irons: how far are you willing too take a shot at game
- Thread starter kcub
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Gunplummer
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My eyes are getting bad now, but when I was younger, between 200-300 yards. I would really have to know the gun and have a good snow background. When I think back, I believe the longest shot I ever made on a deer WAS with open sights. It was an old Russian bolt gun, which I have mentioned on this forum before.
603Country
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For me, hunting in the early morning or dim twilight was what got me to make the move from iron sights to a scope. Best move I ever made, just wish I had made it sooner.
Rangerrich99
New member
Right now? At a whitetail?
With good light and no wind correction with my buddy's Ruger Scout in .308, probably 250 yards. That thing is pretty accurate.
Longest I ever shot a deer using irons? Almost thirty years ago with much better eyes with my long-lost Browning BLR, again in .308 at a paced 189 yards, so figure at least +/- 25 yards? In contrast, if I still had that BLR, with my somewhat diminished eyesight, I don't think I'd take that shot today.
I might talk myself into taking that shot today at 150 yards.
With good light and no wind correction with my buddy's Ruger Scout in .308, probably 250 yards. That thing is pretty accurate.
Longest I ever shot a deer using irons? Almost thirty years ago with much better eyes with my long-lost Browning BLR, again in .308 at a paced 189 yards, so figure at least +/- 25 yards? In contrast, if I still had that BLR, with my somewhat diminished eyesight, I don't think I'd take that shot today.
I might talk myself into taking that shot today at 150 yards.
tahunua001
New member
my longest iron sights shot was slightly over 100 yards at a standing blackbear.
then again that's the only iron sights shot I've ever taken with a rifle
for unmagnified I usually try to keep it within 75 yards for rifles or 50 for shotguns( I have a very good choke)
then again that's the only iron sights shot I've ever taken with a rifle
for unmagnified I usually try to keep it within 75 yards for rifles or 50 for shotguns( I have a very good choke)
FrankenMauser
New member
Depends on the rifle and sights.
My Mosin-Nagant? ...Umm.... 150 yards, maybe, maybe 200. And that's probably max out of everything I currently own with iron sights.
The nearly-finished Marlin 444? ...Probably 125 yards, or so. The huge front post (Skinner wing sights) obscures the target quite a bit - I and I had this barrel chopped to 19" rather than the usual 22". So once you get out there much farther than 100 yards, even most of a deer disappears behind the post.
There are some other things in between, but on down the line...
The shortest distance at which I would max out on game would probably be the .475 Tremor (AR). Between cartridge ballistics (flying 275 gr ashtray at ~1,700 fps), sight radius (11.2"), and sight design (thick post), I'd he hard pressed to push it beyond 90-100 yards. --Even then, I'm already dealing with 6 inches of drop at 90 yards, and 7.6 inches at 100 yards (can you say, "Rainbow trajectory?").
And for non-game animals, the shortest would be the AR pistol (.223) fired from the shoulder. The 7.5" barrel and short sight radius isn't very useful for much more than 50 yards. And even that is pushing it for some animals, since elevation adjustment can only be done one half turn at a time, due to the type of front post that I'm using; which results in elevation only being adjustable in 4.4 MoA increments.
My Mosin-Nagant? ...Umm.... 150 yards, maybe, maybe 200. And that's probably max out of everything I currently own with iron sights.
The nearly-finished Marlin 444? ...Probably 125 yards, or so. The huge front post (Skinner wing sights) obscures the target quite a bit - I and I had this barrel chopped to 19" rather than the usual 22". So once you get out there much farther than 100 yards, even most of a deer disappears behind the post.
There are some other things in between, but on down the line...
The shortest distance at which I would max out on game would probably be the .475 Tremor (AR). Between cartridge ballistics (flying 275 gr ashtray at ~1,700 fps), sight radius (11.2"), and sight design (thick post), I'd he hard pressed to push it beyond 90-100 yards. --Even then, I'm already dealing with 6 inches of drop at 90 yards, and 7.6 inches at 100 yards (can you say, "Rainbow trajectory?").
And for non-game animals, the shortest would be the AR pistol (.223) fired from the shoulder. The 7.5" barrel and short sight radius isn't very useful for much more than 50 yards. And even that is pushing it for some animals, since elevation adjustment can only be done one half turn at a time, due to the type of front post that I'm using; which results in elevation only being adjustable in 4.4 MoA increments.
mxsailor803
New member
Longest iron shot that I've ever taken was a fox at 140 yards with my 10/22. We were squirrel hunting at the time and saw him trotting across a field. I aimed just over his back and the bullet broke his spine. Granted I claim that as 100% luck and I'll take it. Its also the one rifle that I've put more rounds through than any other rifle. As kids we would practice by shooting gumballs out of gumball trees. Wasn't unusual for me and a buddy to go through a brick in a day. Miss those days lol.
stagpanther
New member
On a related note--have any of you (I know it's a looks-appeal blasphemy) tried a good unmagnified red-dot? My eyes can no longer focus on irons--but they can on a red dot, and since it's unmagnified and I can use it with both eyes open I think in practical use it's very similar to irons
I have red dot on my 223 Encore. It's very good, better than irons especially low light. I can hit the smallest thing my eyes can make out with no magnification.
This thread confirms what I thought about the long standing popularity of the Marlin and Winchester lever guns in calibers like 30-30 for hunting. They are economical, light, handy, and well balanced and can do anything most people can do given iron sights.
Part of being "economical, light, handy, and well balanced" is no scope that adds cost, weight, and makes the gun top heavy or muzzle heavy if you mount it forward like a scout rifle.
This thread confirms what I thought about the long standing popularity of the Marlin and Winchester lever guns in calibers like 30-30 for hunting. They are economical, light, handy, and well balanced and can do anything most people can do given iron sights.
Part of being "economical, light, handy, and well balanced" is no scope that adds cost, weight, and makes the gun top heavy or muzzle heavy if you mount it forward like a scout rifle.
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stagpanther
New member
Agreed--I keep thinking about getting another lever but can't come up with a good reason for anything that my 44 mag lever carbine cannot already do.
You ought to get another 50 to 100 yards out of a 30-30 over a 44 mag, which may not matter. With a Savage or BLR you can get 243, 7mm-08, 300 Savage, or 308 putting it in another class but then you'd need a scope. The Browning Winchester 1895 repro can be had in .30-06, I'd be concerned with recoil on that one. I seldom let logic get in the way of buying a gun I just want for the hell of it.
stagpanther
New member
Don't think a 30-30 can reach out with the wallop my 44 can--I've developed some good loads over the years for it. Those blr's kinda sorta interest me--but considering they fire pointy bullets out of conventional mags I have trouble figuring out what they bring to the table at a premium price over a huge market of bolt guns--except maybe the lever cycle.
Any distance I can see the animal as long as I'm not in a field or trying to shoot from ridge to ridge or something stupid like that.
I've shot .45 Colt at 150 +\- yards and missed. Grazed the bark of a tree it was standing behind. I compensated for the distance fine but at the distance a few mph winds I'm sure will move a bullet around. With my other guns as long as they are within 300 yards I'd try it. I usually hunt with scopes though.
I've shot .45 Colt at 150 +\- yards and missed. Grazed the bark of a tree it was standing behind. I compensated for the distance fine but at the distance a few mph winds I'm sure will move a bullet around. With my other guns as long as they are within 300 yards I'd try it. I usually hunt with scopes though.
Gunplummer
New member
Since PA started the antler "Point restrictions", I know guys that carry a small hand scope when hunting in the flintlock season. I figure with a high power rifle, if you have to carry a scope to count points, you may as well put it on the gun. The point law kind of ruined iron sight hunting in this state.