Defensive shotgun sights

S

STW

New member
I purchased an 870 with two barrels a few years ago. One of the barrels was 20" for home defense. Now I've signed up for a June shotgun self-defense class. The single absolute requirement for the class is a shotgun. Recommendations, to get the most out of the experience, are another matter.
Recommended are a pump action, side saddle type ammo carrier, a sling, and rifle or ghost ring sights.
The first few are pretty straight forward. However, I need some recommendations on sights.
Presently there are no rear sights and a single bead up front.
Suggestions?
 
HD, right?
Unless you're taking it into combat, you don't really need any of that stuff, including the sights. A good, visible front bead is all you really need. Lots of info and opinions about HD shotguns on-line, read as many as you can find.
 
For HD a bead sight is just fine. On my riot shotgun for work i prefer the rifle sights over the ghost ring. I know there are others that like the ghost ring better. Just put on what you prefer. The most important thing to do though is to pattern your shotgun with the loads you are using.
 
For HD a bead is fastest, IMO. You might consider an XS Big Dot for better acquisition at night. When at the range, with slugs, I switch to a rifle sighted barrel, which I prefer to GR sights. A disadvantage of GR sights is that the rear sight is permanently installed on the receiver, preventing one from using other barrel/sight options.
 
When it comes to HD, many think they need the latest video game version with all of the doodads on it. Do yourself a favor and measure the absolute longest straight line in your house you might have to shoot. In MY house, it is right at 52' - that is both bedroom doors open and from one end of the house to the other - that is all of 17 yards - at the MAX. Any shot would most likely be closer to 36' or 12 yards. At those distances, a quick bead sight will work just fine - in MY home as there is enough ambient lighting from outside and the "voltage vampires" or LEDs that glow in the dark. At 12 yards, the typical 00 buck from a C or IC choke barrel is going to be about 8-10 inches in diameter or half the width of most torsos.

Don't over-think or over-accessorize to the point that the gun becomes so heavy you can't move to quickly to the target
 
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The class calls for 50 rounds of slug ammo. I believe the sights are for shooting slugs.
And yes, in real life if I was shooting out 50 or 100 yards I'd grab a rifle not a shotgun but the class is what it is. It's also why I'm looking for a bit of guidance. I don't like spending a C note on sights I'd only use for a (portion) of one class.
So, what is best recommendation for this scenario?
 
How far out will you be shooting slugs? A lot of folks can manage out to 50 or 75, even a hundred yards with a bead sight. Try your existing barrel first, and see how it goes. Brenneke KO slugs have always worked well for me, and don't usually cost an arm and a leg.

For a multi-purpose gun, I prefer rifle sights on the barrel. That way, when the barrel is swapped, the sights go with it. A 20" rifle sighted smoothbore slug barrel shouldn't be too hard to find, new or used, or too expensive either - almost certainly less than it would cost to buy a good set of GRs and get them installed.
 
Rifle or Ghost Ring sights

Any of you snap-shots read what he was asking? He had a bead sighted bbl already I went back and re-read it myself. Requirement - shotgun. The rifle or Ghost Ring sights are something benificial to firing the slug portion of his course, however, not neccessary, as many folks do very well with just a bead, even at surprising distances. The photo Petahw posted says a lot about rifle type sights; at least in a home defense situation. I wish I could recommend a sight sir, but I'm not aware what's available. If it's only for benifit of the class, it would seem that a stick-on adheasive type sight may be availible.
 
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STW said:
The class calls for 50 rounds of slug ammo. I believe the sights are for shooting slugs.
Click to expand...

Slugs for HD huh? Do you know what the range is for this slug portion of the course? Is this an outdoor course of fire?
I know some training courses, like Gunsite for example, require slugs for all 4 levels of HD/tactical training, but typically, shots are taken at 25 yds to sight in, then 50, 75 and 100 yds to fine tune adjustable sights and/or POA/POI.

Just trying to narrow down your particular requirements, to see if the single bead is a viable sight for all your training needs, or if a sight "upgrade" would be beneficial.

Cheers,
C
 
I found a clamp on hi viz tube that slips over the barrel and fits in place against the bead. does wonders for old eyes and low light conditions and you can take it off and put it on another gun if you want. Not quite up to the gun with rifle sights or my scoped gun but it beats the plain bead all to heck and gone for me.

This one for a shotgun with a rib.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/95...fiber-optic-with-6-interchangeable-lite-pipes

They also have magnetic ones, mine is just a 3/4 ring of plastic that spreads apart and fits over the barrel, sorry I don't remember where I got it but its stood up to a lot of shooting in the last 6 or 7 years.
 
A little mid-barrel bead is always nice if u have a rib. I do like a single or double beads myself, rifle sights (which you can look over), and even three-dot sights. I HATE ghost ring sights -- look cool on a gun but in use they block too much of your close vision, interfere with rapid target aquisition, and truly only promote accurate longer-range shots which is NOT what a shotgun is ususlly for. See pic...
 

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You do realize the post was about what was recommended for a June self-defense class and here July is almost past. I wonder if the OP was actually signed up for a general tactical shotgun class.
 
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