The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Big Bores iron sights at 86Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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Ive always been an iron sight fan, and mostly with big bores and African game..My irons went so. on me, time to quite that irons and shoot the scope it seemed. Yesterday I sighted in my Win. 71 348 in with my best 250 gr. Kodiak loads for 100 yards..To my surprise the groups on a 3" square targets spread out to about 6.5 to 8 inches but center, not acceptable, so I shot at some rocks about 2 to 3"s in diameter and busted one after another with a 6 oclock hold..So got my mod. 54 Win 30-06 and it shot 4 to 8 inches on the paper. and I busted small rocks with it over and over...Problem solved, a poor sight picture and old eyes was the killer...I would bet a lot of folks have been turned off by irons because of poor targets.. Today I used a standing deer target and both guns centered the heart/lung at 75 yards using a tree limb for a rest with 3 inch groups.. HOpe this helps someone out there that gave up on irons..BTW I still use a scope and often.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | ||
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Oh, at 86, not on 86 !!! Well here is what helped me on my 1886 45-90.  Rifle has a folding barrel sight (not in old pic) and a folding tang sight. For big game up close like ele, bison, cape buff, etc, the barrel sight is fine. For small game or long distance game, the tang sight is used. This has worked well for me and a couple of guys that have used my rifle. NRA Life Benefactor Member, DRSS, DWWC, Whittington Center,Android Reloading Ballistics App at http://www.xplat.net/ | |||
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i had the rear sight on my bolt guns moved out to where there's only about a 12-14" sight radius... its about even with the end of the forend.... look funny??.. maybe.. can i see it to use it??.. yup... do i care??.. nope!!!.. cant see to shoot peeps anymore, so those rifles will be scoped one day... go big or go home ........ DSC-- Life Member NRA--Life member DRSS--9.3x74 r Chapuis | |||
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Aging eyes can be helped by big Square front sights and a great big PEEP rear which largely only makes sure you have your face down on the stock right. The big square front that you can focus on means that you see it well and as Ray indicated, that small rock out there is still right on top of the sight and dead in the middle. Touch 'er off and dead rock, deer or whatever you are after. Just don't be afraid to go bigger on the front sight if you want to keep using them. "The liberty enjoyed by the people of these states of worshiping Almighty God agreeably to their conscience, is not only among the choicest of their blessings, but also of their rights." ~George Washington - 1789 | |||
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I have gone through exactly the same process. Was good with iron sights until about 50 years. Went to a scope, then recently have been experimenting with a big square blade and large peep sight (Skinner sights) or moving the rear sight way forward to take the fuzz off of it. It sure works. I am 75. I also started drinking Eye Bright tea again, like I did years ago when I competed in Long Range Silhouette pistol. It makes difference for me. I re-stocked my single shot for iron sights and am good to go for buffalo. IHMSA BC Provincial Champion and Perfect 40 Score, Unlimited Category, AAA Class. | |||
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I'm only soixante-neuf but my myopic long sight is lengthening. I can still use tangent sights but need to practise evaluation of the fuzzy leaves, after which I think two/three-inch groups are possible. I think Ray's observation is worth consideration and this flows into my contempt for merchants pushing big-game hunters into bigger-and-bigger scope powers. As Townsend Whelen observed, big game tends to be be big. You don't have to count the hairs back from it's leg to the identify the kill spot. | |||
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I agree with those that mention a big post sight. My favorite is the XS version that is black with a white stripe up the middle. The contrasting colors are easy for me to see no matter what the light conditions are verses a single color front sight. I use along with a peepsight.  Roger ___________________________ I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along. *we band of 45-70ers* | |||
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Only 86 Ray, yegods I thought you were 86 back in 2001.   I cant knock your eyesight and shooting, hell mine failed with iron sights by my 30's... | |||
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I use two irons, a receiver sight with a big hole, ghost sight with a post and lately a red 3/32 bead and a Lyman tang on my 25-35 SRC.. I also like a deep V with a post, and my sight picture holds the post FLUSH with the V,much like a pistol sight picture but with the V as opposed to the square and it works as well..This type sight was used by the Texas Rangers in the early years, it was fast and very accurate, every iron sight guy should try this sight. Those old boys knew how to shoot.. At one time I was good with irons to as much as 300 yards, today Im good to 100 to 150 yards with my 348 and a bit better withh my 30-30s??, and I only use irons for meat and cull hunts, trophy hunts? I use a scope, but usually 2.5X, 3X or 4X on my hunting rifles and a 3X9 on varmint rifles and I shoot a little better with irons at 100 yds off hand than with a scope..Thats because the scope magnifies the wabble and you tend to grab at the trigger as the X floats by, the more power the harder to hold zero as that wabble, wabbles times the power..  I might add that I use irons almost exclusively for DG in Africa, but have the scope QDs option..I use irons for elk in the timber and scope in the sage, but have the option.. I find it interesting how many people still use irons, how many have the option but don't use them, and with many that don't use them at all..some with eye sight and so fourth and some just don't have irons on there guns. To each his own and one should use what suits him.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I shoot open sights with custom prescription shooting glasses for handgun competitions and they work great for open sighted rifles. Proven by the best shooters in the world. I just won high senior and first in my class at AZ state handgun championships. Dr pearson in Phoenix is a world class shooter and optician and makes glasses for lots of big names and little names like me. They work. Other than that there are red dots.... White Mountains Arizona | |||
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I find the front sight beads on my Holland’s to be far too small. But the large ones like on my Cogswell & Harrison are great. The H&H’s do have fold up moon sights but they are too big for daylight use. Pondoro Taylor wrote of ordering open sights where the rear is further forward to accommodate ageing eyes. Good advice! DRSS | |||
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Double sight beads are ridiculously small. Much better with my shooting glasses. White Mountains Arizona | |||
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Pushing 73 yrs old, for target use, my irons are aperture rear, aperture front, with the front aperture fitted to the black--just like long-range competitive rifle. For hunting, aperture rear and gold or ivory bead front. (I vividly remember the gold bead just behind the shoulder of the last Cape I shot as he trotted by). I use the XS threaded rear so the aperture can be changed--or removed--if I go from bright day to in-the-trees. Haven't tried the open rear sight located closer to the front sight, but wonder if it would position one's head on the stock as well as the aperture rear. No reason it wouldn't, I suppose, but the aperture near one's eye provides the longest sighting radius for better precision. Dave Manson | |||
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At 79 I still do ok with irons. I target shoot with irons, hunt with a scope. Dave | |||
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WOW!! Congrats Sean. | |||
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I'm trying out a set of Skinner sights, aperture rear and blade front with white strip. I like them so far and will try them on buffalo as soon as we pass this covid 19 situation. I am 75. IHMSA BC Provincial Champion and Perfect 40 Score, Unlimited Category, AAA Class. | |||
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I still shoot some irons, mostly aperture but have a few with leaf sights that I refuse to change, like a 1929 vintage Husqvarna sporter that has a rear leaf that looks a lot like an express sight, then my Swedish Mausers, Swiss K 31's and the Schmidt Rubin. I actually outshot a gentleman shooting a Weatherby accumark with a big ziess scope with the Schmidt one day, he was obviously having a bad day and I was having a good day. Oh, I will be 75 end of the month. JJK | |||
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Questions? I notice that you can buy a stick-on magnifier that can be positioned near the top of your shooting glasses. This is centered on the sights when your head is tipped forward for rifle shooting. But it is mostly out of the way the you are walking/stalking. Do you know about these? Do they work very well? Can you get them in lower magnification than 1.25? Looks like a good concept. Thanks, Brian IHMSA BC Provincial Champion and Perfect 40 Score, Unlimited Category, AAA Class. | |||
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FWIW, I put a steel Lyman 66 on a 2001 production Miroku Winchester 86 extra light. It’s a great receiver sight, and the rifle was extremely accurate. BTW, the Japanese 86 extra lights are bulkier and heavier than the originals by a fair margin. Matt FISH!! Heed the words of Winston Smith in Orwell's 1984: "Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right." | |||
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Brian, hope someone responds to your question. There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t. – John Green, author | |||
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Brian, I've seen a number of competition handgun shooters use them. Good thought! | |||
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A couple of things that helped me with iron sights were cataract and lasik surgeries. I'm only 17 years behind you. | |||
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Try this: By name it is a AVery Reinforcement self adhesive, white....there are other makes also.. Its one of those round stickers with a hole in the middle to reinforce your notebook paper holes.. stick it on your glasses lens in the upper left hand cornor of your glasses if your right handed, the opposite if your a lefty.. Just something I tried some ions ago and it work pretty good on the pistol range, and a lot of shooter followed suit at the time. Worth a try and cheap, and you have about 100 replacements and while your at it patch up those reloading sheets that have torn holes.  Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Ray, Thanks for your response. I know what you mean. Good idea. I used the Merritt ( I think that is what it was called.) eye glass adjustable aperture when I competed in long range silhouette shooting in 1985 and it really worked. Recently I tried a few things like the notebook paper hole reinforcer. ( They are good to have around, for sure.) They helped with taking the fuzz off of the rear aperture sight but not the front sight. I got the stick on magnifier and it has worked the best so far but 1.25 is a bit too much magnification for my eyes, and it is the minimum magnification that I could get so far. I have been brewing up some Eyebright tea (old hippy remedy) and it helps a lot with eye health in general and it does clean up the sights a bit. I will keep working on it and post if I come up with anything. Thanks again, Brian IHMSA BC Provincial Champion and Perfect 40 Score, Unlimited Category, AAA Class. | |||
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I was told that laser surgery doesn't work for my eye issue. But, Thanks! IHMSA BC Provincial Champion and Perfect 40 Score, Unlimited Category, AAA Class. | |||
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So sorry to hear man! I've been the bionic man since my eye surgeries! | |||
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Actually, I'm going to check into Laser surgery again. Thanks. IHMSA BC Provincial Champion and Perfect 40 Score, Unlimited Category, AAA Class. | |||
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I have 2 yard guns here,Marlin 39 and a Big Horn Armory 500 S&W,both have Skinner rear sights. The 39 is used year round on magpies and squirrels and the BHA has killed 4 brown bears with bad intentions, the most recent was 10 days ago at midnight at about 30' in between our 2 Karelian Bear Dogs. 2 quick shots with 500gr Hornady's and drt! I'm sure the steady 22 shooting helps a great deal. My newest rifle (Mod 71) will have the same set-up and a lifetime supply of Kokiak Bonded Bullets courtesy of Ray. Thanks again! I tend to use more than enough gun | |||
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I tend to use more than enough gun | |||
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waterrat, I remove the screw in aperture on my Skinner sights. ( 500-110 and 500 S&W) That seems to be best for me. Do you use the screw in apertures? IHMSA BC Provincial Champion and Perfect 40 Score, Unlimited Category, AAA Class. | |||
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Brian I had to look,,no it's gone and I have no idea where it is? For yard work I'm so close that sight's are not even noticed or so it seems. The 500 a great tool for this homestead! I tend to use more than enough gun | |||
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Waterrat, if you ever want to start a thread on Karelian bear dogs, good God, man, please do so!  There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t. – John Green, author | |||
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waterrat, Yes the eye is able to "magically" organized the peep sight picture for an accurate shot. IHMSA BC Provincial Champion and Perfect 40 Score, Unlimited Category, AAA Class. | |||
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I tend to use more than enough gun | |||
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Thanks Bill. Also, I too would be interested in the bear dog stories. About 1979, a friend took me along to the annual bear hunt of the BC Hounds Men Association. It took place at Grand Forks near the USA border. When the strike dog hit the scent and they released the hounds it was wildly exciting! Probably 30 hounds as I remember. That was the only hunt with hounds that I was on. Brian IHMSA BC Provincial Champion and Perfect 40 Score, Unlimited Category, AAA Class. | |||
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waterrat, Yes, I am really into the .500 cal. in a rifle too. From handgun bullets to DG bullets it's very satisfying to shoot! IHMSA BC Provincial Champion and Perfect 40 Score, Unlimited Category, AAA Class. | |||
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