I've noticed a lot of people here use the Burris Fastfire sights for turkey hunting. I am thinking of putting a FF-III on my 870! From what I've gathered, my lowest mount option is the Marlin 336 and a no-base sight. However, my pre-tapped receiver holes won't line up with the 336, so if have to drill & tap. The other option is a weaver or pic. base with the pic. sight, which mounts just a little higher. Please tell me if I am wrong in my assumptions...
Now, my real question is: is there anyone who uses the FF or any other sight on their shotgun that doesn't have to use a raised cheek pad of some kind? I've noticed most people have to raise their cheek pad to be able to get tight on the gun with these sights. Just wondering if anyone shoots a FF, Mueller, Truglo, etc. that can cheek down with no stock riser and no issue getting lined up with the dot?
OK your mounting assumptions are exactly correct. If you go with the 336 one of your existing holes can be used but you will have to have one hole drilled and tapped.
Raising the cheek pad and having your cheek on the stock is a personal preference but is entirely unnecessary with this kind of sight. This isn't a scope with a cross hair fixed in the center. The dot floats around in the window and does not have to be lined up into the center of the window to be on. You can shift your head around and have the dot in the corner of the window and if the dot is on the target you are perfectly lined up. It does not matter where the dot is in the window. As long as you can see the dot and the dot is on the turkey it is a dead turkey. Most dont understand this till they use one of these sights. When you get it try what I am talking about at the range so you will have confidence in it. Because of this you do not have to have your cheek down on the stock and if your cheek isn't down on the stock you wont feel as much recoil.
Do yourself another favor and mount the sight as close to your eye as possible and always shoot it with both eyes open. This is the way this sight is meant to be used. This maximizes your field of view and the frame of the sight blurs out just leaving the dot floating in the air. Remember the dot can be anywhere in the window. It does not have to be centered in the window. So just forget the window, find the dot and put it on the turkey. It will work every shot and you will be amazed how fast you can get on target and follow a moving target if you do this.
Thanks for the response! I've watched several videos online, so I understand what you mean about the dot floating around as the gun is shifted. I guess my next question would be, is there much of a chance of getting slapped in the face by the stock upon firing without being "tight" down on the stock.
FYI, it will be going on a Remington 870 with the Shurshot stock!
Never happens to me.
Ive got a fastfire on an 870 with sureshot stock and I dont need any kind of cheek pad. The sureshot is built up higher than your standard stock enough IMO
TauntoHawk, do you have it mounted with a Marlin 336 base or a picatinny/weaver type rail?
I have an 870 with sureshot stock and a FF2 on a picatinny rail and haven't had any problems.
I just put a FF on my 870 with the 336 mount. I can't hold my head quite as tight as I like it, but think I will adjust just fine. Looking back, I wish I would have went with the speed bead mount. I had the FF already on a pistol, and when I bought the 336 base a while back, you couldn't buy just the mount part of the speed bead. I paid $45 to have my gun D&T and $35 for the base. Then after I had it all done I find out they're now selling just the speed bead mount for about the same $. Oh well, I think I'll like it anyway.
My brother just bought me the FFII with the Speed Bead.
Absolutely fantastic all around, and I don't see the need for a cheek piece.
The speed bead even comes with two different risers to raise the sight picture if you want to...that's how low it sits.
Highly recommended with the FF
The way that dot floats in the sight picture will open up your eyes to why alot of guys miss with a shotgun....especially at close ranges.
Will the FF III mount to the speed bead as well, or would I have to buy the FF II?
yes, it will
Thanks for all the help! I've been leaning towards the speed bead because it looks like the lowest way to mount the FF sight. Now another question...
My gun was originally a thumb hole turkey model that was changed to a shurshot stock. The turkey model has a high sitting rifle sight with fiber optic sights on it. Would this have to he removed if the speed bead and FF are installed? It looks like the sight would be in my sight window all the time.
The speedbead comes with two risers....due to your situation...I do not know when using them if your FF III will be high enough.....But then again it might!!