optics for a turkey gun

[Trickymissfit]

on my 835 Mossberg I have a low powered scope, and I like it and the way it sets up. But I've been thinking about making the switch to a red dot large diameter scope. Found a Burris and a Bushnell that seemed to fit the bill, but have no idea how well the hold up under heavy recoil. Anybody here use one?
gary

 

[J E Custom]

on my 835 Mossberg I have a low powered scope, and I like it and the way it sets up. But I've been thinking about making the switch to a red dot large diameter scope. Found a Burris and a Bushnell that seemed to fit the bill, but have no idea how well the hold up under heavy recoil. Anybody here use one?
gary

I used a Bushnell Holograph on mine (3 1/2 " Extrema with 2 1/4 oz of #4s and never had a problem
except for the batteries quiting at the worst times.

The Holograph is easier to acquire and has different aim points (I like the circle with cross hairs and a dot in the middle).

I installed on of the fiber optic front site and have used it ever sense. It has no batteries but it glows
like it is lighted.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Trickymissfit]

I used a Bushnell Holograph on mine (3 1/2 " Extrema with 2 1/4 oz of #4s and never had a problem
except for the batteries quiting at the worst times.

The Holograph is easier to acquire and has different aim points (I like the circle with cross hairs and a dot in the middle).

I installed on of the fiber optic front site and have used it ever sense. It has no batteries but it glows
like it is lighted.

J E CUSTOM

I've also looked at that one as well. My main complaint was that it looked a little fragile with the chance of getting bumped around during transport. My brother inlae uses a couple of them on rifles he keeps on the farm. Never had a problem with them and recoil.
The scope gave me problems when I first installed it as the mounts would hold the scope under a very heavy load, so I pulled the base and rings and worked them over in the Bridgeport to hold three lapped rings. Never say another problem. But as I'm getting older eye relief is becomming more and more of an issue with optics and my ever worsening vision. The red dots and the halo device seem to have much better eye relief, and I find them much quicker to pick up a target with. I'm with you in that I like the circular reticle as it just seems easier to put on target.
gary

 

[varmintH8R]

I use an EoTech on mine and it works great. During non-turkey season it sits on a AR platform. I got a package from GG&G with their QD system and it makes transfer really easy.

 

[J E Custom]

I've also looked at that one as well. My main complaint was that it looked a little fragile with the chance of getting bumped around during transport. My brother inlae uses a couple of them on rifles he keeps on the farm. Never had a problem with them and recoil.
The scope gave me problems when I first installed it as the mounts would hold the scope under a very heavy load, so I pulled the base and rings and worked them over in the Bridgeport to hold three lapped rings. Never say another problem. But as I'm getting older eye relief is becomming more and more of an issue with optics and my ever worsening vision. The red dots and the halo device seem to have much better eye relief, and I find them much quicker to pick up a target with. I'm with you in that I like the circular reticle as it just seems easier to put on target.
gary

As to the survivability of the holograph, I bought it for a 454 Casull that I used for hunting and found it to slow for acquisition of the target. It never failed from the recoil but at arms length It was hard to use
so I tried it on my shotgun and found it much easier because of the stock and the natural alignment
with the eye.

I did like it for poor light (Intensity is adjustable) and shooting head shots only it was easy to pick the aim point.

I still have it on the mounting rail so I can take it off and place it back on for the long shots. (The longest shot so far has been 68 yards and it helps to know the drop at longer distances to prevent
body shooting the Turkey (And Yes, a shot gun has drop even though we don't see it as well because
of the size of the pattern at long distances). with the circular reticle I can apply Kentucky elevation.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Trickymissfit]

As to the survivability of the holograph, I bought it for a 454 Casull that I used for hunting and found it to slow for acquisition of the target. It never failed from the recoil but at arms length It was hard to use
so I tried it on my shotgun and found it much easier because of the stock and the natural alignment
with the eye.

I did like it for poor light (Intensity is adjustable) and shooting head shots only it was easy to pick the aim point.

I still have it on the mounting rail so I can take it off and place it back on for the long shots. (The longest shot so far has been 68 yards and it helps to know the drop at longer distances to prevent
body shooting the Turkey (And Yes, a shot gun has drop even though we don't see it as well because
of the size of the pattern at long distances). with the circular reticle I can apply Kentucky elevation.

J E CUSTOM

The .454 Casull! Or Carpo Tunnel in steel! Never owned one, but did shoot an early model a few times, and it was all my little hands could stand! The palm of my hand hurt for several days, and I wish I'd worn my PAST glove. I never doubted that the Halo type sight wouln't hold up to the recoil, but I was more or less worried about it getting banged up during transport. Yet some of the round tubed sights are so short that you can only use one ring to hold them, and that kinda bothers me a little bit

Figuring that the average turkey shot is around fifty feet, I don't think drop is much to worry about. (I never have anyway) I worry more about the length of the shot string than anything when shooting pellets, and that really dosn't apply to turkey hunting much as your not swinging the barrel.

By the way I knew I was half asleep when I wrote that last post, but I couldn't make out what half of it was was! I apologize for my horrible spelling. Been staying up way too late reading a book titled "Code Named Bright Light."
gary

 

[J E Custom]

By the way I knew I was half asleep when I wrote that last post, but I couldn't make out what half of it was was! I apologize for my horrible spelling. Been staying up way too late reading a book titled "Code Named Bright Light."
gary

The Holo site fits on a rail much like the Weaver base and can be removed and replaced without loss
of zero. So if transporting is a worry buy a good repeatable base and mount it own your shotgun.

And as far as spelling, That is not one of my strong points, Especially until after I have had my second
cup of coffee.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Trickymissfit]

The Holo site fits on a rail much like the Weaver base and can be removed and replaced without loss
of zero. So if transporting is a worry buy a good repeatable base and mount it own your shotgun.

And as far as spelling, That is not one of my strong points, Especially until after I have had my second
cup of coffee.

J E CUSTOM

I'm the otherway around. I gotta have a couple cups of coffee to wake me up
gary

 

[tinman13kup]

A scope on an 835 gave me my first firearm injury, 6 stitches to be exact. Using 3-1/2" #4s, guess what happened?
I was turkey hunting before work, and after 2 days at the public hunting spot near the job I had figured out how a tom was moving. He wouldn't stray off course, so I figured I'd intercept him. He clammed up on his run, and I figured he was long gone, so I went into a cinder pit area to check out a pond area for some fishing. I was 30yds into the open and when I looked up I saw him strutting 50yds in front of me. I dropped down and tried to look like anything other than a person. I was going for a mossy rock look. He started back at me and I was following him with the scope, but because my head was hunkered down, I was looking out the top of my eye which put my brow painfully close to that scope. He made me at 45yds, and when he stuck his head up I let er rip. Through the stars I managed to see him fly off, but I still went to look, and that's when I felt the warm stuff going down my neck. I pulled off my face mask, which really didn't help with the looks, and proceeded to the gas station up the road to get cleaned up. The girl behind the counter about messed herself. It wouldn't stop, so after an hour I ended up at the ER t get it closed up. They found it amusing, and were arguing amongst themselves over using barney bandaids or dora the explorer. Yeah, it was slow and everyone had big laughs that day.
Yes, I did bust that Tom the next day, right where I originally sat