Iron Sights - worth their weight?

Most of my rifles are iron sighted as they do well for me within the ranges I hunt at. My scoped rifles have irons fitted and zeroed for 80 yds. I've had scopes fail in the past, but these were minor setbacks due to having the irons on board. The only long shots I take are on varmints or targets.
 
I am all about irons,

Now... I would prefer a system like the tavor..... where they are really just for backup... rudimentary, and stowed.... but overall I do not find them too obtrusive.


I even take my optic off sometimes, just to lighten the gun.
 
I used to be all about scopes, but am starting to realize the practicality and usefulness of iron sights, especially aperture. Most of the country I hunt doesn't offer shots over 150 yards anymore, so the extra weight of the scope and the decrease in target acquisition time just doesn't seem necessary.

If I'm scoping a rifle however, I don't see the advantage of irons as I hate "shoot-thru" mounts and taking a scope off to use them seems silly. I usually go hunting with a number of back-up rifles, so to take off a scope to use the irons doesn't make much sense.
 
I like irons for close range hunting, less than 50m. Also, I just like knowing how to use em. Whenever I go to hunt camp I take at least 2 rifles, one with an optic for 50M+ and one with iron sights for closer in or walkin. If I only had '1 gun' it would definitely have QD rings or a similar system and decent irons. My experience with QD is that they hold ther zero reasonably well....Paper plate kinda zero or better at 100m. Plenty good for the hunting I do.
 
as cheap as cheap (but worthy) scopes are these days...I wonder why any manufacturers even installs open sights anymore...like ashtrays in a new car/truck..should/will be a thing of the past....unless it's a Marlin lever or bush .22 or fine air rifle...or Olympic designated rifle....or if you broke your scope (obvious back up..).....I recall that the best (a century ago) long range shooters used iron sights....thus I expect at some point...that history will once again...repeat itself...
 
I have them on all my guns. only scopes I own are one on the wives 10/22 with QD rings and a skinner peep and I have a scope on my ruger scout rifle with QD rings. all othr guns are levers and an 870
 
All my hunting rifles have scopes and I only hunt with a scoped rifles, faster and better at dusk and dawn..... this being said I wouldn't own a rifle without open sights, good for back up if scope fails but also like the looks of rifles with sights.

JJ
 
I find iron sights highly practical, and I've become quite proficient out to 100+ yards with them. Every firearm I own, save 1 hunting rifle and 1 air rifle have iron/open sights.
 
Love the irons myself. I have a scoped 22 and 30-06. Everything else is irons. Not to say I have optiphobia by any stretch. Additional optics don't seem like they are necessary.

Because this is what you can do... Off hand 6/10 CSA Vz 58 at 100 yards.



As others have said, learning to line them up and make POI corrections is important - super important to my mind. Laddered sights like the 58/858/Sks makes it "easier"; however, there is no substitute for being able to correct your shots without enhancement.
 
Most of my rifles wear irons, and I prefer to use them.
Peep sights on all.
My eyes are getting older, and it's getting more difficult. I use a scope much more than I used to, for me, it's a crutch.
Is long hunting range shooting possible with irons? Well, I've done it at 300 yards. I used to practice at 400 in a big gravel pit. Learning where to hold is an art, and requires practice. Something no gun nut has a problem with.
 
hoytcanon said:
For most people, the irons might as well not be there... they usually mount a scope right out of the box and never shoot with the irons... they have no idea how to frame the sight picture or what the POI is...

On my rifles however, I shoot first with the irons, I zero them and get comfortable with the sight picture and shooting with them in various field conditions... THEN I mount a scope and zero it... with the intention of never again using the iron sights... however, if in the field and an accident occurs or the scope craps out, all is not lost... I remove the scope and continue hunting with confidence.
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That is pretty much what I do. And every know and then, I take the scope off and shoot with the irons because its fun as heck.
 
I've shot 2 deer with iron sights. Last season was a bit out of necessity as my scoped rifle was misbehaving. It won't hurt to have a back up plan. Even for close range hunting like I do scopes have a huge advantage at dusk/dawn though.
 
Buckmastr said:
How many guys have had complete scope damage or failure on a hunt and have had the hunt saved by iron sights?
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I had a scope fog many years ago when I didn't have open sight backup. Muddled through for the rest of the week, and it's probably a blessing that I didn't see anything. Similar thing happened to my brother, but at least he had irons on the barrel.
 
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