Hunting Archives | SecureIt Gun Storage

Red Dot or Not? Why Not Take the Advantage?

Posted on April 15, 2025April 4, 2025 by Josh Kinser

The tiny red dot is an infamous sign from movies and action tv shows when someone is a target as the sniper has their laser optic sight locked on. In real life they’re becoming more and more popular as built in features and accessories for pistols and rifles, as a red dot can improve target acquisition and accuracy up to a certain range for self defense and sports like skeet shooting.

Some people are opposed to red dots and may prefer iron sites as they’re traditionalists, while others swear by them because of the ease of use and accuracy. So we want to break down some of the main pros and cons to having a firearm with a red dot sight in case you’re on the fence about buying an optic or going with traditional iron sights.

If you’re new to shooting, read this section first, if you’re not, skip to the next section.

Red Dots and Why They Exist

A red dot is a reference to an optical sight that places a red dot on a target (but not literally) to help you aim and strike up to 100 yards before the gravitational pull from the earth or winds will affect the trajectory. The 100 yards will depend on the barrel and threading, firearm type and model, spin, PSI, wind, and other elements that impact how fast, far, and flat the projectile or projectiles with buckshots will travel.

The first red dot optic site was created by a Swedish company called Aimpoint in 1975. It was a likely result based on the work of Charles H. Townes with lasers in 1951 which led to the first laser pointers in the 1960s. These laser pointers turned into a commercially available laser optic site developed by SureFire and was adopted by police departments in 1979 leading up to the versions we use today.

Fun fact: The first optic site was likely founded in 1901 when telescope manufacturer Sir Howard Grubb patented the first reflective site.

Red dot sights are for fast and efficient target acquisition in perfect conditions, while a traditional iron site is better for conditions like fog and snow where batteries die quickly. Purists love iron sights because of the reliability and skill you develop with them, but that doesn’t mean it is always the right choice for every situation.

Pros and Cons of Red Dots

Being able to strike a target more efficiently at close range, hitting more targets in a competition, and having accuracy in self defense all sound good; but some people are still opposed to having red dot optics on their pistols, revolvers, and long guns. Here’s some of the arguments to be made for and against red dot sights so you can make a decision if having one is right for you.

Committing to a Target

When the red dot is visible in your site, you can lock on to a target. This can be good or bad. The good is that you have a target locked, the bad is the situation has now escalated as you are likely ready to fire.

They are used in the military for tactical missions and they are common practice because the intent is to neutralize the enemy and take down targets. Not aim and delay hoping the target leaves. There is no actual red dot to alert the target, that is in the movies where the director wants to build suspense.

There is no right or wrong answer here as it is situational, and in a situation you do need to fire, it can help with accuracy.

Batteries

Cold weather drains batteries faster because the chemical process that generates the electricity is slowed and takes more energy regardless if it is an electric vehicle, a mobile phone, or a red dot optic for your firearm. The same applies to recharging the batteries in cold weather situations like hunting in a cabin or using a tent for camping in winter.

Red dot optics are not going to be reliable in snow, hunting in freezing conditions, and other places where batteries fail faster. In addition to less battery life, you need to bring backup batteries for when the charge dies or solar panels to recharge your optics and other devices. This makes it harder to hike, camp, and enjoy as you now have to carry more weight with you.

Iron sites are more reliable because they do not require electricity and will always be there unless they’ve been worn down, which is very hard to do.

Accuracy and Ease of Use

It is easier to train with a red dot and acquire targets as you can see exactly where the trajectory will land if it is within the distance range before the projectile changes path. This gives newer and advanced shooters an advantage over no optic sight.

With an iron site you have to train your eyes to visualize where the bullet will enter the target, with the red dot it is marked for you. If you’re new or want a better chance at getting more accurate shots, red dots are a great choice. A best option is to train with both iron sights and red dots just in case your battery fails during competition. You want the muscle memory and training to kick in so you can still win vs. relying on technology.

Hunting

When it comes to hunting game, a more accurate strike means less suffering for the animal. Yes, the animal can jump, move, or run at any moment, but the red dot lets you have a better chance at a kill shot vs. a wound. There is no need to make the target suffer longer than needed.

That’s why red dot sights are recommended for hunters whether it is big game or small. It’s the humane way to hunt.

Red dots have their place in the world of sports. The batteries can fail and you lose it making it important to know how to use an iron site too, but if you have the option for a red dot, go for it. It’ll be especially helpful if you’re new to sports and hunting.

5 Pro Tips to Firearm Storage in Saltwater Environments

Posted on February 25, 2025January 31, 2025 by Josh Kinser

In order for your firearms to be able to protect you, or function properly on a hunting trip, you need to protect them. Humidity can cause corrosion on both a gun safe and a firearm, and when you add salt to the moisture in the air you add to the potential damage. There are numerous studies like this one that show the salt in the air can increase corrosion on metals like carbon steel, and this one which watched as wind deposited salt across a large stadium and monitored corrosion.

In addition to the normal corrosion from moisture, the air deposits salts which work as an electrolyte and modify the movement of electrons more easily than in non-saltwater droplets. Corrosion is in part a result of electrons being moved via the electrolyte according to the United States Naval Academy, so the salt air may be acting as an additional conduit.

But that doesn’t mean you cannot take or protect your firearms in a vacation home or while on a trip, you just have to modify how you store them to protect them from the salt air. Here are five tips you can use whether you own or rent out a vacation home with a gun safe, or you’re about to enjoy a trip with friends or family.

5. Clean and Lubricate Regularly

If the gun is stored off-season while you’re not using the home, or you are saltwater hunting for fowl, make sure to clean and lube your firearm regularly. It is especially important to do this if you’ll be leaving the firearm after the season ends. The lubricant acts as a protective barrier which may help with protection while you’re using the firearm, but will definitely help after if you don’t have time to wipe it.

Salt and humidity will corrode faster, so getting it all out and reapplying the lubricant post cleaning is vital before storing the firearm in saltwater air environments.

4. A Case in Your Safe

If the firearm will be stored in a salt air environment for long periods of time like a hunting lodge or vacation rental you visit once or twice a year, or in a gun room for your armory or collection, invest in a good case. Gun safes have vents to help keep air flowing which reduces corrosion. This also lets the salt air in.

Whether you have a gun room or a gun safe, find a weather proof and moisture proof case for the firearms you will be leaving stored. If you clean and lubricate to remove the salt and moisture while adding a protective barrier, and then store in a water and air tight case, there’s less chance of the firearm gaining exposure to the salt air while it is being stored.

3. Invest in an HVAC Dehumidifier for Your Home

There’s a case to be made for using dehumidifiers in your gun safe, but when you live in saltwater air environments they won’t do much good. The inside of the gun safe may be regulated, but it won’t protect your safe or your home. If humidity is an issue, investing in a dehumidifier for your HVAC system will help to regulate the air in the home.

This works to reduce the humidity in your home and some systems have filtration that can remove larger particles of salt with the humidity. None are going to be perfect, but any reduction is a good way to protect your home and your firearms with their storage devices.

2. Air Purifiers

HVAC upgrades are expensive and not always an option. There is good news if you’re like most of us, some air purifiers are able to reduce and remove some of the salt from the air in your home. They are much less expensive and can be added to the room your firearms are stored in.

On top of these you can upgrade your air filters from the current heat pumps and HVAC systems that can handle tiny particles. Sea salt particles in aerosols can be less than 0.2 μm according to Science Direct, so choose filters that can handle tiny particle filtration.

1. Change Your Ammunition

We all have our favorite cartridges and ammo, but some can cause more corrosion than others. It isn’t practical to clean the barrel after every use, and you may be in a rush before putting the firearm away and not have time.

Check the packaging and manufacturer’s website for primer that does not contain potassium chlorate as this is the main culprit of corrosion. Any small change you can make when your firearms are going to be in salt air environments helps, and this is one more that is in your control.

You cannot control the salt in the air as it is nature, but you can work to reduce the saltwater air that can get to your firearms and how often you clean and lubricate them to remove salt and add a protective barrier. With proper precaution and maintenance, you’ll be enjoying your firearms even in salt air environments for years to come.

How a Shot String Forms and What Causes It

Posted on December 31, 2024December 10, 2024 by Josh Kinser

Shot gun shot strings are a part of ballistics and a reference to how close the pellets stay together when they hit their target and are not a direct reference to the inside or outside design of the barrel itself. There can be confusion when researching guns online as some sites consider a shot string to be a barrel pattern.

Although they are sometimes interchangeable as references to the spread of the pellets upon impact, barrel patterns can also refer to the rifling (pattern) or bore of the inside of the shotgun barrel. For this post we’ll mainly use shot string for the explanation.

The shot string is a combination of the:

Shape and weight of the pellets in the shell
Amount of powder used
Length of the barrel
Choke tube being added to the end of the barrel
Distance between the person firing and the target

Each of these impacts the width of your shot string differently. When you have more gun powder loaded the velocity is increased with the added propulsion keeping the pellets closer together over a longer distance.

When you add a choke tube to the end of a shotgun barrel you can fasten it tight or loose. When you use a tight choke tube it condenses the pellets as it leaves the bore, keeping a tight shot string over an even longer distance just like when you use more gun powder. And if you loosen the choke tube you can get a wider spread for a shorter distance.

You’ll want looser choke tubes for fast moving and close range game like doves and grouse that will take off in an instant. The wider spread of the pellets gives you a better chance to make an impact for fast-moving, close-range targets. The opposite is true for turkey and large game you hunt at a distance. The tighter choke will keep the pellets condensed for a longer distance giving you a more accurate pathway to your target.

Longer barrels help to tighten the pellets as they leave the bore keeping a tighter shot string as they reach their target. If the bore (the diameter of the inside of the barrel) is not sized to match the pellets, this can cause improper shot strings and excessive wear and tear on the shotgun. So make sure you match the correct gauges to prolong its life.

The shapes of the pellets inside the shotgun shell will also impact the shot string barrel pattern as some shapes are more aerodynamic than others. But don’t worry about the shape too much as most are circular at this point. The weight of the pellets for modern firearms and ammunition will likely have more of an impact.

If the weight is mixed they disperse faster creating a wider shot string. When the pellets are the same or very close in weight they can keep a tighter barrel pattern upon impact. If you notice, the distance between the person and the target keeps coming up.

As the pellets leave the shotgun barrel they start in a tight pattern. The air works against this pattern causing the pellets to spread loosening their shot string. The longer the distance between the person firing the shotgun and the target, the more opportunity for natural forces like gravity, wind, and air resistance to spread the pellets further changing the shot string before impact.

Shot strings are a reference to the way the pellets hit their target and are controlled by the length of the barrel, the amount of powder used, the distance between the person firing and the target, as well as the shape, weight, and quality of the pellets themselves. And now you know how to modify the spread of a shot string so you can hunt fast moving targets at close range, or big game and predators at a distance with more efficiency.

How to Prep and Cook a Wild Turkey – Easy Instructions

Posted on November 5, 2024October 9, 2024 by Josh Kinser

Ready to prepare your first wild turkey? Don’t stress if you’ve read the stories online about how difficult it is.

With a bit of preparation you can cook a meal that is Thanksgiving worthy from a bird you hunted. Let’s start with the differences between wild turkeys and store bought, and then how to prepare the wild one once you know what to expect.

	Wild Turkey	Farm Raised
Size	15 – 25 lbs	Male 41 lbs and Female 17 lbs
Taste	Gamey, chewy, intense	Moist, tender, juicy
Cook time (oven unstuffed)	13 minutes per pound	20 minutes per pound
Cook time (deep frying)	4 minutes per pound	3 to 4 minutes per pound
Collagen and muscle	More	Less
Flavor	Changes based on natural diet	Consistent as they’re fed controlled diets

The good news is that you can cook a wild caught turkey the same way that you cook farm raised and store bought. Both need to be cooked to at least 165 degrees in order to be safe to consume, and both fry at roughly 3 to 4 minutes per pound. Wild and store bought turkeys can also be prepared the same way with your favorite seasonings, stuffing or dressing, and herbs. But that is where the similarities between wild and farm raised turkeys end.

Wild turkeys live in forests so their diets change based on the food available like leafy greens or flower buds in the spring and hearty acorns or crabapples and insects that become available in the fall. This changes the flavor of the meat with most people preferring the fall diet as the turkeys are eating insects which provide them with protein. Studies like this one show that turkeys who eat insects retain more water which makes them easier to cook.

Wild turkeys are much smaller than farm raised, so if you’re used to starting the oven 6 hours before guests arrive, get ready to take some time back because the more muscular meat and smaller size reduce the cooking times so you have more time to relax or get the side dishes ready.

The reason the meat is leaner and has more muscle is that wild turkeys have to hunt, travel, and defend themselves where farm turkeys relax in protected environments so they do not have to work their muscles as often. You’ll also find there is more dark meat on wild turkeys than farm raised for this same reason, and as Live Science puts it, farm raised turkeys are too fat to fly.

Now you know the differences between cooking a wild turkey from a store bought or farm raised one and why you’ll need to adjust your schedule. The good news is you’ll likely be saving some time and get tastier meat in the fall. If you’re planning on hunting your first wild turkey, click here to read our top picks for turkey hunting shotguns, and come back to share how your meal turned out.

Category: Hunting