Backup iron sights
- Thread starter Morbius
- Start date
Toyboy
Active member
I do also on my Model 70 in .338 Win Mag for moose hunting in Canada. I have it sighted in for 100 yd with the iron sights. It's not that I don't trust the Leupold on it, but since I only have one rifle for the hunt, if something happened to the scope I'm toast.
Hunting elk in the states I will bring 2 rifles, but Canada I only take one.
Hunting elk in the states I will bring 2 rifles, but Canada I only take one.
Many years ago I was hunting with a friend up in northern Wisconsin in a heavily wooded but deer infested area. I had my Marlin 336 in 35 Remington with iron sights and my friend had a 336 in 30-30 with a Weaver 4x scope on see through mounts which he touted as the best of both worlds. I was on the far side of a small meadow and watched as he pulled up on a nice buck but never took a shot. As expected the buck disappeared deep into the woods never to be seen again, at least by us. When we met up at the far end of the meadow I asked about the buck. He sighed and said while he was trying to decide whether to use the iron sights or the scope the buck made it's getaway. It was a lucky buck and an unhappy friend. When we got back to my truck to move from one hunting area to another he dug into my tool box and removed the scope and see-through mount. All my rifles have scopes on them, all my handguns have iron sights. The scopes on my rifles are either 6-24x50 or 5-25x56. I've been told by quite a few that there is no need for scopes like that on a hunting rifle. My reply is, If you can't see it, you can't shoot it. Conversely they want to know why I don't have optics on my handguns. When I tell them I usually don't shoot a handgun beyond 50 yards so I don't need a scope or red dot which adds weight and bulk. Maybe a bit old fashioned, but it works for me.
Toyboy
Active member
I never did care for or like the looks of those sights. More of a gimmick in my world. My guns are scoped 1.5x5, 2x7, and 3x9. always worked for me. My 8x binoculars are always around my neck also.
I for one will not dispute the fact that lower magnification optics work, my higher magnification optics are capable of shooting at those lower magnification levels, but when it comes to shooting at longer distances, beyond 100 yards, the extra magnifications sure does come in handy. This is especially true for us older folk who no longer have the vision of our youth.
I just laugh when someone trys to tell me I don't need a 5-25x56 scope. How do they know what I need???
Another famous saying is that the field of view is too small at the higher magnifications. This is true, but if you take the time to practice finding your target at the higher magnification levels you soon learn that it isn't any harder than at lower magnifications. All it takes is practice.
I just laugh when someone trys to tell me I don't need a 5-25x56 scope. How do they know what I need???
Another famous saying is that the field of view is too small at the higher magnifications. This is true, but if you take the time to practice finding your target at the higher magnification levels you soon learn that it isn't any harder than at lower magnifications. All it takes is practice.
Toyboy
Active member
Surprisingly, I've never set my 2x7's or 3x9 scopes higher than 4x when hunting. Pretty much stay at 4x I'd say. BUT, I won't shoot farther than 200yd.
In the mountains, most shots over 200yd would take 1/2 a day to get to where the animal is/was. I can't remember having a windless day in the Rockies, and even using my Wind Wizard It's still tricky.
Moose hunting in Canada, again 200 yd would be a pretty good poke. My bull ranged out to 180 something yards but most shots are less. Our native guide carried a 30/30 with iron sights. Told us it was plenty of gun," just get close and hit them in the chest" as he put it.
I always have my 8x compact Steiner or 10x Leupold binoculars around my neck. I find them invaluable.
And by the way, I own a pair of old eyes also.
In the mountains, most shots over 200yd would take 1/2 a day to get to where the animal is/was. I can't remember having a windless day in the Rockies, and even using my Wind Wizard It's still tricky.
Moose hunting in Canada, again 200 yd would be a pretty good poke. My bull ranged out to 180 something yards but most shots are less. Our native guide carried a 30/30 with iron sights. Told us it was plenty of gun," just get close and hit them in the chest" as he put it.
I always have my 8x compact Steiner or 10x Leupold binoculars around my neck. I find them invaluable.
And by the way, I own a pair of old eyes also.
