Open sight hunters

[brettp]

Yes!

I shot this hartebeest with my open sighted double precisely to require more skill.

 

[AWLee]

Certain situations that I hunt demand open sights.

Most of my rifles are so equipped but also have the capacity for a scope, save my Winchester 94 Takedown with a Climn’ Lyman peep sight. It has stood the test of time.

 

[nztimb]

I love this thread where real hunters show what it is that motivates us in the field

 

[Trail Rated]

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

Yep. The more I hunt, the more I eschew my scoped rifles and opt instead for aperture sights. I prefer the old-school feeling, I like the way rifles look without scopes, and I’m proud of being able to stalk to within a closer shooting distance of my prey.

I’m often a guest at a whitetail hunting ranch where scopes and calibers of .30+ are required; everywhere else I hunt I go with receiver peep sights.

 

[AZDAVE]

Love irons, have shot with my doubles in Africa warthog, zebra, buffalo, eland, sable, roan and hippo on my three safaris. There is a place for optics but my first choice is irons. Getting ready to start a 9.3x62 mannlicher style stock, with set triggers and aperture sights on a VZ-24 M98 action later this summer.

 

[Hutch01]

I use a Ruger Ranch rifle with a peep sight mostly knockin around on our place which is very brushy. I experience many snap shot opportunities on pigs. It’s nice not to have to worry about a dusty scope lens or losing zero banging around on the Ranger.

 

[JPbowhunter]

My brother and I took his BIL out to get his first deer. Managed two deer in the hunt. This young one was a bang flop, his second was hit too far back. Had to track it through some thick stuff and I managed to put her down with a 30m shot on the run. Wouldn't have got it done with a scope i don't reckon!

 

[fourfive8]

Interesting question. After considering it and searching my memory for a couple of days I think I can say with some certainty the number of my big game kills with open sights is about the same as with a scope. However, even for fairly close shooting or in thick timber, I think I am more comfortable in making an accurate, well placed shot with a low powered, quality scope with good FOV than with most any open sight.

 

[Hoss Delgado]

All the rifles l have ever owned throughout my life ( admittedly 3 : A Winchester Pump Action Gallery Rifle in .22 short with which l first learnt how to shoot , a .22 Savage Hi Power Model 99 lever action which was my first hunting rifle , and my .375 H&H Magnum Pre War Winchester Model 70 which is my current all purpose hunting rifle and which l will NEVER sell ) are used with open sights .Some times , l attach a scope on my Winchester if my wife wants to shoot it . I like the feel and balance of an iron sights rifle .
My dream project is to someday have a .500 Jeffery built with a detachable magazine system , which l plan to use with iron sights too.

 

[leslie hetrick]

I bought this sporterized high number 03 springfield at a public auction in original 3006 for a fraction of what it cost to get the work done in very good condition with a ex bore and it shoots lights out with 55 grs imr 4350 and a 165 gr nosler BT.

 

[Red Devil]

RUGER Hawkeye African (6.5x55) w/ NEGC Ruger Aperture sight.

​

Red

 

[ian-bradley]

These are some of the trophies I shot last year spot and stalk with a pre war model 70 30-06 all one shot kills didn’t have to track a single one, the Nyala was 50 yards off sticks, waterbuck was 115 yards off sticks and the eland was 90 yards off hand.

 

[MS 9x56]

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.View attachment 285157View attachment 285158

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.View attachment 285157View attachment 285158

I have several older rifles that I just can't bring myself to drill holes into that I shoot open sights on game. I am careful to pick the places I hunt where shots can be expected at under a 100 yards. I truly enjoy hunting these rifles and you are right in that it puts the challenge back into the hunt. I feel that sense of accomplishment when taking game with open sights. As long as my eyesight holds out I will continue to use these rifles.

 

[Longwalker]

I like open sights but can't really use them well any more. My eyes don't agree with my enthusiasm. I have aperture rear sights on a couple rifles and they are still serviceable, but just barely. In the past I did quite a bit of hunting without optics, mostly with a muzzleloader but with a few other rifles too. One of the joys is just carrying a rifle with no scope. It is much more handy and instinctive to use too.

 

[FLhunter7]

One option that gives the spacial awareness of irons and the accuracy of a scope is having a long eye relief scope. Gives you your peripheral vision back while still giving you the magnification and sight picture of a scope. This is what I use on my ruger scout.

 

[dan donnelly]

I love to hunt with iron sights . Most of my rifles have iron and aperture sights and I try to get closer. I have a scoped 30-06 and 223 but many more rifles with open sights. I also like to hunt with a longbow. Bear season opens here shortly and I will be hunting with my fathers old Marlin 336. An open sighted rifle just carries better, feels handier. I walk more than I shoot and have patience when it comes to a shot. It does help that I haven't worked during a hunting season in for over 30 years. I work at a profession that allows me to take the fall off. All that being said there are occasions when a scope is useful but 90 % of the time I don't use a scope
I wont buy a rifle any more that doesn't have iron sights.

 

[Major Khan]

All of my fire arms utilize open sights .
I have been hunting with open sights ... ever since I was a 10 year old child .

Telescopic Sights do make for far more accurate and ethical shooting . However , there are certain kinds of shooting ... where the basic iron sights reign supreme .

For close quarters shooting in the thickets ( especially during a follow up of wounded dangerous game ) ... a telescopic sight is not ideal. Wide V back sights and a bead fore sight are the way to go. They are quick and instinctive to use ... and they do not go out of setting when bumped, like a telescopic sight does .

That said , I do occasionally use a Leupold or Diana telescopic sight on my Voere brand semi automatic .22 Long Rifle calibre rifle ... such as when I am shooting green Harial pigeons on bait .

 

[MS 9x56]

Love irons, have shot with my doubles in Africa warthog, zebra, buffalo, eland, sable, roan and hippo on my three safaris. There is a place for optics but my first choice is irons. Getting ready to start a 9.3x62 mannlicher style stock, with set triggers and aperture sights on a VZ-24 M98 action later this summer.

That will be very similar to my CZ550 FS in 9.3x62. A very compact and potent package. You will enjoy it very much I am certain.

 

[MS 9x56]

I love to hunt with iron sights . Most of my rifles have iron and aperture sights and I try to get closer. I have a scoped 30-06 and 223 but many more rifles with open sights. I also like to hunt with a longbow. Bear season opens here shortly and I will be hunting with my fathers old Marlin 336. An open sighted rifle just carries better, feels handier. I walk more than I shoot and have patience when it comes to a shot. It does help that I haven't worked during a hunting season in for over 30 years. I work at a profession that allows me to take the fall off. All that being said there are occasions when a scope is useful but 90 % of the time I don't use a scope
I wont buy a rifle any more that doesn't have iron sights.

Is the Marlin 336 a 3

That will be very similar to my CZ550 FS in 9.3x62. A very compact and potent package. You will enjoy it very much I am certain.

 

[Fastrig]

Shot and hunted for years with iron sights, and probably will continue to do so till it’s time for my long dirt nap. Stalking and getting close is the challenge and fun part of hunting.....