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We’ve been turkey hunting with red dots for years, so when we saw these brand new, fully-enclosed shotgun-ready red dots from Vortex at the NWTF convention, we knew we had to try them.
Around here, we’re big believers in the versatility and speed a good red dot sight brings to the table.
There’s just something about having that crisp dot on a gobbler’s neck at 40 yards that gives me all the confidence in the world. I’ve even dabbled in skeet shooting with a red dot just to see how well it could track fast-moving targets — and surprisingly, it held its own.
So when Vortex announced the new Viper Shotgun Enclosed Red Dot, we knew we wanted to give them a review. A fully enclosed, shotgun-specific optic built to handle the abuse of heavy turkey loads and bad weather? That checks every box for me.
I’ve been testing it over the last couple of months, and in this review, I’ll explain how it’s performed in the turkey woods and at the range to help determine whether it’s worth adding to your shotgun setup.
Let’s get into it.
Size: 4.86” long, 1.32” wide, and 1.15” tall
Weight: 2.14 oz
Dot Color: Bright Red
Dot Size: 3 MOA DOT, 32 MOA CIRCLE, 65 MOA CIRCLE
Battery: CR2032
Battery Run Time: 50,000 hrs.
Mounting Footprint: Integrated - For Drilled and Tapped Shotguns
MSRP: $430 for the single dot and $500 for the multi-reticle, but MidwayUSA has them for $300 and $350
One with a single reticle option, a 3 MOA red dot. The second is a multi-reticle option featuring a 3 MOA Dot, a 32 MOA circle, and a 65 MOA circle, making seven different reticle options for this one.
The 32 MOA circle is supposed to match the pattern of a full choke, meaning that if the turkey’s head is close to filling that circle, there should be minimal floppage when you squeeze the trigger.
While the 32 MOA circle is for more precise shooting, the 65 MOA circle keeps the wing or skeet shooter in mind. It matches the pattern on a modified choke and is for targets at closer ranges. If you haven’t tried duck hunting or skeet shooting with a red dot, now may be the time!
One integral feature of the Viper is that the mount is part of the red dot, so you don’t have to purchase a separate rail or mount. The guys at Vortex said it was designed to fit on many drilled and tapped shotguns (as many as 47 different models already), except for the Stevens brand, because of the stud on top of the barrel.
They do have a compatibility chart on the Vortex website just to be sure it will fit, but the spacing on the mount is such that you should be able to align it with the holes on your shotgun to get it where you want it and get at least two screws in place. It comes with four sets of the most commonly needed screws, too, that, again, should fit almost every shotgun.
We’ve mounted it on two different shotguns (the Mossberg SA-28 and Winchester SXP 20 gauge), and the process was straightforward.
I scanned the QR code and chose the appropriate screws for each gun. Then, I figured out that while only two screws would fit in the Mossberg SA-28, three screws would fit the mount on top of the Winchester SXP. Vortex gives you detailed instructions on mounting it, so it’s pretty simple.
They mean for this to mainly be a shotgun red dot, hence the name. We haven’t tried mounting it on anything else because we’re turkey hunting with them! But, if a revolver or a rifle were drilled and tapped, I wonder if it would fit.
Remember that this probably isn’t the red dot you want when switching back and forth from pistols to shotguns. Once again, hence the name.
The Viper Enclosed Shotgun Red Dot is purpose-built for the fast pace of turkey hunting and wing-shooting. Based on the integrated mount design, its Ultra-low profile allows the red dot to sit low on your shotgun.
In many cases, adding a rail and the proper mount for your red dot can make it much more challenging to get a solid cheek weld on the stock. Vortex solves this problem based on the low-profile integrated mount design mentioned above. It gives you an actual, natural cheek weld and makes it easy to quickly get in the proper position.
Plus, the wide field of view lets you easily keep both eyes open, making target acquisition significantly easier.
With Unlimited eye relief, you don’t necessarily have to be in a perfect position to align your reticle with your target.
We compared the parallax of this red dot to others we have, and I would say it’s comparable when it’s on the single-dot setting. They say that it “meets the industry standard” for being parallax-free, implying there could be a reasonable amount of parallax.
While most of the online reviews for the Viper Enclosed dot are favorable, several people think it has too much parallax. That may be because they anticipated zero movement or because their model had a lot more than ours, but like I mentioned, it’s comparable to others we’ve used.
This section wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the circle reticle options. Because of my astigmatism, I find using them difficult. There is a little more distortion when it’s on the brightest setting, but I don’t think it would be enough to make me miss my target. The more light in the field of view, the more distortion I see. But, I only mention this because I feel there is a slightly more noticeable parallax when using the circle reticle options than the single dot option.
Now, I’m not saying that putting one of these Vipers on your shotgun will automatically mean you’ll kill a turkey, but we sure have been! So far, four different turkeys have fallen at the hands of our Vortex Viper Enclosed Red Dots. We’ve had a lot of fun in the turkey woods this spring, and most of it has included these red dots.
I haven’t found anything I dislike about these red dots, and they’ve performed in the field all spring, not to mention the immense amounts of shooting we did for pattern testing videos before the season. Even while sitting in the rain, Adrian mentioned that she could easily see through the dot when it was wet and only wiped the water off the front lens because she had the time.
A: Check the Vortex website compatibility chart for more information: HERE's the Chart.
A: We actually have longer screws that we can send out if they are needed for this! If you need some just call Vortex customer service.
A: On some it can! Here is the footprint drawing to do some measuring prior to anything on that!
A: This cannot be attached to a picatinny rail, rather, it is designed to fit directly-to-receiver!
A: Vortex warranty team can send you a replacement my friend. Give them a call at 1-800-486-7839 or reach out via email at service@vortexoptics.com.
I know this will shock you, but if you’re considering purchasing this new offering from Vortex, it depends on which exact features you want in a red dot.
But if you’re looking for a low-profile red dot, designed for a shotgun, especially for turkey hunters, you probably want to look at the Vortex Viper shotgun red dot. I like that it’s fully enclosed with a good-sized viewing window. I also like that it will sit low on the shotgun, and the integrated mount will fit almost any drilled and tapped shotgun. The MSRP is $430 for the single dot and $500 for the multi-reticle, but MidwayUSA and Amazon offer them for $300 and $350, respectively.
Overall, we’ve been pleased with them and would definitely recommend them as a red dot for turkey hunting. So, for Should I Buy This Thing, we will give the Viper Enclosed Shotgun Dot a 5/5!
Robbie has enjoyed the outdoors since he can remember. His earliest memories include hours upon hours of squirrel hunting and learning how to enjoy all aspects of hunting season in God's wonderful outdoors. Now he is always working hard and testing gear in the field to give you the best review and most thorough information he possibly can.
All opinions are ours. Some items we receive for free, borrow, or purchase at a discount, but this never impacts our opinions or freedom to report them.
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