During the years I have found that ony small minority of hunters here uses open sihghts,guys automatically assembles a scope on their rifs..
I have five rifles,three of them with scope,in one of those(3006)are Apel mounts where I can disconect the scope in a second. 45-70 and .375 I shoot with open sights only,and will newer place a scope on them.

Open sights are wery handy on close ranges(less than 100yds)
the wisibility is wide,fast to use,specially in the bush etc.No fear of getting a "halfmoon" to yr eyecorner if y mess with firing...as y know Iv seen this some times.

Proper scopes are great..but so are opens also,depends..

Elias

>>>Do you use open sights?<<<

no

Sometimes. It kind of depends on what I'm doing at the time.

I've got the following:

1) An old Mannlicher Model 1903 carbine in 6.5x54 that has a swing peep sight on it.

2) A Marlin Model 1895M in 450 Marlin with a Williams apeture sight.

3) A Thompson Center Renegade in 54 caliber with trueglo sights.

4) A Remington Model 700 Classic in 375 H&H with a removeable scope and I sometimes use the factory sights.

5) A couple Winchester Model 1984's in 30-30.

6) A William Evans double in 450/400 3 1/4 Nitro express.

Mac

I have some Milsurp rifles with open sights and a Model 94 30-30 that was manufactured in 1935 with open sights. In Southern California where I do most of my hunting the terrain tends to be pretty open and longer shots are common so I use scoped rifles. If I hunted in limited range terrain I wouldn't hesitate to use some of my iron sighted Milsurps. Particularly my Swiss K-31 or my Savage 303 Enfield.

I use open sighted rifles every year.

They are my sidelock percussion and flitlock muzzleloaders.

I use a ghost ring set up on my Marlin 336 in .35rem. It just doesn't look right with a scope. When I see someone with a m336 or a w94 with a 4x14x50 scope (or bigger), I think "pilgrim".
I have a 1.5x6 scope on a .300wm that is as fast as any open sights I've ever used.

I'm good w/ iron sights out to 100yds or so. After that, I want a scope for more precise bullet placement.

I have several rifles that are "open sights only" In my collection.

1. All of my flintlocks (2) have open iron sights
2. All of my caplock ML rifles (2)
3. I have a lever action 30-30 and a 35 remington that are open irons.
4. I have a Savage 99 with open irons and another with an old Redfield peep sight. Both in 300 savage caliber.
5. My one and only inline ML has a Williams receiver sight.

Open sights are much more practical than most hhunters realize. Shooting Biggame out to 150 yards is not hard at all. Inside 75 yards in cover is perfect for open sights. They are fast handeling and make for a light rifle.

I use open sights on my 30-30 and 45-70 Guide Gun all my others are scoped.In heavy timber the open sights are much quicker on target for me.

Jayco.

Yes. My 7.65mm Arg. Mauser (Model 1891) does not have a scope, nor does my Knight muzzleloader. I enjoy shooting them that way, took a deer with the Mauser last year at about 100 yards BTW.

But in the early morning or late afternoon, I'll take a scoped rifle every time.

Yes, I use a 8x57 Mauser Verguerio alot and today I'm going pig hunting with my SMLE .303. At short ranges I don't feel disadvantaged.

Yes I do use open sights when stalking in thick brush. No I use a scope when shooting fronm a stand.

I find the open sight vs scope choice to be sort of a catch 22 for myself. For fairly short distances I am convinced that open sights are actually superior. When was the last time you couldnt see through a set of open sights because a little rain or dust got on them? Scopes do have their drawbacks, but for counting points on a rack at 200+ yds in low light I wouldnt give up my 3X9 V for the world. Especially as I begin to sense my eyesight fading with the years.

Ive got an old weaver scope swing mount that I had installed on a Marlin lever gun that solves this dilema real well. Just a quick snap and it goes from scope to open sights, holds zero real good too. Unfortunatley I dont think they make them anymore.

Elias:
All of my hunting rifles have open sights as a back up should something happen to the scope. When we go hunting, it's for an extended period of time, usually around 2 weeks. In addition, we're in remote areas, away from any civilization. I can't afford to take any chances on something happening to a scope. To take 2 scopes on a trip (one as a backup) is , to me, ridiculous, expensive, and in some cases, too much weight. Who's going to carry along a spare scope when you're hiking in to set up a spike camp for sheep? My experience is that most game, including sheep, is taken at around 100 yds. or less. Normally, I just sight my open sights in for about +3" at 100 yds. and leave it at that. I should add that I've never had a scope fail but I still won't take any chances. Bear in Fairbanks

Nope

The last Open sight I used were on my BB gun, I do use peep sights and scopes but I never use opens

I have several 35 Remingtons, 35 Whelens, and 358 Winchesters that wear Weaver pivot mounts/rings on their Leupolds so I can use the open sights when necessary. They work "finer than frog hair," for me.

WN

Be truthful when was the last time you moved your scope out of the way to shoot a game animal. I have a sav99 with the same setup I have never moved the scope out of the way except to site the irons in. Thats been many years ago.

It all depends on what I'm doing and what game I'm after. I do not like scopes in general, they're bulky and require more care (dust, rain, knocking into things) when carrying than irons do and I like my rifle as sleek and light as possible. Of course there are times when a scoped rifle is required and I do have and use those when conditions dictate it.

If the game is small and at a distance a scoped rifle is the rule of the day. With larger game if ranges are modest to short I prefer iron. I take careful shots and I know my rifle and load. If I have to get in closer to take the shot then I do. I pass it up if I cannot.

When I do choose to scope a rifle it's always a Leupold.

pds

Actually, I've done it three times. Two times in the rain and the other time on a running buck at 15 yds.

WN

I guess I need more paractice swinging my scope out of the way. This last deer season I killed a nice 10pt 17.5 inside running at 15 feet I guess at 15 yards I would have found time to get that scope out of the way.

I have been more temped to take that mount off and put a nice solid one on so I don't have to worry about it getting knock. If you can't get running deer in your scope you need more paractice. I find that swing off, see thru mounts are a waste of time. The swing offs are subject to being knocked up wards and the see thrus put the scope to high.

After hunting in many states inclueing AK. plus Canada and having shot well over a hundred deer, some bears,elk ect. I find no use for open sites. I guess if I were going to carry just a self protection rifle that wasn't going to be used for hunting just shooting things trying to attack me a good peep site might be in order.

Hunting only when I have too, for competition I shoot peep sites more than any other type of site. Almost all open sites should be replaced with peep sites they are much easier to shoot accurately as open sites. I must admit though a set of open's on an Integral 1/4 rib look too good not to use......DJ

I have open sights on my 458 win. They are williams peep sight with a bead front. It is my only centerfire rifle with open sights. I do automatically scope my hunting rifles too. 2X or 4X works just fine at 30 yards. I have learned to keep both eyes open while using a scope it makes the crosshairs instantly come on target. I may close my left eye while actually firing but I have not had a problem with close shots on game with a scope.

On the other hand I do not scope my 22 rimfires. Or my handguns.

Gentlemen,

I guess this is a legitimate question.??? If you're going to use open sights on big game, what should your abilities be, at say 100 yards. Been lurking on this website for quite sometime, but this is my first post.

Tim

All shots within a 6" circle at 100m, standing, offhand.

I can use irons quite well as that is what I cut my teeth on, however I do lean towards a scope for placement and have grown very fond of low power fixed scopes like the 2.5x compact leupold.

Ewen my question...I use scopes mostly,The area where I mostly hunt is rough terrain,lots of forrest and buch.
Often the wisibility is to close range only,I decide on the spot scope or opens.Once I shot one towards running moose of 7 yds,it hit a paintree and fell beside me.
Usually if thers lots of buch,trees,and I know that I must shoot really fast,more or less close range,I select opens.
Offcourse when its open terrain,I use scope.
Usually I newer shoot far,if the animal stays still,I could shoot upto 200 yds,if it mooves,maybe 120yds max.
I practise quite a lot, done competition also,
I dont remember when I have needed an second shot,exept the finishing sometimes.I concentrate to one good placement,offcourse it happends to anybody sometimes. I dont shoot if the situation is difficult,its not nice to run after one wounded animal.
Sometimes y need to deside in one second,not ewen that long,
practise makes masters,its funny how different situatons can be.

Elias

Hello Elias,

I guess we have very little hunting in open areas in India because it is in forests and open sights are used in what little hunting takes place there. I personally use a shotgun for small game as well as boar - so open sights are all I use.

God hunting!

We do most of out big game hunting at dawn or night so one really needs a large scope, preferrably with an IR. While hunting in the woods it also saves the need to use binos first to positively identify the prey. Using the rifle scope is faster and generates less movement.

Recently I mounted some peep sights on my .22 in order to teach my kids shooting. The rifle is now in fact much more fun to shoot and up to 50 meters nearly as precise as with an optical scope.