Rear sight for home defense shotgun?

[TAB]

i know a few turkey hunters that installed a second  smaller bead half way down the barrel  i would think if sized ans postioned correctly that would work like a pair of reverse ghost rings.

[tstand]

Gun tests is different CR. They accept NO commercial advertising from anyone. They aren't trying to sell you any particular gun. They just have honest tests.

You are correct. Inside the cover of each issue it says in red text: "Gun Tests accepts no commercial advertising"

[crusader rabbit]

Gun tests is different CR. They accept NO commercial advertising from anyone. They aren't trying to sell you any particular gun. They just have honest tests.

I have read several issues of Gun Tests and I certainly agree with you that their no advertising policy goes a long way toward impartiality. 

However, I have never been able to confirm that the "testers" are as independent as one might wish.

As with almost anything, when you follow the money you should find the truth. 

They claim impartiality, yet if you multiply the subscription figures and divide by the cost of test gear, guns, lasers, etcetera, then add in the cost of impartial writers, postage, printing and distribution, it sure seems like somebody must be getting a dose of dough from an unnamed source because the numbers just don't seem to work.

I do know our collective group of loudmouths and misfits has a long history of real life weapons experience and none of us is getting paid to voice our claims, concerns and convictions. 

Well, at least I'm not.

Crusader Rabbit

[TAB]

yeah, where are my checks?   

[tstand]

I do know our collective group of loudmouths and misfits has a long history of real life weapons experience

Yep, that's why I thought I would ask my question in this forum, to supplement what I read in the magazine 

[Sponsor]

[jaybet]

I shoot a fair amount for a gun-nut, but I do not consider myself an expert at it. Yet surprise! I have an opinion.
We have several platforms for HD and a 12 ga with pistol grip is one of them. I do not need sights on that gun.
If I were to need to use it I would be sending sizeable clouds of lead at someone (s) at close range in an attempt to blow large holes in them or to detach body parts...sights are not needed.  IF we're talking HD. Other applications might require sights.

[Paraguy]

An expensive solution would be to get an NFA Trust, apply for a Short Barrel Shotgun stamp from the BATF&E and load her up with Turkey shot; pretty much guarantees you will hit everything on the other side of the front site.

[tombogan03884]

I didn't mean to sound condescending .
I save that for the politics forum .
But think hard about what you are asking .
"Should I use a rear sight with shot at 25 Ft ( 8.33 yards )"
Shotguns are used to shoot ducks and geese with the same load (shot) at much longer ranges with just the bead .
If it works for a 15+ pound goose or turkey at 25+ yards it is just fine for a 150+ pound person at 1/3 the distance.

[PegLeg45]

I wasn't going to weigh in here, but here goes:

I tend to agree with those advocating no rear sights, but would opt for a tritium or fiber optic front sight. In a home defense situation, the lack of minute focus may negate the fine accuracy gains of a ghost ring rear apparatus, or a rear sight in general.

You would be surprised at the number of average folks (with minimal to no training) who never see the rear sights on handguns and rifles in 'high stress-low light' situations also. They tend to look over the top of the gun (which you can still get hits that way, and I have seen trainers that include drills with this style of shooting).


But......

If you do add sighting tools to a shotgun (add HD rifle in here to, IMO):
A red-dot with no magnification or a laser may be applicable.
*(I am looking at red/green-dot scopes for my shotguns like I use for my AR HD gun)

My personal preference is a good light, **maybe a dot scope (added for now, while I research dots)** and practice with the weapon.
Practice and familiarity often trumps the gadgets that we often put too much faith in......
JMHO, FWIW.



**Another thing to remember is that at super close range, such as in a SD/HD scenario, shotgun loads rarely open up as much as you think...... At 10', almost all loads will make one single entry hole. It can take up to 20' of distance to actually show a spread of pellets with average birdshot and even farther for loads like turkey and duck..... and buck is a whole other issue.
At short range, a shotgun is not much different than a rifle....except for that whole "hits like a sledgehammer" factor. 

[TAB]

THats very true, even open chokes ( ie cylinder) don't open up very much, rifled bores are diffrent, but you would not want that for sd.   hitting a man sized target with a slug at 50 yd is very easy with just a beed front sight, why you would need to do that in sd i don't know, but as long as you have reasonable vizion i can teach any one how to do that.