holosight on shotgun for hunting

zauer · September 20, 2002, 03:50 PM

Last Sat morning I was up watching Bill Jordan's Real Tree outdoors. They showed a guy hunting wild boar with a rifled 12 ga with a bushnell red dot holosight mounted on it.

In short, he came w/i about 50 yards of a 300 lb boar. The guy was a great shot...he hid behind a small ridge in front of the boar...jumped up and fired a shot w/i 3 seconds...very quick target acquisition! The boar dropped where it stood. My question is have any of you tried this set up? What were you hunting? I ask b/c I hope to go boar hunting again and I want to try my remington 870 with slugs.

Thanks in advance for any input!

Dave McC · September 21, 2002, 07:23 AM

First off,a little load selection and practice will have you getting acceptable accuracy with just a bead.

If you see a scope, sight or anything used on most hunting shows, you can bet the farm it's made by a sponsor. Also, editing can make a dud look like a Camp Perry finalist.

No personal experience with the Holo, sorry.

rugerfreak · September 21, 2002, 11:22 AM

I would have to agree that all those hunting shows are just a shill for the sponsors----if you bought every stupid do-dad that they said you just "gotta have"----you'd be loaded down with 50 lbs of gear and still no closer to bagging your desired game----with an empty wallet.

While some of those products might have some use---nothing beats learning how to stalk your game and lots of practice with your firearm.

C.R.Sam · September 21, 2002, 01:22 PM

Quote:

nothing beats learning how to stalk your game and lots of practice with your firearm.

AMEN rugerfreak.

Sam

labgrade · September 22, 2002, 03:41 AM

Ditto,last three replies.

"Hunting shows" are an extension of the gun rags, & their sponsors.

Actually, 3 seconds sounds way slow for the shot. Seriously, by about 3X.

Best bet. Get some various slugs, see how they shoot in yours, buy more, practice.

Poohgyrr · September 22, 2002, 07:04 PM

I seriously believe in the value of practice. That said, I have a friend who put a holo sight on one of those Marlin carbines in 45 ACP that uses 1911 mags for a house gun. He regularly cleans up on night time combat courses, doing head shots only. It's noticiably quicker and easier than doing body shots with his tuned 1911.

But practice is the first thing to take care of.

rugerfreak · September 22, 2002, 08:11 PM

Pooh------he's also using a rifle instead of a pistol-------always easier to shoot well with a rifle vs. a pistol.

PJR · September 23, 2002, 11:45 AM

I put a first generation Holosite on top of a 22" Beretta 390 that was set up for deer hunting and fooled around with it shooting clay targets using a 28" barrel. It does work as advertised. With both eyes open, the reticle appears to rest right on the target and acquisition is faster than with a scope or red dot IMHO. Shooting clay targets was very interesting, more like a video game than anything else. I've tried shooting clays with scope mounted shotguns (just for fun) and the Holosite was far better.

It does however have its drawbacks. It seems fragile and although I never had a problem, it wouldn't be my first choice in rough terrain. In low light conditions or in bright sunshine the brightness could not be adjusted sufficently to adapt to extreme light levels. They are not well suited to rain and the exposed glass fogged up quite easily in certain conditions. I went back to a fixed 2.5x scope for my deer hunting. The Holosite is now on a .22 rifle that I use for plinking and I've also tried on a revolver. The first generation is a little large for a handgun although the newer models are much smaller than mine. If I were shooting IPSC or bowling pins, the Holosite would be my first choice.

Paul

labgrade · September 24, 2002, 01:06 AM

I've a quick comment before I bail outa this one ....

I see a shotgun as a point 'n shoot interface between me & what I want shot - right now.

See it, mount the gun, pull/slap the trigger & end of story - a second, if that. It should be that smooth & that fast.

To mount a sight of any sort seems somehow "tacky," maybe, for lack of better train of thought. (that said, I do have one 870 with the stock iron sights. gives a bit more precision when you need to send the very best .... )

Even still, with a low powered scope/rifle, I don't see a 3-second shot as being anywhere quick. As mentioned, seems slow, by about 3X.

With my 760, I could put three shots on target accurately in the same timeframe, or same-same with the iron-sighted 870. A bolt would drop that by maybe 50% - still 2-on in 3 seconds at 50 yards.

The red-dot/holosight has nothing to do with it.

September 20, 2002, 03:50 PM	#1
zauer Member Join Date: September 19, 2000 Posts: 68	holosight on shotgun for hunting Last Sat morning I was up watching Bill Jordan's Real Tree outdoors. They showed a guy hunting wild boar with a rifled 12 ga with a bushnell red dot holosight mounted on it. In short, he came w/i about 50 yards of a 300 lb boar. The guy was a great shot...he hid behind a small ridge in front of the boar...jumped up and fired a shot w/i 3 seconds...very quick target acquisition! The boar dropped where it stood. My question is have any of you tried this set up? What were you hunting? I ask b/c I hope to go boar hunting again and I want to try my remington 870 with slugs. Thanks in advance for any input!

September 22, 2002, 07:04 PM	#6
Poohgyrr Senior Member Join Date: June 26, 2002 Location: Northern CA Posts: 158	I seriously believe in the value of practice. That said, I have a friend who put a holo sight on one of those Marlin carbines in 45 ACP that uses 1911 mags for a house gun. He regularly cleans up on night time combat courses, doing head shots only. It's noticiably quicker and easier than doing body shots with his tuned 1911. But practice is the first thing to take care of. __________________ John Northern CA "Life brings sorrows and joys alike. It is what a man does with them - not what they do to him - that is the true test of his mettle." T. Roosevelt

September 21, 2002, 07:23 AM	#2
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	First off,a little load selection and practice will have you getting acceptable accuracy with just a bead. If you see a scope, sight or anything used on most hunting shows, you can bet the farm it's made by a sponsor. Also, editing can make a dud look like a Camp Perry finalist. No personal experience with the Holo, sorry.

September 21, 2002, 11:22 AM	#3
rugerfreak Senior Member Join Date: March 26, 2001 Posts: 819	I would have to agree that all those hunting shows are just a shill for the sponsors----if you bought every stupid do-dad that they said you just "gotta have"----you'd be loaded down with 50 lbs of gear and still no closer to bagging your desired game----with an empty wallet. While some of those products might have some use---nothing beats learning how to stalk your game and lots of practice with your firearm.

September 22, 2002, 03:41 AM	#5
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	Ditto,last three replies. "Hunting shows" are an extension of the gun rags, & their sponsors. Actually, 3 seconds sounds way slow for the shot. Seriously, by about 3X. Best bet. Get some various slugs, see how they shoot in yours, buy more, practice.

September 22, 2002, 08:11 PM	#7
rugerfreak Senior Member Join Date: March 26, 2001 Posts: 819	Pooh------he's also using a rifle instead of a pistol-------always easier to shoot well with a rifle vs. a pistol.

September 23, 2002, 11:45 AM	#8
PJR Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2000 Posts: 1,127	I put a first generation Holosite on top of a 22" Beretta 390 that was set up for deer hunting and fooled around with it shooting clay targets using a 28" barrel. It does work as advertised. With both eyes open, the reticle appears to rest right on the target and acquisition is faster than with a scope or red dot IMHO. Shooting clay targets was very interesting, more like a video game than anything else. I've tried shooting clays with scope mounted shotguns (just for fun) and the Holosite was far better. It does however have its drawbacks. It seems fragile and although I never had a problem, it wouldn't be my first choice in rough terrain. In low light conditions or in bright sunshine the brightness could not be adjusted sufficently to adapt to extreme light levels. They are not well suited to rain and the exposed glass fogged up quite easily in certain conditions. I went back to a fixed 2.5x scope for my deer hunting. The Holosite is now on a .22 rifle that I use for plinking and I've also tried on a revolver. The first generation is a little large for a handgun although the newer models are much smaller than mine. If I were shooting IPSC or bowling pins, the Holosite would be my first choice. Paul

September 24, 2002, 01:06 AM	#9
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	I've a quick comment before I bail outa this one .... I see a shotgun as a point 'n shoot interface between me & what I want shot - right now. See it, mount the gun, pull/slap the trigger & end of story - a second, if that. It should be that smooth & that fast. To mount a sight of any sort seems somehow "tacky," maybe, for lack of better train of thought. (that said, I do have one 870 with the stock iron sights. gives a bit more precision when you need to send the very best .... ) Even still, with a low powered scope/rifle, I don't see a 3-second shot as being anywhere quick. As mentioned, seems slow, by about 3X. With my 760, I could put three shots on target accurately in the same timeframe, or same-same with the iron-sighted 870. A bolt would drop that by maybe 50% - still 2-on in 3 seconds at 50 yards. The red-dot/holosight has nothing to do with it.