Red dot on SX3 for multi purpose gun

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jhogue
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Red dot on SX3 for multi purpose gun

Post by jhogue »

My Dad has been reluctant to put any red dot on his gun for years due to some light availability issues he experienced 20+ years ago. Now his eyes are getting weaker and it’s harder every year for him to use a bead effectively for turkey hunting. I want him to get a Vortex Venom or Burrus FF3. The only reservation I see right now for him is the multipurpose nature of this gun. Dad occasionally duck hunts, but every year goes pheasant hunting in South Dakota. I’ve heard various discussion about using a Speedbead that suggest they work great for wing shooting and still shooting alike. I’ve also seen just as much feedback that the Speedbead isn’t reliable on 12 gauges with heavy turkey ammo. I’m leaning toward drilling and tapping his gun, but interested to know if he can expect to pheasant hunt with the optic mounted. I assume he would need to remove the optic, but hoped someone would have experience with similar applications. He also asked about some rib mount options for a red dot that would seem to be easier to remove. Are these reliable on 12 gauges for turkey hunting? We are both shooting TSS hand loads with 1.75 ounce payloads. Definitely don’t kick like 2 ounce and larger loads, but the recoil is still there.

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2Shooter
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Re: Red dot on SX3 for multi purpose gun

Post by 2Shooter »

I shot a FF3 on a Ruger All Weather 12ga o/u with part of a weaver base milled to fit the rib just in front of where it breaks open. It set a little high using the picatinny mount that came with the FF3. I shot doves, crows, and turkeys with it!!! Took a little getting use to wing shooting, but was lights out when you get use to it! Never had any problems with the sight holding it’s zero. I know of another guy that ducks hunts all over the country, and uses a FF3 on top of a Ruger All Weather 12ga with no problems. Buy the optic Protector from hoobilly on here if you get a FF3, or a Vortex Venom!!! Steve
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Spuriosity
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Re: Red dot on SX3 for multi purpose gun

Post by Spuriosity »

I am one of those that had problems with a speedbead. It was mounted on a 12 ga 3" 1187. The mount broke after only a few rounds. Contacted Burris, who treated me right, and offered to immediately ship me out another speedbead or a 336 mount for a drill and tap solution. I opted for the latter. I would have no interest what-so-ever in wing shooting with any type of red dot sight on my gun. No matter how wide the field of view, I would find it a distraction and annoyance, not to mention problems with rain, sleet, or snow on the lens - no thanks. OTOH, I have no interest shooting TSS turkey loads without one.

I use that 336 drill and tap mount on my 11-87 and a B-Square cantilever rib mount on my Beretta 686, that I did not want to drill and tap. Both set-ups work great for turkey hunting. The 1187 is a dedicated turkey gun, so the FF II never comes off. The Beretta OTOH is my grouse gun, so I take the FF III off after turkey season. It is difficult to impossible to get the rib mount on from year to year exactly like it came off, necessitating a sight-in session every spring before turkey season. You can get it close, but it always requires slight adjustments to align POI with POA. I have often been curious as to whether one could remove a drill and tap base and reinstall with exact return to zero. Perhaps someone that has done it can chime in.
jhogue
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Re: Red dot on SX3 for multi purpose gun

Post by jhogue »

Sounds like we need to do a drill and tap option and just be prepared to take it off after turkey season. Is removing and replacing annually any problem for the threads? If we were leaving the red dot mounted, what is the preferred lock tight type product?
Fizz
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Re: Red dot on SX3 for multi purpose gun

Post by Fizz »

Get a long bead. Tom Knapp came up with a bead that is long and bright. Dont know the name of it right now. It's big and easy to see. I bought one for on my daughter's gun because you have to be down on the gun to see the bead because it is recessed in to the housing. I dont like scopes or red dots on my shotguns either if I can avoid them I do.
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howl
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Re: Red dot on SX3 for multi purpose gun

Post by howl »

Aimpoint sells a red dot that mounts to the rib. Before they had a dedicated version, they sold Aimtech Rib Riders to mount their red dots on. If the gun will switch barrels, I'd look at a turkey barrel with the dot on the barrel. There are multiple option for mounting a dot on a barrel.
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