Open or red dot

I'm building up my 870 into a dedicated turkey gun and I'm stuck on which direction I want to go with sights. This gun has a POI that's a few inches left at 30 yards that I need to overcome. Also compounding the issue is I am cross dominant. I was able to teach myself to shoot a longbow lefty to overcome this issue, but shotguns have been a whole different issue. More time at the bench would help I'm sure, but I just don't have much of that to spare. I've narrowed down my choices to a set of Williams Fire Sights or a Truglo Red Dot. Cost wise, I'm leaning towards the Williams since I don't have to worry about a rail or anything. At the same time I really like the thought of just having that red dot centered on a gobblers neck. Any of you guys have experiences or advice?
 

drum3rguy

Eight Pointer
I have a red-dot on my 870, one of the open types, not a scope type. I really love it. Adjustable for windage and elevation, easy to see, and parallax isn't as big of an issue. I just bought a saddle-mount and popped the sight on. Sighted in with bird shot at like 5 yards so it made a small pattern. Then I went back in 5-10 yard increments out to 50 (farther than I would actually shoot...maybe, lol) and just gauged where the center of the pattern was, and adjusted the sight to move it.

I really enjoy it.
 

cuppednlocked

Ten Pointer
I have turkey guns with a scope and reflex style red dots. Once I used a red dot the first time I was hooked. I like being able to see more of the bird than lining up a bead. It's not a huge difference but it works for me.
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
I prefer fiber optic rifle sights, with witness marks so you know if they move. I like it simple...
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I had the same problem with my 870. POI was about 6" left at 30 yards. I use the TruGlo pro series adjustable fiber optic sights. Works good for me. Simple, inexpensive, and solved the problem well.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If you go with a red dot you better go with a quality one, a shotgun will tear the cheap ones all to pieces and you will never keep them zeroed. You would be ahead of the game to spend a little money and buy a reflex type.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
I had the same problem with my 870. POI was about 6" left at 30 yards. I use the TruGlo pro series adjustable fiber optic sights. Works good for me. Simple, inexpensive, and solved the problem well.

This what i would do an adjustable fiber optic should solve your problems cheap. I've tried every thing from red dot to scopes on my 870 and for me I didn't like any only shoot the 2 beads but when your off you gotta solve the problem my brother has same issue you have and has to shoot lefty sights helped him
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
When I missed a chip shot a couple of years ago because my eyes couldn't focus on the front sight in low light I knew I had to do something. I put a Gobbler Getter on my Super Mag and it's changed my whole way of thinking. Now I don't have to wonder if I've got everything lined up down the barrel, or if I'll be able to see my front sight(yes, I had already changed to a fiber optic sight)at first light when he drops off the roost right into my lap. It's a done deal and I'll never look down an open sighted barrel again.
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
My old eyes can't focus on the fiber optic sights any longer so I've gone to red dots. My favorite is the Bushnell Trophy red/green multi reticle. I've shot a bunch of slugs, buckshot, and turkey loads with it and it holds zero. I have several of the TruGlo's also, they sighted in fast but I haven't shot them enough to see if they hold zero.

side note: posted a vent rib scope mount in the classifieds.
 
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Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
My old eyes can't focus on the fiber optic sights any longer so I've gone to red dots. My favorite is the Bushnell Trophy red/green multi reticle. I've shot a bunch of slugs, buckshot, and turkey loads with it and it holds zero. I have several of the TruGlo's also, they sighted in fast but I haven't shot them enough to see if they hold zero.

side note: posted a vent rib scope mount in the classifieds.

I had the Bushnell Trophy on my mini-30 but it didn't gather enough light for me, so that's why I went with a more open kind of red dot. The Trophy never gave me a seconds trouble on my mini-30 and it was sure fun to shoot.
 

quackNcluck

Six Pointer
I just put together the same setup on my 870 and couldn't decide on open sight or scoped/red dot. I read an article that helped; the writer brought up the negatives of a scope/red dot with possible lens fogging, dead battery, sticks blocking the view and the possibility of hitting the scope and throwing the pattern off. He then pointed out the number difference of how many turkeys have been killed by shotguns with open sights and the far less number that have been taken with scoped shotguns. I like simplicity so I chose the fiber optic rifle sight and my gun performs really well with it. Just my 2 cents
 
I appreciate everyone's advice. After a good bit of consideration I ended up ordering a set of Williams Fire Sights. In the end the deciding factor, for me, was $$$. I had enough saved up to get either, but with what I saved I can now pick up another goodie or 2 I've got my eye on before the season.
 
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