Best sight for a shotgun?

[IronsightJM]

Hey all, I have an older Remington 870 wing master from my dad. It is just a plain barrel with a bead sight at the end, not ribbed. The problem I’m having is the damn bead sight is so small and hard to see, plus this is just my personal opinion, but I don’t think the bead sight is a very good sight to have at all. I was looking to install something better that doesn’t take too much work or that I would have to get extra parts for. I’ve seen the snap on hi-viz stuff. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas?

 

[Scribner]

The bead is for reference so you hold the gun plumb. It is not a sight, unless maybe for slugs. Wingshooting/clays happen fast & if you’re watching the bead, you’re not watching your target.

 

[Coyote3855]

I have the HiViz snap on fiber optics on a couple of defense shotguns and they work well for that purpose. I'm not much of a wing shot anyway, don't use them on hunting or trap guns. Cheap enough to try and see if you like them.

 

[rule303]

If you're concentrating on the bead you already missed the target. Fiber optic sights are great for still targets, but for traditional shotgun shooting (clay target/birds in flight) there is not much, if any benefit. I coach our high school trap team, and I have helped several students by letting them shoot a gun with no bead at all.

 

[George P]

If you're concentrating on the bead you already missed the target. Fiber optic sights are great for still targets, but for traditional shotgun shooting (clay target/birds in flight) there is not much, if any benefit. I coach our high school trap team, and I have helped several students by letting them shoot a gun with no bead at all.

Absolutely spot on..............

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Shooting moving targets with a shotgun is sort of like shooting a bow and arrow---meaning you just have to get a feel for it and it takes some practice.

Shooting birds and clays--I don't even notice the bead---its more like putting the end of the barrel over the target and following through---if that even makes sense----it all happens so fast I'm not sure how to describe it.----but usually I hit what I'm shooting at.

I have a rifle sighted barrel I use on my 870 for turkeys and such.

 

[bangswitch]

IMO, the Mark 1 Eyeball is the best sight for a shotgun. Shotgunning is different from rifle shooting, it's more pointing than aiming. I can't think of a stationary target I've ever fired a shotgun at, except in doing the basic training at a piece of paper. I choose a shotgun because the target is moving.

 

[George P]

If you focus on a front sight, then your focus is not on your target, and you'll miss........

 

[cdb1]

Absolutely spot on..............

True.

 

[RUT]

Bead...what bead?

 

[joed]

For a defensive shotgun I go with HiViz. But there is also wisdom in what rule303 wrote about not using the bead.

 

[RMc]

Yes, shotgunners see/use a "sight picture"! If such things as vent ribs and beads were so useless, then shotguns used in top level clay target sports would have plain barrels devoid of such things. Indeed, the concept of fitting a shotgun has to do with making certain the shooter's eye is aligned with the rib/bead when mounting the shotgun.
The late Tom Knapp did an excellent job explaining the positive relation between sight picture awareness and successful wingshooting. To see Knapp's presentation on You Tube entitled:
Benelli Finding Your Sight Picture

 

[George P]

Many of the top dogs DO remove the beads from their barrels as they do not want the distraction that it might take their eyes and focus off the target. If the gun properly fits, then the eyes will line up exactly without hesitation or any attempt to finagle oneself to the stock. This "instinctive" mount is crucial and why a proper fitting stock is essential. One should be able to pick out an object or point on a wall, close one's eyes, mount the gun, open the eyes and be perfectly aligned on that point.

 

[RMc]

Many of the top dogs DO remove the beads from their barrels as they do not want the distraction that it might take their eyes and focus off the target. If the gun properly fits, then the eyes will line up exactly without hesitation or any attempt to finagle oneself to the stock. This "instinctive" mount is crucial and why a proper fitting stock is essential. One should be able to pick out an object or point on a wall, close one's eyes, mount the gun, open the eyes and be perfectly aligned on that point.

Which "top dogs" are you referring to? This would be a big story in the shooting press if any state, national or olympic champions openly advocated removing shotgun ribs or beads.

 

[DocRock]

Yes, shotgunners see/use a "sight picture"! If such things as vent ribs and beads were so useless, then shotguns used in top level clay target sports would have plain barrels devoid of such things. Indeed, the concept of fitting a shotgun has to do with making certain the shooter's eye is aligned with the rib/bead when mounting the shotgun.
The late Tom Knapp did an excellent job explaining the positive relation between sight picture awareness and successful wingshooting. To see Knapp's presentation on You Tube entitled:
Benelli Finding Your Sight Picture

But nobody who competes, or is even a decent shot EVER looks at the bead, or rib. They are there to provide a guide to mounting only. As has been correctly stated above, if you are looking at the bead, or the rib, you have missed the target.

 

[kudu]

The vent rib is there to cool the barrel and prevent distortion from heat waves that occur with a plain barrel. I have lost a bead several times off the vent rib and never noticed until someone has pointed it out to me. I prefer a Bradley white bead on my shotguns, not too obtrusive and I can ignore it when I am shooting. The last thing I want is one of the fiber optic woolly worms on the barrel distracting me from what I am looking at

One should be able to pick out an object or point on a wall, close one's eyes, mount the gun, open the eyes and be perfectly aligned on that point.

I can do this with almost all my shotguns, a lot of it is muscle memory and lots of targets under my belt.

 

[RMc]

But nobody who competes, or is even a decent shot EVER looks at the bead, or rib. They are there to provide a guide to mounting only. As has been correctly stated above, if you are looking at the bead, or the rib, you have missed the target.

These are in your field of vision, and thus used to align the relationship between gun and target! That is the essence of a "sight picture."

 

[George P]

Which "top dogs" are you referring to? This would be a big story in the shooting press if any state, national or olympic champions openly advocated removing shotgun ribs and beads.

Never said removing ribs; said removing beads.............................and it isn't a big story because it isn't. Folks who know how to shoot and whose gun actually fits know they do not need a bead. Most of the top sporting clays shooters do not use the beads, most will take them off to prevent distraction. NO one uses any Hi-Viz, glow worm or similar monstrosity - not if they want to win anyway........

 

[George P]

The vent rib is there to cool the barrel and prevent distortion from heat waves that occur with a plain barrel. I have lost a bead several times off the vent rib and never noticed until someone has pointed it out to me. I prefer a Bradley white bead on my shotguns, not too obtrusive and I can ignore it when I am shooting. The last thing I want is one of the fiber optic woolly worms on the barrel distracting me from what I am looking at

I can do this with almost all my shotguns, a lot of it is muscle memory and lots of targets under my belt.

Glad that works for you - hopefully that is because your guns fit you and not that you have fit yourself to the gun..............I am LH, so most of these guns are either neutral (somewhat usable) or have RH cast (not usable) so fitting properly is a must for me in order to be successful at tournaments.

 

[DocRock]

These are in your field of vision, and thus used to align the relationship between gun and target! That is the essence of a "sight picture."

Look, you can say it over and over and it different ways, but anyone who actually shoots shotguns knows: you never, ever, look at the rib or the bead. You are correct that they are used as a guide to form your mount and that's precisely why ribs, raised ribs, and beads exist (along with psychology and snake oil sales) But I can break almost as many birds with a no-rib brass bead field gun as I can with my competition o/u. Because once I establish a mount, and sight picture, I never, ever look at the bead again. If they are in your field of vision when breaking clays or shooting birds, you're missing.

Sights are worse than useless on a shotgun unless one is shooting slugs or maybe turkey.

 

[RMc]

Hey all, I have an older Remington 870 wing master from my dad. It is just a plain barrel with a bead sight at the end, not ribbed. The problem I’m having is the damn bead sight is so small and hard to see, plus this is just my personal opinion, but I don’t think the bead sight is a very good sight to have at all. I was looking to install something better that doesn’t take too much work or that I would have to get extra parts for. I’ve seen the snap on hi-viz stuff. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas?

In answer to the OP:

https://www.xssights.com/Detail.aspx
PROD=1399069&CAT=8269

https://www.xssights.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=1399068&CAT=8269

The basic XS Big Dot sight in Orange or Yellow is a durable and relatively inexpensive front sight unit that installs over the existing bead with epoxy.

 

[kudu]

Glad that works for you

I'm one of the fortunate few that most factory guns fit. I was perusing a used gun rack in Indy and found a Caesar Guerini 28 gauge Sporting model with 32" barrels. Picked it up and mounted it with my eyes closed and was dead on looking straight down the rib. Unfortunately I did not have a spare $2900 at the time. Looking back I should of pulled out a CC and bought it.

 

[RMc]

Look, you can say it over and over and it different ways, but anyone who actually shoots shotguns knows: you never, ever, look at the rib or the bead. You are correct that they are used as a guide to form your mount and that's precisely why ribs, raised ribs, and beads exist (along with psychology and snake oil sales) But I can break almost as many birds with a no-rib brass bead field gun as I can with my competition o/u. Because once I establish a mount, and sight picture, I never, ever look at the bead again. If they are in your field of vision when breaking clays or shooting birds, you're missing.

Sights are worse than useless on a shotgun unless one is shooting slugs or maybe turkey.

Based on the underlined above, it is no wonder so many new shotgunners remain confused about wingshooting. After all how can they establish the right amount of lead if the shotgun (barrel/rib/bead) is not in their field of vision!

In aerial shooting, a shotgun barrel, (and whatever rib or bead it has), is indeed seen in peripheral vision. Yes, hard, (clear), focus is on the target. At the same time, that slightly fuzzy barrel/rib/bead must be visible for the gunner to lead the target. That is, in its simplest form, how the visual aspects of wing shooting work.

Now, if you are using that same vent rib/bead sight system for shooting slug cartridges, a different focal approach is used. In this case you now have the same sight picture as the late 19th century "Block Sight" used on dangerous game guns. The eye naturally centers the "Bead on a Flat" sight picture and your primary focus is now the front sight for terrestrial targets.

 

[cdb1]

George P and DocRock are correct, 100% correct.

 

[George P]

I'm one of the fortunate few that most factory guns fit. I was perusing a used gun rack in Indy and found a Caesar Guerini 28 gauge Sporting model with 32" barrels. Picked it up and mounted it with my eyes closed and was dead on looking straight down the rib. Unfortunately I did not have a spare $2900 at the time. Looking back I should of pulled out a CC and bought it.

Yes you should have! That's a great gun and 28s are just fun to shoot; especially for sporting clays.