Open sight hunters

[JPbowhunter]

G'day all,

Just curious to see if there are any other passionate iron/open sight hunters out there.

Like many I spose, I learnt to shoot open sights with a brno model 2 open sight 22lr and always with a shotgun. As I got into big game hunting we just automatically moved to scopes. With that over the years I got into longer shooting, never further than 600m on game. After a while I felt less and less like I was hunting and more that i was shooting. There are animals with great sight, hearing and smell that can bust you from way off but none are adapted to detect predators from that distance really.
So I got into archery, i did and still do love this but with family and other commitments I just don't have time for the dedication to remain a good shot. Further, where I live and hunt there is a low density of game so the shot opportunities are slim. I'm casual mates with probably one of the better known aussie bowhunters getting around on social media and after a rut of hunting down here vowed never to waste his time again.
I then bought a muzzleloader, which again I really enjoyed using, have taken quite a few animals with it but being a small discipline in Australia reloading gear is tough to find.
Then it hit me one day out shooting with 22lr's with my youngest brother. Why not get back into centrefires with open sights?
I've been loving it since as it combines my passion for stalking/tracking and using the original centrefire method that for me at least restricts me to ranges much closer to what the animal can fairly deal with.
No I'll never get rid of my scopes, I'll still take longer shots from time to time but I can see this being something I stick at until my eyes fail me.

Anyone else get a kick out of it?

1. 50cal Muzzleloader stag roared into 20m. Didn't take a step.
2. Red spike, 80m off the knee.

 

[BenKK]

Scopes are very useful in certain situations, but open sights are preferable in other situations and just plain classy! I reckon most hunting in the NT would be done with open sights. Maybe I’m wrong there, but it seems that way to me.

 

[leslie hetrick]

most of my hunting with open sights are in the flintlock seasons(no scopes). I do use mostly rifles with scopes, but have a few with open-peep sights for hunting in bad weather or in close up heavy brush. I like receiver sights as I used them on my m-14-m-16 in the service.

 

[BeeMaa]

Question: Would you consider a 1x optic like a red dot or reflex sight an "open" sight?

 

[leslie hetrick]

I have had bad expearences with lower cost dots-reflex sights, they just didn,t hold up. if you do go that way try to buy the best you can. I went to leupold 1x4 and 2.5x or 3x fixed with very good results in the field.

 

[Bailey Bradshaw]

I really enjoy open sights, and avoid using scopes for similar reasons JP indicated. To me, nothing is more fun than getting close. I am a gunmaker, so I shoot enough to be good with my rifle and know my limitations. Ghost ring with a fine fiber optic is my favorite setup. My eyes have changed enough to make a rear V less than optimal. The ghost ring takes any need to focus on the rear sight away, so it's "age friendly"

 

[JPbowhunter]

I really enjoy open sights, and avoid using scopes for similar reasons JP indicated. To me, nothing is more fun than getting close. I am a gunmaker, so I shoot enough to be good with my rifle and know my limitations. Ghost ring with a fine fiber optic is my favorite setup. My eyes have changed enough to make a rear V less than optimal. The ghost ring takes any need to focus on the rear sight away, so it's "age friendly"

I seriously considered getting a ghost ring for my last rifle. I may yet do that for my 9.3x62 which I dont plan on doing long shots with anyhow. Are they easy to get the hang of?

 

[JPbowhunter]

Scopes are very useful in certain situations, but open sights are preferable in other situations and just plain classy! I reckon most hunting in the NT would be done with open sights. Maybe I’m wrong there, but it seems that way to me.

What would be your average buff/pig/scrubber range up there?

 

[Bailey Bradshaw]

I seriously considered getting a ghost ring for my last rifle. I may yet do that for my 9.3x62 which I dont plan on doing long shots with anyhow. Are they easy to get the hang of?

Very easy. The ring creates an optical center even though it isn't in focus. It's a right brain thing, where your natural tendency is to center the front bead in the "halo" of the ghost ring. I have a friend/ customer that shot a 9 inch group at 600 yds with a ghost ring on a rifle I built for him. First time he has ever shot at that distance.

 

[BenKK]

What would be your average buff/pig/scrubber range up there?

40m, I reckon.

 

[nztimb]

Two of the many goats I shot out to 180yds with the aperture sighted 7x57 with 160gn cast bullet (hard shank/soft nose) at 2415fps

 

[CTDolan]

Love shooting and hunting with open sights. I am not impressed by a 400 yard shot on a pronghorn (to use an example), but rather by the hunter that has the chops to get in close and tight. Archery is the ideal challenge but I love using a rifle due to a life long passion for quality firearms. So, while I do hunt with a longbow, had I to choose, to pick one for life, I’d carry an open sighted rifle.

 

[Newboomer]

Interesting concept. I haven't shot open sights since I was a kid and didn't know about scopes. Of course everything in the military is peep sights and I find them easy to use. I take my M1 Garand out occasionally just for fun and it shoots tight groups at 100 yards. I can see an advantage of irons for dg. Nothing to hide your peripheral vision and nothing to break when you need it.

 

[Red Devil]

The only rifle left w/ patridge sights is the 50 cal. Hawkins.

All the .22 LR's have Tech-Sights aperture sights and they hunt rabbit and squirrel fine.

Time-to-time hunt deer and hogs in the woods and thickets w/an aperture sighted M1 Garand as well.

Also put an NECG aperture sight on the Ruger African 6.5x55, and may take it into the hunting fields as well.




Red

 

[leslie hetrick]

my 74 pedersoli sharps in 45-70 shoots better than I do out to 600 yards with a 525 gr postel cast bullet at around 1400 fps. old five gallon army jerry gas cans don,t stand much of a chance at that range shooting from a bench ( the range I shoot at- out to 1000 yards)

 

[PeteG]

I enjoy the challenge open sights bring to the hunt but it’s not something I do often.
It’s not for everyone and the temptation to exceed your personal limitations must be kept in check for the sake of your quarry.

 

[JPbowhunter]

my 74 pedersoli sharps in 45-70 shoots better than I do out to 600 yards with a 525 gr postel cast bullet at around 1400 fps. old five gallon army jerry gas cans don,t stand much of a chance at that range shooting from a bench ( the range I shoot at- out to 1000 yards)

That's a beautiful gun!

 

[JPbowhunter]

I enjoy the challenge open sights bring to the hunt but it’s not something I do often.
It’s not for everyone and the temptation to exceed your personal limitations must be kept in check for the sake of your quarry.

I find open sights prevents one attempting to exceed their limitations far more than a scope. I've seen some terribly unethical shots taken with scoped rifles at distance because guys can still dance a crosshair onto an animal.

At 250 metres a standard post and notch open sight is covering most of a deer sized animal to the point where you couldn't be sure you're even on it!

 

[PeteG]

I find open sights prevents one attempting to exceed their limitations far more than a scope. I've seen some terribly unethical shots taken with scoped rifles at distance because guys can still dance a crosshair onto an animal.

At 250 metres a standard post and notch open sight is covering most of a deer sized animal to the point where you couldn't be sure you're even on it!

Absolutely correct there. Scopes make it easier to attempt a bad shot.

 

[Velo Dog]

The rifle in my Avitar pretty well describes how I feel about “iron” sights and vintage equipment in general.