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Bead or Red dot

Started by Dedduc, February 15, 2026, 09:46:41 AM

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Dedduc

So who still shoots the bead after trying a red dot? I mounted a Meadow Creek mount on my M2 last year and had mixed feelings about it. Still seemed high to me but thought I would hunt with it. Long story short I missed my gobbler with the first shot at 25 yards, got him on the second but I feel like I hold my gun not as tight to my shoulder to still see the dot, head more off the stock. Thinking of trying a Sumtoy mount or just shooting the bead. Anyone else feel this way?

Brian Fahs

I run sumtoys and either vortex venom or burris fast fires on all my dedicated turkey guns. I tried the meadow creek and did not like it or trust it to hold zero.

That being said I have a franchi affinity 3 with just a bead I keep for extreme rain situations where I have to try to keep a red dot clear and free of rain.

TScottW99

My main gun has a Leupold NWTF turkey plex scope. My backup is bead only. I'm thinking about drilling and tapping the backup for a Sumtoy mount, ai did not like the Meadowcreek either.
"What gets us jangly is the suddenness of everything. We hunt turkeys because we want to hear them gobble, watch them strut and all that, and we hunt them with shotguns because we want to be close to them when those things occur." - Jim Spencer

paboxcall

FF3 on my 20 gauge, and fully adjustable rifle sights on my 12 gauge single shot. Never been a fan of a bead/double bead for a turkey choked gun.
A quality paddle caller will most run itself.  It just needs someone to carry it around the woods. Yoder409

Over time...they come to learn how little air a good yelper actually requires. ChesterCopperpot

Sit down wrong, and you're beat. Jim Spencer                          Don't go this year where Youtubers went last year.

Dedduc

Just having a hard time thinking about drilling into one of my M2s

Tomtom97

Quote from: Dedduc on February 15, 2026, 12:37:31 PMJust having a hard time thinking about drilling into one of my M2s
Drilled and tapped my m2 with a sumtoy mount and couldn't be happier. Well worth it to me if that helps any.


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Dedduc

Quote from: Tomtom97 on February 15, 2026, 01:14:11 PM
Quote from: Dedduc on February 15, 2026, 12:37:31 PMJust having a hard time thinking about drilling into one of my M2s
Drilled and tapped my m2 with a sumtoy mount and couldn't be happier. Well worth it to me if that helps any.

Who drilled it for you?
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Tom007

Quote from: Dedduc on February 15, 2026, 03:41:13 PM
Quote from: Tomtom97 on February 15, 2026, 01:14:11 PM
Quote from: Dedduc on February 15, 2026, 12:37:31 PMJust having a hard time thinking about drilling into one of my M2s
Drilled and tapped my m2 with a sumtoy mount and couldn't be happier. Well worth it to me if that helps any.

Who drilled it for you?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have a Aimpoint Micro S Red Dot (Rib mount)on my Super Black Eagle 3 20 gauge. Sits right on the rib, as low as it gets. Fantastic Red Dot, fits any rib without additional mounts. They are hard to get if you can find one, you lucked out. Aimpoint makes military mounts, very reliable. Good luck this season.

highball

Still use the bead, tried a red dot.

sswv

when I switched my 20's over to TSS I went with dots and I've never looked back. I did however put cheek risers (home made) on them and it made a world of difference.

the Ward

So far I've used bead, fiber optic irons, red dots and scopes. They all work well, but my personal favorites are bead and red dot. I prefer a bead, but the gun has to shoot dead on, and I use a choke/load combo that is a little more open so as to be more forgiving of errors up close, and try to not take any really close shots. I am eventually going to have my sx4 drilled and tapped as soon as I can find a good gunsmith in my area, and will be using a holoson 6moa green dot though. After all the sighting systems I've tried, this one suits me the best.

Greg Massey

I have and use all of them, but my favorite is a scope. REgardless I like just one aiming point.

WLT III

Single bead guy here. They day I can't get on his neck and head clean with it, within 30yrds, is the day I hang it up. At 54yrs old, I hope that day does not come anytime soon :)

Greg Massey

Quote from: WLT III on Today at 09:19:02 AMSingle bead guy here. They day I can't get on his neck and head clean with it, within 30yrds, is the day I hang it up. At 54yrs old, I hope that day does not come anytime soon :)

Some people don't see as well as others, just because you have to use other means to aim is not a reason to give it up .. IMO

WLT III

Quote from: Greg Massey on Today at 10:49:33 AM
Quote from: WLT III on Today at 09:19:02 AMSingle bead guy here. They day I can't get on his neck and head clean with it, within 30yrds, is the day I hang it up. At 54yrs old, I hope that day does not come anytime soon :)

Some people don't see as well as others, just because you have to use other means to aim is not a reason to give it up .. IMO
More often than not, other means are used to extend the killing distance to, in my opinion, un ethical ranges. That, to me, would be past 35 steps. But to those who truly need optics to kill clean at 30, and abide by that code, hunt on my friends :icon_thumright: