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SHOTGUN: Holographic/Red Dot Sight Options

LAZY EYED SNIPER

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Have any questions about Holographic/Red Dot Sights for your shotgun? Is there a particular model you like to use? Let's see some pics and discussion...
 
I'll have to find the pics, but I have the Bushnell Trophy MP 1 x 30 (or 32?) red dot. It mounts to any mil-standard 1913 picatinny rail.

Its a decent red dot with no magnification and "T" reticle. The reticle can be adjusted between red or green with 5 brightness level for each. The dot is 3 MOA and its fine for some range as well as closer shots.

I havent had any issues with it holding zero and standing up to shotgun recoil.

What I dont like;
Its a high profile sight and is impossible to maintain a proper cheek weld with a standard stock. An adjustable stock with a cheek riser may do nicely. However, my preferences are for a traditional stock and in my case the sight isnt ideal. There are others I wanna look into like the Bushnell 1 x 25 wich is a much lower profile.

I sometimes look at MRDS's too. And I like the Burris also.
 
I use a Sightmark Mini Shot on my 590...









As for performance, this thing is a little beast!

What it lacks in size it more than makes up in results on target. Windage and elevation adjustments are made with a small screwdriver. Took me about five shots to get her dialed in and I was punching holes where I wanted em in no time. Here's one of my 50 yard targets using Centurion 2.75 inch, 1 1/8 oz slugs. Ten rounds went into this one...



Put 50 rounds down range today with no movement or vibration in the optic or mount. I highly recommend the Sightmark Mini Shot to anyone looking for a great, affordable reflex red dot.
 
With shooting like that LES, I can see that sight not coming off anytime soon. I have a Bushnell Trophy 1x28 with 4 different red reticles to choose from. I have it mounted on a Rem 870 in 20ga for Turkey at the moment. It does sit high on the saddleback mount I have on the receiver and I needed to get one of those temporary cheek risers to help with weld, but it's quite accurate at 40yds---if you can consider #6 shot being accurate. I do recommend if you get one of these type scopes for your gun, that you keep in mind, that if you change from one reticle to another, you will need to resight your gun, because each reticle is slightly off, unless you go back to your original reticle and haven't changed your windage/elevation from your last targeting.
Del
 
Primary Arms Micro Reflex Green Dot. This is one of the many Burris Fastfire II clones. I feel this is the best one I have seen or used but I haven’t used them all so for me this was my favorite. I like it better than the Fastfire itself. One for the green dot, second there is no on and off switch to have to fiddle with or worry about not working or getting damaged. The PA is on all the time. It uses a photo cell to determine the brightness so when you are in a bright environment if really goes bright and when you are in a dark environment it dims down. It is constantly adjusting to the light conditions. When the hard cover is installed the sight goes in to low low power mode but doesn’t turn all the way off, the idea is drop the cover and you are there …just don’t have to worry if it is on or off. Didn’t know if I would like that at first because of battery life but I love it. The battery is claimed to be 1000 hours at full brightness constant on. I haven’t replaced the battery in a year and a half so far. I keep two spare batts and the tool on the gun at all times.
PAMR-2T.jpg




5 moa dot. Clear and easy to pick up. I wanted a green dot because for me it is easier to pick up on a variety of backgrounds. The big dot actually works real well for a shotgun and here is why. When you are up close the big dot is great, real easy to pick up fast. Now I have been successful shooting 200 yard slug shots on a 12 inch gong with this sight because I sight POI at 50 yards so I have to start holding above my target at 100 enough that the dot sits right on top of what I want to hit and beyond 100 yards the dot is just a reference and is nowhere near what I want to hit unlike a rifle where the big dot would suck at distance. I have shot most all type of optics and iron sight and this system, for me, is as fast as anything and faster than most to acquire.
IMG_0028.jpg



Because it is a Fastfire II clone it fits all FF II bases. I am rough on my firearms I consider “companion” or “tool” guns and this shotgun goes most places with me and gets banged around some. This base has served me well and tries to mitigate one of the weaknesses of this type of sight ….delicate for hard use.
IMG_0024.jpg

IMG_0027.jpg



One of the downsides I have heard about these type of sights is they don’t work well in pitch black and don’t work well with a weapon light with high lumens. I found this is completely false with the PA green dot. Here are two videos I shot in pitch black and using a Streamlight TLR1s 130 lumens. Now the reason it is not showing up on the white background is the camera not the sight. You will have to just take my word that it is visible to the naked eye and does not wash out
VIDEO




Strobe video to show it deals even with the confusing effect of a strobe right in front of it.
VIDEO




I am in love with this system and have found no reason not to use it so far and it’s been on my shotgun for a year and a half, it spent 6 months before that on a 40 cal….I shoot a lot and full power rounds mostly and this sight hasn’t missed a beat.
Any and all my patternig and all my slug targets posted on this site have been shot with this unit so if your interested they are posted for viewing

IMG_0307.jpg
 
Sounds like I'm in the majority here so far.

I too use a Bushnell Trophy 4 reticle red dot on my 500.

The one I have is an older one that doesn't have the green reticle (which I don't think I would like anyway since my eye picks up on red faster).

But they will also accept the various aimpoint mounts if one is too high, you can always get a lower mount, or can be set up higher with the cantilever mount if one were to use a co-witness with AR15 style sights.

I have used the Trophy on the shotgun for several years now and have had no problems with it and I have even taken squirrels using it. It seems to do just fine with slugs and buckshot too.

Mounted on a Bsquare scope mount, a low profile aimpoint ring, and the optic. Sorry for the crappy pic, it was an old camera and I dont' have any newer pics of it.

alumahydeII002.jpg
 
Oli, thats sweet, I need to get a few in the dark pics!

So many Bushnell folks! Ben, thats the very red dot I wanna get!

Here are pics of mine;

196072_1681733158250_1085205913_31462066_6561175_n.jpg


You can see how high the integral base is here...
62429_1457623875658_1085205913_31080808_3129225_n.jpg


Good lookin sight, and works great too, just too high.
62450_1457623075638_1085205913_31080805_7038148_n.jpg


Green "T" reticle,
61140_1457621435597_1085205913_31080800_2766937_n.jpg


And the red,
62007_1457620755580_1085205913_31080799_6027413_n.jpg


Heres a better pic where youre able to see how high off the comb it is.
197526_1682927068097_1085205913_31463285_7589702_n.jpg
 
A while back you told me about this rds, because I wanted to get a Eotech and you suggested this. For Christmas I'll be getting a 590A1 the 51660 model and build a "combat" shotgun out of it. I will be bending your ear fron time to time about the 590A1.
Rossignol said:
Oli, thats sweet, I need to get a few in the dark pics!

So many Bushnell folks! Ben, thats the very red dot I wanna get!

Here are pics of mine;

196072_1681733158250_1085205913_31462066_6561175_n.jpg


You can see how high the integral base is here...
62429_1457623875658_1085205913_31080808_3129225_n.jpg


Good lookin sight, and works great too, just too high.
62450_1457623075638_1085205913_31080805_7038148_n.jpg


Green "T" reticle,
61140_1457621435597_1085205913_31080800_2766937_n.jpg


And the red,
62007_1457620755580_1085205913_31080799_6027413_n.jpg


Heres a better pic where youre able to see how high off the comb it is.
197526_1682927068097_1085205913_31463285_7589702_n.jpg
 
I remember Ben!

After seeing it on your gun and the way it sits... I'm thinkin that has got to be better! I really just want it for slug shooting, I dont have a rifled barrel and I think to have the red dot zeroed at 50 yards, I'd be in good shape!

As long as it can be abused. Otherwise the PA and shroud like what Oli has could work well too. My guns get kinda beat sometimes... thrown in the trunk, stuffed under the bed, left lying on the ground in the field, dragged through the field and grasses, etc.

Burris also makes what they call a "Speed Dot". I've been interested in it, but havent seen anyone using it.

Get a hold of me anytime about the 590. There are plenty of folks on here with them!
 
It has a near perfect co-witness, I have about 75 rounds of slug and #8 bs through it and so far so good the first rds lasted about 6 rounds before it gave up the ghost. And I will be using the same TRS-25 on the 590A1 if the 930 doesn't kill it.
 
Hey Oil
where did you find that MRDS? I've been looking at the Burris FFII for a while now. This would be going on My Mossberg 930 spx. Thanks in advance for any info
 
Right from Primary Arms, cant remember where the mount came from I've order so much crap from so many places
 
Fitting an SKS I went with well recommended low end 1X red dots and came up short in bright daylight. Turned to a (relative) bargain on sale at Optics Planet with a Vortex SPARC Red Dot Sight SPRC for about $200 - love it.

It looks like you guys are having pretty good luck without going broke. I'm looking to set up my 930 with a 1X - any comments on bright daylight (I'm in MO not AZ) performance would be appreciated. I'm also hoping for a mount for dual site acquisition (co-witness) - a see through raised mount. Thoughts?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images ... ting-goods cheap - good reviews...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images ... ting-goods here's the SKS receiver replacement that I used. The 930 comes drilled and tapped.

K
 
the 930 arrives Monday with fiber optic front and tapped and drilled from the factory so it's kind of an open book. I like my SKS setup and thought I'd poke around a bit before setting it up. I traded my stock 500 as part of the deal. I have a vintage Auto 5 that I shoot but will remain stock. This will be my uber 12g - closet, range, field etc.
 
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