Scoping the youth 870

[LongSpur39]

My daughter who is somewhat new to shooting firearms had some issues last year. She wears glasses but while hunting she was uncomfortable wearing them. After her last miss,last year, she came out and said she couldn't see the bead very good. So i'm either goin the cross hair scope or maybe a red dot.What do you folks think I should get her. I shoot cross hairs on mine. But being a youngster do you think she would be better off with the red dot or the cross hairs?

[Ghost]

Honestly, she is not going to like my answer. Get use to the eye glasses. There are basic fundamentals that have to be learned/taught when using a shotgun and they can not be taught with a scope on the gun. She needs to learn to lead, follow through. the use of the rib in relation to the eye and this can not be done with a mounted scope on a shotgun.

If she can not see the bead or get a full picture of the bead, there is something going on. What is preventing her from seeing a full sight picture of the bead? Is the comb to low? Does her eye glass prescription need to adjusted? I do not know, I am not there with her. But, I would bet that the comb is to low. Try getting her a comb kit (They are relatively inexpensive).

But I will tell you this, if she learns to shot a shotgun with a scope, she looses the essence of what the shotgun is all about and what all it is capable of, i.e. wing shooting. She needs to understand what the front bead on a shotgun is for and how to use it. Now, I do not recommend using just a front bead for turkey. Get a rear sight to go along with the front. If the front bead is the only sight used, a inexperienced shooter will have a tendency to over shoot when lining the front bead up. An experienced shooter knows that when using the front bead, that the shotgun will have the tendency to shoot high.

To see if it is the comb. Ask her how much of the bead she can see with the shotgun mounted with her cheek on the comb. If she can see half of the bead, you will not need to add much to the comb. When mounted she should be looking directly down the rib or barrel and then to the bead. To tell if you have to much comb, check and see if she is looking down on the barrel or rib and then to the bead. The proper alignment for a shot gun is: The shooters eye should be level or slightly high in relation to the rib or barrel. If she can not get a full picture of the bead right now because of the comb, she most assuredly will not be able to see a sight picture in a scope. Also, if the comb is to low it can make glasses uncomfortable for a shooter. Another thing to think about is the aspect of eye protection. She needs to be able to function with a gun of any kind with eye wear. Any shooting range or skeet range will require the eye protection.

One question I want to ask. Is she shooting at turkey with just a front bead? If so, get her a rear sight aperture. This will help her relate to the front sight and line the barrel up better.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. I will be more than happy to help you out.

Your Friend,
Brian

Good Luck and Good Shooting!

[LongSpur39]

Your absolutely right. I will try a rear apeture instead of a scope. i'll grab some true glow sights and slap em on there. Her glasses are mainly for reading. I colored her single front bead so it would be more visible against a turkeys head.But it just wasn't enough .I would rather have her, being a newby.Learn open sights first ,at least for the benefit of duck hunting. She does do pretty well with a scoped rifle. But shotgun she should learn open sights first. Thanks buddy for the advice. I'll give it a go.

[whiskey]

I taught my daughter on open sights first, but I quickly went to a scope for her .22 for squirrel hunting. She deer hunts with a scope. She turkey hunts with fiberoptics, ghost ring set up. She complained about not having a scope on her shotgun, but I haven't given in yet.

I don't feel that turkey hunting and wing shooting have much in common. Learning to wing shoot a shotgun is a great skill, but turkey guns are much more like short range rifle shooting to me. Slow aimed shots. I use a scope cause I wear glasses and it is difficult for me to focus on a sight bead and a target at the same time.

Keep her learning to shoot on open sights, but don't hesitate to give her an advantage when it comes to hunting. You will both be happier.

[LongSpur39]

Mar 31, 2010 21:18:42 GMT -5 whiskey said:

I taught my daughter on open sights first, but I quickly went to a scope for her .22 for squirrel hunting. She deer hunts with a scope. She turkey hunts with fiberoptics, ghost ring set up. She complained about not having a scope on her shotgun, but I haven't given in yet.

I don't feel that turkey hunting and wing shooting have much in common. Learning to wing shoot a shotgun is a great skill, but turkey guns are much more like short range rifle shooting to me. Slow aimed shots. I use a scope cause I wear glasses and it is difficult for me to focus on a sight bead and a target at the same time.

Keep her learning to shoot on open sights, but don't hesitate to give her an advantage when it comes to hunting. You will both be happier.

Very good points. I have shot scope now for several years now. My confidence in waterfowl or wing shooting with open sights is great. But when i'm turkey huntin in the hardwoods or take a somewhat lengthy shot, I'm more confident with a scope. I've made shots on birds,that i wouldn't attempt with open sights. My gun throws a tight pattern out to a pretty good range. And i've threaded the needle on a few. I think i'll give her another season .Like is aid put some tru glos on there or somethin see how she does. I did get somethin for her gun though.Another thread. thanks again guys great input.

[LongSpur39]

Holy smokes.I went to order some from cabelas. Show's ya how long it's been since I looked at fiberoptic or open sights for a gun! There were so many to choose from! I read the feed backs from customers. Still couldn't decide? Any ideas?

[Ghost]

TruGlo PRO-SERIES MAGNUM GOBBLE-DOT
SKU# TG944A

I like this one due to all the adjustments and its all metal.

[whiskey]

Definitely look for some level of adjustment. I have been though a couple sets that I didn't like. I put a set on my daughters gun this year that was a rear ghost ring type. It doesn't have the adjustments I want, but it just happened to work out.

[LongSpur39]

Thanks ghost.I'll order them and give them a shot this year. And thanks whiskey for the heads up on those. Yeah i know I would like something with an adjustable rear sight. Thanks for the info it's gettin close to the youth hunt. So I gotta get hoppin!

[Venison ~Lover]

All good points. Open sight, and scope are each a good skill to have, because if you can use both, you can shoot almost any kind of gun.