Aim point sights for shotguns, effectiveness in competition environment.

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Oscar
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Aim point sights for shotguns, effectiveness in competition environment.

Post by Oscar »

I have a aimpoint H2 mounted on my kreighoff drilling (20/20/9.3x74) an it’s basically only used in the field. However it’s always good to get some practice in with it but unfortunately trap 20 ga loads here where I live aren’t commonplace at the local gun shop so it’s either special order or you reload.

Two weeks ago I picked up a 2nd hand mec 600 and started rolling my own for shotgun....something I have not done since my late teens. It’s previous owner had a preferred 20 ga load which some would call light being 7/8ths of 7.5 @ 1150 FPS. So I tried that and thought that if that works good because lm probably only looking to throw about 100 rounds through it a year in practice.

The results for the day...the combination of a lighter load and restricted sight picture did not prove that much of a hindrance. The main restriction for the load was when ranges got out past 30 m but that’s simply a payload, though I suspect the fuller chokes in the drilling( mod & full) did compensate for that slightly.

As for the sight, for 85% of the shots, I would say once you get used to dot, it’s all good. But when you get crossing hard @ 90deg then for these I found the best technique was to lead through and when The edge of the FOV hit the target squeeze the trigger, though being right handed, it worked much better on the left to right than the right to left.

Most targets I would suggest the aimpoint does not hinder your score and can see why they produce one specially for shotguns. For beginners they would assist in the up skilling by eliminating a couple of variables. However, I do not believe they would be viable for most of the AA targets, the FOV is too limiting. Then again, in the field I probably wouldn’t attempt such a shot with the aimpoint on??

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mchughcb
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Re: Aim point sights for shotguns, effectiveness in competition environment.

Post by mchughcb »

I tried a round of 5 stand yesterday with the aimpoint s1 on my 20g. I shot much better with the 12g. When the crosses are coming out so fast my vrsin doesn't have time to focus on even red dot. I can only focus on target and i found the s1 was restricting sight picture.

I hunted a full season with ground game on my bbf so i know they are ok for ground game going slower and further out.

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stokesrj
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Re: Aim point sights for shotguns, effectiveness in competition environment.

Post by stokesrj »

I hear this reference to field of view often and it puzzles me. When I use my H1 there is no apparent field of view restriction. I see the target outside the field of view of the sight with my left eye and inside the field of view with my right eye, and my brain superimposes the two, so the field of view looks infinite to me. Do you guys shoot with both eyes open?
Robert J Stokes

Oscar
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Re: Aim point sights for shotguns, effectiveness in competition environment.

Post by Oscar »

stokesrj wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:08 pm I hear this reference to field of view often and it puzzles me. When I use my H1 there is no apparent field of view restriction. I see the target outside the field of view of the sight with my left eye and inside the field of view with my right eye, and my brain superimposes the two, so the field of view looks infinite to me. Do you guys shoot with both eyes open?
Bob,


I shoot with both eyes open but yes your FOV is broken when it comes to fast crossing, particularly at 90 degree. What I believe happens is the sight itself distracts the eyes and blocks out your view reducing you effectively shooting to one eye. For example, a crossing style skeet target, at a certain point you can’t actually see the target because the sight itself is getting in the road, a second later it’s out of bounds.


It only happens with certain targets, not all but in a competition event where High gun is measure in a target or two it can make the difference.

Cheers

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stokesrj
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Re: Aim point sights for shotguns, effectiveness in competition environment.

Post by stokesrj »

I'll have to look for that situation. So far even on fast crossing live birds when I don't even have time to see the dot and align it, I still kill the bird. It may be that my instinctive shooting skills are overriding all conscious skills. But I have not shot a full round of skeet with the H1, only trap and five stand, and mostly live birds.
Robert J Stokes

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mchughcb
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Re: Aim point sights for shotguns, effectiveness in competition environment.

Post by mchughcb »

stokesrj wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:08 pm I hear this reference to field of view often and it puzzles me. When I use my H1 there is no apparent field of view restriction. I see the target outside the field of view of the sight with my left eye and inside the field of view with my right eye, and my brain superimposes the two, so the field of view looks infinite to me. Do you guys shoot with both eyes open?
Bob was using the S1 and the birds coming at 90 degrees were fast. My guess is you were shooting instinctive. I've shot clays with the H1 aimpoint going away on the BBF and no problems.

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