just wondering, scope or iron sights

[tdoyka]

this is about hunting big game, not about target shooting

i was sitting here thinking about why does "everyone" have a scope on their rifle?(everyone being a guy who takes his rifle out once a year, then goes target practicing and if he hits the 36" x 36" he's good) most guys know how to use a scope, but they don't know how to use iron sights(peep, buckhorn, semi-buckhorn...). i've gotten my first deer ever with a 30-30 win94 open sights. i can't remember how many deer fell to my open sights. i used to take my scope off of my marlin 22lr and hunt with open sights. grey, red and fox squirrels, groundhogs, red and grey foxes, grouse, pheasant were just some that fell. why would i take off a scope to hunt with? i guess it was a "challenge" to me. later on, i would go to the US Army where everything at the time was open sights. back in the early '80's, everybody had a scope. lever, pump, single shot, bolt, didn't matter which, but they have to have a scope. there was one or two older fellas that would go open sights, but it was rare to find them. in '83 i was 12y.o. and i had a m94 open sights, but my friends had a scope with a bolt or pump action. i would take my 22lr without a scope and i would shoot with my friends scoped 22lr and i would hit cans, plastic army guys, etc... out to 50-75 yards, and i would do better than them. i'm not saying i am the best ever, but i sure could shoot.

AND THEN, i bought a rem mountian rifle with a cheap scope(i was only 17y.o.), i believe it was a tasco or a bushnell , in a 30-06. i killed a few deer with it and then i bought another rifle/scope and another and another... i almost forgot about open sights when my late grandpap gave me a 1898 spr armory in 30-40 krag. i've killed a few deer with it, but i thought that open sights were just to small, i mean really, really, REALLY small. i have 20/15 in my shooting eye(left) and 20/20 in my right eye. i don't know how those troopers could hit spaniard, i really don't!!! then i got on evilbay and they had a redfield 102k peep sight. i got it for $50 and boy, i do luv it. i've gotten my groups down to 3/4"(did it once, only once) and up to 1 3/4" at 100 yards(5 shots). i used to be able to go 2 - 3" at 100 yards(5 shots), i'd go 1 3/4+" at 100 yards rarely. i've taken 2 or 3 deer using a redfield 102k and that gentleman, has to stay on.

both of my sons can do a open sights or a scope. they where taught at a young age that an open sight first, scope last. they both have taken small game and deer with open sights. i wonder if the Marine corps does an open sight or if they are optics only? my youngest boy is going to to Marine Basic this october, this dogface will make a young jarhead proud.

i will have a 500 linebaugh with 23" MGM heavy factory barrel and skinner sights, both front and back sights. if " i can" do a 3 - 4" group at 100 yards(3 shots) then i will have deer/black bear buster. and no, i don't plan on taking 450gr lfn gc over 1400+fps. a nice sedate 1100-1200fps boolit will suit me just fine.

have i come full circle? i mean for a guy whose guns can go under 3/4" at 100 yards scoped and then goes back to peep sight and gets 4" at 100 yards and happy if he does! am i nutz? i remember when a gun HAS TO go under an 1", it JUST HAVE TO!!!! or rifle will be gone. i remember buying and trading rifles so much, i should've had a ffl.

ahhh well, i guess its just me. now don't get wrong, i have a tc encore in 444 marlin, 20 vartarg and 6.5 creedmoor and they are all scoped and they will go under 3/4" at 100 yards. my ruger #1 in 270 does 1/2" at 100 yards consistently. but i like my peep sights better, even tho the krag does 1 3/4" at 100 yards. heck, i'd be proud if the krag would do 4" at 100 yards.

i must be nutz.....

[MT Gianni]

Well a scope helps with the cross canyon shots of 250-350 yards, lets you make sure that there are enough tines to be legal and gives my old eyes light advantages over receiver sights. Peep sights in the timber where shots are under 100 yards.

[castalott]

Years back the rifleman wanted iron sights to shoot at least 3 MOA...3 inches at 100 yds. I had a hot 308 cast load that would do just that. You would be surprised what you can beat on with a load like that... You don't want someone who can shoot trying for you at any distance...

YMMV Dale

[dverna]

You may be nuts, but if you are happy who cares?

[largom]

Once you get to be my age if you focus on the iron sights you can't see the target and vice versa.

Larry

[quilbilly]

Even when I was a lot younger, I couldn't get a decent sight picture in iron sights much beyond 125 yards. Inside that distance I prefer iron sights for ease, quickness and durability. If most shots are beyond 100 yards, scopes are better. Then there is hunting from a mountain bike. When I am using the bicycle, I use iron sights since a face plant is tough on scopes. I do use a regular buckhorn style on some rifles but most now have peep sights with large apertures.

[rking22]

I understand, I hunt mostly with iron sights. But that's due, in great part, to the fact I hunt with old guns, pre WWII. I like to keep them the way my Grandfather would have used them. Its also because I find the most rewarding part of the hunt to be getting close to game, close like longbow close. Not for everyone but its what floats my boat, ymmv.

[Bazoo]

I dont own a scope currently. My winchester 94 is iron sighted, as is my marlin 60, my only 2 rifles at present. I would like a bolt action with a scope sometime, but With backup irons.

[buckwheatpaul]

Once you get to be my age if you focus on the iron sights you can't see the target and vice versa.

Larry

I have to agree with Larry.....with bifocals it is hard to shoot traditional open sights....just put a old redfield peep on my 94 and hope that I can get back to open sights as well......as we mature we have to compromise and learn how to overcome our sight issues......plus I do like small groups for me it equals a more humane harvest with little or no tracking.....

[M-Tecs]

I use scopes, apertures and traditional irons depending on mood and what I am doing. That being said if my life depended on it's scopes 100% of the time on a rifle with the exception of a home defense AR's. That wears Tritium sights and a laser. Properly setup scopes are quicker to deliver an accurately placed shot. I shoot both NRA Service Rifle and Match Rifles and BPCR out to a 1,000 yards with apertures so I will never sell irons short for accuracy capability when matched against the proper target. Irons whether apertures or traditional open require that you focus on the front sight. Under low light conditions or with aging eyes this becomes their major short coming.

Even when using a the most open twilight apertures (when hunting in heavy woods) in early morning or late evening my shooting hours are leas than the legal shooting. With a good light gathering scope I could shoot all night with a little moon light.

[white eagle]

like comparing a rotary phone to a smart phone
yes they both work but why waste your time spinning a dial
iron sights good for getting in the general area but I want a precise
shot and put it exactly where I aim not close

[Rainier]

i have 20/15 in my shooting eye(left) and 20/20 in my right eye.

It appears you my have answered your own question. As an example, a few years ago I got a brand spanking new AR10. A friend of mine had a range at his place so I went out to "zero" it in and his first question; "What kind of optics are you using?" Half offended I let him know I was going to use iron sights. His laughter annoyed me but I'd sure show him and the world. Well, to make a short story long, I have a 2-10 powder scope that serves me well on that wonderful Armalite rifle. Not saying I couldn't hold minute of coyote with iron sights at 100 yards but with my eyes, minute of coyote at 200 yards, would have been like shooting at a well camouflaged coyote, in the dark, through the fog. It seems like I woke up one day and was 50 something years old, the hair had fallen out of my head and now grew out of my ears and nose, and I just can't see as well as I one did. So... my hunting rifles are scoped and my "I'm 19 again" rifles have iron sights.
May your vision stay with you until your so old, that you've grown tired of dragging deer from gullies and all you want to do with your great vision is read wonderfully written stories of great hunts by great hunters.

[tdoyka]

May your vision stay with you until your so old, that you've grown tired of dragging deer from gullies and all you want to do with your great vision is read wonderfully written stories of great hunts by great hunters.

i am 44, or is it 45 y.o i still have wonderful eyesight but my hair is really starting to fall out and my hair comes out my ears and nose. i wish i could drag deer out of gullies but i am disabled due to a stroke(right arm/leg and speech) that i got 4 or so years ago. so i'm lucky to have both sons, a winch and my utv to drag it out. my dad had cataracts until he had them lasered off this year.

i just forgot about using iron/peep sights. i still own a number of scoped rifles, but i'm beginning to go back to my irons.

[Hickory]

I like iron sights for deer hunting because most of my shots are at 35-75 yards. My gun is lighter without a scope and quicker to acquire the target. If you want to shoot into the next zip code you might need a scope.

Scopes are a must when varmint hunting for obvious reasons. A high powered scope will bring the critter closer, optically, to get a better sight picture. A scope can gather more light and give the appearance of a brighter target. A scope you identity exactly what you are seeing and isolated it from other objects.
There are a lot of advantages to using a scope and should be taken advantage of when ever possible, for better and safer hunting.

[toallmy]

I started out with open sights and found the love for a decent peep Sight , but could see a lot better back then . Me and my model 69 Winchester 22 spent a lot of time with me looking through the little hole . My shooting over time has changed quite a bit so now I use magnification to make up for my short comings .

[randyrat]

Shot Iron sites for years and wouldn't be caught dead with a scope on my rifle. Never trusted glass, fog, dirt, bump out of adjustment, break who knows what could go wrong. I practiced and practiced with Iron sites and got good.
I could count antlers at early dawn and find a a spot to hit em safely. I respect someone that can hunt with Iron site.

Now I'm on the back side of 50 and safety is still #1 in my book so I use a scope. In my mind I'd still like to think I can shoot open sites but I'd be deceiving myself and possibly a danger.

[WRideout]

A couple of years ago, during deer season here in Western PA, I missed a relatively easy shot at a doe, because she ran so close by that I couldn't get a sight picture in my scope. I shoot a Mark X 30-06 with a 3x9 scope that my stepfather gave me. I am contemplating using one of my old milsurp rifles with as issued open sights next year, just for that reason. Most places I hunt around here, 100 yards is an extremely long shot.

More than a few years ago when I was in the CA Army Guard, I shot a high power rifle match using a borrowed MIA with peep sights. I could reliably hit the target at 600 yards, but it was a big target.
Wayne

[GhostHawk]

Man I loved my iron sights on my Ruger 10/22. I learned a way to take money from those guys with the long barreled Remingtons with scopes on and I milked it.

Then I crossed over to the wrong side of 40 and suddenly iron sights sucked.

For me, the best of both worlds is a Red Dot type sight. I have 2 that I dearly love. They are both Truglo 2.5 moa dots with 3 x optical. So it pulls those far targets in a bit.

But it aquires and lines up on moving targets IMO faster than iron sights.

Put the dot where you want it, stroke the trigger, bullet goes there. Done.

Now I have not converted all my rifles to Red Dots, yet.

Some I prefer a bit more magnification, for punching paper a 3x9 or 4x12 scope works fine.

I have unmagnified Red Dots on both my Hipoint Carbines, essentially I see them as close range weapons. So for that purpose they are fine. Same for the His and Hers Ruger Mk III 22/45's. Close range, don't need magnification or the extra weight/bulk.

But I will be buying more of those 3x Red Dots. At 60$ they seem pretty reasonably priced and I have not had one fail in 3 years.

[725]

Grew up with a Winchester Mod 69A, .22, which had a Weaver 4x on it. Boringly accurate. As a kid, I thought I could never miss. (Must have not remembered any misses Anyway I took the scope off and shot so good I again thought I could never miss. Ha! Love that gun. Still do. The challenges increase with age. Now in my 60's, open sights slow me down. I've been spoiled by scopes. One focal plane - cross hairs - Mildots - magnification - low light gathering, what's not to like! Still, I want to shoot open sight. Currently working on an '03 and having a ball.

[Rainier]

i wish i could drag deer out of gullies but i am disabled due to a stroke(right arm/leg and speech) that i got 4 or so years ago. so i'm lucky to have both sons, a winch and my utv to drag it out.

Well Boo! Sure hate to hear about a fellow hunter having mobility challenges but it seems your improvising and overcoming - hats off to you! I'll gladly change my wish to; "May your vision stay with you until your so old, your sons have grown tired of dragging deer from gullies and all you want to do with your great vision is read wonderfully written stories of great hunts by great hunters."

As far as hair goes, I've just accepted its over rated and appreciate the ease of care a "number 1 summer cut" has to offer

Take care of yourself - Rainier