10 Best Red Dots for Shotguns in 2023 (Backed By Results)

Best Red Dot for Shotgun
Alfred Mendoza

Shotguns are supposed to be for short-range shooting only. However, with the rise of modern sighting systems, you can now enjoy your shotgun at further distances. 

If you want to achieve accuracy at longer distances using your shotgun, then let us help you find the best red dot for a shotgun that should suit your taste.

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Vortex Venom Red Dot Sight

OUR #2 RATED

Aimpoint Micro T-2

OUR #3 RATED

Bushnell Trophy TRS-25

1. Vortex Venom Red Dot Sight

Why We Picked It:

The Vortex Venom Red Dot Sight is one of the best red dot sights for shotguns designed for short-range target acquisition. It comes with a large 3 MOA dot that picks up faster in low-light situations when speed is required.

We liked this sight’s multi-coated lens because it minimized issues such as light distortion when we took it to the field. Its brightness control was easy to adjust, too, allowing it to adjust the brightness for varied lighting conditions. We also liked its auto-brightness sensor/mode, perfect for controlling its dot density. Lastly, we liked that it features flip-up lens covers.

Who Should Use It:

This sight is best for competitive shooting, recreational shooting, hunting, and target shooting. This is also an excellent shotgun accessory for home protection purposes.

Summary:

This red dot sight comes with multi-coated lenses that minimize light distortion. It has easy to control brightness settings and an auto-brightness feature. Its components are also O-ring sealed, making it durable.

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2. Aimpoint Micro T-2

Why We Picked It:

This Aimpoint micro red dot sight for shotguns is a 1X (non-magnifying) optical system that uses a 2 MOA red dot. We liked this parallax-free sight because it is submersible in water up to 82 feet. We value durability, so it significantly impressed us. 

We also liked how this Aimpoint micro red dot sight features 12 brightness settings and is even night vision compatible. This red dot reflex sight even offers one extra brightness setting for bright sunlight, which amazed us more.

Who Should Use It:

You can use this shotgun reflex sight for your shotgun. This can be used for various purposes, such as law enforcement and military standards.

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Summary:

This sight features 12 brightness settings and 2 MOA red dot. It is a parallax-free sight that is submersible up to 82 feet and is the perfect size of a tactical shotgun. This is also night vision compatible. It has an anodized aluminum housing and reinforced turret protection.

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3. Bushnell Trophy TRS-25

Why We Picked It:

The Bushnell TRS 25 is also one of the best red dots for a shotgun that lets shooters shoot with a high head position. This is the primary reason why we liked this red dot. 

When shooting, we didn’t need to crunch down into a small space and view our intended target through a small hole.

This hi-rise sight comes with an elevated alignment for its riser block.

Who Should Use It:

You can have these sights mounted on your shotgun for hunting within 200 meters or 100 yards or less. This is also efficient in short-range battles, target shooting, or plinking. 

Summary:

This sight for the shotgun comes with a high head position, so you won’t need to crunch down into a small space and view your target through a small hole. It also provides peripheral vision control and eleven brightness settings. Its red and green dot fades out in bright light.

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4. Vortex Viper Red Dot

Why We Picked It:

We liked this red dot sight because of its bright red 6-MOA reticle. It helped us achieve clear targeting in any background colors and light conditions. We also liked how this sight featured easy-to-use power and illumination controls/brightness settings. 

We were able to make brightness adjustments without changing our sight positions. This sight is also constructed with aluminum alloy chassis and comes with a hard-anodized matte finish. Its lenses feature an ArmorTek finish.

Who Should Use It:

This sight for the shotgun is also compatible with pistols and carbines. You can also use this sight with rifle speed shooting.

Summary:

This sight comes with a fully multi-coated lens, large objective lens, and generous eye relief. It is excellent for cross-eye dominance and even features a parallax-free design. This sight also comes with a single-piece chassis and is constructed with aluminum alloy with a hard-anodized finish.

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5. Sig Sauer Romeo-MSR

Why We Picked It:

This red dot sight features a high-performance lens coating that wowed us because of its maximum light transmission and dot contrast. We also liked how compact and lightweight this sight is. 

It also comes with a generous eye-relief, precise 2 MOA Dot, and parallax-free operation. Lastly, its integral brightness control features ten daytime and two NV settings, which we also liked.

Who Should Use It:

This red dot sight is best for shotguns and short barrel rifles. You can also use this for close-quarters combat, plinking, range, hunting, and target practice.

Summary:

This sight features an impressive lens coating that provides excellent light transmission and dot contrast. It comes with two MOA dot sizes and runs over 20,000 hours of battery life. It also features unlimited eye relief, parallax-free operation, and integral brightness control.

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6. Aimpoint PRO - Shotgun Reflex Sight

Why We Picked It:

This reflex sight is made leaning toward military police standards, which is notable. When we first did a test shot, we already noticed how it enhanced the speed of target locking.

We were also impressed with a hard-anodized 30mm traditional tube design with a high-efficiency circuit. It was exciting to know that we could run this device for up to three years of average battery life. This is also easy to install and is very easy to control.

Who Should Use It:

This reflex sight is best for hunting, close-quarter combat, and even for law enforcement purposes. This could also be an excellent accessory for your shotguns.

Summary:

This military-grade reflex sight works for close to medium-range shooting. It also comes with hard-anodized aluminum alloy housing. This sight also enhances speed on target locking, making your first shot accurately better.

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7. Holosun HS507C-X2

Why We Picked It:

The Holosun HS507C-X2 red dot sight is another red dot for shotgun that provides quick target locking and precise shots. We noticed that this red dot is excellent when used with short and medium-range engagements.

We also liked its multi-coated lenses and red circle/dot reticle, as they provided us with clear views throughout our shooting activities in any environment. It is also comfortable to use because it offers unlimited eye relief.

Who Should Use It:

If you aim to achieve fast and accurate shooting, this reflex sight is ideal for you. This also works in close range or medium range target acquisition.

Summary:

This red dot provides up to 50,000 hours of battery life and 12 brightness settings. It also comes with multiple reticle patterns, which are compatible with NV devices. It comes with a Lock Mode and an ergonomic layout button, too.

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8. Burris AR Prism Sight with Fastfire III

Why We Picked It:

The Burris AR Prism Sight for shotgun is also one of the best red dot sights for shotguns. When used in the shooting range, it provided us with crisp, bright images. We also liked its ten-position power selector and windage and elevation adjustments.

It made changing its reticle color and brightness level easier. We also liked its automatic brightness sensor, which adapted to any environment we used it with.

Who Should Use It: 

This red dot sight is recommended for competitive shooters, military operators, and law enforcement personnel. This compact red dot provides an additional range.

Summary:

This red dot delivers bright, crisp images using its three reticle color settings: red, green, and black. It also comes with ten illuminated/brightness settings, five for red and five for green. This red dot also features nitrogen-filled body tubes and rotary illumination control dials that provide an additional range for your shotguns.

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9. TruGlo 30mm Dual-Color Dot Sight

Why We Picked It:

This red dot is also one of the best red dots for shotguns. It comes with dual reticle options that help shooters acquire targets faster. We liked that this sight is durable, waterproof, and shockproof to withstand rain or harsh recoil.

Its wide field of view made it easier for us to lock in our targets. It is also easy to customize its brightness setting according to what we desire or what the environment needs.

Who Should Use It:

We recommend this red dot scope to hunters because it is lightweight and hard-wearing. This red dot offers comfort, accuracy, and easy controls, perfect for long-hunt expeditions.

Summary:

This red dot comes with a 5 MOA reticle for quick target acquisition. It also features two reticle colors that offer contrast against any target or background. It has an adjustable rheostat for brightness control and generous eye relief.

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10. Sig Sauer Romeo4T

Why We Picked It:

We also liked this red dot because it is an excellent option for rapid target acquisition in any light level or terrain. It also has a motion activated illumination sensor that senses motion. All in all, this is a reliable sighting device for shooting fast moving targets and other developing scenarios.  

Who Should Use It:

This is recommended for home defense shotguns. If you are training or in a battle, you may also use this optic in shooting slugs. This is also recommended for recreational shooting.

Summary:

This red dot is best for short and medium-range combats. It is rugged and impact-resistant, making it durable even during the toughest environments. You won’t have to worry about how to conserve battery life because it runs beyond 100,000 hours with solar and battery power.

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Why Use Red Dot Sights on Your Shotguns?

Why Use Red Dot Sights on Your Shotguns?

Like how a holographic sight works, a shotgun is also an excellent partner in the hunting field. Whether you are out chasing turkeys, deer, predators, and varmint, this short-range firearm is your best choice. The best red dot sight helps shooters attain accuracy and longer-range shots.   

It also makes quick target acquisition faster inside 100 yards. These reflex sights are also beneficial because of their low light settings that don’t strain the shooter’s eyes. Since they are illuminated, they also make your shooting experience better than what factory iron sights could provide.

Your Guide to Buying

Lunde Studio Buyers Guide_v2

Reticle Size & Pattern

It is always important to determine the reticle size and its reticle patterns. Most dot sizes range from 3 MOA to 12 MOA. There are not many reflex sights that offer past 6 MOA dot sizes. 8 MOA seems reasonably better for shotguns because they are for short-range shooting activities.

Reticle Color

Many shooters with astigmatism [1] feel that green dot illumination tends to distort less than red illumination. Like holographic sights, most red dot sights come with illuminated reticles, allowing shooters to gain better contrast against a dark environment without any piercing light into the eyes. It’s your preference to choose between these illuminated reticles. 

Battery 

Shotgun red dot sights are battery-operated because they use a simple LED to create a quick-to-spot and easy-to-use point of aim. Therefore, it is always best to find shotgun red dot sights that can last you ample time, especially when hunting. Ensure that you won’t have to worry about how to conserve battery life because it runs long-lasting.

Durability & Lens Coating 

Whether you’re out hunting or just plain target practicing/shooting, durability should matter to you. No shooter wants to have a red dot sight that falls, throws off a zero setting, or fails to deliver great results just right after a few rounds. Your lens coating is equally as important, too. It protects your sight lenses against abrasion and dusk.

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Accuracy

Shotguns are most used for hunting, among other things. Therefore, it is expected that hunters aim for better accuracy to take down more animals when hunting. We suggest looking for a red dot that offers faster target acquisition and provides precision shots like the Sightmark Ultra Shot Reflex Sight. 

Brightness Setting

The brightness setting is also a deciding factor when buying the best red dot for shotguns. We encourage you to buy red dots with easy-to-control brightness settings so you won’t have to deal with a too bright sight picture that may even become blurry. 

Mounting Options

Hunting shotgun receivers may come with their optic mount or weaver-style mounting system. On the other hand, most tactical shotguns come with a 1913 Picatinny rail space. Picatinny is a better choice because it accepts almost all QD and other optic mounts on the market.

Price 

We always say this to our readers, “A high price doesn’t always equate to better quality.” Thus, we encourage everyone to stop focusing on the price range too much. It could be a deciding factor for budget buyers, but the product’s features always come above all for wise buyers. Also, how much is a shotgun?

Our Team's Selection Process

selection process

Overall Performance

To test these reflex sights’ overall performance, we put them to test in various environmental conditions. We used them in broad daylight and night. We also checked its durability, so we exposed most of these red dots to extreme/harsh conditions when shooting. We also tested their controls for elevation and windage adjustments.

Weapon Compatibility 

Although these shotgun red dot sights for shotguns are rounded up solely to check their functionality with shotguns, we have also tried to mount them with other weapons. This is to check whether these shotgun sights are also functional and compatible with other firearms.

Product Quality

To ensure the integrity of our claims when it comes to product quality, our team used three main factors to determine them. We used legit customer feedback found on the internet and via personal friends, research-based company claims, and our own experiences.

FAQs

Of course, you can put a red dot on a 12-gauge shotgun. You can use your 12-gauge shotgun red dot sight for deer or raccoon night hunting, too. Either way, as long as you have correctly installed the shotgun red dot sight on your shotgun, it should work.

Yes, a red dot sight can be used at night. Illumination is one of its primary advantages, making it an excellent alternative for a black optic reticle or black iron sights on a dark background. They also have low-light settings.

Yes, a red dot is good for hunting. Since red dots don’t look like traditional scopes, most deer hunters don’t want to use them. However, these types of sights are well suited for hunting.

Our #1 Red Dot Sight for Shotguns is…

The Vortex Venom Red Dot Sight is one of the best red dot sights for a shotgun designed for short-range fast target acquisition. It comes with a large 3 MOA dot that picks up faster in dark environments when speed is required. 

We liked this sight’s multi-coated lens because it minimized issues such as light distortion when we took it to the field. Its brightness control was easy to adjust, too, allowing it to adjust the brightness for varied lighting conditions. We also liked its auto-brightness sensor mode, perfect for controlling its dot density. Lastly, we liked that every component of this red dot sight is O-ring sealed.

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Our #1 Recommendation

Vortex Venom Red Dot Sight

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