truglo turkey scope

[2012_taco]

I am thinking of putting a truglo red dot turkey scope on my 870 12 ga. anyone have one and what are your thoughts? Should I have a gunsmith drill and tap the mounts or would the side mount bracket work. I heard that the side mount can loosen up? I only use the gun for spring turkey so I don't need a cross-hair scope. I was looking for something more accurate than my fibre optic rifle sights. Thanks guys.

[ants]

Drill and tap is the way to go. Its a much more secure, reliable base. I had a truglo red dot on my turkey gun for a couple years. It worked well but not that much better than the florescent front bead and I didn't like the bulk it added to the gun. 

[CharlieNY]

I would agree that having the receiver drilled and tapped would be best. However the B-Square saddle mount for the 870 would also be a good choice. My son has the B-Square saddle mount on his 12 ga. 870 and it is solid and does not move. He has the gun set up as a dedicated turkey gun with a scope and exclusively shoots 3" magnum turkey loads with it and has never had a problem. The advantage with the saddle mount is that it can be removed easily and does not alter the gun in any way.

[MACHINIST]

I put a Mueller red dot on mine this year,I have to admit I was always scared about it not working when I needed it and having a turkey come in silent because you have to turn it on.Past that the bulk didn't bother me.I am still not to sure if it will be there next season.I also have a simmons scope I may throw on during the off season to see if I like that.

[turkeyfeathers]

Used to have a Bushnell red dot on my old turkey set up. With dedicated 1187 SPT I put a Bushnell circle x on it. Mounted via a B Square mount. It's never come loose and I like the idea of not having to worry about the battery dying out at the least unoppurtune time . Just my .02

[Pygmy]

I have gone from single bead, to double bead, to adjustable fiber optic sights, to holosight, and to 1x4 Leupold...

I did well with the adjustable open fiber optics until I had problems focusing on them with my old eyes.. I tried the holosights and the scope, but didn't care for the bulk and the difficulty in getting a good sight pictures in some of the odd positions I may have shoot from while set up on a bird.

I have finally gone back to what I was using in 1977...A simple front bead with a mid bead to remind me to keep my silly melon head down when I shoot... One added advantage of this sighting system is that if I SHOULD miss or wound with my first shot, I can shoot instinctively and stand a good chance of killing a running or flying bird with a backup shot..That is more difficult to do with an optical type sight like a red dot or a scope..

I know that we're always supposed to kill 'em with the first shot, but in the real world, there have been a number of times when I have been very happy to have a quick second shot available..

Over the last 40 years I've killed a few with my second shot and even a couple with my third..

[Lawdwaz]

I know that we're always supposed to kill 'em with the first shot, but in the real world, there have been a number of times when I have been very happy to have a quick second shot available..

Over the last 40 years I've killed a few with my second shot and even a couple with my third..

 

Once again, Pygmy hits it on the head as far as I'm concerned.  I've also killed on the second shot and even on the third, one time.

 

Missed enough with the first shot too and I don't think a red dot, green dot or a camo dot would have helped a bit.  Like sooo much in any sport/hobby or even life if your head isn't in the game you're going to bungle it up.  Keep your eye on the ball and bingo, YOU win!!

 

Mid bead and front fiber optic "bead" are the thing for me these days.

[ants]

My gun had a front bead and a rear adjustable sight. The rear sight was made of thin metal. Two florescent dots. It was cheaply made and cheesy. It would move left or right if the wind blew too hard on it. I had to constantly check it in the field. I finally pulled it off last week and tossed it. The front florescent bead works fine all by itself.

[Lawdwaz]

For those that do use a red dot or scope, have you ever had an issue with range judgment with an approaching bird?  I could see having a problem if you spent too much time looking through your sight and not paying attention to the distance?

 

Things can get pretty nerve wracking in the final moments and I could see messing a shot if I concentrated to hard on the sight picture.  Just a random thought on a early spring rainy night.

 

Seems open sights would (and have for me) help to NOT pooch the shot.

[ants]

The red dot I used was only like  2x. I Would watch the bird until I knew he was in range and then sight down the gun. Same as I do with open sights.

[2012_taco]

thanks guys, I can see all the points mentioned. The sights I have on the gun are HI- VIZ and the front magnetic sight is a large green fiber optic and the rear is adjustable 2 red fiber optics. Part of the problem is the front sight is so big that it covers a turkey head so I had it sighted in so I could aim at the base of the neck and hit it good in the head. But if i have a brain cramp and aim too high I miss high! Secondly, I knocked the gun over opening weekend and the rear sight moved and part of it broke off. I re sighted it but now I don't trust it and I just felt that the turkey red dot would be a nice fit for me. I do fear the brain cramp that forgets to turn it on with a bird coming in quick. lawd as for seeing/ judging distance the truglo turkey scope has a duel reticle with a 2.5 moa dot surrounded by a circle that is supposed to be a 24" circle at 30 yds. I assume that should be about the height of a gobbler at 30 yds. I've looked through one and it sure does make it easy to find your target and aim.

[MACHINIST]

For those that do use a red dot or scope, have you ever had an issue with range judgment with an approaching bird?  I could see having a problem if you spent too much time looking through your sight and not paying attention to the distance?

 

 

That happened to me this year on opening day with a big tom.I got close to his roost and he had hens with him.As soon as they flew down he started to make his way to the hen closest to me(20 yards) and when he got to 45-50 yards as I was getting ready to shoot he spun as another hen came out of the tree behind him.Then he started walking away toward the other tom and I just keep burning a hole in him with the red dot not paying attention that he was actually walking away and making the distance longer.I shot and didnt realize he was 65-70 yards when he turned.Thats the only problem I have had with the red dot

[loworange88]

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-a-Free-Tactical-Pressure-Switch/?ALLSTEPS

 

This guy made a pressure switch to turn on his red-dot.

 

Made for a paintball marker....but still cool idea.  This could easily be done to a turkey gun, no movement, and no worries of dead battery due to leaving it on by accident.

[2012_taco]

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-a-Free-Tactical-Pressure-Switch/?ALLSTEPS

 

This guy made a pressure switch to turn on his red-dot.

 

Made for a paintball marker....but still cool idea.  This could easily be done to a turkey gun, no movement, and no worries of dead battery due to leaving it on by accident.

Very interesting project. I assume you would turn it  on with your forearm hand. 

[loworange88]

yep, just a simple squeeze will turn it on.