I shoot a 12 gage 3-1/2" mag shot out of my mossburg 835 turkey shot gun and am looking for a sight that can handle the punch it kicks out. Has anyone any advice? I really want an optic sight instead of just my open sights. Cabelas recommended a Bushnell trophy trs-25 red dot at $120. Price doesn't bother me too much, I just want a sight that will take it.
Need reliable optic for turkey shotgun
- Thread starter Stev
- Start date
my turkey gun is a 3.5" rem 870 super mag and i have a 2.5x leupold scope mounted with three rings and with 3.5 rem premier mag 2-1/4 oz #6 shot is a turkey killer at a honest 40+ yards.it does kick and i use a lead sled to sight it in,but when fired at a turkey i never notice the recoil very much. eastbank.
seansean1444
New member
check out the dead ringer fiber optic sights, no batteries and they are just great imo
NoSecondBest
New member
Look around if you decide on the Bushnell TRS-25. They can be had for eighty-five bucks a number of places. If it were me, I'd put a good fiber optic front sight on it and forget about the red dot. A large diameter green fiber optic pipe will show up almost in complete darkness and you never have to worry about batteries, recoil, or turning the sight on. I have a dozen or so red dot sights and I like them on a lot of my guns. My shotgun for turkey isn't one of them.
Vortex Strikefire in a low ring would be my choice for a trouble free red dot without mortgaging the farm.
Can be had from PSA for $120 lately, but can be found most anywhere for $160.
Can be had from PSA for $120 lately, but can be found most anywhere for $160.
As Nathan said, I would recommend the Vortex Strikefire. I currently own 2 of them, along with a third on the way from PSA that was a package deal along with flip up BUIS for an AR I just finished building.
One of my Strikefires is mounted on my turkey gun. While I am shooting 2 3/4" or 3", not the 3 1/2" shells you are shooting, I have not had a problem with it holding zero.
I don't know much about the Bushnell you are looking at, but the Strikefire has not let me down. The only possible knock I have on the Strikefire is that the red/green dot (yes, it has both - a huge plus on a relatively inexpensive red dot optic) is 4 MOA, so it is not the smallest, most precise optic out there. But then again, you do not need to shoot the beard off, just hit the head/neck of a turkey...
One of my Strikefires is mounted on my turkey gun. While I am shooting 2 3/4" or 3", not the 3 1/2" shells you are shooting, I have not had a problem with it holding zero.
I don't know much about the Bushnell you are looking at, but the Strikefire has not let me down. The only possible knock I have on the Strikefire is that the red/green dot (yes, it has both - a huge plus on a relatively inexpensive red dot optic) is 4 MOA, so it is not the smallest, most precise optic out there. But then again, you do not need to shoot the beard off, just hit the head/neck of a turkey...
bamaranger
New member
wet
I'm a big advocate of sights on a turkey gun, but have no experience with an electric dot.
Spring gobbler hunting usually means WET hunting and wet gear and guns. What ever you get, it should dang well be absolutely, 100% and no doubt about it, waterproof.
I'm fooling with fiber optics, there are several bead and blade conventional sights that are on the market.
A single fiber optic front dot is visible, but under stress and excitement, it is easy to not cheek weld the gun well and look over the barrel, and not down it, and shoot high. A rear blade pulls your head down for more consistent shooting. Plus, an adjustable rear allows you to slide the pattern around to point of aim.
If I were going to run an electric dot on a gobbler gun, it's be a premium one, .... Aimpoint.
I'm a big advocate of sights on a turkey gun, but have no experience with an electric dot.
Spring gobbler hunting usually means WET hunting and wet gear and guns. What ever you get, it should dang well be absolutely, 100% and no doubt about it, waterproof.
I'm fooling with fiber optics, there are several bead and blade conventional sights that are on the market.
A single fiber optic front dot is visible, but under stress and excitement, it is easy to not cheek weld the gun well and look over the barrel, and not down it, and shoot high. A rear blade pulls your head down for more consistent shooting. Plus, an adjustable rear allows you to slide the pattern around to point of aim.
If I were going to run an electric dot on a gobbler gun, it's be a premium one, .... Aimpoint.
jaguarxk120
New member
Take a look at the Eotech , the reticule has 65 minutes of coverage at 100 yards, that should be about 27 inches at 40 yards.
The Marines use the Eotech in the sandbox so it should fill your needs nicely.
The Marines use the Eotech in the sandbox so it should fill your needs nicely.
Thanks for the input everyone. I did end up with the bushnell and finally had the chance to pound some shells out. It handled fine so far. Looking forward to seeing it used on a turkey instead of a target..... It'll be a lot easier on my shoulder shooting one 3-1/2" magnum at a bird than a bunch of them at a target!
Unlicensed Dremel
Moderator
Nikon TurkeyPro 1.65-5x36 - that's what's on my turkey gun, mounted in the far-forward ('scout') position.
Sadly, looks like this excellent scope may have been discontinued... Scoop one or two up quickly if you can.
Sadly, looks like this excellent scope may have been discontinued... Scoop one or two up quickly if you can.
Sheikyourbootie
New member
I've always just used a bead sight, or a fiber optic front sight like this gun.
