I also carry a pre-64 M70 .375 H&H. I have not not have the difficulty with the factory irons you describe. My rifle has been re-stocked with a McMillan Supergrade synthetic. This stock works very well for me with the irons as well as a Zeiss 1.5 x 6 scope, (30mm tube with 42 mm obj). The high comb 70s do not come up well for me with factory iron sights either.
My preference is for iron sights, (peeps), however when working loads or shooting varmints, I like to mount the Zeiss. With the Buehler mounts & rings, this was a laborious process.
Dale Story slapped me around a short while ago and ordered a set of Talley QD rings, (low), and mounts for my rifle and ordered me to bring the arm to his shop!
He installed them, after making certain the factory irons were still usable with the mounts in place, and also surprised me with the Talley rear peep sight he had failed to mention.
The finished product is outstanding. I should have done this years ago. The changes came about during a conversation with Dale as I was preparing to install a new Williams rear aperature to replace the one I had banged up in the rimrock country.
I am really impressed with the Talley components and just gave them a workout yesterday in the prairie rat valleys.
The Talley rear peep is just high enough that you may find it functional with your high comb.
If you think it might help, I could have a friend shoot some digital pictures of my setup this week and email them to you. The Talley web site does not give much information on the peep sight other than cost.
Regards,
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~Holmes
"Those who appease a tiger do so in the hope that the tiger will eat them last."
-Winston Churchill
I just take a rasp to the comb and set the gun up for iron sights....the low combs shoot and handle just as well with a scope as the high combs..but not visa versa......
After shooting a number of fine old old English rifles, such as Westley Richards, Holland and Hollands, I realized that the gun writers and custom stock makers have brain washed the general public into believing they can shoot better with a high comb, which is pure bunk in my (tested throughly) opinnion on many shooters including myself..a little cast off helps..
All my custom big bores are low combed...
Many an old hunter grew up shooting low combed M-70's and 721's and I never heard any of them complain...but many a baby boomer will argue this point without even giving it a chance, but they cannot give an instance where a low comb with a scope caused them to miss an animal....Experienced hunters know this..and a big bore with less than perfect iron sights is worthless to me...
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Ray Atkinson
Ray,
I agree. Another thing that really amazes me is the wholesale dependence upon scopes these days, especially among the younger hunters. When I unscope my rifle some of these guys think I am seriously brain damaged.
I once attended a three gun shoot and used my .375 for the "combat rifle" segment. One of the participants walked up to me as I was removing the scope and said, "You might want to keep that on there. The final phase of this segment is out at 150 yards."
These are rather large steel plates we were shooting at. It would have required little effort to slam them with a good .44 revolver!
While not as fast as the "combat shooters", I had no problem completing the match with what I was told was a respectable score. I have not been invited back as my loads apparently damaged some of the targets.
I had best keep to the prairie and the mountains!
Regards,
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~Holmes
"Those who appease a tiger do so in the hope that the tiger will eat them last."
-Winston Churchill
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Ray Atkinson