hunting with open sights or scope?

[happykal]

Right now I have a bushnell trophy xlt 3-9 on my browning BLR .308 I use federal vital shok 180gr nosler partition. I also own a lee enfield no 4 mark 1 with flip up iron sights using federal powershok 180s. Most people will lean toward the .308 seems like the logical choice, but for some reason I have more confidence in the enfield with opensights. I mentioned this to my old man who hunted with his lee enfield for 25+ years. He said that even though he had a scope mounted on his .303 he always used the weaver peep sight and looked under the "B-square" scope mount.

I'm just going to go with what I'm comfortable with. Maybe if I took the .308 to the range more I'd be more, but until then the .303 will do the job.

What is every one else using this season for moose and/or deer? Open sights, red dot, or scope?

 

[captonion]

1.75-6 Leupold VX-III with heavy duplex on most of my fifles. The only open sights I shoot are peep..

 

[jamiejaf]

The biggest mistake I ever made during hunting was using a fixed 10 power scope in bear country. I shot a charging bear through the head by looking over the scope and aiming like a shotgun. The bush is fairly tight in BC and I shoot most under 50m. So, I'm sticking to irons these days. When I head to the interior I'll bring my scoped guns. Electronic sights for hunting is just retarded...imagine walking for hours with your aim point on or fumbling to turn it on.

 

[trebor2880]

Last time I hunted big game, I used iron sights.
It's been a long time since then, and I'd have to use a scope, now.

 

[dan belisle]

I use either, depending on what I'm hunting, where I'm hunting, the weather conditions, etc. - dan

 

[emerson]

I use optics now be because I lost several shot opportunities
In brush and dim light with open sights.

 

[brybenn]

The above is why I use optics but I still like having irons as back ups on most of my hunting rifles. My double has open sights now but may be wearing a scope soon

 

[dead meat]

I`ve been using scopes since i was 11, holy crap that was a long time ago. Most of my hunting is at longer range, if i hunted in heavy brush iron sights are the thing to use. The only rifles that don`t have scopes are a couple of 22`s that are used around the farm for pest control. Use the proper tools for the job at hand.

 

[heavyBullet]

Both.

 

[Joe549]

I use both. Where I hunt the terrain is pretty hilly and you can be in an area that is close brush that is best suited for irons, or more open area that is best for a scope. My scoped rifle is a Savage 270 and irons are either a Marlin 30-30 or this year a Mossberg 500 w/slug barrel. I am also contemplating on using the SKS, depending on how well it shoots with a hunting load.

 

[Ardent]

I showed up in Africa a few weeks ago to hunt and got the same concerned and surprised look as the first time I went over, "No scope??"

My brother and I dispelled their disbelief when we laid out two 500ml water bottles, the standard small ones one at 100 yards and one at 164 yards on their airstrip. My brother took my Express sighted .375, and shot the 100 yard bottle first shot off hand. I hit the 164 yard off hand first shot as well, and suddenly everybody was smiling. At hunting ranges under 200 yards, maybe even 250, standard iron sights can do everything a scope can and more.

I'll be honest, my longest big game shot would be under 200 yards, never needed to shoot further than that. Maybe in the prairies etc a scope would come into it's own, to me it's just more weight and fragile equipment that is often a detriment to performance.

 

[ryan32]

I showed up in Africa a few weeks ago to hunt and got the same concerned and surprised look as the first time I went over, "No scope??"

My brother and I dispelled their disbelief when we laid out two 500ml water bottles, the standard small ones one at 100 yards and one at 164 yards on their airstrip. My brother took my Express sighted .375, and shot the 100 yard bottle first shot off hand. I hit the 164 yard off hand first shot as well, and suddenly everybody was smiling. At hunting ranges under 200 yards, maybe even 250, standard iron sights can do everything a scope can and more.

I'll be honest, my longest big game shot would be under 200 yards, never needed to shoot further than that. Maybe in the prairies etc a scope would come into it's own, to me it's just more weight and fragile equipment that is often a detriment to performance.

I have had irons fail too , although i still prefer them for hunting

 

[Ardent]

I have had irons fail too , although i still prefer them for hunting

Nothing is infallible, but what do you view as more rugged? Solidly fixed,heavy steel Express sights or a base, ring, and scope combination? You'd need a hammer to break the sights on my .375, literally.