Ghost Ring vs XS Big Dot sights

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JamieC

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I'm trying to decide which way to go on my 870. It has an 18" barrel, is intended for SD. My eyes aren't getting any younger. I figure just adding an XS Big Dot will be an improvement. I wonder if a full set of ghost ring sights, (the XS sights or Scattergun Technologies), would be better. I'll bet the ghost ring sights would be much better for slugs at some distance, not sure if any trade off. What do ya'll think?
 
I have no experience with XS sights but I really liked the ghost ring setup that was on a Benelli Nova tactical I had.

I'm perpetually some combination of broke and cheap, so I like how a good ghost ring setup can be bought for way less than a good quality optic of any kind.

For me, ghost rings line up fairly quickly for carefully aimed fire with slugs, but can be easily ignored for fast, close range shooting.
 
Unless you have a large property to secure, (farm) for HD/SD, a bead is just fine. I have Spark II's on my 37 and one of the barrels for my 870, and the factory bead (Which is swaged in, otherwise it would have a Spark II in it also) in the 20" barrel that's usually on the 870.
 
JamieC

Had the XS sights on a handgun (Colt New Agent), and loved how quick and easy they were to use. I also like ghost ring sights on shotguns so I think either one would work fine on a HD shotgun.
 
I use XS sights on my defensive pistols. On my rifles and shotguns dedicated to self defense I use ghost ring sights. On my shotgun dedicated to hunting and trap I use a bead sight. If it is a dedicated shotgun for self defense I would have ghost rings. If it were a blended shotgun with some trap hunting and self defense I would have a bead. I consider the XS sight to be a big bead and a good one at that.

I had the exact conversation with Loui Awerbuck after he knew me quite well as I had taken a lot of classes. I mentioned I shoot weekly trap with a bead with my 500 and that my 590A1 home defense had ghost rings. I mentioned I was considering to change the 590A1 to a bead and wanted his input. He felt it still be best to keep the ghost rings for the home defense shotgun. Who am I to argue with him. He didn't have an hour to go over all the whys and what nots. But I knew him well enough to trust him and he knew me well also. That was enough for me.
 
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Before you do any changing on that 870 you might want to try using the simple bead sight that comes with it... It's all I ever wanted on my riot guns out on the street and still have that setup today years later... Hard to beat a simple, reliable bead sight for close quarters work (which is where a defensive shotgun shines....). Then if you're not hitting where you need to you can choose something else if necessary -but run a few rounds first with the bead sight. It might surprise you....
 
Before you do any changing on that 870 you might want to try using the simple bead sight that comes with it... It's all I ever wanted on my riot guns out on the street and still have that setup today years later... Hard to beat a simple, reliable bead sight for close quarters work (which is where a defensive shotgun shines....). Then if you're not hitting where you need to you can choose something else if necessary -but run a few rounds first with the bead sight. It might surprise you....
I've shot it a bit, (not as much as I'd like, but..), the bead is ok, painting it white would help, putting a XS Big Dot on it would help more. That MIGHT be good enough, certainly cheaper than the XS ghost ring set up or the Scattergun Technologies ghost ring. I'm ASSuming the Big Dot would be faster but the ghost rings would be more accurate, certainly with slugs at any distance. Shooting buck shot at SD distances, you need to aim and fast...the Big Dot good enough? I guess it comes down to where I think I'll most likely need the gun and what scenario. And more practice, more people probably have a shottie around and practice with it the least. It's a very adaptable 'platform' but it requires work, thought and more practice.
 
You can have both. Big dot front, ghost ring rear. Works pretty nicely in my experience. The important part of ghost ring shotgun fitting is making sure you can get close enough to the rear sight for the ghost ring to vanish from view. Your brain will automatically do the rest.
 
You can have both. Big dot front, ghost ring rear. Works pretty nicely in my experience. The important part of ghost ring shotgun fitting is making sure you can get close enough to the rear sight for the ghost ring to vanish from view. Your brain will automatically do the rest.
Really? I sent an email to XS asking just that, haven't heard back. Is there another company and/or combo I should look into?
 
How much experiance do you have using aperture/ghost ring sights? That was the deciding factor for me. I grew up shooting a pump gun with bead, for small game, grouse and my deer rifle is a pump, albeit with rifle sights. I went with 3 dot rifle sights on my 590A1. I've shot ghost ring sighted guns before but found the sight to be too "busy". Thats just my personal experiance.
 
I don't get why you'd want to use either of those; they both would raise your head up off the stock, resulting in a loss of cheek weld.
 
Point and shoot should be fine. Maybe for slugs, a little something more precise. Not a big fan of the big dot line, personally.
 
No problem with cheek weld. I have an XS big dot front and a Wilson combat ghost ring rear on my 870 18", and it's really very easy to shoot well.
 
No problem with cheek weld. I have an XS big dot front and a Wilson combat ghost ring rear on my 870 18", and it's really very easy to shoot well.
The Wilson Combat, (Scattergun Technologies?), rear ghost sight works with the XS Big Dot? Is your Big Dot mounted on the bead pedestal? If so, did you have to mount the rear ghost ring any different because of the lower mount of the front sight? I say this because it appears with the whole Ghost Ring set from WC, the front sight is higher.
 
for those who know, on the xs big dot- if the glow fades and needs to be replaced, how do you go about getting the epoxied bead off?
 
for those who know, on the xs big dot- if the glow fades and needs to be replaced, how do you go about getting the epoxied bead off?
A pair of vise grips, crush it a bit, small chisel or screw driver, small hammer, chip away the bits of old sight and epoxy. Install the new one. I believe the tritium lasts for at least 10 years?
 
Neither...I like the bead.

Unless you are strictly using slugs outdoors, at 100-125 yards or so, ghost rings IMHO are not an advantage.

Spend the money on ammo and training.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
 
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