Red Dot on tactical and choke choice?

B

Bullmoose

New member
Sorry about the long post......
I put together an 870 as a tactical gun and installed a Tasco Pro-Point P6 special that I already owned. Thought I didn't want to install a couple hundred dollars of tritium ghost ring sights. Now I find that I love it as my 67 year old eyes seem to have better sight acquisition and accuracy than I have enjoyed for years. Now the question: are red dot sights really slower than ghost rings as some instructors say. That is, for everybody. I have been told that the red dots are less than optimum on a tactical sg. I just play games with mine, haven't done a SWAT entry or building clearance, etc in my life as a groceryman, accountant, programmer,anyalyst, etc.... I enjoyed the best score that I ever made at our IDPA shoot with the new gun and the red dot last week. The special that I installed has four selectable dot sizes and is great at the long distances with a 1 MOA and using the 12MOA indoors makes it seem really fast. Both eyes open, full field of view, great low light level target acquisition, etc.. For me it seems great. I guess that is all that really matters as you shoot a lot better with equipment that you are confortable with...... Still wonder about the comparison between dots and ghost rings....
Choke choice:
I patterened the cyl bbl with 00 buck and run out of pattern after about 15 yards. I have a deer special 20" bbl, cantilevered with RemChokes ordered. I will pattern it next week when it arrives with Skeet, IC and Mod chokes (mod is tightest Rem recommends). Thinking of trying the Patternmaster Standard Long Range. Any suggestions? FYI: I have an Express sythetic stock, 18" cyl choke, Aimtech saddle mount, the P6spl pro-point, 2 shot Choate mag extension, tactical sling, 6 shot Tac Star side saddle, Alan Timney trigger job (3 1/2#) and the 20" bbl is in the mail.
Thank you, Jim
 
Sounds like a real nice setup,Bullmoose. I've little experience with the red dots, but plenty with Peep sights, AKA Ghost Rings. Nothing is as fast as a peep, except a plain bead. Even then, it's close.

However, if it works for you, go with that dot.

Buck is great for close range, mediocre for medium range and a lost cause for long. Even with choke and cone work, nitpicking load selection, and a full moon/high tide,most loads look and are bad over 25 yards.

Before you drop mucho dinero into custom chokes( many of which are of highest quality), get your smith to lengthen the forcing cone in yours. This oft does more to even out patterns and eliminate flyers than a change in constriction.$35 around here...

For comparison, my HD 870 has no choke at all, the cone done, and puts Win/Fed 00 into 20-24" @ 25 yards, and Estate "SWAT" 00 into maybe 16-20,if memory serves.
 
I don't know what instructor told you reddots aren't as fast as a peep. They are faster and a lot more accurate. The PDP6 should hold up fine. If the ghost ring was so great you wouldn't see guys at 3 gun nationals using dots! Ask Michael VOIGHT. The choke should be imp. Cyl. works great with 00 and slugs. The biggest problem with the dots is you have to turn them on, The optima 2000 solved that problem.
 
1. Conventional front/rear sight - 3 points of focus (target, front and rear sight).

2. Red dot - 2 points (target and dot).

3. Ghost rings - 2 points but only theoretically (target and front sight -- no rear sight as it "ghosts" out and is not considered). Practically? You might have 3 points of focus anyway....

Seems to me that the proper formulation, all else being equal, is that ghost rings can be just as fast as a dot -- but to say that dots are not as fast as ghost rings doesn't seem to make much sense.

HTH,

Justin
 
Recon, I've nothing against red dot sights. I have shot against folks with them in some practical matches, and did better. Other folks with them shot better than me. I stick with peeps because they work for me, are not terribly delicate, and do not protrude too far from the weapon. The one big item I don't like is what you mentioned. Peeps are always on and need no batteries.

This is a matter of personal choice. No overriding advantage to either sight, IMO.
 
Dave,
I stick with irons for a combat gun, but for competition the dot wins hands down. Especially with slugs out past 50. I prefer the rifle sights over a GR. Too many years shooting them I guess. The Dept. mandates them so that's what I'm used to shooting.
 
To each his own, Recon. For younger folks, the rifle sights work well. Older eyes have trouble focussing on them, and a peep or scope make sense then.

The short bbls common to "Serious" shotguns mean those open sights have a sight radius not much longer than handguns. A peep sight comes close to doubling that radius.

As to what to use in competition vs real life, don't get me started.
 
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