How To Choose The Right Optic For Your Shotgun Or Rifle
Picking the right optic for your shotgun or rifle is more than a fashion choice — it’s about matching your sighting system to the task, the gun’s recoil and ergonomics, and your typical engagement distances. Whether you’re shooting clays, controlling pests, hunting, or practising at the range, the right optic will make aiming faster, reduce missed shots and improve enjoyment. Below is a practical, step-by-step guide to help you choose wisely — with useful links to further reading and example products where relevant. 1. Decide What You’ll Be Doing With The Gun First, be clear about the primary role of the firearm. Different shooting disciplines favour different optics: Clay and sporting: fast target acquisition and wide field of view — typically a bead or a 1x red-dot for close, moving targets. Practical / tactical shotgun work: red-dots or holographic sights for speed, often with a magnifier option. Slug or rifled-barrel shotgun at distance: low-power vari...