Best Red Dots for Turkey Hunting Shotguns

Why turkey hunters went to red dots

A turkey shotgun is a strange tool. It throws a tight pattern of shot at a target the size of a softball: a gobbler's head and neck. Many modern turkey chokes and loads pattern tightly enough at typical distances that the classic bead sight becomes a liability. A small aiming error with a bead can put the dense core of the pattern off the bird.

A red dot fixes that. You put the dot on the wattles and the pattern goes where you looked, as long as the dot is zeroed to that gun, choke and load. It also lets you aim with your head up and both eyes open, which helps when a bird appears somewhere you did not expect.

Our shotgun red dot guide covers mounting and patterning. This article is the follow-up: what to look for in a turkey dot, and specific options worth a look before spring. It is an editorial reference built from maker and retailer specifications, not a field test.

What matters in a turkey dot

Dot size and reticle

A turkey head is small, and you will usually shoot well inside 50 yards. A 2 to 3 MOA dot covers about 2 to 3 inches at 100 yards and roughly half that at 50, which is precise enough for a head-and-neck shot. Many hunters like a multi-reticle sight with a large circle as well: the circle can help you frame the head quickly at close range. Avoid a very large dot that hides the whole head at your typical distance.

Green or red

Green dots tend to look brighter to many eyes in daylight and stand out against dark feathers. Red works fine too. Pick the one that looks sharpest to you; our reticle size guide covers the trade-offs.

Recoil and durability

Magnum turkey loads kick hard. Choose a dot the maker rates for shotgun or rifle recoil, and torque the mount to spec. A dot that loses zero after a few magnum rounds is worse than a bead.

Battery features

Turkey season means long mornings in the blind with the gun across your knees. Shake-awake (motion activation), long battery life and solar backup all help the dot be on when the bird arrives.

Mounting

You need a rail on the receiver, a receiver that is drilled and tapped for one, or a plate for a pistol-style dot. Some turkey guns ship optics-ready. Match the dot's footprint to the plate or rail, and keep the dot low enough that your cheek stays on the stock.

Turkey dot picks

All of these are listed at Ammunition Depot. Specs come from the retailer listings.

Holosun HS515GM: rail-mounted, with a big circle

Ammunition Depot lists the HS515GM with a 2 MOA dot and 65 MOA circle, solar failsafe, shake-awake, quoted battery life of up to 50,000 hours and an included quick-release mount. That combination of a rail mount, a large circle and long battery life fits a turkey gun with a Picatinny rail well.

Best for: railed turkey shotguns and hunters who want a circle for fast framing. Skip if: your gun is set up for a low pistol-style plate. The listing's battery line is inconsistent, so check the manual for the right cell.

Holosun HE510C-GR: big open window in green

The HE510C-GR is a larger open reflex sight with a green circle-dot reticle and a 2 MOA center dot. A wide window is forgiving when a bird steps out at an odd angle, and green stands out against dark plumage.

Best for: hunters who want a big window and a green reticle. Skip if: you want the most compact package; this sight is larger than a micro dot.

Holosun HS507C X2: low on a plate

A pistol-style dot mounted on a receiver plate sits low, close to the line a bead would give you, which many shotgunners find natural. The Holosun HS507C X2 is a multi-reticle open dot that lets you switch between a dot, a circle and both. You will need a plate that matches its footprint and your receiver.

Best for: hunters who want a low, bead-like head position. Skip if: your receiver has no plate option.

Trijicon RMR: built to take a beating

The Trijicon RMR Type 2 3.25 MOA adjustable LED is the reference pistol dot for toughness, and it mounts the same way on a shotgun plate. It is a dot-only sight, so no circle.

Best for: hunters who prioritize durability. Skip if: you want a circle reticle or a bigger window.

Holosun HS407C X2: simple dot, simple setup

If you want one plain 2 MOA dot on a plate and nothing else to think about, the Holosun HS407C X2 is the dot-only sibling of the 507C. Our 407C X2 overview covers it in more detail.

Side by side

To see more options, browse Ammunition Depot's red dot category or Optics Planet's red dot mounts and risers if you still need a plate or rail.

Setting it up for a real morning in the woods

Turkey hunting has its own light. You set up in the dark, the woods go gray, and the bird often shows at first light or in deep shade under the canopy. A dot that looked perfect at noon on the range can bloom into a blob at dawn.

• Set brightness for where you will sit, not the parking lot. Check it once it is light enough to see a bird, and turn it down until the dot is crisp against a dark target.
• Know your auto-off timer. Some dots switch themselves off after hours of no movement. Shake-awake solves this for most sights; confirm yours wakes with a small movement, not a big swing that spooks a bird.
• Bring a spare battery in the vest, and know which cell your dot takes.
• Cover the lens. A flip cap or simple cover keeps dew and dirt off the glass while you wait.
• Practice from your sitting position. Rest the gun on your knee the way you will hunt, and check that the dot appears without moving your head.

Zero and pattern with your turkey load

1. Pick the choke and load first. The dot is only as useful as the pattern behind it. Change either one and you need to re-pattern.
2. Start close. At a short distance, shoot at a large sheet with a small aiming mark and see where the dense center of the pattern lands relative to the dot.
3. Adjust the dot to the pattern's core, not a single pellet hole. Move windage and elevation until the densest part centers on the dot.
4. Confirm at your hunting distance. Shoot a turkey-head target at the range you expect to shoot birds and count hits in the head and neck area.
5. Write it down. Gun, choke, load, distance and dot setting. Next spring you will thank yourself.

Ammunition Depot's turkey hunting ammunition section covers 12, 20 and .410 turkey loads, such as Winchester Long Beard XR 12 gauge 3-inch. Check your state's rules on shot type and gauge before you buy.

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial reference built from manufacturer specifications, retailer listings and published sources. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance promise. Verify specifications, compatibility and the law where you live.

Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links to Ammunition Depot and Optics Planet. We may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial choices are not influenced by commissions. Check current price, stock and specifications directly with the retailer.