Iron Sights or Scope
 

I have a lever action rifle and will be shooting deer at 100 yards or less. I am curious to know how many people would use the iron sights that come on the gun over putting a scope on this gun?

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

For me....it would depend on the type of cover and terrain in the area. Very brushy and I'd get it scoped ... Very open with minimal brush and undergrowth and I'd go iron sites. Other factors would be "How good is my eyesite?" & ""Can I make full use of the longest shooting lane I have available without a scope?" Good luck with whatever sighting system you choose to go with! :)

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

Scope all the way. There are very few hunting conditions where iron sights are better. Useing a 1.5x4 variable set 1.5 will allow you to make quick, accurate shots at close range if the needed.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

Get a 4X Leupold.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

Most of the time I prefer to use a scope ,but in heavy cover it can also be a handicap on moving game . If it is pretty brushy it would be a tossup for me ,but I would more than likely go with open sights

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RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

The problem with some reddot scopes is the battery doen't last that long . My hunting partner missed a nice buck this year because he had his scope shut off to save his battery .Just wasn't ready when he needed it .I believe it is the one by leupold ,not a cheap scope ,just hard on the batteries .

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

DG/HALCON What kind of distances are these red dot scopes good for? When you say it's hard on batteries, how long are you talking about (a set of batteries every hunt, other hunt, four hunts, whole season,...) Any other brands besides leupold?

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

Go with iron sights...If nothing else just to be different.

"Hey ya'll, watch this"

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

LA I don't use my reddot that much over a 100 yards because the dot covers 4" at that point . I have never hunted with one but my partner does and he says if he leaves it on all the time it doesn't last very long . I know he changed the battery twice ,then bought a new scope instead this season .

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RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

For 100 yards or less in brushy conditions you might want to seriously consider a peep sight. Very fast target accousition and pretty accurate to boot. Many hunters that use lever guns swear by them. Probably going to put one on my .444 here real soon myself.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

As a rule, the factories put the cheapest, sorryest sights on a gun that they can get away with. If you have a top-eject LA rifle, then put a good aperture sight on the rear, and a good, visible sight up front. (I prefer the old-time Redfield Sourdough type front sight, if you can find one, or maybe one of these here new-fangled fiber-optic things). If your rifle has the capability of having a scope mounted " low-central-overbore" , then just zero the irons for emergency use, and put a small, light low-power scope (like a Leupold fixed-power 2.5X or 3X) on it in quick-detachable or swing-off rings, and use the scope as your primary sight. Avoid these so-called see-under abortions!!! They are weak, and make you have to put your face way too far up in the air above the stock comb to get the steadyness you need to shoot well!! BON CHANCE!!:D

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

I would probably go with a scope with low magnification.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

It depends on several things. I hunt almost exclusively with a Win 94. Until recently I used iron sights with very good success but my eyes are not as good as they once were so I put a scope on it. This worked very well but made the rifle very uncomfortable to carry. Lots of bulk and weight. I have recently put a Williams peep sight on it and like it a lot. If you walk/stalk a lot like I do you will dislike the scope VERY quickly, but if most of your hunting is from a stand then the scope will be just the ticket. I may try switching between the two next year. I can remove them and put them back on without losing zero so this might be the ticket since I do spend time in a stand from time to time. I wish you luck with whatever you choose.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

on a 100 yard gun i like iron sights. whether peep or ramp and notch i like them. though i think peep is my favorite, though sometimes glass is nice.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

I used an aperature sight on lever guns for years but have abandoned it recently. To me, a low powered scope is better in any situation. In low light a good 2.5x scope or a 1.5x5 scope will allow you to see the target much better in low light than the aperature sight or factory irons. That' s just pretty much the way it is. I have hunted trophy managed property the last two years and being able to count the antler points is a must.

I' d say get a good low powered fixed scope or a low powered variable scope.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

A low powered scope is faster and much better in low light.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

Scope and for your case I agree a low variable power or low fixed scope.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

Hey GTBuzz,your handle sounds like a sportscar :Dlow powered large field of view scope gets my vote.

woods

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

I do alot of shooting with open and peep sights at 100 to 300yds but most of my scope shooting is done at longer ranges than 100.
So, I' d go with open sights more than a scope at close ranges.
However there is nothing wrong with a low power scope or a dot site; as long as they are mounted so they quickly line up with your eye.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

LAbushman...



this is how i look at it.. i set my guns up fro my situations i will be using them in. i hut in maine where shots are under 100yds and aot of my friends who hunt and live in maine use a lever action. most have scopes but alot of iron sights as well.
i perfer a peep sight on all my guns that i will be stalking or hunting in thick areas. i also find i can aquire a target quicker with iron sights/peep sights quickr than a scope.
but if you are gonna be in areas that you might get shots up to 150yds you might want to think about a small 3X or 4X.
but i would say use sights and not the combo cause of the high cheek wield from using both iron and scope mounts. had one on my 30-30win and even with the under over mounts i had to lift my cheek off the stock to look through the scope. unless you might want to look at luepold quick release mounts or maybe the weaver pivot mounts that the scope just flips to the side for use of sights.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

The better you can see the target, the easier it is going to be to hit it in the right spot. Col. Whelen used to say that the aperture rear and blade front sight were as accurate as a scope out to 200-250 yards, PROVIDED THE TARGET COULD BE PLAINLY SEEN!! Even at 30 or 40 yards, in dense forest, it is often hard to see more than a few inches of the side of a deer or bear through the intervening branches, leaves, etc. Under such circumstances, a low-powered scope will often let you see, and hit, a vital spot you' d never even know was there without the scope! Put a SMALL, low-powered, optically excellent scope on it like a Leupold 1.5X-5X, or Leupold Compact 2.5X.

][quote] i also find i can aquire a target quicker with iron sights/peep sights quickr than a scope. [/quote

As fast as aperture sights are, a scope is the fastest of all possible sights, IF it is mounted right on a well-fitting rifle, AND you practice so you get fast!! The scope must be mounted, and the gun fit you, so that you can close your eyes, shoulder the rifle, open your eyes, and be looking through the scope!! It has to be natural, and require NO EFFORT to do this!! In addition, when using your scope, keep both eyes open UNTIL YOU HAVE THE TARGET CENTERED IN THE SCOPE' S FIELD OF VIEW. You can then close the eye you are not using, if you feel you just have to, but if you can learn to shoot with your scope while leaving both eyes open, that' s the best way!! Start practicing!!

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

Thanks for all the info.
I have used iron sights and scopes both in the past on lever actions.
I do not like see through mounts. I bought Leupold mounts and rings to put on my Winchester 94. Bullet extraction is tricky, but I like the fact that the scope rides low on the gun and the fit of the scope. I bought a 1.75 x 5 Burris scope off of this site and mounted it on the gun. I have never owned a Burris but have herd many good things about them. I really like the scope. I hope the setup performs as well as it feels.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

My first gun was a marlin 30-30 with a 3x9 scope and see through mounts. I always like them though. We do alot of hog hunting and sometimes the scope gets wet or fogged up and we might not have time to wipe the scope before we shoot, so most of my friends also use see through mounts. But for most deer hunting they aren' t needed.

The end part of last deer season I sold my rifle and started using a shotgun with rifled slugs. I just used the standard bead front sight and it did fine out to 75 yards.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

i would use a 30-30 and up with a 3x9x40 scope[>:]

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

I use a see- thru scope rings.That way I can use both.

RE: Iron Sights or Scope
 

I' d go with iron sights only if I couldn' t afford a decent scope, or didn' t care about shooting a buck in the first or last 15 minutes of light.;)

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan