Red dot and other “scopes” on turkey guns.

[WTNUT]

Call me old school.   I can't figure out why on earth anyone would put a scope on a turkey gun.   For those of you that use them,  please let me know what you like about them.   

I shoot a shotgun more than the average person.  I am not a trap shooter,  skeet or otherwise.   But,  I do a lot of upland bird hunting.   I go at least one day a week and most weeks at least two days a week.  Unfortunately,  there are not many wild birds nearby so the majority of my bird hunting is at preserves so there is a lot of shooting.   If a turkey is standing,  running or flying I just can't imagine shooting at him with a scope.   

[WTNUT]

I am also posting this because I am thinking about a new turkey gun.  I have a Remington NWTF semi from 1998 that I have more or less retired,  but I did kill a bird with it last year.  The only bad thing about it is the original rear sight is hard to keep up.   I have a Benelli Super Black Eagle I that was made in 1996 that is mint.   It is a heck of a turkey gun,  but I prefer the shorter barrel on the Remington.  Finally I have a Franchi Affinity in a 20 gauge that is my daughters. 


Not sure what I would get,  but I would like something with a short barrel. 

[guesswho]

If I felt like I didn't need one then I wouldn't bother with one.  But for me my eyes aren't quite as good as the used to be.  They're plenty good shooting birds on the fly with an improved cylinder.  But with the super tight patterns on my turkey guns combined with an increased breathing and heart rate during the final few seconds of a turkey hunt, a red/green dot is a good idea for me. 

[WTNUT]

If I felt like I didn't need one then I wouldn't bother with one.  But for me my eyes aren't quite as good as the used to be.  They're plenty good shooting birds on the fly with an improved cylinder.  But with the super tight patterns on my turkey guns combined with an increased breathing and heart rate during the final few seconds of a turkey hunt, a red/green dot is a good idea for me.

Thanks that is a very good point.   Until last September,  I still had great eyes.  20/15.   But,  I have recently had some issues with one eye.  Thankfully so far it has not impacted my shooting.   I think you have give a very good reason to have one.   I am sure eventually I will be there with you buddy.

[trkehunr93]

Shooting the tight patterns we do nowadays a scope only makes sense.  At 46 I still have pretty good eyesight but that diamond in the middle of the crosshairs makes certain I'm aiming where I want to aim.  I've taken quick shots on turkeys with a scope also and target acquisition has not been difficult at all.  My other guns that aren't scoped seem strange now when I hunt with them.  I've been using a scope on my 835 since 2014 I believe. 


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[guesswho]

I can even come up with some good excuses as to why you need another turkey gun, calls, camo etc.

[mountaineer long beard]

I originally got one because I couldn't get my mossberg at the time to sight in, even with the adjustable rear sight, so I put a red dot on. I transferred the scope over to my new gun just to avoid the same thing happening.

That being said I like the red dot and would use it any way.

Mike

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[Remturkey]

During the Spring of 2019 both gobblers I killed flanked me and I had to shoot them left handed (I'm right handed)
Had I not had a red dot, there's no way I could've been able to get my sights lined up the way those birds had me twisted up like a pretzel.

[WTNUT]

I can even come up with some good excuses as to why you need another turkey gun, calls, camo etc.

I can do that on my own my friend.   I am looking on line at options as I type!   I am a Benelli guy through and through.  Their guns just seem to fit and work for me.   I would LOVE for them to make that Super Black Eagle III turkey gun WITHOUT  that stupid pistol grip and a barrel shorter than 24 inches. 

[WTNUT]

During the Spring of 2019 both gobblers I killed flanked me and I had to shoot them left handed (I'm right handed)
Had I not had a red dot, there's no way I could've been able to get my sights lined up the way those birds had me twisted up like a pretzel.

Another good point.  The last time I shot my gun left handed (also a rt handed shooter),  I missed the bird and broke my nose.   Don't tell anyone.

[Greg Massey]

Call me old school.   I can't figure out why on earth anyone would put a scope on a turkey gun.   For those of you that use them,  please let me know what you like about them.   

I shoot a shotgun more than the average person.  I am not a trap shooter,  skeet or otherwise.   But,  I do a lot of upland bird hunting.   I go at least one day a week and most weeks at least two days a week.  Unfortunately,  there are not many wild birds nearby so the majority of my bird hunting is at preserves so there is a lot of shooting.   If a turkey is standing,  running or flying I just can't imagine shooting at him with a scope.

Regardless how good you think your eyes are , with using a red dot or scope , it just bring your turkey gun up to another level. I agree with others , my eye's are not like they use to be , so it's your choice , if you want to use one or not in my opinion. BUT i will use a scope on most of my turkey guns and i have couple of red dots ..

[redleg06]

I started using them because my turkey gun, at the time, would change the POA/POI depending on the choke, load, etc. so I wanted to be able to adjust my site.

I shoot red dots and love them.

[chow hound]

Old age = no near sighted vision.  Can't see the end of the barrel, much less the bead!

[MK M GOBL]

With this spring being my 30th year turkey hunting and for the 25 of those years I have had a scope on my turkey gun, here's my read on this.

Originally I had an 870 12ga I owned that I used, after a few years and some "misses" (just had  a bead to aim with) I decided to build a dedicated turkey gun. I found a used Rem 1187 SP 12ga, I had a gunsmith team at the time and did a bunch of work to build this gun for me. One thing I told them is that I wanted a scope on the gun seeing that I am aiming at a point instead of at the bird like "wing shooting"

Things that a scope did for me

I was able to sight/adjust the gun for POA to POI, with shooting a custom Briley Super Full Straight Rifled Turkey Choke matched to the gun.

The Circle-X reticle gave me a "He's at 40 yards" or closer range estimation built in to the scopes design

This also gave me the "He's in tight/close" exact point of aim, I did make sure of this by setting 10 yard targets to shoot

And a few other benefits came to light over the years, I do a lot of Learn to Hunt Programs, Youth Hunts and introducing other adult hunters to turkey hunting. The scope was always an easy way for those to see/understand the POA or what I call "The Circle of Death" just put the circle where the feathers meet the neck.

I guess I have just never seen the disadvantage to having/using a scope on the turkey gun. I have made flying and running shots with it and it has been flawless in performance.

Anymore just can't imagine not having a scope on the turkey gun.


MK M GOBL

[HunterS5]

I don't have a dedicated turkey gun, so I haven't tried a sight. I'm assuming most of you using sights leave them on year round?