shotgun with SIGHTS?

[vash]

i happen to know for a fact that you can miss a strutting turkey with a shotgun with consistency. total buck-fever.

i have an older BEATER Remington 11-87. i want to put a reddot sight on it. i researched those clamped brackets, but i cant imagine they are very rigid. now i'm thinking of letting my gunsmith drill and tap the receiver to take a picatinny rail. he said it would be easy.

anyone do this? would it ruin the gun as a wingshooter for high flying sandhill crane?

[cabmandone]

I think I'd let the gunsmith drill and tap the receiver. Not sure what you mean by clamp on mount. I'll have to look that up.


FWIW, I run a Weaver S2 on my Mossberg that I use for a slug gun and have never had a problem with it. It fastens to the side of receiver. I also run a different red dot for Turkey and my smooth barrel with an undertaker choke tube. I just swap out the red dots. Never had an issue with them being out of adjustment when I did it. After looking at pics I don't think I'd be afraid of the mounts for the 1187

[Porchdog]

I have a "sidesaddle" mount that I use on my dad's old 870 for slugs - it has a Weaver rail and mounts using the existing receiver screw holes.

I wouldn't have any qualms about drilling and tapping a "beater". I know an increasing number of guys who use red dots for turkey, geese and even upland hunting. If my astigmatism gets any worse I will try it myself.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by Porchdog

I wouldn't have any qualms about drilling and tapping a "beater".

Same. Just get a top-mount pic-rail. EGW makes them with a slight forward overhang/cantilever, so you can get an optic a bit farther forward.
I'd make sure your guy instals it w/ Vibra-tite or Rocksett.

[71T Targa]

I run a rifled barrel with a cantilevered scope mount like this on my deer gun. Not sure if they have the same in a smooth barrel...



I'd also have no issue tapping your receiver.

Be sure you get a red dot that will handle the recoil of the 12ga. Lots of stories of people using cheep red dots and having them lose 0.

[Jeff Higgins]

Red dots, or any other sort of an optical sight on a shotgun, are akin to the same unholy contrivances on lever guns - they will make you grow hair on your palms. Best avoided.

[Porchdog]

Originally Posted by 71T Targa

I run a rifled barrel with a cantilevered scope mount like this on my deer gun. Not sure if they have the same in a smooth barrel...

I like the cantilevered mount slug barrel - I had one for my Ithaca.

Just my opinion - the barrel mounting on the 870 isn't great for holding zero with a receiver mounted optic. Probably not an issue unless you are trying to use slugs @ 100 yards +.

Jeff - I used to agree with you regarding optics on shotguns. As my vision betrays me I'm starting to reconsider. I have peep sights on the lever guns and flintlocks but my effective range is getting shorter and shorter.

[Skytrooper]

I have peep sight on mine

[targa911S]

this.......https://www.amazon.com/B-Square-Remington-Serial-Shotgun-Saddle/dp/B0002IKRJE
it uses the holes for the trigger group pins. They work good, doesn't destroy the gun and is easy to undo. I've installed a few and never had any complaints.

[71T Targa]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Red dots, or any other sort of an optical sight on a shotgun, are akin to the same unholy contrivances on lever guns - they will make you grow hair on your palms. Best avoided.

Old guys with failing eyesight need all the help we can get.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by 71T Targa

Old guys with failing eyesight need all the help we can get.

Red dot doesn't do much for bad eyesight. They have minimal magnification which is why you're supposed to have both eyes open when you use one.