Pretty much set up with everything on the new to me shotgun as the sling is coming today.
3 - 6 round shotgun cards, Streamlight white light and finally the sling.
Rail on top and wondering if I should go with some type of optic.
I did pattern the shotgun with #00 buckshot and just using the front sight, I was fine. Rear sight folds down and it was kind of distracting to be honest.
If you were to put a red dot/holographic on a shotgun, what would it be? TIA.

I have a T2 on mine and have used a Holosun 510 as well. Both worked really well but if your true intended application was HD, I’m not sure in practical use any of us live in a house with an unobstructed space long enough to matter.

Assuming you’re using 00 buck.

If you have one or want one go for it, but I would never feel it necessary in HD situations.

I’d wager, given the anticipated level of adrenaline, you’re gonna point shoot the thing anyway. Likely producing the same results at HD distances.

Not a great answer but the takeaway is that the RDS I’ve used on the Beretta have been great additions.

I have a Benelli M4 set up with a Scalarworks rail and an RMR. While I do not currently have a shotgun set up in a HD role, I love the red dot set up but wouldn’t call it a critical must have for HD.

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:
I have a T2 on mine and have used a Holosun 510 as well. Both worked really well but if your true intended application was HD, I’m not sure in practical use any of us live in a house with an unobstructed space long enough to matter.

Assuming you’re using 00 buck.

If you have one or want one go for it, but I would never feel it necessary in HD situations.

I’d wager, given the anticipated level of adrenaline, you’re gonna point shoot the thing anyway. Likely producing the same results at HD distances.

Not a great answer but the takeaway is that the RDS I’ve used on the Beretta have been great additions.

Thanks Otto.
Intended use is home defense with #00 buckshot.
With max distance being very short, I opted for the IC choke and it patterned very well for that purpose.
Front sight is fiber optic and in the dark is where I'm kind of concerned. I do have a light mounted on the tri rail but it doesn't do much for illuminating the front sight. That would be the only reason for an optic to me.

For HD I don't think it's something you NEED, but if you want one fine. I wouldn't convince yourself it's a must have.

quote:

I have a Benelli M4 set up with a Scalarworks rail and an RMR.

As do I and honestly I'm underwhelmed by the whole thing. Other than being more accurate with slugs at distance, I personally I don't gain anything from it. I find it slower to use for me for everything else. (yes, plenty of people will argue that one)

No optic. It's too close to matter for HD and not as fast. Bird hunters haven't adopted them for the same reason. I wish they'd not put any sight on a HD shotgun and keep it like a stock bird gun.

i see no need. most of our homes are more close qtrs than other wise. In the event of something really bad happening a hd defense shotgun with 00 buck in the general direction is going to be more than sufficient especially when multiple rds are discharged to put an end to things. I think a red dot type sight would be pretty useless.

I bought a Mossberg 590 SPX a few months ago. It was the only shotgun I have had with a rail installed. I have A Romeo 5 I didn't have a use for and decided to try it out on it. I dialed it in and it made a big difference for me, especially slugs at 50 yards. It also made quite an improvement with 00 buck at 25 yards. I can get on target faster. I am 63 and my eyes aren't what they used to be, but I am really happy with it.

HD, as in in the house, no optic on the 2 I have,
ditto one I have as a shop gun,

house is a S&W defender, and a High Standard Riot,
shop is another HS Riot,
at the distances I will be using, optics won't matter

Our current shotgun (Mossberg 590 20g) came with the ghost ring sight. Both myself and my wife like it - no plans on changing it (at this time).

For most homes, an optic is likely not needed. However, I've put an Aimpoint T2 on my Beretta 1301 so that it's faster and easier to use for bear protection (with Brenneke "Black Magic" slugs) at our cabin in Northern Wisconsin if ever needed.
For most home defense distances, having a bright weapon light, and good quality electronic ear pro headset is more important than a red dot optic.

No optic on my 870. I don't have to reach out that far on my house/property. I do have a SureFire forend light on it! I like to see what I'm shootin' at.

I put a glow in the dark front sight on my HD shotgun….
They make one with Mossberg threads and one with Remington threads

https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...005908468?pid=185189

I put a Streamlight TLR light/laser combo on my Mossberg 500 Marine. Seems ideal in a QC home defense situation.

It’s a bit unconventional being mounted upside down on the rail on top of the receiver but it works great. I’m not concerned about not seeing the bead for a daylight situation. I’m confident I can sway the target as necessary.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
For HD I don't think it's something you NEED, but if you want one fine. I wouldn't convince yourself it's a must have.

quote:

I have a Benelli M4 set up with a Scalarworks rail and an RMR.

As do I and honestly I'm underwhelmed by the whole thing. Other than being more accurate with slugs at distance, I personally I don't gain anything from it. I find it slower to use for me for everything else. (yes, plenty of people will argue that one)

Slower than what? I hear that argument made about optics on shotguns a lot and I think you have to carefully consider the problem set before talking about speed. Can you shoot a trap gun "faster"? Probably, but what is the consequence of a miss or a wing type shot in trap?

If you are fielding the shotgun in a defensive role, the optic is going to provide an all-light conditions precision sighting solution. If you are close enough to point the gun and shoot and maintain 100% accountability, you can still do that with an optic. If you are not close enough to point and shoot, the optic is only going to help.

I know there are people that will argue my view on the matter, but I think a big part of the problem with defensive or tactical shotgun is that people draw from experiences that do not necessarily translate to that world.

At shotgun slug ranges, even my old eyes are fine with conventional rifle sights. Although, a red dot may be a little faster at more than 45 or 50 yards.

At in-the-house ranges, even a bead with no rear sight would be more than adequate. (And, no, this is not a "you don't even need to aim" comment. But at ten yards, which would be a long distance in most houses, you don't need a precision sight picture.)

quote:

Originally posted by DaBigBR:

Slower than what?

Everything? For me, slower than ghost rings.. which are slow. Slower than "rifle" sights. Slower than a bead for sure.
First hit wins, in pretty much everything.

It already has an an all-light conditions precision sighting solution without the dot.
But that line pretty much tells us all we need to know. I won't waste any more time here.

Oh I'll admit it, the co-witness drives me buggy, too busy, looking through too much. Don'l like it. (not just on shotguns, same on pistols). JUST a dot sight I'm fine with.

If it wouldn't cost $600+ (and of course I still wouldn't really need it), I'd knock the sights off the M4 and have a vent rib added. Make all the M4 fanboys livid!

I don’t find the red dot to be slower at all. Once the gun is cheeked, the dot just floats on the target in the middle of the ghost ring sight. Working targets 25 yards and out the dot is definitely more accurate for me. If I were to put a shotgun back into an HD role, I’d probably grab my Scattergun Tech 870 with streamlight forend pump. No red dot, and a simple ghost ring setup.

What CAS is saying is that shotguns in a defensive role should be Point Shot. That is you focus your eyes on the target, mount the gun, and the target is finished. Note, I can hit a fast moving target cleanly at 40 yards by point shooting my 410 Beretta 687. It's all a matter of Practice.

BTW, used properly a Pump Action can be cycled FASTER than most semi autos. The trick for doing that is to pre-tension the forearm so that as soon as the bolt releases it comes flying back and you "bounce" off that full stop to chamber the next round. Yeah, when the mood hits I'll take my Browning BPS out for a round or two of Skeet.

I understand the theories on shooting a shotgun, but I'm not personally convinced that the logic that drives skeet and trap where absolute accountability for every pellet matters translates directly.

At certain distances, sights are not required and are slower to use, however, I think that saying that a shotgun therefore doesn't need anything but a bead is not necessarily correct.

I have the same basic thought in pistol optics, borrowed mostly from Scott Jedlinski...at certain distances (maybe inside of 5 yards) and acceptable target areas (center mass of a torso), merely indexing the gun over the target makes it close to impossible to miss and anybody trying to acquire sights (irons, dot, anything at all) will be slower and no more accurate. Add distance or a requirement for greater accuracy and that changes.

You don't generally see anybody pushing "point shooting" (probably not the correct use of the term) with a rifle, even at fairly close distances, like they do with shotguns and I think a lot of that comes from the theory that you only need to be so accurate with a shotgun due to the inherent spread of most loads, particularly in skeet, trap, and bird hunting.

I also get that for most folks a shotgun is an across the room weapon at best and my perspective comes more from policing than home defense where I want the shotgun to work to 20 or 25 yards (with Flite Control buckshot or slugs) and see a big gain from having an optic.