Hunting with iron sights.
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mrawesome22
New member
Yes.
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I took a couple deer with Williams peep sights on my Marlin, then scoped it. I am going to do the scope one more year then go back to the peep sights. I don't really have a good reason, just like changing my setup once in a while. With my previous deer gun (Ithaca 37) I took deer with iron sights, scope, and a red dot.
I've killed deer (and coyotes) with open sights on my handguns, shotguns and rifles.
Lately though, especially when being concerned with quick, humane kills (and shorter tracking jobs), I've pretty much switched to hunting with scopes (red-dots on the handguns and shotgun).
Lots of critters have been killed with open sights but these days I like to have every advantage I can.
The last hunting gun I have with open sights is my SBH 357. I'll still use it, but more as a backup during hunting season or on tracking jobs.
Lately though, especially when being concerned with quick, humane kills (and shorter tracking jobs), I've pretty much switched to hunting with scopes (red-dots on the handguns and shotgun).
Lots of critters have been killed with open sights but these days I like to have every advantage I can.
The last hunting gun I have with open sights is my SBH 357. I'll still use it, but more as a backup during hunting season or on tracking jobs.
Rifleman1776
New member
As a lover of traditional muzzle loaders that is what I use mostly as do many others who do not use modern rifles for hunting.
Open iron sights work, as they have for many centuries.
Open iron sights work, as they have for many centuries.
Edward429451
Moderator
I have hunted with a scope in the past, but scopes are expensive and fragile so I switched to iron peeps, and set up my sons guns with peeps also. I have two Deer to my credit with peeps, my son nailed a bull Elk with peeps, I have a friend who took a Mule Deer with the funky factory barrel mounted ramp sight on his 336 30/30!
Iron sights rock. They bring home the bacon, cost less than scopes, and teach a valuable skill to fall back on if you should ever break a scope that you do use.
Iron sights rock. They bring home the bacon, cost less than scopes, and teach a valuable skill to fall back on if you should ever break a scope that you do use.
YARDDOG(1)
New member
"[As a lover of traditional muzzle loaders that is what I use mostly as do many others who do not use modern rifles for hunting.
Open iron sights work, as they have for many centuries]"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Exactly, Durring BP season
Y/D
Open iron sights work, as they have for many centuries]"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Exactly, Durring BP season
Y/D
I am really starting to hate scopes. They can be a pain. I've deer hunted for 10 years with scopes. Last year I shot a deer at over 400 yards with my Savage 110 .243 rifle. But I can't remember how many I couldn't get a shot on because they were running and the scope just slowed me down. Plus with the rain, fog, and dark scopes can be annoying. This week I went rifle hunting my first time ever without a scope, bear hunted for the first time too. I have to say even though I didn't even see a bear, I absolutely love using sights. Much less of a headache. I'll trade a crazy long distance shot for a few close range shots, fine with me.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
WV_gunner said:
I have the exact opposite opinion.
I have hunted with both "open" sights and scopes. Spent a good 10 years hunting deer without a scope.
I can't stand not having optics. Every gun I've ever owned has been scoped (yes, the years I hunted deer with open sights it wasn't my gun).
One year, I tried an unmagnified Red Dot on my shotgun. I'm so used to picking tiny little spots to shoot at that I couldn't get myself to pull the trigger on any of a group of doe just 70 or so yards away. That thing went away that night and I went back to a 3-9x
I typically move about with my scopes set on at least 5, sometimes 7 power. I have taken (and hit) shots on running deer as close as 15 or 20 feet with the scope on 5x and never had target acquisition issues.
The only thing I can think with people who have trouble with scopes is that they bring their heads to the gun instead of the gun to their heads. If you're looking at the target and bring the gun to your eye, it will be, by necessity, aimed at the target.
Anyway, in reference to the OP, yes I have hunted with open sights. I can hit with them just fine, I just hate it. Does archery count? I still have "open sights" on my bow!
Yes. My primary hunting rifle is a Winchester 94 Ranger with a Williams peep sight on it. I usually can't see anything more than 50 yards away. When the light is bad or if I am walking, I take the screw in thing with the aperture out and use (the larger) hole that's left behind as the rear sight.
I have a bolt action rifle with a scope, but unless I'm going somewhere that I am going to be shooting over 100 yards, I don't use it.
I have a bolt action rifle with a scope, but unless I'm going somewhere that I am going to be shooting over 100 yards, I don't use it.
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
Better than1/2 century with no scope while walking on Mother Earth. Peeps & Iron sights. It's a matter of choice at the time for me.
It's too hard to find a moving target in brush with a scope. They get behind cover or over the ridge. I don't have a problem finding targets in a scope, just ones running behind cover. Plus with bad weather conditions, I've had so many annoying issues. It's just so much simpler to use sights to me.
