Red dot on shotguns?
 

Hey guys,

I've been doing some clay shooting lately, and I find it impossible for myself to hit a single clay with both eye open. Each time I shoot with both eyes open, I keep seeing two barrels. It also doesn't help that my mossberg 935 doesn't fit me, even with the shims. And that my mounting technique is not the best there is.

So, I kind of thought of buying something like this: https://www.easyhit.com/product-page...-av-px-r1000-1.

My main point is: I kind of just want your guys' opinions and experiences on shotguns mounted with red dots

FYI: the end goal on my shotgun shooting is being able to do running shots on deer.

Thanks for all the inputs.:):):)

We have had several people show up at our clubs to shoot skeet or trap with red dot or holographic sights, and in every case, it was a failure. They do however work much better for closer range rifle shooting where sights are an advantage.

They work great for smashing called in coyotes.....not sure if they would be my choice for trap or skeet. Running deer or hogs would probably work much like close up running yotes

If you are seeing two barrels you are looking at the wrong object .
You need hard focus on the lay itself, the barrel should only be in your pariferal vision .:)
Cat

Check and see which is your dominant eye. Sounds like you are shooting with your non-dominate. Switch sides and my bet is you will only see the one barrel.
A lot of reflex type Red Dots are used in Europe for running game and Birds. I used a Doctor sight very successfully over there for driven game and birds under 70 yards using a drilling If you can't get used to shooting with two eyes open, I would give it a try. Nothing to loose.

https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=...ht_300.jpg&f=1

They had a similar idea in the 60's called the Weaver Qwik Point. It was a failure for birds, but i think the deer hunters were happy with them

One idea i had to fix a non fitting bird gun was hi-viz rifle sights.... it did not work, never tried it on anything other than clays or birds

I saw on a trap gun recently with a rectangle hi-viz rear sight which i cannot find a link to anything similar but it seemed like a good idea.

With seeing two barrels i had a similar problem till someone showed me my dominate eye, which my dominate is left. I now shoot left rather than right and the problem is gone. Just an idea.

In the Clays Games, as with birding, shotguns are never aimed, they are pointed .. with both eyes open.
Get a gun that fits, mount it correctly, point, swing and shoot. That may sound a bit simplistic, but that's really all there is to it. If you still have difficulty, take a few lessons from qualified instructor as the quickest route to success.

Hmmmm bad fitting shotgun and take running shots....let's focus on a shotgun that fits proper, comes up and you can track the clay without effort and throw in the training of many hours to hone the skill as cat indicated your not on the clay with your eyes so you need to practice the technique.
Now running shots on deer....lets get better at hunting which with clay shooting is another skill set that you will develope minimizing taking a running shot rather a very ethical one shot broadside shot.
You can have all the gadgets in the world and it will not increase your skill sets obtained through repetitive practice.
Hook up with a skeet shooter, and a seasoned hunter who can properly mentor you, more fun and a lot less frustration.
Good luck.

I had the same problem. This fixed it and very well too

http://www.hivizsights.com/product/mgh2007-i-ii/

Your best option is to find a shotgun that fits, or make your shotgun fit, or learn how to properly hold a shotgun if that is really the problem. Trying to fix a fit or gun mount issue by adding a sight, is not likely going to resolve the issue, and for wingshooting, adding a sight or hi-viz bead, is likely to make the issue even worse, because you won't be concentrating on the target. I have seen a few shooters improve their clay scores by removing the hi-viz bead/strip. Whatever direction you choose to go, don't start shooting at running game animals until you resolve the issue.

Good point, fit is always priority

Fit, and not trying to aim using the beads while wing shooting. And once a person gets used to closing one eye and aiming using the beads, it's a hard habit to break.

It sounds like you are trying to check your lead or aiming while keeping both eyes open if you are seeing 2 barrels. Try to focus on the bird and not the gun and you may notice your shooting improve.

It is perfectly normal to see two barrels when focusing on the clay. If you were seeing two clays then your problem would be focusing on the barrels rather than the clay.

You have a keen awareness of your peripheral vision and it is distracting you. I too have a keen awareness of peripheral vision and although it doesn't impact my shooting, it drives me absolutely nuts when driving in a busy city.

Anyway, I can easily check the alignment and proper shouldering in my peripheral vision while focusing on a target but many people can not. I find it an asset while shooting, especially when using different guns. The other day I was shooting two different shotguns on the same sporting clays course during the same round. My regular shotgun has no cast and a very flat rib. The other shotgun I was trying had too much cast and a raised rib that threw the pattern higher. I could easily make the adjustment in my peripheral vision and smash clays consistently with either gun.

Now obviously I would prefer to not make any adjustments while shooting, so the second gun will probably get moved along.

So what is your problem?

Your problem is two fold. The obvious answer is to buy a shotgun that hits where you are looking. The issue with this is that you are not experienced enough to shoulder your shotgun consistently, day in and day out. Even poor foot work can affect shouldering and alignment to a point of a miss. Basically, you are not qualified to buy a shotgun for yourself until you get lots more practice or a mentor that can help you.

Shotguns are also expensive and it is not realistic for most people to buy more than one nor do they shoot enough to garner any practical advantage from the high price of a custom fit.

Soooo, if your shotgun is not hitting where you are looking, you must start looking where your shotgun is hitting. This is going to sound demeaning but the broad side of a barn works perfectly. Hang a large sheet of paper with a big black dot on it. Shoulder your shotgun and fire at the dot while focusing only on the dot. Do this for several rounds and you will find where your shotgun is hitting in relationship to where you are looking. You can then try some adjustments with the spacers and shims. the directions of how each spacer impacts POI should have been included but is easy to figure out. Once you get it to a point where it is as close as it is going to get, you can get good enough to enjoy some clays and practice.

Now obviously this is not the ideal solution but it will work. I hunted for several years with a Mossberg 500 that threw a pattern a foot to the right and a foot or more high. It was my late season go to goose gun as it was the only shotgun in the house chambered for 3 inch shells. I seldom missed with it. My father left me a Browning Sporting that throws a pattern at least a foot higher than I like. I take it out at least once a year for a limit of birds and have no issues hitting with it. Basically, if you can't adjust your shotgun to you, you must adjust to your shotgun.

Thanks for all the replies guy!

It seems like I just need to keep practicing proper mounting technique and do more focus training on the bird instead of the bead then.:)

Speaking of shotgun practice, I was looking at DryFire USA, a training tool to shoot clay at home anytime: https://dryfireus.com/
The reason I'm looking at something like this is just the time and cost to keep going to the shotgun range every week. And the ammo and clay cost involve as well.

What are your guys' thoughts on this training tool?

Hmmmm get a custom quote and go from there......

Booking a session with a gunfitter/ clays instructor may be a good investment in your case. You will at least learn to mount a shotgun properly, and he can help you adjust the gun using the shims to fit you better.

Take a look at a product called "burris Speed bead." Designed for a shotgun, works quite well

I’ve seen those Speed beads advertised and have wondered how well they work.

^^^^^this^^^^^ proper mount and fit will improve your shooting a million times more than some overpriced flashy bits on the end of your muzzle. Look into videos and books from osp shooting school.

Any device to aim a shotgun is going the wrong direction.
A training aid might help consistent mounting the gun.
There is no quick and cheap road to good clay shooting.
You certainly should see improvement with focus on good fundamentals over a couple of flats of shells.

I put mine on my waterfowl gun, helps me get on the bird quicker especially in low light, or jumping out of the layout etc, even shot a White tail doe with it a couple years back with 00 in a shotgun only zone. It is the standard Burris Fastfire III red dot but it is the mounting bracket that makes all the difference.

It is not a must have but it works..

I bought a Burris Red Dot for waterfowl low light hunting. Unboxed it and realize I would be better of without it. I think it takes a lot of practice to point the red dot on moving targets. Its for sale if you are interested.

I used to travel with a trap and skeet team and compete and I close one eye. Some people do so its not abnormal.

If you close one eye, you lose some peripheral vision, which is a significant disadvantage, especially for sporting clays , and for skeet as well. Yes some people do shoot clays with one eye closed, but it's usually because they learned that way, and either never tried to change, or had issues due to eye dominance.