Decent iron sight rifle

T

TK-Hryciuk

CGN Regular
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Manitoba
Morning CGN, I've been looking for a while now for a nice iron sighted hunting rifle. All of my local shops usually just carry drilled and tapped rifles. While I don't mind hunting with an optic, I've decided to go back to my roots and fundamentals for marksmanship after successfully killing my animal this year with an iron sighted M1A that my good friend let me use. Does anyone have any good recommendations? Thanks all.

EDIT: Sorry guys, still early, realized I posted this in the wrong forum. Can Mods please move it for me? Thank you!
 
Among the current bolt guns that come factory zeroed @ 100m - CZ, Tikka, Sako......I prefer the square notch on the Finnish makes. The ones (Marbles folding leaf type) installed on Zastava rifles are also good although not in the same class as the other three.....may need to be zeroed though. I have a Zastava in 6.5 SE that I haven't had an opportunity to try so far. However, my Zastava .22 (same irons) shoot very well.

Savage Euro Classic (now discontinued, I think) has a good sight as well.....however, the front sight is not hooded if that matters.

Older BRNOs and such.

The factory installed buckhorn types on lever guns have no quality. However, that could be easily remedied with a peep or ghost.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. Half of my hunting consists of hunting in or near the bush anyways where a magnified optic is not always practical. When I asked my LGS if they had what I was looking for in stock they simply told me to learn how to shoot with an optic... All of my black rifles have magnified optics, it's not a matter of learning to use them I tried to tell the clerk, but that I simply don't NEED it for my method of hunting. Rarely do I ever make a shot past 200m.
 
OP, I'm not sure what recommendations you're after, as you have seem to have already settled on the M-1A as your best option. If you've had success with the M-1A stick with that platform, it has excellent sights, its certainly robust, and both sufficiently accurate and powerful for big game hunting. Some complain the rifle is on the heavy side, but I've carried heavier, and the speed at which a follow-up shot can be fired is comforting. I recall reading a piece on the General Rifle Course at Gunsite where the writer participated with an M-1A. The M-1A shot with all the bolt guns, suffered none of their failures (which required some to visit to the on site gun smith) and due in large part to its red dot sight, cleaned up in the low light shooting portion of the course.
 
Boomer, I don't really have any requirements, mainly factory iron sighted, and somewhat lightweight. I did like my friends M1A that I used this year, but I am a bit on the smaller side and it is a very heavy gun to lug through fields and the bush for hours on end like we usually end up doing. Bolt or semi, it does not matter very much to me. When I first started hunting, I used my uncles old Remington 760 I believe, the pump action model. It was absolutely fantastic, fast and accurate for the ranges I used it at. I looked at the new Remington 7600, the newer models, and they were complete garbage compared to the older models.
 
go old school -- try a lever gun in 30-30! light, handy, and iron sights that upgrade easily to a rear peep if the buckthorn doesn't suit you (I prefer a peep).

or look at used rifles, there are lots out there that do the job and are iron sighted, from the find-one-anywhere lee enfields to very fancy sporting arms. I bought a 300WM parker hale with iron sights and a 3-9 scope for about $400 a few weeks ago and it is lovely, needs a bit of cosmetic work on the stock, but shot 1" groups when i took it out to the range for a function check.
 
TK-Hryciuk said:
Boomer, I don't really have any requirements, mainly factory iron sighted, and somewhat lightweight. I did like my friends M1A that I used this year, but I am a bit on the smaller side and it is a very heavy gun to lug through fields and the bush for hours on end like we usually end up doing. Bolt or semi, it does not matter very much to me. When I first started hunting, I used my uncles old Remington 760 I believe, the pump action model. It was absolutely fantastic, fast and accurate for the ranges I used it at. I looked at the new Remington 7600, the newer models, and they were complete garbage compared to the older models.
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The Remington pumps are more accurate than they have any right to be, are a delight to carry due to their thin receivers, and have proven to be reliable, although I dislike the monte-carlo stocks they put on them now. If you like bolt guns, there are many light carbines available in .308 from Remington, Ruger, CZ, and others. Keep in mind though, that as weight drops, recoil increases, and as barrels shorten, blast increases, so there is more to consider than simply choosing the shortest-lightest rifle available. That said, a loaded, iron sighted, 20" sling equipped, 7 pound, .308 rifle, should be manageable by most folks. Good luck with your quest.
 
Consider any lever action gun. They all come with iron sights. And there is the cool factor too!

Or look in the EE for an older gun when they still came with iron sights. An old Savage 340 in 30/30 is a great choice. I have two and you may have to compete with me for the next good one in the EE.
 
If you aren't stuck on a new rifle, many good bolt rifles are on TradeEX site. The old Husqvarnas and such not only have very good iron sights, but are stocked for use with irons.
 
It's only a .357 magnum but it is short and light to carry at less than 6 lbs.

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The older Remington pumps, Marlin and Winchester levers are drilled and tapped on the side for a Williams Foolproof peep sight. This gives you a nice long sight radius and an accurate and easy to zero sight.

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Or, buy a Lee Enfield #4 sporter. It has a good big peep. I would cut the barrel at 22" and install a commercial front sight ramp. That would be an excellent (and cheap) rifle.
 
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TK-Hryciuk said:
Thanks for the suggestions. Half of my hunting consists of hunting in or near the bush anyways where a magnified optic is never practical.
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fixed for you

lol I see guys out there with 24inch barreled Rem700's with giant ass scopes and they're walking up a logging road on Vancouver Island.
 
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