Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

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doc1059
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Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by doc1059 »

Anyone have any good tips or tricks to verifying your red dot zero from year to year without having to shoot a $10-$13 TSS load? With having 3 kids plus myself, ensuring the red dot is still zeroed year to year can get expensive with 4 of us. Especially if one of us pull a shot and you think the red dot is off.
Hobbes_mobile
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Re: Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by Hobbes_mobile »

I start off with cheap lead ammo that at least confirms left to right alignment. Iast season I used some old Remington Hevi that I bought from someone on here after that and it shot with the tss. I hated waisting even the Remington ammo but I suppose it's all part of the process.
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guesswho
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Re: Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by guesswho »

Simple laser sight. Mark on a piece of cardboard at about 20 yards or so. Mark POA, and mark laser dot. Then when you want to recheck just install the laser sight the same way, get your paper with your marks and verify. Of course this only works with a gun that’s already sighted in.
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Turkinator
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Re: Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by Turkinator »

I squirrel hunt in the winter with my turkey guns. As long as I can constantly knock grey squirrels out of the top of big oaks. I figure it’s still good to go. I’ll shoot one tss load on paper to check for gremlins before my first hunt this year.
WAGinVA
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Re: Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by WAGinVA »

I sight my gun in with TSS handloads and then shoot a high quality factory skeet load and save that target. To verify zero I shoot one of the same skeet shells and compare it to the target that I saved. If it is off I reestablish zero with the skeet loads and then shoot one TSS to assure that it is right.
batsonbe
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Re: Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by batsonbe »

I use my gun exclusively for turkeys. I don’t verify year to year. Maybe if it was propped up and got knocked down or something to that extent I would check it. I test new data year round so I always know if something is way off.
Jstocks
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Re: Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by Jstocks »

The cost of a missed turkey is a lot higher to me than it is for some of you guys……even if it takes 10 shots I’d rather do that than have any doubt whatsoever in my equipment.
MeadowCreekMounts
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Re: Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by MeadowCreekMounts »

guesswho wrote: January 28th, 2023, 4:32 pm Simple laser sight. Mark on a piece of cardboard at about 20 yards or so. Mark POA, and mark laser dot. Then when you want to recheck just install the laser sight the same way, get your paper with your marks and verify. Of course this only works with a gun that’s already sighted in.
This is exactly what I do, it's the best way. I like to keep a folded up piece of paper to take with me when travelling. A word of advice, get a good laser. The cheap $15 ones on Amazon aren't straight. I've used them, but I keep a mark on them so that they are always rotated the same way when chambered, which is still a good idea even with the good ones.
Tail Feathers
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Re: Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by Tail Feathers »

I sighted in and then took a few shots with some pheasant heavy 6's at 15 yards. The long range ones pattern fairly tight and are close to the turkey loads in velocity.

Subsequent years I shoot a few Heavy 6's to make sure I'm hitting to same point as last year.

I will shoot one final TSS at 40 each year to be sure. On my designated backup gun, I will sometimes skip the TSS if I'm confident with the 6's.
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Jamey
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Re: Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by Jamey »

I built a trap. Only lose the cheap part of the load but not the shot. Trap was easy to build and has paid for itself many times over as I shoot quite a few different guns before the season.
I like the laser idea as well and may look into getting one...do they make one in 28ga?
Dtrkyman
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Re: Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by Dtrkyman »

Fortunately my turkey getter shoots target loads the same at 20 yards as my turkey loads, so I only shoot turkey loads at turkeys! I use a tru glo rifle type sight so it would be obvious if it moved.

I like to shoot a box of cheap loads prior to season from awkward positions and off handed for practice.
decoykrvr
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Re: Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by decoykrvr »

I've got a shot reclaimation trap and shoot a lot, but I always shoot a lead load with the same fps as my TSS loads at @ 20 yards prior to hunting and especially after flying w/ a shotgun. I'm a firm believer in having total confidence in your gun, ammunition, and your shooting abilities before going afield for any game. If my firearm ever gets a significant drop or jar, or if I miss a shot, I reevaluate my POA/POI with either an equivalent field or hunting load as soon as possible. As I've stated many times, my ammunition is the least expensive component of any hunting trip, yet it is the most important!
southpaw
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Re: Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by southpaw »

Simple. Site your gun in with tss. Then shoot a lead load. If the pattern is too open at that distance, shoot closer. Make a note where it hits. Shoot at that distance with the (same) lead load to verify each year.
phutch30
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Re: Verifying Red Dot Year to Year

Post by phutch30 »

I verify every spring. My two setups get used alot each season and I like the peace of mind knowing they are on for $30 worth of shells.
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