School me on shotgun sights for turkeys

[FL-NC]

I have a Remington 870 express magnum with 21" barrel, threaded for chokes. It has a vent rib and 2 bead sights. I want to install fiber optic turkey sights on the gun. It seems like the front sight for these is held onto the vent rib with a magnet, which I am not wild about. Is there any reason I can't order this sight set and attach the magnetic sight "better" to the vent rib using JB weld, or some similar industrial grade adhesive? I am concerned about the front coming off under recoil or while busting brush moving through the woods, either moving into position or while I am playing run & gun, etc. I would install the front sight behind the existing bead, leaving on the factory bead as a "back up". My thinking is if the F-O sights break, malfunction, or whatever in the field I can remove it/them with a leatherman tool I always have.

 

[jmr40]

If it makes you feel better glue them down. I had some of those on a gun for years used as is and never had an issue. If they do fall off, you still have the factory beads. I eventually took them off and just use the standard bead.

FWIW I have the same setup. That 21" barrel that takes different tubes makes for a very versatile shotgun. Mine even shoots slugs plenty accurate out to 50 yards.

 

[Dirtybob]

They make sights (TruGlo?) that clamp to the vent rib. Have had a set for a few years now and they haven't fallen off yet.

 

[earlthegoat2]

They make sights (TruGlo?) that clamp to the vent rib. Have had a set for a few years now and they haven't fallen off yet.

These are the bees knees if you want no compromiseees.

TRUGLO Pro-Series Mag Gobble Dot Sight Set Fits Remington Shotgun 1/4 (midwayusa.com)

I have a set for my BPS 20 gauge that I havent installed yet and they are excellent quality. All metal even.

I concur that a short vent rib barrel is a very versatile option for a shotgun. Mine is 22"

 

[natman]

Unlike wing shooting where your shooting position is fairly repeatable, turkey hunting involves shooting from all sorts of weird angles. You can never tell where the bird will come from or where it will be when it needs to be shot. Therefore it's a good idea to have some sort of sight on a turkey gun. All you need is to make sure that your eye is looking straight down the barrel and not at an angle. A simple set of fiber optic open sights is enough. If you're not comfortable with the magnetic attachment, then by all means glue them on. I might consider using silicone seal in case I ever wanted to remove them.

I can't move my focus enough to look at the target in focus and then focus on the sights like I used to when I was younger, so I don't hunt with open sighted rifles any more. But I can put the red blur between the two green blurs and on a turkey's neck well enough to hit it at 40 yards with a shotgun.

 

[weeniewawa]

Gun Talk Hunt podcast did an episode on just this subject either in this one or the one before it

https://www.guntalk.com/video-post/talking-hogs-gators-turkeys-cougars

 

[emb]

TruGlo and Williams Fire sights are excellent fiber optic choices. Both have sights that clamp to the rib and rear sights that can be adjusted for both windage and elevation. Both are high and low of $50. I have an 870 Turkey Express. It came with fiber optic sights that I just replaced with TruGlo. IMO sights are important to pattern the shot and move it where you want it to hit. I pattern mine at 40 yards. Last year both of my turkeys were at 43 yds and this year he was 40 yds. Knowing that the pattern was centered at that yardage and the sights gave me the confidence to shoot that yardage. I don't think I'm good enough to "Kentucky" it. Even a small error can result in a missed bird.

 

[FL-NC]

I got this guy Sat. at 35 yards with my Mossberg 930, with FO sights. My 870 throws slightly better patterns than the 930, but I haven't used it lately because it doesn't have FO sights.

 

[Thomasss]

I would highly recommend you pattern your gun with the magnetic sites and better yet shoot some trap and sporting with them too. I have found they will lower your POI quite a bit. If you still want them to be permanent, a gun smith can do that for you with using JB Weld etc.

 

[Huntolive]

I would honestly probably change nothing if you have two beads to me that’s the ideal set up
I don’t like one bead for a turkey gun but 2 beads is good
No need to put anything fancy or that glows like Rudolf w color on it the turkey might see

The key to turkey hunting is don’t move and be invisible
As long as you’re looking straight down tube you shouldn’t have any problems and you don’t need any kind of actual sites which can be difficult to line up quickly at odd angles from which turkeys come

then just shoot for the bottom or middle of the neck
Shooting for the head is for people that miss a lot
And if someone tells you they have never missed a turkey there either lying or haven’t been turkey hunting much Or they’ve shot the beards off of turkeys and spent a lot of time picking lead out of the breasts

 

[kelljp]

These are the bees knees if you want no compromiseees.

TRUGLO Pro-Series Mag Gobble Dot Sight Set Fits Remington Shotgun 1/4 (midwayusa.com)

I have a set for my BPS 20 gauge that I havent installed yet and they are excellent quality. All metal even.

I concur that a short vent rib barrel is a very versatile option for a shotgun. Mine is 22"

I've the same sights on 3 shotguns , 870 included.
Never had a problem and they all have been hunted in all sorts of conditions.

 

[entropy]

I used the basic old fashioned bead sight when I turkey hunted, but I also used a 30" Full choke barreled 870. And 2 3/4" 4 shot. Real old school.

 

[cdb1]

I have a dedicated turkey shotgun with a red dot mounted. In the not too distant future I’m going to get a scope for it.

 

[243winxb]

A scope or aim point may be needed with the right setup. Very tight paterns at 40 yards may miss the head/neck area.

Like Federal Premium Grand Slam Turkey Ammunition 12 Gauge Buffered Copper Plated Shot Flightcontrol Flex Wad ;

 

[natman]

A scope or aim point may be needed with the right setup. Very tight paterns at 40 yards may miss the head/neck area.

A super tight pattern would keep most of the shot in a ten inch circle. It's not hard to hit within 10 inches at 40 yards, even with open sights. IMO, while a scope or aimpoint will certainly work, it just adds unnecessary weight, cost, and points of failure for turkey hunting. The one exception would be for the many people who have never fired a rifle with open sights. My advice to them would be to learn how. It's not difficult.

 

[cdb1]

IMO, while a scope or aimpoint will certainly work, it just adds unnecessary weight, cost, and points of failure for turkey hunting.

With my 63 year old eyes a red dot or scope is very beneficial to me. A decent turkey optic doesn’t break the bank, in reality doesn’t add much weight and mine at least can be removed quickly if it fails and I can use the iron sights.