OK guru's, I'm thinking of going on our local ADA branch hunt to Vic (COVID allowing) in September. The only rifle I have in the safe that is legal is my SMLE .303. I've got a synthetic sporter stock for it BUT was wondering what to do for the sights. Do I leave it bare and use the Mil open sights or do I mount a red dot or similar? Where the club goes (Bright I believe) is very thick and the lads struggled with standards scopes. What do you say?

The red dot will be quicker to use. nothing wrong with good open sights, but if you dont use them and the rifle often then you will be slower.

I have been twice just south of the NSW border, could have killed a hind on the 2nd trip and didn't.

So according to standard internet law I am an expert.

If you had a red dot, you'd do fine utilizing Rule 303.

One really hard aspect of Victoria in my mind is the king brown, and the big gulleys that are hard to cross.

Ŕed-dot sight have no back-up if the battery goes. Also, the short base often makes them vulnerable to bumps and some give massive tunnel vision.

Thanks mate. After some thought I'm thinking a small variable scope would be better. This rifle will be my sons so it has a home after the trip and I can't justify setting it up for just one trip with a red dot.

Open sights are good when the deer are exposed but for picking out your intended target in heavy bush a decent variable scope wins especially for cross gully shots.

Awesome pics again Gryph.

Tar Shanks.
Then there are 1000`s that dont make it!

I will loan you a rifle Bakesy if you are stuck with the three oh.

Thanks for the offer Gryph. I'll see if I can get the 303 ready in time.

Tony:

What did you use for that Chital deer back in 2012? BTW, did a Facetime call with Glenda the other day and she said you shot some pigs. Congrats.

Hey John, GOD was it that long ago . That was my 6.5X55 WITH A 3-9 scope, legal requirement in Victoria for Samabr is .270. Yeah we've worked out where the pigs are on two areas of the property. I'm taking Penny out at the end of the month. She said she wanted to come up next time We'll try for a bit of pork first but will happily take some venison if it shows itself.

The old girl now wears an ATI stock and the scope mounts are on their way. I'm going to try a red dot and if I don't like it, I'll whack a scope on it.



Once its finished I just need all this covid crap to calm down.

Put a scope on it,I know shit loads of sambar hunters,none use a red dot...sort of says a lot imo.

That I will mate.

Do you think thats the magnification Gryph? I know when we hunted together, that the distances shootable, even in the heavy bush could sometimes be surprising.

Do you think thats the magnification Gryph?


I`m not 100% on what you mean by magnification re this mate.
Shanks do you mean how things can look bigger/closer?

Just went through some boxes upstairs and found a Redfield 2-7 still in its box I forgot all about.....SCORE.

Which is good because have to seen the price of scopes these days

quote:

Originally posted by gryphon1:
Do you think thats the magnification Gryph?


I`m not 100% on what you mean by magnification re this mate.
Shanks do you mean how things can look bigger/closer?

Yeah, just presuming that the reason people choose a scope over a red dot is that the scope provides magnification of the target.
Just my opinion but red dots are only an advantage if you know you are going to be required to shoot really quickly at a relatively close target.

Ah ok and yes the scope mag can be very important at least to me where you need to be able to thread a bullet `tween limbs/twigs/branches etc. I like variable scopes for this very reason.