 replacing the Vortex Razor. I see they are out of stock and back at $340 now. It looks like a very nice piece.

This weekend I ordered two Burris FF-3s from Doug, both with 3mm dots. On sale for $199 ea.

There are others just as good, I'm sure, but there are enough shooters and hunters who like these that I'm confident about the choice.

I have one on my Browning M71 and it has been fine.

Should work fine, if you want the smallest sight, take a look at the 507K. It is made for the compact type pistols like a Sig 365 etc.

Turnbull did geezers a solid when he came up with that.

I put a Trigicon RMR in a Scalerworks mount on my SBE....pricey but I'd rate it as one the best purchases I ever made. Military grade and virtually indestructible. Check out the Youtube videos on one.


Nothing to line up I had no misses this spring...lucky I was ready when this gobblers head popped up in the yellow top at 15 feet or less.
I took it to the sporting clay range the other day I could hit fairly well with it with a pre-mounted gun. I wouldn't recommend one for flying targets.

Thanks, Pullit, I'll give it a look! New to this type of sight, so appreciate the suggestions.

LFC, that looks like a mighty fine rig. Tell you what, if I break the Burris, I'll cry twice and buy one of those to replace it.

The swamp fox sights have a good reputation among the turkey hunters. Not the buried ff3, there can be a battery cap/thread issue from my reports.

Don’t do the cheap truglo (from
Experience)

The FF3 battery caps are a pain in the ass. It's easy to booger the threads. I used a tad bit of grease on mine and made sure to start them with only my thumb and a bit of pressure, using a coin for final tightening after the caps has been turned on.

If the OP is interested in a Trijicon RMR, the Dual Illuminated model has some benefits. The downside is that it can experience some washout of the dot when looking from a very dark location into a very bright location. The upside is that they tend to be more robust than the battery operated models since they lack any electronics, and they are almost impervious to water. On a hunting gun, I would prefer the Dual Illuminated to the red dot. I use one on my Glock 17 Gen 5 and am more than pleased with it. One day, I'll add one to my Glock 20 and Ruger Redhawk.

If you want a red dot, the Trijicone SRO is a nice sight. It has a bigger window than the RMRs and it's significantly easier to pick up that dot quickly. It's a little less expensvie than the RMRs. I've read that they are aren't as robust as the RMRs but I've never seen or heard of one breaking under any sort of normal use.

I don't look at an RMR as having a sight window...its more like a frame with a glass and it suspends a dot.

I like it's small size I shoot mine both eyes open and I'm more looking around it that sighting through it.

I never even thought of this. I have a Winchester 1886 Extra Light .45-70. I was thinking of a peep sight but this set up is appealing. It looks high enough that you would look over the facctory sights.

What base are you using?

Edit: duh, Turnbull. Someone already mentioned it. Looks like an option worth considering.

Go to 12 minutes....this ain't your grandmaws red dot.

Dang, good shooting!

I should replace my Lyman peep on the Savage M-99 with that set up.

Nothing wrong with a fast fire . However it is a red dot sight not a halo graphic sight. Big difference between the two.
Eotech is a Halo sight, and is what I use on my Turkey gun.