"Aiming" the Versa max

varhunter

New member
The versa max has the 2 bead system with a fiber optic front sight and the metalic rear bead. As I assume you line the 2 up right? I patterned my shotgun today and noticed it seemed to hit lower then I was aiming at 30 yards, not a lot but enough.
 
The 2 beads is to make sure your head is lined up on the sight plane. If you're hitting low, it's because you're trying to use the beads like rifle sights. Focus on the front bead and place it on the target, vs "aiming". It's hard to explain in words...the mid bead isn't used to point the shotgun, but to correct sight alignment on the sight plane.

Confused yet?
 
ok, I've heard the term lollipop used with red dots on AR's, would that kind of be the same concept, almost putting the fiber optic on top of the metalic? I really need to go practice again. too bad it's drill weekend.
 
Originally Posted By: varhunterThe versa max has the 2 bead system with a fiber optic front sight and the metallic rear bead. As I assume you line the 2 up right? I patterned my shotgun today and noticed it seemed to hit lower then I was aiming at 30 yards, not a lot but enough.

Sounds like it's set up to stack the beads to be dead on - put the front one on top of the rear one from your aiming point of view, so they will look stacked or like the number 8. That should raise your POI - that's how I aim a shotgun with open sites.
 
Originally Posted By: Varmint MasterUnscrew the middle bead and throw it away. First thing I do on every new shotgun.

Why?
 
I have shot alot of rounds through a shotgun and do not actually focus on lining up and aiming. I guess its instinctively shooting. With the middle bead in place I catch myself aiming and missing. My method works extremely well for me especially with my sbe2.
 
Midbeads are used for alignment but like earlier post, correct position they look like a figure 8. If it doesn't, you need to adjust camber/cast of your stock or learn to put your head different (the most difficult of the 2). Once you get correct fit you seldom "see" (pay attention) to the midbead, always focus on your target. However, if a bad mount, even though you don't focus, you will notice the midbead out of place/alignment. Kinda hard to explain & I'm sure I'm butchering it bad.

I have NO idea why you would want to take one off. It would be like throwing your key fob (to your truck) away so you had to use your key only to unlock the door. You know you can grind the rib off the barrel to... If you learn a midbead it's like being naked without one, it's not necessary, just an additional check. But hey, if it works, use what works.

BTW, you don't aim a shotgun; you point it...
 
Here is my take on it... for fast movers and flying winged game I am solidly in the pointing crowd. I take a very hard focus on the target and do not consciously “aim” the shotgun or even look at the bead/s. To do so is a sure way to miss. Regardless of the shooting method be it instinctive, pull through/away, or sustained lead shifting the eyes from the target to the bead/s will cause you to slow the swing or even stop swinging the barrels and you’ll miss behind more times than not. In this case you can shoot very well with nothing on the barrels at all – no bead of any sort. As an example when I was a kid I discovered I had knocked the bead off my shotgun barrel, when it happened I am not sure, I hadn’t noticed it and wasn’t missing game any more than I normally might. I went right along killing rabbits pushed by our beagle pack with no bead and no trouble.

With that said, in some situations with very tight patterning chokes and loads at a more stationary target aiming is necessary just like with an open sighted rifle. Especially so at close ranges. When you have a tight turkey choke and close patterning load in the gun and a gobbler staring a hole through you at eight steps you better aim that shot charge because the entire pattern at that range is only golf ball size and you are shooting a gobblers golf ball size noggin. It is plenty easy to miss in that situation and it is then the bead/s count. I don’t see any reason to take them off, I just use them when I need them and don’t use them when I don’t.
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Thanks for the info guys, I've been out of the game for a bit and kind of lost my skills. I plan to practice more when I can but when I do I find I hit more clays when I point rather aim. I wish I could make more time to hit the range.
 
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