Burris Speedbead

Anyone have experience with this or similar sighting devices?

Here’s the issue. I’ve got a Weatherby SA-08 youth 20 gauge for my son to shoot. It’ll be his turkey and wingshooting gun. Two very different applications from a sighting perspective. I’d mount a fine rifle sight on it for turkeys and be fine with that, but then it’s in the way for breaking clays or whatever else he wants to do with it. Same with a scope or about anything else “fixed.”

To make matters tougher, I just put some turkey loads through it last week. They pattern great, but the bead is “off,” shooting quite a bit high. If I aimed for the bottom of a 30″ piece of paper, the bottom half of spread hit the top half of the target. That’s being generous. So it’ll likely need some modification, or easier, a different sighting system that works well for both turkeys and for wing-shooting.

Any advice? Randy, others?

Joel

Joel,

Isn’t the Speedbead fully adjustable for windage and elevation?

Also how is this mounted? It is on a rail or the receiver/buttstock mount?

For wingshooting I don’t use anything anymore honestly. I spent a day on the range with a few different options and a simple bead help bust clays. I also have seen an improvement in my wingshooting. Less misses at close birds and better hits at a distance. I just truly follow my gut and try not to over think it.

-John

Ok, I will need a few specifics. Which fastfire sight is on the speadbead mount? Bought new I assume? How is his current line of sight? Do you have the specific mount for his shotgun?

I know, basic questions but I have to ask

Line of sight – the new Speedbead/fastfire kits include a couple extension plates for lifting 1/8 or 1/4″. Very simple install with a couple screws through the bottom.

The fastfire II & III range from 3 to 8 MOA. There is an adjustment screw on the top-rear to raise/lower the POI

Olivia has one of the cheap magnet fiber sights on the end of her barrel. Doesn’t work for me, but she loves it. She’s still a 19-20/25 clay shooter. Can’t get her over that hump.

970-356-1670 will get you to one of the absolute best CS people that I have worked with. Anything that I can’t figure out goes directly to them

Randy Wieland wrote:

Ok, I will need a few specifics. Which fastfire sight is on the speadbead mount? Bought new I assume? How is his current line of sight? Do you have the specific mount for his shotgun?

I know, basic questions but I have to ask

Line of sight – the new Speedbead/fastfire kits include a couple extension plates for lifting 1/8 or 1/4″. Very simple install with a couple screws through the bottom.

The fastfire II & III range from 3 to 8 MOA. There is an adjustment screw on the top-rear to raise/lower the POI

Olivia has one of the cheap magnet fiber sights on the end of her barrel. Doesn’t work for me, but she loves it. She’s still a 19-20/25 clay shooter. Can’t get her over that hump.

970-356-1670 will get you to one of the absolute best CS people that I have worked with. Anything that I can’t figure out goes directly to them

Thanks for the info Randy. Don’t own one yet but considering it. POI is quite high with standard bead, and I’m looking for the gun to be a good turkey and wingshooting gun for him. Open to any/all avenues, but Speedbead with the FFIII looked interesting.

Joel

I misunderstood. i thought it was the fastfire that was off so much. Easy adjustment. Any plans to be down in the Milwaukee/Madison area soon?

Joel–As you mentioned, those are two very different shooting disciplines. For wing-shooting, both bird and clay, I’m much more in the plain is better camp so as to keep any eye distraction and thinking about shot placement to a minimum. Having said that, not that it is contradictory, I’m a fervent supporter of fitted shotguns at least for adults…might not be practical for a growing child who is still developing his muscle memory and shooting instincts…which is something that would address the shot placement issue you mention. If it were me, I’d forgo the addition of any sight on the gun in order to prevent developing “bad” shooting habits…and, it’s not like a sight is really needed for turkey. Just my two cents.

Randy Wieland wrote:

I misunderstood. i thought it was the fastfire that was off so much. Easy adjustment. Any plans to be down in the Milwaukee/Madison area soon?

Yeah, I’ve been meaning to hook up with you anyway on the way through to the in-laws. Maybe around Thanksgiving and/or Christmas? Thanks for the offer to help!

Joel

Chris Raymond wrote:

Joel–As you mentioned, those are two very different shooting disciplines. For wing-shooting, both bird and clay, I’m much more in the plain is better camp so as to keep any eye distraction and thinking about shot placement to a minimum. Having said that, not that it is contradictory, I’m a fervent supporter of fitted shotguns at least for adults…might not be practical for a growing child who is still developing his muscle memory and shooting instincts…which is something that would address the shot placement issue you mention. If it were me, I’d forgo the addition of any sight on the gun in order to prevent developing “bad” shooting habits…and, it’s not like a sight is really needed for turkey. Just my two cents.

Yeah it’s a tough deal.

With turkeys, I’m becoming more and more convinced that specialized sighting devices lead to less issues as you’re treating it more like a rifle. I’ve killed alot of birds with plain beads, but years ago moved to rifle sights due to the tendency to “peek” and throw off your shot.

With wing-shooting, I’d prefer a straight bead situation as well.

Maybe one gun can’t do it all, or if it does, I just need to re-sight-in for each season.

Joel

Joel Nelson wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Randy Wieland wrote:</div>
I misunderstood. i thought it was the fastfire that was off so much. Easy adjustment. Any plans to be down in the Milwaukee/Madison area soon?

Yeah, I’ve been meaning to hook up with you anyway on the way through to the in-laws. Maybe around Thanksgiving and/or Christmas? Thanks for the offer to help!

Joel

Thankgiving will find me fat and nearly asleep in a treestand during our gun season here. Christmas….hopefully you and I could get on some frozen water and discuss this

Joel Nelson wrote:

Yeah it’s a tough deal.

With turkeys, I’m becoming more and more convinced that specialized sighting devices lead to less issues as you’re treating it more like a rifle. I’ve killed alot of birds with plain beads, but years ago moved to rifle sights due to the tendency to “peek” and throw off your shot.

With wing-shooting, I’d prefer a straight bead situation as well.

Maybe one gun can’t do it all, or if it does, I just need to re-sight-in for each season.

Joel

I’d try the two gun approach if it’s in the budget.