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tell me about different shotgun sights

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mazzgolf

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I need some opinions - from what I've seen on njh.com, there's a few people on here that have them :), so tell me what you know.

I have a Rem 870 Express with a 28" ribbed barrel with the standard front metal bead. I use it for turkey, goose, and (now) upland game (I just went on my first pheasant hunt this weekend... LOVED IT! I'll be doing that again).

I want to invest in a new sight. But I don't even know what I need. Or what I should look for.

Here's why I want to invest in a nice sight. I've noticed when I need to line up for the shot quickly (for birds on the wing), I sometimes can't get the rear and front of the barrel lined up in time - I'll take the shot at an easy distance and I think I'm aimed correctly, but I just flat out miss. When I'm turkey hunting, I'm fine because I'm taking my time, slowly lining up the bird and going through my mental prep before squeezing the trigger. Even when I practice with trap shooting, I am usually pretty good, but I'm anchoring my shotgun and lining up the barrel before I "pull" - so I have time to "think" and "remember" to get that good barrel position. But when I need to raise the gun, aim, and fire quick, my body and eyes seem to naturally want to anchor and aim with the front bead higher than the rear of the barrel and I don't realize it until its too late.

I want a sight that can help me quickly acquire a good sight picture with the barrel accurately aimed. I'm looking at something like this HiViz or this TRUGlo. I'm not hung up on just those two, but they are just an illustration of what I'm looking at. But one thing that is confusing me is the "turkey sights" normally have a front and rear sight, but the "on the wing sights" only have a front sight. Why is that?

I think the sights with both a front/rear would help me line up better, but I dunno - they are only marketed for turkey guns, and I don't know why (harder to get a good sight picture for birds in flight??). The ones that are only the front sights seem long in length - does that help with elevation alignment? What does the length of the sight do - why are some really long?

What do you think is a good sight to use?
 
#2 ·
Try and have your gun fitted, or at least get checked out by a fitter. Its not a bad investment for a lot of comfort and control. Shoot more, and/or even get a shooting coach for a couple hours and learn to not look at the bead, you should be watching the target, not the sight.

I'm not trying to say you can't shoot worth a hell, and I am very far from an expert, so please take no offense. One thing I have done to help with birds is shoot clay games at the carry rest, not ready at the shoulder. I don't think I'm a bad shot, but I could use a ton of coaching myself and plan to do so.
 
#3 ·
For the sights, I had a set and used them for one trip to the quail fields. Shooting flying targets needs the barrel end to be slightly higher than the rear for rising targets. For instance, guns with two beads will be stacked with a sight picture like a figure 8. The turkey sights will hold you flat basically shooting under everything in a flying scenario.
 
#4 ·
most common on a shotgun is a vent rib and front bead. they also have front and rear beads. there's rifle sights on slug barrels. some shotgun have a ghost ring sight. lastly are optics like reflex, red dots, or glass scopes. I find vent rib and bead works well for most applications... and a 3-9x scope is perfect for a slug barrel. I do have a reflex sight on my sawed off h&r 12ga
 
#5 ·
I want a sight that can help me quickly acquire a good sight picture with the barrel accurately aimed.
Click to expand...
NO such thing!
Here's why I want to invest in a nice sight. I've noticed when I need to line up for the shot quickly (for birds on the wing), I sometimes can't get the rear and front of the barrel lined up in time - I'll take the shot at an easy distance and I think I'm aimed correctly, but I just flat out miss
Click to expand...
He haw many a phez lost there tail, to guys like you,been there done that!!!!!you need to follow the bird with your bead in front of his head.Lead the lead in front of it's head!
 
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#7 ·
Just first wanted to say, I am glad you enjoy bird hunting...so do I and alot of us on here. I have bird hunted with a 870 for years until I recently purchased a Uggy 12 gauge SXS from another member on this site last year(THANKS RED).I did read your post and I am wondering if you are rushing the shot and also if the gun fits you correctly. Since you are shooting trap...how you doing with breaks? If you are on...gun seems to fit you. Good cheek weld, looking through the bead...not at it. Also are you seeing through the bead or with trouble? When I shoot skeet, I use my o/u which has a white sight. If you are having bead trouble...day glo paint it..if you dont like it...take it off. Shooting trap, or bird on flush your front bead should be pointed up over 8 feet with your cheek down on the stock looking through . Remember your dog...or maybe mine is under you! Also remember...you have time...dont over think what you are doing...dog points...bird flushes...gun goes up...bird goes up....BANG! hunter happy, dog happy, bird unhappy! Be one with the dog...once they lock up...get ready...safety off, gun in ready position...good luck!
 
#9 ·
Dead Ringer drop in box for wing shooting and beard buster for turkeys or deer.
 
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#12 ·
I agree with a few of the posters above, it sounds more like a mechanics issue than a sight or gun issue. Theoretically you don't even need a sight on your barrel if you are mounting the gun correctly every time. Although a little bead helps because you can judge the plane of the barrel. Have you tried just practicing mounting the gun to your shoulder with the barrel level at home, unloaded? If you build the muscle memory to get the barrel mounted on plane with your cheek/eye that will go a long way to solving this issue. You won't feel rushed as the only thing you will need to do is pick up the bird and lead it a bit because you will already be confident that you're on plane vertically.
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
If you build the muscle memory to get the barrel mounted on plane with your cheek/eye that will go a long way to solving this issue.
Click to expand...
Yeah. I think next time I'm at the trap range, I'm gonna practice starting from the "gun at rest" position rather than anchoring/aiming before the bird flies. My problem (I think) is I can't get the plane of the barrel in the correct position by the time I need to pull the trigger. I was hoping a sight would help me visualize the plane to more quickly get that proper barrel position.

As I say, I'm usually pretty good at the trap range, so I know I can properly lead the bird and hit it. It's just quickly getting in that ready position (from rest) before pulling the trigger that is my problem.
 
#15 · (Edited)
But when I need to raise the gun, aim, and fire quick, my body and eyes seem to naturally want to anchor and aim with the front bead higher than the rear of the barrel and I don't realize it until its too late.
Click to expand...
Gun fit is more important than what type of and/or what color your front sight is. I personally shoot better on the skeet field or when wingshooting with a shotgun that "fits" me.

An example of improper and proper bead alignment:



A blurb on gun fit -
Gun Fit
 
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Setters4Life
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