Question about your main go to rifle.

[kombi1976]

Fair enough, Gatehouse, but I'm still not sure I agree.
I guess it's horses for courses and personal preference.
To be honest I prefer using scopes myself but I'm making myself learn how to shoot with open sights on particular rifles.
Your comment about shotgunners pointing rather than aiming is interesting.
I think that in all probability a sort of applied pointing would help most rifle shooters too, especially those shooting really big dangerous game.
Since pointing involves a reasonable amount of learnt instinctiveness the simple express sights on dangerous game rifles allow a similar technique.
I'm not saying a wide angle 1.75-5x scope wouldn't be just as effective if not more, providing you practiced with this end in mind, but the whole "squinting & bunching up" tendency you mentioned that people have with scopes is still a factor and a hunter may well find themselves falling into old habits in the field.
With my small experience with aperture sights there is something very natural about looking through it and "dabbing" the bead on the target as you squeeze the trigger.
It may not be faster in an absolute sense but perhaps a feels a little more natural, in the same way that settling down with a scope for a good long shot feels more comfortable than irons.

 

[BIGREDD]

Any experienced hunter or shooter who has used irons, peepsights, good quality scopes and reddots or holo-sights can will tell you the truth.

Holo sights are the fastest sighting system followed closely by reddots which are only slightly faster than low power scopes which are much quicker than aperture sights and the slowest sighting system on the planet short of a rock and a slingshot is iron sights!

Hey I forgot the spear and thumb sight...... picture Gatehouse with his right arm cocked back clutching the spear, one eye closed, tongue over his upper lip and sighting down his left arm to his upraised thumb.

 

[Gibbs505]

Any experienced hunter or shooter who has used irons, peepsights, good quality scopes and reddots or holo-sights can will tell you the truth.

Holo sights are the fastest sighting system followed closely by reddots which are only slightly faster than low power scopes which are much quicker than aperture sights and the slowest sighting system on the planet short of a rock and a slingshot is iron sights!

Hey I forgot the spear and thumb sight...... picture Gatehouse with his right arm cocked back clutching the spear, one eye closed, tongue over his upper lip and sighting down his left arm to his upraised thumb.

You missed out on the loincloth!!

 

[kombi1976]

Bigredd, I love the way you are never blunt or opinionated.

 

[Gatehouse]

Fair enough, Gatehouse, but I'm still not sure I agree.
.

Please, don't agree!! It woud be painful to come here if we all agreed!

But try it- Give it a good go, both eyes open, low power scope....do it on mik jugs at 25-50 yards and see

 

[catnthehatt]

Please, don't agree!! It woud be painful to come here if we all agreed!

But try it- Give it a good go, both eyes open, low power scope....do it on mik jugs at 25-50 yards and see

I really believe that people that say that a scope is not as fast as irons has not shot withh a properly set up scope.
When shooting with irons one must engage the target and foucust through (or on , at least) the rear and front sights, and the target.
Witha scope you only have to do two, and the crosshairs are already in focusn when set up properly, as well as the target , if using low power.
Both eyes open keep your depth perception correct and you never loose sight of the target.
My sig line reflects my absolute preference for competition shooting however, becuase I enjoy the concentration involved in shooting iron sighted target rifles.

My eyeseight is far worse than a lot of people, but I know how to look PROPERLY at a target with apeture sights.
You just line all the fuzzy stuff up and squeeze the trigger!
I tell all the guys at the range I simply "use the force"!
Irons will never be as quick or accurate as a well set up scope, but that is not the reason I shoot them.
I shoot 'em 'cause I like 'em!
Cat

 

[mdbuckle]

It takes more skill to shoot irons effectively. For that reason alone is why I like them. I shoot better with them so my opinion is mine alone. To answer the question, my backup gun will have irons. I have seen too many scopes fail here in NL, and I have ripped a few off of my own rifles and chucked them in the woods. My main gun usually has a scope, but my backup gun will never.

 

[kombi1976]

Please, don't agree!! It woud be painful to come here if we all agreed!

But try it- Give it a good go, both eyes open, low power scope....do it on mik jugs at 25-50 yards and see

If only I had a low power scope......
Tell you what, Gatehouse, the next time I get a chance to shoot my 8x57 with the 3-12x40 I'll wind down the power to 3 and try it out on some innocent soda bottles.
In all honesty though, if I had a rifle designed to shoot under 100yds at medium to big game I'd fit a ghost ring.
Cheaper, accurate and effective.

 

[walksalot]

I think a scope on a rifle is a definite plus. Just like binoculars will bring out and enhance objects which the colour has evolved to blend in with it's surroundings, a scope will do the same. Having said that, a scope should not take the place of binoculars.
If the scope is set up right the shooter should be able to close his/her eyes, shoulder the rifle and upon opening them the shooter should be looking at a full field of view. After a bit of use there should be no searching to find the intended target as the shooter will find they develope an ability to have the crosshairs on or very close the intended target. Then it is simply a matter of puting the crosshairs on the vitals of the target and squeezing the trigger.
I think a scope on a rifle increases accuracy and increased accuracy equates to less wounded animals in the field.
As far as magnification goes, here in B.C. one can go from different timber types in a shot distance and the shooting distance can differ radically. I keep my scope on 5 power and it stays there.

 

[rgv]

I really believe that people that say that a scope is not as fast as irons has not shot withh a properly set up scope.

Funny, I'm thinking the same thing about people who only shoot with scopes and never tried to shoot with properly set up irons.

I'm of course not doubting that individual people find scopes faster, especially depending on eyesight and shooting experience. But to declare a scope to be universally faster is nonsense.

 

[SignGuy]

i shoot with a scope on all my guns why. not because its faster or better its simply because i cant hit squat with irons LOL and would much rather be ridiculed for killing an animal at 50 yards useing a scope then wounding one with irons

 

[eltorro]

there are scopes and Scopes.
Not all scopes are created equal. If you reffer to the average Busch-Tasco for under 100$ that makes your newly aquired ultramag shoot that button buck in the nest county, than this is in extremis a major case how you can screw this up. Better off with irons.

If you invest in a good holo or red-dot, even with minimum training one should be on top of anything short of cannon shrapnel, under 300 yds.

low powered scopes come handy IF :relatively expensive, mounted correctly, on solid bases and with quality rings.

What people often forget is the fella' who just shaved the dough to buy that A-bolt, Tikka... or Remmy... and told the seller to "slam a scope on it....you know...on the budget"

I hope we all agree that this piture is usually followed by the invariable question : is it sighted in? ,,, could you..... yes bore sighting works....

If we're talking about the guys shooting them rifles on regular basis, the taste is more important. The feel.

Tell me : is there any of you who's not looking with an eye at the equipment the other hunters you encounter are packing?
Do you also form an opinion after the viewing?

The quickest asessment I've had was about a native carying a 303.
The harder are for the guys afraid to shoot a 44mag out of a iron sighted carbine while bragging about shooting 7 deer in 5 minutes with a 300 ultramag in the fog. (true story - unfortunately)