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5 Best Red Dot Sights for Shotgun Turkey Hunting in 2024 — Reviews & Top Picks

Last Updated on

red dot sight_Amazon

There are few pastimes more enjoyable than heading out for a turkey hunt. But one of the quickest ways to ruin the fun and head home frustrated and empty-handed is to throw a low-quality sight on your shotgun.

We took the time to highlight the best red dot sights for shotguns turkey hunting on the market. We also developed a comprehensive buyer’s guide to walk you through everything that you need to know to get the right sight for your shotgun the first time.

So, are you ready to get the perfect sight for shotgun turkey hunting?

 

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites

Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot Sight Riflescope Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot Sight Riflescope
  • Lifetime warranty
  • brightness settings
  • Picatinny rail mount
  • Best Value
    Second place
    BSA RD30 30mm Red Dot Sight BSA RD30 30mm Red Dot Sight
  • Affordable
  • brightness settings
  • 5 MOA red dot
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    Aimpoint Micro T-2 Red Dot Reflex Sight Aimpoint Micro T-2 Red Dot Reflex Sight
  • brightness settings
  • 10-year warranty
  • long battery life
  • TRUGLO GOBBLE-STOPPER Turkey Hunting Dot Sight TRUGLO GOBBLE-STOPPER Turkey Hunting Dot Sight
  • Dual-color reticle
  • Lifetime warranty
  • Picatinny-style
  • TRUGLO 30mm Dual-Color Dot Sight TRUGLO 30mm Dual-Color Dot Sight
  • 5 MOA red dot
  • Lifetime warranty
  • Dual-color reticle
  • The 5 Best Red Dot Sights for Shotgun Turkey Hunting

    1. Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot Sight Riflescope — Best Overall

    bushnell TRS25_Amazon

    If you’re looking for a top-notch red dot sight from a top-notch brand, look no further than the Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot Sight. Not only is it an incredible sight from a great brand, but it’s also surprisingly low-priced!

    Moreover, it comes with a lifetime warranty, 11 different brightness settings, and a perfect 3 MOA red dot size. The only downside to this sight is that you only get one reticle style and color, but for the price, this is a bargain that you don’t want to miss.

    Pros
    • Good mix of performance and affordability
    • Lifetime warranty
    • 11 brightness settings
    • Great 3 MOA red dot size
    • Picatinny rail mount
    Cons
    • Only one reticle style and color

    2. BSA RD30 30mm Red Dot Sight — Best Value

    BSA RD30_Amazon

    If you’re looking for the best red dot sight for shotgun turkey hunting for the money, then it’s hard to beat the BSA RD30 sightBSA RD30 sight. It’s an extremely affordable sight that still has everything you need to go out and nab a turkey.

    There are 11 different brightness settings, and the 5 MOA reticle size is extremely easy to see and is excellent for quick target acquisition. However, this sight only comes with a 1-year warranty, and you only get one reticle color and style to choose from.

    Pros
    • Affordable
    • 11 brightness settings
    • Large 5 MOA red dot is easy to see
    Cons
    • Only a 1-year warranty
    • Only one reticle style and color

    3. Aimpoint Micro T-2 Red Dot Reflex Sight — Premium Choice

    Aimpoint T2_Amazon

    If money is no object, then you can’t beat the Aimpoint Micro T-2 Red Dot Reflex Sight. There’s no doubt that this scope will give you the best brightness and clarity. There are 12 different brightness settings for you to choose from, including four for night vision modes and eight for daytime use.

    Additionally, on the lowest settings, the red dot can stay illuminated for 50,000 consecutive hours, which is over five years of continuous use! However, while we love this sight, it doesn’t come with a lifetime warranty.

    While the 10-year warranty that it does come with is excellent, considering other reflex sights that are 1/10 of this sight’s price have a lifetime warranty, there’s no reason that this sight can’t have one too.

    Pros
    • 12 brightness settings to choose from
    • 10-year warranty
    • Mounts on both Picatinny and weaver rails
    • Extremely long battery life (up to 50,000 hours)
    Cons
    • Very expensive option
    • It does not have a lifetime warranty

    4. TRUGLO GOBBLE-STOPPER Turkey Hunting Dot Sight

    Truglo Gobbler_Amazon

    If you’re looking for a shotgun-specific turkey hunting red dot sight, the TRUGLO GOBBLE-STOPPER is an outstanding choice. Not only does it have the coolest name of the bunch, but you also get two different reticle color options, and it mounts on both weaver- and Picatinny-style rails.

    Furthermore, it comes with a lifetime warranty, so this is the last sight that you’ll need for your turkey hunts. Finally, while there is only one reticle option, it’s a shotgun-specific style that’s perfect for turkey hunting. If you need a single-use red dot sight for your shotgun, this is it.

    Pros
    • Dual-color reticle
    • Weaver- and Picatinny-style mount
    • Lifetime warranty
    Cons
    • Expensive for what you get
    • The reticle is for a shotgun only

    5. TRUGLO 30mm Dual-Color Dot Sight

    Truglo Dual Color_Amazon

    This sight is versatile but not super high quality. The lifetime warranty won’t help you with the blurry red dot reticle and inability to hold zero on a shotgun.

    On the plus side, it’s easy to mount and has two reticle color options, and the large 5 MOA reticle is easy to see for faster target acquisition. Just make sure you hit your target the first time, or your sight might lose zero.

    Pros
    • Large 5 MOA red dot is easy to see
    • Lifetime warranty
    • Picatinny- and weaver-style mount
    • Dual-color reticle
    Cons
    • The red dot gets blurry at higher brightness levels
    • Can struggle to hold zero with larger recoil weapons

    Buyer’s Guide

    If you’re looking for a new red dot sight for turkey hunting, you’re sure to have a few questions. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced hunter, this isn’t a section that you’ll want to skip. We break down everything that you need to know so you can have peace of mind when purchasing your next sight.

    Watch Out for Knockoffs

    Whenever you’re purchasing your scope online, you need to verify that what you ordered is what you got.

    Take the time to thoroughly look at your new scope to make sure that you got the right thing. The more expensive the sight, the more important this step is.

    What Size MOA Reticle Do You Need?

    For turkey hunting, a 5 MOA reticle size is just fine, but if you’re looking for something a little more precise, you can go with a 3 MOA reticle. This is still large enough for quick target acquisition while turkey hunting, but it’s small enough for precision aiming too.

    While the larger reticle sizes are easier to see, they can also block out the entire target. If you’re looking for precision, this can be a big problem.

    Basically, a 5 MOA reticle might pigeonhole you into a narrow range of applications, while a 3 MOA reticle size opens up a wider range of options.

    red dot scope_Creation Media_Shutterstock
    Image Credit: Creation Media, Shutterstock

    Advantages of Red Dot Sights for Turkey Hunting

    If you’re turkey hunting with a shotgun, you want a red dot sight. It offers a slew of advantages over an iron sight and doesn’t have any of the drawbacks. For starters, the red dot sight is much easier to use and provides much quicker target acquisition.

    When you’re trying to hit a bird that runs up to 25 miles per hour and flies up to 55 miles per hour, this is a crucial advantage. Moreover, red dot sights have unlimited eye relief, wide ranges of view, and parallax-free sight.

    Why Brightness Settings Matter

    You can’t shoot what you can’t see, so having the ability to adjust your brightness settings is essential. Unlike traditional scopes that work better under extremely bright conditions, red dot sights can struggle if it’s too bright.

    The brightness level of a red dot sight is one of the most important factors you need to consider when selecting one.

    If you get a high-quality sight, you can adjust the brightness settings for the conditions. On bright days, all you need to do is turn the knob up until you can see the reticle, and you’re good to go!

    Is Brighter Always Better?

    shotgun reloading red dot sight ammo belt shells
    Image Credit: Body Stock, Shutterstock

    You might find yourself wondering why red dot sights don’t just come with one super bright setting. You’ll always be able to see it that way, right?

    Manufacturers don’t do this for two reasons. First, the brighter the reticle, the shorter the battery life — a brighter reticle uses more power. So, instead of a battery that can last 50,000 hours, the reticle might only last 50 to 60 hours. This means more battery changes and more money out of your pocket.

    The second reason is even more important. If you use too much brightness when you don’t need it, the reticle can actually become blurry.

    That’s why it’s important to set your reticle to the lowest possible brightness setting that you need. This will give you the crispest image, reduce glare, and make it easier to acquire and shoot your target. The more settings you have to choose from, the better.

    Get the Warranty

    When you’re purchasing your shotgun sight, do yourself a favor and check out the warranty. Every company promises a durable scope, but only those that offer warranties guarantee it.

    The best part of a lifetime warranty is that you won’t have to spend any more money on a new red dot sight for your shotgun in the future. So, while it might be slightly more expensive now, you’re saving money in the long run.

    The good news is that when you’re looking at the scopes on our list, three of the five options come with a lifetime warranty, and one option comes with a 10-year warranty. Even our budget pick comes with a 1-year warranty!

    This helps ensure that you’re not getting a dud straight out of the box, and you don’t have to rush out to the range right away to make sure it’s working the way that it should.

    Mounting Your Scope

    adjust scope_dimid_86_Shutterstock
    Image Credit: dimid_86, Shutterstock

    Before you purchase a sight for your shotgun, make sure you can mount it to your shotgun. The last thing you want is to order your sight, only to get it and realize that you can’t get it on your shotgun. While weaver and Picatinny mounts are the most common types, they aren’t the only options out there.

    Sighting Your Scope

    It doesn’t matter if you get our budget pick or our premium choice; if you don’t take the time to sight in your scope properly, you won’t hit a thing. While rifle scopes are sighted in at 100 yards, you typically sight a shotgun scope in at 30 yards.

    Make that one minor tweak, and you’ll be nailing your targets in no time!

    You might also be interested in: Red Dot vs ACOG Sights: Which Is Better?

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    Conclusion

    The next time you head out to a turkey hunt, do it with the confidence that comes with knowing that you have the best setup in the group. When you aim down the sight and pull the trigger, you know that you’ll nail a turkey every time.

    While many sights can get the job done, why not head straight to the top of the list with the Bushnell Trophy TRS-25? It’s affordable and high-quality and will last a lifetime. It’s a win-win-win!

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    About the Author Robert Sparks

    Robert’s obsession with all things optical started early in life, when his optician father would bring home prototypes for Robert to play with. Nowadays, Robert is dedicated to helping others find the right optics for their needs. His hobbies include astronomy, astrophysics, and model building. Originally from Newark, NJ, he resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the nighttime skies are filled with glittering stars.