Different types of shotgun sights

N

Nightcrawler

New member
-A plain old bead.
-A bead on a rib.
-A bead on a rib with a second mid-rib bead/
-A rib with fiber-optic turkey sights.
-Ghost Ring sights.
-Rifle type sights.

Many different kinds of shotguns, many different types of sights. I'm new to shotgunning, and although I'm certain I want a solid pump shotgun as my primary do it all firearm, I'm still considering different makes and models, particularly, the M870, the 590A1, and the Win Camp Defender. (I'm probably going to trade my Win 94 .357 for a used 870 soon, but I still want a brand new keeper shotgun that's all mine, and I'm willing to save up for it.)

So, I ask the experienced shotgunners out there. What is the most versatile kind of sights for a shotgun? I want my all rounder shotgun to be able to handle just about anything (like a good shotgun should). So which sights should I get? Bead, ghost ring, or rifle sights? Which is best for hitting moving targets with shot? Which is best for quick acquisition? Which is best in lower light conditions? Which is best for accuracy with slugs (50-75 yard range)?

Thanks.
 
Nightcrawler,

Here are my opinions on the different sighting systems that I've personally used on a shotgun:

Single bead - as fast as anything out there once you learn to use it. With the proper cheek weld, your eye becomes the rear sight. Basically non-adjustable, in case you want to zero for slugs.

Rib + bead(s) - I can't tell the difference from just a plain bead, but I've been told the rib gives you a better sighting plane (compared to just the receiver alone). I seem to be able to break just as many clay pigeons without the rib. Again, basically non-adjustable.

Ghost ring sights - My favorite. Most offer full adjustability so slug performance can be optimized. Used correctly, they approach the speed of a plain bead as the rear sight "ghosts" or disappears when you aim.

Rifle sights - I find these slower for me to acquire than the ghost rings. I think it's because the rear sight is on the barrel, farther from your eye, so it doesn't disappear like a ghost ring. Hence it takes a little longer for me to get a sight picture. All the ones I've seen have some sort of adjustability.

Remember, one of the advantages of the scattergun is that it's more forgiving (than a rifle or pistol) to imperfect sight alignment, sight picture and trigger control.
 
what he said...

GGGLOCK gave a pretty good synopsis. Keep in mind that you don't really 'aim' a shotgun, you 'point' it, kinda natural like pointing your finger. Sight picture isn't as important as a mount that's comfortable and repeatable.

That's where 'fit' comes into the picture.

You should be able to mount the shotgun to your shoulder the same way every time to where it becomes second nature and you can mount it with your eyes closed, and then open your eyes and be on target.

That's where 'practice' comes into the picture.

I like to compare shotgunning to golf. You need a repeatable swing (mount) and lots of practice to become proficient. But once you get in the groove and break one clay bird after another, you'll know it by the way it 'feels' and this is much more prevalent than in riflery.

As far as shotgun sights go, both my trap and skeet guns have ribs and mid-beads and I seem to do okay with them. When I mount, the front bead sits on top of the mid bead and forms a '8'. My HD 870 has a single bead front sight but I don't feel the least bit hampered by it. I do like the ghost ring sights for a HD shotgun though, I just don't have that much experience with them. I've got a Mossy M590A1 with ghost rings in the works, but my dealer is dragging his feet. I'll post a range report here when and if I finally get it.
 
They all work if you do your part.

Beads, or or off ramps and ribs- fastest sight system, dependent on good stock fit for best work. With slugs,a good hand will get hits up to 50 yards.

Open rifle sights- good for those with young eyes, and adjustable. The short sight radius means not quite as accurate as a peep sight, but somewhat more accurate than a bead with slugs.

Peep sights, AKA Ghost Rings when they have a press agent.
Fast, accurate, durable, adjustable. Best for slugs.

None except the beads is great on small flying/running things w/o major practice.

The Fiber Optic stuff distracts me, but they're good in SOME low light scenarios.
 
Bead sights for everything for me. Although once you are familiar with the gun and have developed good mounting technique... and have a gun that fits you, the sight in unimportant.

I do like a nice flat rib, the rib seems to be what my eye picks up when I mount. Of course I have very poor vision and have difficulty using iron sights on Pistols and Rifles so it may just by my own personal adaptation. Then again I do not shoot slugs so rifle type accuracy is unimportant to me with a Shotgun.

Shooters who are cross eye dominant have found the "light pipe" type sights very effective. If the sight is set up properly the glowing dot will only be seen by the proper eye in the proper position. This prevents the supposed Weak eye from taking over visual dominance.

I can see no use for a ghost ring on a SG. Seems like it would get in the way of sight acquisition.

My advice is to learn to use the bead first.


Geoff Ross
 
Geoff, I rigged up one of the "Green Worm" fiber optic sights recently to see how it worked for trap. It didn't, so back to a bead.

Rifle sights are for slugs,sometimes for buck, and not good for wingshooting or clays.

KA3N, mid beads serve on target arms in premounted games to check if the eye is properly placed. Use for live game is rather limited. Some turkey hunters use them.
 
I tried one of those bright green fiber optic thingies too. One of the guys I shoot skeet with had one that's magnetic and lays flat on the rib by the front bead. I couldn't hit with it. Too distracting. So I took it off and went back to the bead. Works for him though so more power to him.
 
My scored improved much when I started to use a gloworm fiberoptic sight. They improved better yet with rifle sights (11-87) though I can't know why. I am sure that shallow rifle sights like those on Beretta 1201 wouldn't have worked.
 
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