[MP-44]

Do they have a place on HD or combat shotguns?

[huckster]

IMO no


but I haven't seen everything in the world there is to see. If they do have a use - I'm thinking it's pretty durned limited.

[rodregier]

John Farnum thinks electro-dot sighted shotguns are a viable concept.. He's deadly serious about such things. Aimpoint Micro T-1 on an 11-87 20ga was his choice.

http://www.defense-training.com/quips/2007/10Sept07.html

Latest generation electro-dot signts are:
- Rugged enough
- Small enough
- Have enough battery life you can leave them on continuously and simply change the battery once a year w/enough margin if you miss that date by several months.

http://www.aimpoint.com/products/aimpoint_product_lines/aimpoint_micro_t-1

The T-1 has mil-spec temperature and water submergence characteristics. The H-1 is a commercial-grade version:

Temperature Range -30 oC to +60 oC (-20 oF to +140 oF)

Water resistance 5 m (15 ft.)

\\

Gee, didn't you see the movie "Outland"? :-)

[huckster]

John's not likely to be at any of my shoot outs.

[Sergeant Sabre]

I've been thinking about this lately myself. Mostly because I want an excuse to get an EOTech and the most appropriate thing I have to put it on is my 18.5" Mossberg 500.

In the plus column, modern CQB optics are awfully fast to engage with, and would allow precise engagement at distances of several hundred yards. Kinda neat if you want to shoot slugs with your HD shotgun during hunting season, I suppose.

On the flip side, there isn't much room to improve the speed of a shotgun with just a bead. Especially so at very close range. They're fast, and that's all there is to it. HD ranges are usually going to be within 10yds, so precise aiming at a distance is a moot point.

So really, I don't think you gain much except a really sweet sight. Maybe that's enough reason right there.

[Double Naught Spy]

John's not likely to be at any of my shoot outs.

Most firearms instructors will tell you that you should have a gun for a gunfight, but they aren't likely to be at any of your shootouts either.

Sure electronic sights have a place on combat shotguns. The question is whether or not you have a use for the sights.

HD ranges are usually going to be within 10yds, so precise aiming at a distance is a moot point.

So really, I don't think you gain much except a really sweet sight. Maybe that's enough reason right there.

Right, but you can use them at very close ranges and you can then use them at much longer ranges as well. For example, if I lived in the country, I would see a big advantage with such a sight.

[Sergeant Sabre]

Right, but you can use them at very close ranges and you can then use them at much longer ranges as well. For example, if I lived in the country, I would see a big advantage with such a sight.

I see your point here. The biggest reason I have been considering an EOTech for my HD shotgun (other than to have an EOTech, which is a reason unto itself) has to do with the arms-length to long-range ability of the sight, which I think is exactly what you are getting at above. I figure my short, light, handy Mossberg with an EOTech could handle everything from HD, to small game, to big game in the same configuration. I love the idea of having that kind of versatility.

[The Silver Bullet 1719]

Yes, I think the shotgun actually lends itself better for a reflex sight than compared to a AR-15 carbine.

[9mmepiphany]

i have an EOTech 512 mounted on my FN SLP Mk-1.

the biggest advantage, for me, is that it lines up perfectly with my eye when i shoulder it

[Avenger29]

An electronic sight could be right useful on a shotgun...if that's how you roll.

A big problem is that few shotguns come with rails for mounting optical sights...so you have to go through the trouble of finding a rail and have it mounted and such...

[GunTech]

Given that unless you are using slugs, the range of a shotgun is pretty limited, I don't see a really point the electronic sights. But it certainly won't hurt.

I have yet to see electronic sights in a 3 gun comp I've been to. I'd be curious to see how they effect scores.

[Avenger29]

I have yet to see electronic sights in a 3 gun comp I've been to. I'd be curious to see how they effect scores.

Sponser me and I'll let you know;)

[plumberroy]

batteries and electronics fail then it is a clump of metal and plastic in the way you will see no sights on any defensive gun I own that uses a battery
Roy

[9mmepiphany]

if my batteries go down, i just take the sight off (there's a large knob for that), fold up the rear sight and line it up with the front fiber optic

[ArmedBear]

If you need a sight, it seems to me that a shotgun is a poor choice of weapon.

Given that one can use a bead quite effectively hit flying birds much farther away than you'd be shooting a bad guy, and that defensive shotguns tend to have cylinder bores, I'd say that damn near anything but practice is a liability. Anything that can break or fail, anything that obstructs your field of vision, anything that can take a split second longer to line up, anything that adversely impacts weight and balance, takes away from the functionality of the weapon.

This may not be true for defensive slug shooting, 3-gun, turkey hunting, or some other specialized application. There's no such thing as "no place".

if my batteries go down, i just take the sight off (there's a large knob for that), fold up the rear sight and line it up with the front fiber optic

By which time either you're dead, or someone who just practices a bit with the bead could have gotten off 5 well-placed shots...

[rcmodel]

Combat Shotgun?
Check this little hummer out!

http://www.burrisoptics.com/speedbead.html

Combat Handgun?
Never!

rcmodel

[Ash]

"If you need a sight, it seems to me that a shotgun is a poor choice of weapon."

I agree completely. I have never used sights other than the bead on ducks or rabbits and they seem to get hit quite nicely - even when on the run. If you can't hit a man-sized target at defensive ranges by looking down the barrel then you've got some real problems.

Ash

[ArmedBear]

Combat Shotgun?
Check this little hummer out!

http://www.burrisoptics.com/speedbead.html

LOL

Seems there's always money to be made by telling people there's some way to avoid having to develop a skill. No thanks. I can't imagine how much that would mess up pass-shooting. Ugh.

[GunTech]

If you shoot slugs for accuracy (and a few states requite shotguns for hunting) then optics might have a place. I use ghost rings on my Benelli for slug use.

If the optic fails, you can either remove it, or if you've mounted it coincident to the irons or bead, just keep shooting.

If you buy the right electronic sight, batteries are not an issue. Tne EoTech's biggest weakness is batteries. Several times I've pulled my AR out of the safe only to find my Eotech had dead batteries. The Aimpoint CompM3 and CompML3 have a batterie life of 50,000 hours (5.7 years) if left on continuously at level 7. The CompM4 battery life is 80,000 hours (9.1 years). Even the Docter mini-reflex and similar sight have a battery life of a year or more if left on all the time. For most people, this is more than enough battery life.

[Sergeant Sabre]

Yes, I think the shotgun actually lends itself better for a reflex sight than compared to a AR-15 carbine.

Could you elaborate on what lead you to feel this way?

[4thPointOfContact]

I have an Eotech 512 mounted on my Model 10B. I haven't noticed any issues with that combo, but it the Aimpoint had been available I probably would have gone that route instead.

[bass806]

Combat Shotgun?
Check this little hummer out!

http://www.burrisoptics.com/speedbead.html

I have to admit that is cool. It would not be useful for pass shooting, but home defense, turkey, deer hunting???

[Fred Fuller]

Not mine, thanks. On the carbines I like 'em, but I'm happy with irons or beads on the shotguns.

YMMV of course.

lpl/nc

[Dave McCracken]

I see little utility or reason for these on shotguns.

[plumberroy]

If you buy the right electronic sight, batteries are not an issue. Tne EoTech's biggest weakness is batteries. Several times I've pulled my AR out of the safe only to find my Eotech had dead batteries. The Aimpoint CompM3 and CompML3 have a batterie life of 50,000 hours (5.7 years) if left on continuously at level 7. The CompM4 battery life is 80,000 hours (9.1 years). Even the Docter mini-reflex and similar sight have a battery life of a year or more if left on all the time. For most people, this is more than enough battery life.

I fix stuff for a living, the more electronics the more likely chance it will break down at a critical times
Besides If you need an electronic sight to hit at defensive ranges you have problems anyway
Just my opinion
Roy

[Gordon]

A genertion 2 night vision device on a 12ga Rem. 1100 is such a fearsome object around a ranch at night! So effective nothing has come around after the first 2 years I started patrolling with it!

[Funderb]

maybe its cheap for hunting.
and it is.

for HD, why not?