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Scope For Turkey Shotgun |
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hawkenman
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/20/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 6 |
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Posted: July/19/2009 at 15:47 |
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I have a Mossberg model 535 3.5 inch turkey shotgun that is very light and kicks like a mule. What would be a good scope that could take the recoil? I prefer a circle with a dot recticle and camo finish. Any input would be appreciated.
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RONK
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: April/05/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3199 |
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http://swfa.com/Leupold-1-4x20-VX-I-Shotgun-Scope-P7481.aspx
This is the only turkey plex reticle scope I was able to find, and it doesn't really have a camo finish (Dark Earth) but it would handle the recoil and would be a good choice otherwise. Would you consider a red-dot type optic, such as an Aimpoint?
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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My first choice would be an aimpoint
but if you are on a budget I would probably recommend this Weaver traditional scope in a 1-3x closely watch how much eye relief when you select an optic.
Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - October/27/2017 at 18:59 |
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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Whale
Optics Apprentice Joined: October/04/2015 Location: NYC Status: Offline Points: 180 |
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I know this post is eight years old. However, I am purchasing a Winchester X3 NWTF Cantilever Turkey - Mossy Oak Break-Up Country for turkey hunting this spring. Are these still good recommendations? Or has something better come along in the last eight years?
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urbaneruralite
Optics Journeyman Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 479 |
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Some people like scopes on turkey guns. Some people like red dots. Some people like just the bead. Some people like clamp on sights because they have not had a problem with them yet. I prefer just bead. If I can't do that a mini red dot sight is the only way to fly. I have been satisfied with the Burris FastFire 3, 2 MOA. The next one I get will probably be a Leupold Delta Point Pro 2.5 MOA. Go small on the dot to limit how wide it can bloom when turned up.
Also, I'd do some research on turkey loads for subgauges before spending money on a big 12. Anything bigger than a 20 is too much gun these days; unless you intend to snipe at long range with big loads. The sweet spot is a 5# 28ga with 18g/cc tungsten handloads. My current favorite rig is a 3.3# single barrel .410 with 13/16oz of #9.5s. It does better than the old 12ga and leads #5s I started with twenty years ago. Short answer is I'd pick a 6# 20ga of whichever flavor suited my fancy. I would order Federal 1.5oz heavyweight #7s and a choke specifically for that load such as made by SumToy Customs or Trulock. I would test at 13 yards to see if it centered the pattern on the bead with a flat sight picture down the rib. If it did, I'd not mount a sight. If it did not, I'd put a mini red dot sight on it. |
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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My turkey gun is a Benelli M1014, great sites (added tritium) and plenty of ammo on tap. Most red dot optics have a bright colored objective, and turkeys see pretty well. Avoid anything that catches your eye, it'll definitely catch theirs. A killflash addresses this, but now you're adding more stuff. Do you need an optic or just want an optic? |
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Whale
Optics Apprentice Joined: October/04/2015 Location: NYC Status: Offline Points: 180 |
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Urbaneruralite, Never considered a 20 gauge or smaller for turkey hunting. I know Federal and Winchester make turkey loads in 20 gauge.
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Whale
Optics Apprentice Joined: October/04/2015 Location: NYC Status: Offline Points: 180 |
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Rancid Coolaid, I was looking at a red dot to help the older eyes. Couldn't hurt? Right? |
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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There is much to be said for the advantages of a red dot sight, they take one of the most error-prone processes (sight alignment) out of the equation altogether.
They are old tech, but the gen2 trijicon reflex is a great optic, and comes with a killflash in at least one configuration. It's singular deficiency is lots of light on the target with not much light at the sight (causing the dot or triangle to wash out.) I've not known anyone to spotlight turkeys. They need no batteries and tritium lasts quite a while. It would be a good contender. And so would many others, but that would Be on my short list. Fastfire too, for different reasons, but it would need something to mute the obj end. |
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Whale
Optics Apprentice Joined: October/04/2015 Location: NYC Status: Offline Points: 180 |
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Thank you everyone for your input. It is always appreciated.
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Whale
Optics Apprentice Joined: October/04/2015 Location: NYC Status: Offline Points: 180 |
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Might be purchasing the EOTech 512 Mossy Oak for the shotgun when I return from the islands. Thanks again.
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urbaneruralite
Optics Journeyman Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 479 |
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http://www.benelliusa.com/performance-shop/performance-shop-m2-turkey#specifications-section
The 20ga version is listed as 6.2#. Federal has 15g/cc load available now. They have leaked that they will have 18g/cc for 2018. I understand that some have a hard time wrapping the noggin around using a 20ga for turkey. You won't after you smoke the first at the distances you used to do it with a 3 1/2" 12ga using lead pellets. It's a great time to buy any gauge and setup, though. Anything that suits your preference will work well.
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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I'm a big fan of "a little too much gun", and a 20-gauge on turkey ain't that.
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Freedom is something you take.
Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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urbaneruralite
Optics Journeyman Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 479 |
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It kinda is if you're using small 18g/cc pellets. Assuming you would not shoot past 60 yards, an effective 20ga load would have ~100 more pellets than a 12ga load of 2oz of lead sixes. The harder pellets hold a pattern a lot better, too. These are tungsten #9s. I don't even like lead 9s on clay targets, but tungsten on birds is whole 'nother ballgame.
I went from a 3 1/2" 12ga using lead sixes to a 20ga using 15g/cc tungsten sevens. Performance was equivalent. Now I'm using a .410 with 18g/cc tungsten nine-and-a-halfs. So far I've only killed one with the .410. I held out until the birds were at about 28 yards. I'm being cautious with the small pellets. I will try them out to forty next season. The patterns from the .410 are equivalent to 3" lead 12 ga. That is with precise handloads and a turkey choke. I don't know how good a job Federal will do with their commercial loads. If they get it down with the 20ga and make good ones, it won't be long until people are asking for 28ga and .410. That's probably wishful thinking. People will probably just load up huge amounts of tungsten and start sniping birds at 100 yards.
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harveyspecter
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/02/2015 Status: Offline Points: 13 |
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Very clearly. thank you very much |
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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I still like the Aimpoint. The Comp M5 runs AAA the Comp M4s runs AA and other models run different batteries. What I like about the 9000L and 9000SC is that they mount using 30 mm rings, but battery type is 3V lithium battery, type 2L76 or DL1/3N. The Micro H1 runs 3V lithium battery, type CR2032 which is easy to find like the AAA and AA batteries. All do the same thing just different size and shape.
in low light you will find that aimpoiints suffer from the lens coatings where Trijicon Accupoint and Compact ACOG scopes do not. However the issue with heavy recoil is that most Trijicon products have a rather short eye relief 1-4 accupoint says 3.5 to 2 in but its actually useable farther away than that, where the aimpoint has no set distance for eye relief and could be mounted even on a handgun or scout rifle. I have had scopes mounted on shotguns primarily slug guns for deer and have found the aimpoints to be as satisfactory as anything available primarily due to the extended eye relief. Trijicon 1.5x24 Compact Acog Rifle Scope shows 3.6 in eye relief https://swfa.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=compact+acog the red crosshair is easily one of my favorite optics I have a 3x with red crosshair and a 1.5 with amber triangle and the amber washes out looking toward lights at night.
Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - October/27/2017 at 19:21 |
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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