SHOT Show 2026: Turkey Gun Optics
It doesn’t matter if you are hunting with your granddad’s shotgun or one of the more modern turkey guns on the market; we all know that it is easy for the excitement of the hunt to take over when a mature tom is strutting or gobbling within shooting distance.
While there is no replacing the reliability of a bead sight, many turkey hunters are turning to red dots to ensure they make the most of the limited opportunities they may get in the woods each season. Thanks to red dots being parallax-free — meaning the shot pattern will always be on target with the reticle no matter the angle at which you are looking through the sight — the excitement of the hunt and improper shouldering the shotgun or a poor cheek weld won’t lead to errant shots.
Here are just a few of the new red dots or manufacturer-featured sights from SHOT Show 2026 that turkey hunters could take advantage of this coming season.
Osight XR
We covered the launch of Osight during last year’s SHOT Show. This year, they added four new offerings to their lineup, with the new flagship sight being the Osight XR, which is essentially anupgraded version of the Osight X. The Osight XR is a fully enclosed sight built off the RMR footprint that features an industry-first option of both 2- and 6-MOA dot, as well as a 32 MOA circle andan industry-first, collapsible rear sight. Between the internal rechargeable system and the charger built into the cover, this sight boasts near endless power.
Trijicon RMR HD
While we originally stopped in the Trijicon booth to talk about the expanded line of the Credo HX riflescopes, we ended up chatting with a rep who was eager to talk turkey, as that was his true passion. He boasted about the 2023-launched RMR HD. This sight’s most attractive feature is a 55 MOA circle as well as other configurations that feature either 1- or 3.25-MOA dot, depending on the model. According to company reps, the sight has a three-year battery life.
Aimpoint Duty RDS MR
Launched in August of 2025, this enclosed red dot was designed for law-enforcement use, but it is applicable to turkey hunters due to the rugged design. The sight features three interchangeable reticles — 2 MOA dot, a 65 MOA circle and a combination of both — and also boasts more than 30,000 hours of power on the seventh brightness setting. It is worth noting that this optic is built off the Micro T1/T2 footprint, meaning it will sit higher than some alternative options in red dots.
Holosun AEMS-MICRO and AEMS-MACRO
Both of these new offerings are marketed as being “enclosed pistol sights,” but we at the NWTF see the opportunities for turkey hunters to take advantage of the cool features. Both the micro andmacro sights have solar panels on the top, meaning continued use even with a battery failure. They both have three reticle settings — 2 MOA dot, 32 MOA circle and the combination of both — and are available in green, red and gold reticles. The AEMS sights feature extensive battery life with the micro coming in at 70,000 and 100,000 hours for the macro. These sights feature the proprietary AEMS footprint.
Burris FASTFIRE E
Launched in early 2025, this fully enclosed red dot is described as waterproof, shockproof and fogproof, thanks to its machined aluminum design. It comes in models with either a red or green3.5 MOA dot reticle that boasts 60,000 hours of battery life. Built off the Aimpoint ACRO footprint, this sight is designed for low-profile mounting, though it’ll need adapters for even vent rib mounting on a shotgun. It also features a side-loading battery compartment, meaning ease of battery replacement.
Steiner MPS
One of the few red dots mounted on a shotgun at SHOT Show (albeit a home-defense shotgun), this sight was originally launched in late 2021. Billed as a micro sight for pistols (MPS), it does have hunting application thanks to its fully enclosed design that was meant to withstand the rigors of law enforcement use. It features a 3.3 MOA dot, 8 brightness settings and a top loading battery compartment. Coming in at just 13,000 hours of battery life, it is on the lower end of battery life for ones we saw today, but still almost 1.5 years of use.
Bushnell RXE-MR1
While it won’t ship until around April of this year, this fully enclosed offering from Bushnell is a simple, low-profile red dot that features a 3 MOA dot with a circle. It will have shake awake features, 12 illumination settings and a top loading battery compartment that will offer up to 4 years of battery life, according to product specs from Bushnell. This sight uses the Deltapoint Pro footprint.
Riton 3 Tactix MPRD XL
This low profile, open reflex sight offering from Riton is a newer addition to the Tactix MPRD line that boasts a larger viewing window than the Tactix MPRD 3, while still featuring three green reticle options, a 2 MOA dot, 30 MOA circle or a combination of both. According to the rep at the Riton booth, it can offer 50,000 hours of battery life. I noted the side load battery compartment that is a nice feature to have on smaller reflex sights. And it also is built off the RMSc footprint.
Hawke Vantage IR Turkey Dot
While technically not a red-dot sight, this illuminated 1-4x20 tube scope was first launched in April of 2024. This year’s expansion of the line is the same scope dipped in Mossy Oak’s Original Bottomland. While this optic is not parallax-free, viewing through the tube with 4 inches of eye relief offers an illuminated red or green center dot and horseshoe that equate to a 10-inch circle at 50 yards. Use the left side knob to rotate between settings and make sure to return the optic to the off setting to avoid draining the battery. And, it is worth noting, Hawke will also be offering Mossy Oak Original Bottomland dipped low- and medium-height Weaver scope rings.
While we chose to feature these options for this year’s SHOT Show coverage, please don’t take this as a “need to buy” guide for turkey hunters. Each of these companies — and even others that will be showcasing at the upcoming NWTF Convention and Sport Show — have numerous product lines that can fit your hunting gear needs. So, get out there, put your hands on products, seek out the features you like, and if you buy, make sure to hit the range to get that optic patterned for the upcoming season. It’ll be here before we know it.