Best Laser Bore Sight | How To Zero An RDS For A Shotgun

We often associate a laser bore sight tool with rifles or pistols, but we can also use them for shotguns and ARs.
 
There are very few laser bore sighters I trust to work for every gun, but the Wheeler Professional Green Laser Bore Sighter is the exception.
 
I recently put on a new Crimson Trace CT-1300 shotgun optic on my Stoeger M3500 for turkey season.
 
Stoeger M3000 Semi Auto Shotgun
50 yards with Winchester Long Beard XR3.5" Shells
 
Sighting in an optic can be very expensive, time-consuming, and frustrating without the right tools. Over the past few years, I’ve learned about some great tools that can help me sight my guns and optics while saving ammo and time. My hope with this blog is to show you why the Wheeler Laser Bore Sighter is the best bore sight tool for a shotgun and red dot sight. 
 

Wheeler Professional Laser Bore Sighter (Green)

$114.99
at Amazon
Prices accurate at time of writing

What Distance Should a Laser Bore Sight Be?

With a shotgun, you need to know how far you can accurately shoot to get the pattern and accuracy you’re comfortable hunting with. For me, I know I can shoot out to 60 yards with my 3.5" magnum Winchester Long Beard XR and about 45 yards with my 3.5" magnum Browning BXD shells. 

When I zero my RDS with my shotgun, I start at 30 yards, which is easily done with the Wheeler Green Laser Bore Sighter. I shoot at 30 yards and then move back to 50 yards once I make the necessary corrections to the optic. 

Wheeler Digital Firearms Accurizing Torque Wrench

$74.99
at Amazon
Prices accurate at time of writing

The easiest way to think about how far to zero your green laser sight is to know your max range for an ethical shot. As you can see from my previous 50-yard shots, I’m comfortable from 55 if I have a clear line of sight and I’m not sky lining a turkey over a hilltop. 

50-yd W/Stoeger M3500 and Winchester Long beard XR 3.5" Magnum Shell
50-yd W/Stoeger M3500 and Winchester Long beard XR 3.5" Magnum Shell

How Accurate is Laser Bore Sighting?

I find it funny that there are normally 2 sides to the debate of if laser bore sighters are accurate. Most people think they don’t work or they think they’re better than they actually are. Just like any truth, it’s found somewhere in the middle of the 2 misconceptions. If you use the laser bore sight tool correctly, it should work just like it’s intended to. However, it’s important to understand that once you have the laser and reticle lined up, you’ll still need to make adjustments, but we’ll get into that soon.

How far is a Laser Bore Sight accurate?

Different bore sighters have different ranges, but the biggest differences are in the green versus red laser. If you’re interested in learning more about green vs red lasers, read Red Dot Vs Green Dot | Which is The Best Pistol Optic?

The Wheeler Professional Green Laser Bore Sighter can reach out to 100 yards with a rifle scope and even further in optimal lighting. For a shotgun, the green laser will reach any distance you can shoot with ease. 

Tipton Standing Ultra Gun Vise

$183.99
at Amazon
Prices accurate at time of writing

Do Bore Lasers work?

I was at the range last weekend to zero my Stoeger in and a couple of guys next to me asked me if the laser bore sighter worked. I, of course, said yes, but I was curious why that would be their first question.

The guys informed me they’ve tried different laser bore sighters, and they didn’t work very well for any of the guns they owned. I understand some products don’t work, but I’ve zeroed optics on every type of gun, including my Glock 19, Glock 43X, Stoeger M3500, Winchester Model 70 (30-06), and my Bergara Premier 7mm Rem Mag. 

How To Sight in a Red Dot Scope Without Shooting

  1. Secure your shotgun and clear it out 
  2. Open the Wheeler Professional Laser Bore Sighter from the package
  3. Unscrew the bottom of the laser bore sighter (with the push button)
  4. Place the ion lithium battery inside the laser bore sighter and screw the compartment back into the laser bore sighter
  5. Attach the laser bore sighter onto the muzzle of the shotgun (gently!) using the magnetic attraction of metal
  6. The magnetic base of the laser bore sighter should cover the bore of the shotgun barrel evenly (The picture below needs to be moved up to cover the barrel)
Wheeler Laser Bore Sighter
Wheeler Laser Bore Sighter attached to Stoeger M3500

 7. Make sure your RDS is secure to the base rail mount on your shotgun

CT 1300 attached to Stoeger M3500
CT 1300 attached to Stoeger M3500

 8. Use the windage and elevation dials to line up the RDS with the green laser

CTS 1300 RDS

 9. Once you’ve lined up the RDS to the green laser, take off the Wheeler Laser Bore Sighter and store it back in its case. 

 10. Load your shotgun with a shell and fire when ready!

Stoeger M3500 at 40 yards with Winchester Long Beard XR and CT 1300 RDS
Stoeger M3500 at 40 yards with 3.5" shell

 11. As you can see from my first shot, my pattern is a little high and to the left. I made an adjustment of 4 clicks (1") to the right on the windage dial and 4 clicks on the elevation dial to have the biggest part of the spread in the center.

Why Should I Buy The Wheeler Laser Bore Sighter?

The Wheeler Laser Bore Sighter is at the lowest price that I’ve ever seen it listed for, and just in time for turkey season! When you zero in your optics, how many bullets/shells does it normally take?

Zeroing in a rifle with a boresight tool takes me about 10-15rounds to zero out to 500 yards. A pistol takes me 10-20 rounds to zero in up to 50 yards and a shotgun takes me about 10 shells to zero in.

I’m able to pattern my shotgun with my Crimson Trace CTS-1300 red dot sight with 2 shells at 50 yards! The time I spend zeroing in my optics with the Wheeler green laser bore sighter is a fraction of what it would take without it. 

I currently save around $25.00 in shotgun shells because I don’t have to start at shorter distances than I normally would without the power of the green laser. Using the green laser instead of the red laser will give you even more distance for use with your hunting rifles and ARs. 

Not only will you save money, time, and energy, but you’ll also save your shoulder when shooting 3.5" magnum turkey shells. I know there are many tough guys out there that don’t get sore, but more than a few shells get me a little sore, especially if I haven’t shot in a while. 

Where Can I Buy The Wheeler Laser Bore Sighter?

Wheeler Professional Laser Bore Sighter (Green)

$174.99
at Wheeler
Prices accurate at time of writing
 

Conclusion

Are you tired of spending hours getting your optics zeroed in for your shotguns, pistols, and rifles? If so, the Wheeler Laser Bore Sighter is the perfect tool to save money, time, energy, and your shoulder.  

They list the Wheeler Laser Bore Sighter at its most affordable price that I’ve seen online at $114.99 on Amazon. The Wheeler Professional Green Laser Bore Sighter allows me to calibrate and zero optics on all of my pistols, shotguns, hunting rifles, and AR-15s.

In what would normally take over an hour, I can do it in less than 15 minutes with the Wheeler bore sighter. There are many tools online that will help you optimize your training, time spent on the range, and make you a better shooter. However, there is no other tool that I’ve bought (F.A.T. Wrench) that has had a bigger impact on the way I train and zero my optics than the Wheeler Professional Green Laser Bore Sighter.


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