Bead sight vs rifle, ghost ring, fiber optics, optics in a defensive shotgun

[SCARCQB]

What's your opinion on this issue?

Are sights useless on home defense shotguns?


(A FPS question on FB)

 

[iH8DemLibz]

A bead because you don't aim a shotgun.

 

[SCARCQB]

One inch spread every yard from the muzzle.

 

[fidelity]

Spotlighting with a tube attached weapons light would seem to be sufficient at home defense ranges, although point-n-shoot should be pretty easy even without.

 

[DC-W]

Bead. Home-defense is likely to be up-close and personal...

 

[traveller]

I thought you just rack it and watch the roaches scatter.

 

[MikeTF]

Aimpoint with an attached flashlight for low/no light.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[jimbobborg]

Of the long guns I have for HD, the sole shotgun has rifle sights with fibre optic inserts and is set up for speed loaders. It is significantly longer than the carbines I usually use for this application. I'd prefer a red-dot sight over the iron sights for this application.

 

[RebelYell]

Bead. I would use rifle sights/GRS on a designated slug gun like I use for hunting deer, but would prefer a bead for HD situations. I recently finished a Mossberg 590A1 project and used an XS Sight Systems Big Dot bead sight. It is a large bead sight with a tritium insert for low light conditions. Simple install and pretty cost effective given the night sight capability.

 

[Augie]

KISS, keep it simple stupid, nothing added to a home defense shotgun to fumble with, snag, interfere, no collapsable stock to collapse, just a bead is all you need and 8 rounds in the tube.

 

[vinjet700]

KISS, keep it simple stupid, nothing added to a home defense shotgun to fumble with, snag, interfere, no collapsable stock to collapse, just a bead is all you need and 8 rounds in the tube.

This ^^^^

 

[TomisinMd]

Above agreed! Bead....and a light. Know what or who you are targeting.

 

[outrider58]

I like a fiber optic bead. Easier to pick up without trying.

 

[jimbobborg]

My question to you, ScarCQB, is have YOU tried the different iterations of shotgun sights on multiple targets with defense loads? What works for me or Augie may not work for you. There's a defensive shotgun class being held this summer by one of the IPs here up in PA.

 

[alucard0822]

Same as a rifle built for close range IMO. Large ghost ring/wide notch and night sight post up front, or a forward mounted micro dot that can be left on for years(like an Aimpoint T1). Faster than a bead, better for targets and practice at longer ranges, and better for the managed recoil slugs or really tight patterning buchshot I prefer for defense. You can use the hotspot of a flashlight, point shoot, or so on, but I like the availability of sights, and use them when I can, much easier to translate practice with them. I shoot my share of clays with beads, and they are probably sufficient, but I'm used to having the gun already mounted before yelling "pull". I can line up a dot or blade faster and more precisely, especially when I just woke up and grabbed the gun in the dark, and in the short time until I line the sights up, I'm just on equal footing with everyone else that uses a bead or nothing.

 

[BenL]

Bead. I would use rifle sights/GRS on a designated slug gun like I use for hunting deer, but would prefer a bead for HD situations. I recently finished a Mossberg 590A1 project and used an XS Sight Systems Big Dot bead sight. It is a large bead sight with a tritium insert for low light conditions. Simple install and pretty cost effective given the night sight capability.

Is that sight glued on?

 

[lx1x]

Depends.

I have one with bead.. Another with scope (cantilever).. Another with fo sights..

 

[Magnumite]

"One yard of spread of spread for every yard from the muzzle."

My experience has indicated rifle sights are a definite advantage over a bead with slugs, shot and buckshot loads. I tried a dot, not crazy about it - in low light your eye will more responsive to the dot than the vague outline of a perp. Aimed fire is good in this case.

 

[PGTMG]

Is that sight glued on?

I have the same XS Sight on my 590 A1 and it is held in place by JB weld. I currently have over 500 rounds of buckshot and some slugs and nothing is loose.

 

[BigT5g]

I prefer ghost ring and fiber. you don't have to use it, but its there if you want to. It has proven extremely effective in 2 and 3 gun competitions for me so I feel confident in using this system. also, you're watching to much tv if you don't think you need to aim a shotgun. (talking self defense scenarios here not clays)