Interested in buying a shotgun sight for your next duck hunt? Here are a few things to look for that will help you choose the right one.
Shotgun sights for duck hunting help quickly lineup shots in low light conditions. If you have problems seeing your shotgun bead, an aftermarket shotgun sight can help you get on target and bag more birds.
Shotgun sights like the HiViz Bird Buster are magnetic and installation is as easy as centering it on the vent rib at the end of the barrel. The green light pipe is super bright in low light conditions.
These are the Top 3 shotgun sights for duck hunting currently available:
Let’s face it, shooting time is often 30 minutes before sunrise and shooting ducks in low light conditions can be difficult. Aftermarket shotgun sights help center your shot when it matters the most. Below are the top 3 shotgun sights for duck hunting which work well across a wide range of conditions.
These are the three shotgun sights for duck hunting you should consider:
Why I Picked the HiViz Bird Buster Shotgun Sight
When you sit down and compare the HiViz Bird Buster to the TRUGLO Glo-Dot and Dead Ringer Uni-Bead, the differences are noticeable.
- The HiViz Bird Buster is the easiest to install shotgun sight. It’s magnetic, so it just sticks to the end of your barrel. The Tru-Glo attaches with 3M tape and the Dead Ringer requires to you to remove your factory shotgun bead.
- HiViz Bird Buster Magnetic shotgun sight comes with both crimson and green light pipes.
- The light pipes come in both round and triangle shapes for extra customization.
- The HiViz Bird Buster comes with three different mounting frame sizes that can be customized to fit just about any shotgun barrel.
- The fiber optic sight is super bright for getting on target quickly in low light conditions.
- The HiViz Bird Buster is low profile and won’t reduce your sight plane.
- The magnetic base can be removed quickly if needed.
- It comes with a clear carrying case for easy storage.
Here is a great clip of what you can expect to achieve with a good shotgun sight for duck hunting.
Features to look for in quality shotgun sights for duck hunting:
- Easy installation. This is one of the most important features to consider when looking for a new shotgun sight. Magnetic sights are the easiest to installed, followed by sights that are mounted by tape. The hardest to install are shotgun sights that require you to remove the factory bead.
- Bright light optics. Fiber optics shotgun sights have to be bright for them to work well.
- Low profile sights. A lower profile insures that your shot will be on target and not blocked which typically happens with raised sights.
- Shotgun sights need to be light weight so they don’t interfere with the swing and balance of the gun.
- Affordable shotgun sights work just as well as expensive ones.
- Multiple light pipe color options. Orange, Crimson, and Green are the typical light tube colors. Most shotgun sight packages come with several different colored light pipes to choose from.
- Different light pipe shaped tubes. Circular sights are the standard, but sights like the HiViz Bird Buster also comes with a triangular shaped light tube.
- Easy to switch between different light pipes. Being able to quickly change light tubes is a nice feature to have and most shotgun sights offer this option.
- Shotgun sights need to be durable since they are mounted on the end of a shotgun barrel that often comes in contact with objects or brushes against things. Shotgun sights should be made out of durable material like aircraft aluminum that can withstand nicks and dings.
About Shotgun Sights for Duck Hunting
Nothing is more frustrating than trying to shoot ducks in low light conditions when you can’t see the end of your shotgun barrel. Luckily, hi-viz shotgun sights help magnify the shotgun bead so that you can get on target quicker and shoot more accurately.
These are three of the most common shotgun sights for duck hunting.
Types of Shotgun Sights for Duck Hunting
- Magnetic Shotgun Sights – Shotgun sights that are magnetic are the easiest to install and remove. They simply lock into place magnetically and can be installed in under a minute.
- Tape Mounted Shotgun Sights – These types of shotgun sights have a strip of 3M tape on the bottom of the sight that sticks to the barrel. Tape mounted sights are quick to install as well, but are slightly less durable long term than magnetic or bead mounted sights.
- Bead Mounted Shotgun Sights – Bead mounted sights require the removal of the factory bead. A screw included with the kit then secures the sight to the barrel using the bead screw hole. These sights are the most secure for long term use, but require greater installation time and skill.
Which type of shotgun sight should you choose for duck hunting? I’ve had good luck using the magnetic sights like the HiViz Bird Buster. It’s the easiest to install and I have yet to have it fall off or be misaligned.
Tape mounted shotgun sights I’ve found work well for a year or two, but the tape can start to give way soon after. I’ve heard that super glue or gorilla glue can be a good option for a more secure mount instead of using tape. If you don’t shoot a safe queen, then this could be a viable option.
Bead mounted shotgun sights are probably the most secure mounting technique for duck hunting. Sights like these are secured by a screw that mounts directly into the factory bead slot.
Whichever shotgun sight you choose for your next duck hunts, take into consideration the installation difficulty and long-term durability that each of these three popular methods entail.
The Gaining Popularity of Aftermarket Shotgun Sights for Duck Hunting
Duck hunting in low light conditions can be frustrating without the right shotgun sight. Under normal conditions, it can be difficult to see the end of your shotgun barrel, let alone the factory bead. Aftermarket shotgun sights, specifically those with fiber optics, help increase target acquisition and accuracy in low light conditions.
The popularity of installing aftermarket shotgun sights for duck hunting has increased considerably within the past 10 years. Shotgun sights are EXTREMELY easy to install and affordable, so it makes little sense not to have one.
Fiber optic shotgun sights replace the factory aluminum bead with a bright light that makes hitting birds right at shooting time easy. Increase your hunting success and shoot less ammo by using one of these aftermarket sights on your next duck hunt!
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