Defense shotgun

[Bofire]

OK, extended magazine, 18-20 inch, 3 inch 12 gauge. Do I want ghost ring sights or just a bead? I want to shoot slugs well also to say 50 yards.
Carl

[Bean Counter]

Carl,

My most recent addition is a 12ga Norico/IAC Hawk 982. I got it from CTD for $200. It has ghost ring sites and I believe it will take 3".  I only use 2-3/4" because there are women and children to train on it.

It is much cheaper than a Remington or even Mossy, and needs a little TLC out of the box. Requires a short break in.  After a box (25 rounds) of buckshot, the pump action felt a lot smoother. Also, the rear site needed some Lock Tite added to it. Before the lock tite, the sight would wiggle loose and fall off after a few rounds. Also, the tube needed a little cleaning. Since its foreign made and had a long voyage from manufacture to my home, it was packed with quite a bit of grease--I had some feeding problems. All I had to do was stretch the spring out and clean the tube. I put my cleaning rod in my drill with an oil soaked rag. Now it cycles just fine. I put some white paint on the front site and the rear ghost ring. Definitely worth the work for less than half the cost of a Remington. And I'm far from a handyman.

Cheers.

[HawkCreek]

I love my 870P MAX for that roll but they have gotten pretty expensive. Lots of people like the Mossy offerings.

[PNW_Hunter]

I've got a Weatherby PA-459 TR that has the ghost ring sights on it. Excellent defense gun IMO and I really like the manufacturing quality, which is particularly noticeable in the stock, relative to similarly priced factory defense shotties. Not sure how common they are now a days though

[hillbilli]

If you are going to use slugs- out to 50yds.. a bead sight will do fine. i've owned a few shotguns over the years, most of them bead sight, and have usually had no problem putting slugs on an 8 inch or so target out to at least 50 or 60 yards. killed my first (gun) deer at 75yds with a bead sighted single shot 20ga. The ghost ring does provide a clearer, more concise sight picture, and if you are determined to shoot past 70yds of so on a regular basis- then yeah, get better sights. I currently use a mossberg the most, and it came with dual beads, one smaller, and about halfway down the barrel- this setup has proved to be pretty easy to be consistent with.   

[Bofire]

Thanks all,  follow up question. I get it that the ghost ring sights make slug accuracy better, do they have a draw back? I would think that with shot/buck shot the sights may be a little slower/harder if trying to shoot a flying target, like a grouse.
Being able to wack a 6 inch target at 75 yards with slugs is AWESOM firepower!!!! but quick use at short range a bead might be better.
Since I have a remington 3.5 inch Turkey SPS for shot loads, I am leaning towards ghost ring sights for slug/#00 Buck accuracy, and still good for a grouse or coyote, and they look *censored*!!
Carl

[JLS]

There is no drawback to the ghost rings.  If you are shooting instinctively, either for CQ combat or wingshooting, you shouldn't even be looking for the sights anyway.  You should be intently focused on your target. 

If you are precision shooting or need enhanced accuracy, they are very easy to use and very natural to use.  Your eye will naturally center the tritium inside of the ghost ring and away you go.

I have used them on police shotguns and they are far and away superior to either beads or post and ramp sights.

[Bean Counter]

Id rather have beads for birds.  Your subject says Defense Shotgun. When i read that i think about shooting someone inside my house or on my property. Idk of a corridor in any house I've been in that would require a 50 yard shot. Not necessarily going to be your bird hunter. C'mon Carl--don't cheat yourself out of a reason to buy a separate gun! 

[PNW_Hunter]

Id rather have beads for birds.  Your subject says Defense Shotgun. When i read that i think about shooting someone inside my house or on my property. Idk of a corridor in any house I've been in that would require a 50 yard shot. Not necessarily going to be your bird hunter. C'mon Carl--don't cheat yourself out of a reason to buy a separate gun!