Bead?
 

Anyone hunt with just a bead on the gun.I,m old-school and don,t care for a scope.Killed plenty of birds without the teck stuff,like to call the in close.

It's more than doable. You just have to remember to get down on the gun and don't peek before you let him have it. Otherwise you'll shoot high and the closer they are the easier it is to shoot over their head.

I have never used a scoped shotgun for turkey hunting though I have used a scoped crossbow successfully on turkey. I don't consider a scope teck stuff many of my rifles have them but not on my shotguns.

Lots of birds killed with just the front bead of a shotgun in place before guns specifically for turkeys were made. You could always replace the bead with a fiber optic front sight and rear open sight. The fiber optic front sight would be easier to see and with an adjustable rear open sight you could dial the gun in.

Still w/factory bead and choke tube.

I was using my 28" Model 1200 Winchester as a turkey gun the first year or two with a fixed modified choke. Then I took that barrel off and had the short slug barrel for it threaded so I could use all kinds of chokes. Along with that I did as Oldtimr mentioned and had the front and rear sights removed and replaced with fiber optic sights. The whole works cost me about $50, not including the turkey choke I then bought for it. That shorter barrel really comes in handy in the grouse woods with an improved cylinder in it and as the leaves fall I just go to a little tighter choke as the birds start getting up a little further out. It also handles nicely when I use it turkey hunting compared to a longer barrel.

As Topgun mentioned a bead works great as long as you make sure to get down on the stock. I had a few issues once and got a ghost ring which clamped on the rib of my SBE and a fiber optic bead for the front. The ring is about as large as a small pea and is like a peep sight with a couple of fiber dots on the side. With my older eyes I put the fiber bead on the head and neck of the turkey and my eye naturally looks through the ring and centers. Works great and doesn't weigh anything.

As my eyes continued to get bad, I had to ditch the fiber optic sights and move to a red dot.

Anybody use the truglo starbrite deluxe bead??

Agree with RPD63 on a red dot scope. They work well and you don't really need to spend a lot of money.

the more reference points you have the easier it is to achieve the same consistant cheek weld, if you have the exact same cheek weld every shot, you only need one bead. pretty much a catch 22 situation
RR

I did in the beginning but I've used Truglo sights for years and love them, I think scopes are to limiting for me.

A bead is fine as long as you don't lift your head as others have informed you.

We point a shotgun but aim a rifle.
However, with today's tight shotgun patterns due to our turkey chokes we use, we lean more to aim the shotgun as you are aiming at a small target. Specifically the head/neck above the feather line of the neck.
Pop one in the body and surely the chase will be on. Very sickening feeling knowing you hit the bird good -even rolled him down the hill, but can not find it.

Been there done that.

As soon as you lift your head - even a slight lift you have lost your aimpoint.

Just my 2 cents.

Didn't cost much to allen wrench on some true glo sites I could adjust for windage and elevation. Never lost a bird again.

JW

Perhaps the OP uses his gun for other hunting such as wing or rabbit shooting and a scope would be a hindrance. Many people still use one gun for everything. A fiber optic sight system would still let him use the gun for multiple uses without having to remove a scope rings and bases for one thing and put them back on for turkey and he said he doesn't care for scopes.

This is the turkey forum, not other small game, geese, etc.

Thank you for enlightening us as to what Forum we're in, but that doesn't mean what Oldtimr mentioned couldn't be mentioned on this thread now does it?!!! :confused2:

Hey bub, if I need to be reminded what forum I am in I will ask!

Hey Bubba! You were the one that came on acting like a bigshot Mod telling Oldtimr what thread we're in "in bold" and insinuating he shouldn't have made his post and are now acting like the "site manager" again with your "In bold" post! Get over it! We all know what thread we're in and mine was not a negative comment like both of yours! It was just a simple one explaining what you must not be able to comprehend regarding the post Oldtimr made that was more than appropriate for what is being discussed on this thread. Have a good day and let's talk turkey, rather than baloney!

I've done both, fiber optic sights installed to the vent rib and just a single bead...I think it's just personal preference...I have 2 shotguns set and go back and forth between the two...One is actually a 2 3/4 1100 and it patterns very well, I also use this gun for deer, pheasants, squirrel, rabbits, quail, etc... ;)

It really depends upon the hunter and how well he can shoot as well as how tight that pattern is at say, 15-20 yards, that's when a sight helps...

My turkey gun came with a set of TruGlo sights. The rear set (green) got loose and in a flash of brilliance I put it somewhere in the house so I wouldn't lose it. It still hasn't shown up.

Anyways, I'm left with a red fiber optic bead near the muzzle. So far, everytime I've put that red dot on a turkey's neck it worked. I called TruGlo 2 weeks ago and they're making a replacement for my gun. They've changed their sights some since 2005.

BUT...I am thinking of putting a scope on my bird buster.

I've got a small bead halfway down barrel and a fiber optic front bead. I like this set up and it shoots well to 35 yards. I've had a red dot on it before, but went back to the bead... Works wells for me, so I keep it simple.
-Jake