What Sights For Self Defense Shotgun?

The bead is fine for most uses.
If you want to see what a bead sighted shotgun is capable of, google "Hickock45 Mossberg 590". He easily and repeatedly hits his 80yd gong, as well as other demonstrations of accuracy.
I have fired pretty tight 50yd groups using slugs in my bead sighted Mossberg 500.
The best reason to have sights, I think, is the Federal Flitecontrol buckshot...it shoots so tightly that sights might be pretty useful.
 
You only need your eyes.......
Trust your eyes to make your hands point the gun in the right location.
You don't see sights on baseball bats or tennis racquets, your eyes and hands work together to make it happen, the same applies to a shotgun that fits you. It merely becomes an extension of your hands
 
I've been pondering this same question, and stumbled onto the meprolight tritium front bead that might be the best all around solution for pitch black HD and regular lighting situations.

Any comments from users of this sight ?
 
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I go with Trijicons, but also have the M3X to light up the target. Real fan of Remington sights, but I cannot use the standard stocks with their rifle sights. Bead sights are ok, but need more cheek height for the rifle sights. Glad Magpul came out with their SGA furniture.
 
I snapped a green Tru Glo Glo-Dot II onto my Winchester 1200 Defender.

I also have these on both of my old Springfield 67E's, a 12 and a 20, that I use for hunting.

I like them. They are inexpensive, easy to pickup and see in both daylight and lowlight, and they have been durable for me. The length of the fiber optic also seems to make it easy to align instinctively.

They also come in red, if you prefer.

http://www.cabelas.com/ensemble/Sho...ination=/catalog/product.jsp?productId=741270
 
Tad, what holds this sight on? Does it stay in the one spot when firing?

I have TRUGLO sights on my Glocks, love them (in green) good light, poor light, far, or close.
 
I just bought Trijicon Bright & Tough Night Sights... 8 weeks to delivery... ouch but in our pending legal environment seemed like a prudent move. Most of my pistol sights are the factory standard... So Sigs sights, which seem to work really well..
 
Brit,

It snaps onto the barrel. It goes around far enough to latch securely on both 20 ga and 12 ga barrels.

It also has a notch that the bead fits into to keep it indexed. It doesn't move at all when firing on any of my three shotguns that I have it on.
 
Keep it simple: I mean, that's why you chose the shotgun, right? Find the bead, pull the trigger, target goes down...extra sights and other accessories basically make the shotgun into a 4 to 8 shot manually operated rifle, while slowing you down.

That said, a tactical light is very useful. If you illuminate someone while loudly racking one into the chamber, and yelling "STOP OR I'LL SHOOT", it should resolve the situation one way or the other.

Good lights are expensive, though. It should be on the fore-end (don't mess with barrel-mounted ones, because you want to be able to turn it on and off without any cords dangling, etc.).

I'm not a fan of extended magazines because they make the gun more awkward, and can be a source of malfunctions.
 
To those who think you do not have to aim a shotgun to hit at ranges of 15 to 10 feet . . . try it and see. Shoot fast as you would in a self-defense encounter. Use a random start signal. Put pressure on yourself.

You might be surprised that you do miss at such close range. Imagine how much worse you might shoot under pressure of a deadly threat with adrenaline pumping through your veins.

You may have heard "you can't miss fast enough to win."
 
Thank you Tad.
Brit,
It snaps onto the barrel. It goes around far enough to latch securely on both 20 ga and 12 ga barrels.

It also has a notch that the bead fits into to keep it indexed. It doesn't move at all when firing on any of my three shotguns that I have it on.
Click to expand...
 
I've killed so many clay pigeons with a bead I cannot imagine a better sight on a shotgun. I figure if I can smack clays flying through the air I could hit a bg in my house. Don't overestimate the spread on a scatter gun at HD range though.
 
Just installed a couple of the Meprolight tritium bead replacements on short barreled HD pump 12's, and I am pleased with how bright they are in a dark room, and they function the same as a bead in daylight, so it is a win-win deal. And at less than $40, who cares if they are only warranted for 5 years ? I have not yet found a good rear sight though, so the 3/8" shallow groove on the top of the receiver is the standard for now.
 
El Cheapo

I just ordered a Nebo CSi light and 12/20 ga clamp for my 870 youth model 20ga that I keep for HD. I can get a shell to land where I want it with the bead sight, I just wanted to be able to ID my target. The light does have a laser in it, but I won't be using it until I mount it and take it to the range to see how it holds up.

Total cost is about $30, and requires no modification to the shotgun.
 
With many years of shotgun shooting,skeet, trap,sporting clays and hunting I never used the bead ,I would see it but concentration would be on the target cheek on the stock. I don,t need a sight to hit a target any place in my house or outside if within range
 
Fitted my M590A1 with the surefire front stock light and a pulsing green laser on a rail over the receiver, it was pre-drilled for the rail. It did turn a $750 gun into a $1400 gun though. Great for HD & with the laser on awild turkeys eye/head at 25yds only the bottom of the pattern hits the bird taking the head/neck OFF & NO bbs in the breast.
 
Just a bead for me, thanks. With a shotgun at close range, the comb of the stock is my rear sight. Focus on the target and swing to it as needed. When the blur/flash of the bead covers the target, shoot.

The only extra gear to consider is a light, per posters above.
 
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