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i Heard alot of people brag about the red dot. I have not really heard specifically why they are better but I know the hunters I have talked to just love them and said they would never go back to cross hairs. I would like to know specifics too.

Otis, I live about 3/4 of an hour from ya, I have a 2.5x5 Tasco on my gun , I've shot O- maybe 70 birds with it and never had a problem yet , matter of fact ,If you want to try it out just get a hold of me, I will never hunt Turkey's with out a scope.The red dots are ok but I don't like the battery system with no crosshairs...BT

I like them with Long Sharp Spurs....

Edited by - BOSSTOM on 01/08/2003 16:47:43

Yup, the batteries are the biggest drawback with the red dot scopes.

I have been using a Bushnell Trophy turkey scope. One nice feature on it is the circle reticle which can be used to roughly just distance to the bird.

Otis, I purchased the Bushnell trophy last season and shot a gobbler with it and slugged a deer with it this fall. They are affordable as a basic single dot trophy is roughly $80 cdn and the multi reticle is $130 cdn and don't forget the tax. A saddlemount cost me an additional $80 for my 870. They are small and compact, their brightness can be varied for various light levels and give a good field of view at most shooting ranges. Having no magnification, you get what you see. I had mine out in the bush at a frigid -24 C and it still worked fine. Battery failure is a drawback, so if this a big concern for you, a good low powered scope with good light gathering abilities is your alternative. Hope this helps.

BTW if your 3.5" mag canon is making you recoil shy, a 3" shell probably is a better bet. Be comfortable with what you shoot.

I've got a leupold 1x5 on my gun, and will not hunt with out a scope on my turkey gun any more. With the light gathering capabilities and definate point of aim with the crosshairs,I think a scope is worth having. Cann't say anything on a red dot scope because I haven't used one.

I use an 870 SPS-T which I had drilled and tapped by a gunsmith and then put on a Weaver base, Burris rings and a Leupold Vari-X II 1x4 power shotgun scope with heavy duplex. I have used this setup for several years now with no regrets. I feel like I would be terribly handicapped if I had to go back to open sights. With the scope, there is only one focal plane, the crosshairs, as opposed to lining up one or more beads or open sights, plus the turkey's head and neck area. When I decided on a scope, I had considered a red dot sight but the idea of an on/off switch and the hassle of batteries (which go dead if you forget to turn it off) turned me against the red dots for hunting situations. I have a Tasco Pro Point on a .22 pistol and it is wonderful, but I just target shoot with it. If you can always remember to have it turned on when needed and remember to turn it off when done, then I'm sure it will work super on a turkey gun but the scope has a few less things to worry about when that big old tom is coming in. MTT

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otis The only hunting I did this fall was looking for my hammer under a pile of 2x6's some place <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> Killed a deer with the car over Christmas if that counts <img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>, No I never got there maybe next.
The Tasco Bantam will work fine on the Gun, I always keep mine set on 3 power , I like to see his EYE to aim at !

I only use 3in #5 , I don't feel a turkey hunter needs any more unless , he or she is having patterning problems. When your target is only 35 MAX. there is enough pattern to give the Old Longbeard a headach.
My Turkey setup with this shell and that Precision Choke can put the whole shell in a turkey target at 35 yards. I missed a bird last year at 20 yards because it is to tight at that range.

The only recoil and scope problems I've had was with a bushnell and I'll never own another one, had 2 of the turkey scopes and the recoil screwed both up.

I like them with Long Sharp Spurs....

Come on now Adrian.....you were in on the harvesting of 3 deer this year...you know if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have had any deer hanging, what with all the doggin you did!!! Otis...I have the TruGlow sights on my 870 pump gun & love them..have tehm mounted on both my slug barrel & my turkey barrel..one of the salesmen at LeBarons recommended them over the Red Dot when I went in there to purchase a Red Dot.....lots cheaper as well...i'm not a scope person so I have to disagree with Bosstom on this one, but i'm sure he's not going to argue with my shooting accuaracy...LOL....have a good one everyone....just my .02 cents worth.......Brampton Mike