scope vs open sights
 

Just got my boy a Rem. model 7 in .243 No scope, this will be the rifle hes uses when he goes thru hunter safey. I just wonder if I should scope it right now or wait till he has some more experiance with it. I sure couldnt live with out one but the eyes just arent what they used to be.

RE: scope vs open sights
 

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RE: scope vs open sights
 

I would start him with the scope as it is simpler to shoot with a scope because you only need to align the crosshairs with the target.With open sights you need to align the front and rear sights with each other and the target.If he shoots better as he will with a scope, it may be more encouragement for him to shoot more often.

RE: scope vs open sights
 

For simplicity in the learning curve put a scope on it right away. Iron sights are tough to learn to use accurately at any length of distance. If you want him to learn iron sights get him into CMP or 4H shooting groups.

I'm a hunter safety instructor here also and I always suggest scopes. Though I would prefer lower powered. IE 4X is plenty to start with. And I'd prefer fixed so they can't crank it to 9x and then not find a deer up close when the moment of truth comes.

Jeff

RE: scope vs open sights
 

Can't hurt to school him in the basics first - learn to shoot with open sights. Not saying he should be a marksman with open sights, but just to learn the basics of proper sight
alignment, etc. When he can put 4rounds into a 4" target at 100yds., then get the scope
(if he wants one). If nothing else, he'll learn how to use the sights, and that they could be used for backup in the rare event of scope failure in the field.

RE: scope vs open sights
 

I personally believe that all rifles should wear glasses, unless you're looking for more of a challenge or hunting ranges so short that they're unappropriate, i.e. no longer than 75yrds. I personally would rather have a 2x42mm compact scout scope on a short range brush buster than open sights, but I don't really believe in taking running shots in thick cover.

As far as shooting with open sights being good training for marksmanship, I'm not a follower of that cult. To get the same groups with open sights as you do with a scope, yes, you do have to be a crack shot (or really poor shot with a scope), but I don't necessarily think open sights honestly teach anyone to shoot better. It's like teaching someone how to drive by plopping them down in a big rig, if he gets it figured out, he can drive almost anything, but why make it hard on them?

Giving them a scope allows them to focus on proper shooting position and technique, rather than focusing on fighting the open sights onto target. Once he learns how to shoot, he'll enjoy the challenge of open sights, and appreciate the advantage of the scope, instead of feeling like a scope is an easy cheat.

You should, of course, teach him how to shoot open sights as well, my dad gave me two BB-rifles on my 4th birthday, one with open sights and one with a scope, he'd made me shoot them equally by only letting me shoot one or the other at his choice (since he was a real father who controlled the guns and taught me proper gun handling)...I was then given a .22lr semiauto with NO sights for my 8th birthday (literally NO sights whatsoever) to teach me to appreciate sights, and learn to shoot rifles by feel and instinct. I still have that rifle, and I STILL shoot that rifle better than a new equivalent rifle with open sights.

RE: scope vs open sights
 

In this day and age there is no reason to leave a gun unscoped unless you are looking for a challenge:)... Make the boys life easy, put a scope on it... Leave the open sight for plinking around with his bb gun:D

RE: scope vs open sights
 

If you want to teach your son to shoot with open sights, I would suggest getting him a .22lr. These are cheap enough to do a lot of shooting, with little noise and no distracting recoil. After he masters this it will be much easier to adapt to the noise and additional recoil of a centerfire rifle (mild though a .243 is.)

A .243 is capable of much higher accuracy than most of us can achieve with open sights. I'd scope it now.

Just my $0.02 worth.

RE: scope vs open sights
 

Scope it ,why buy a gun good for 300 yds and then handicap it in the sight department .

RE: scope vs open sights
 

Good points from everyone. My boy has thousands of .22 rounds rounds under his belt and is fairly accurate, but all with open sights.

RE: scope vs open sights
 

I was gonna say open sights just to learn good marksmanship basics...however if he has that many rounds with open sights...go ahead and scope it. Good luck with that gun and good shooting.

RE: scope vs open sights
 

If he does not know how to use open sights, this is a good time to teach him. Good luck.

RE: scope vs open sights
 

Definitely scope it. It will serve him better. I feel the younger and more often one uses a scope the more natural it will be for them to pick up game in it. Before I was old enough to hunt my dad mounted a scope on a wooden gun and put drives on for me just so I would get used to picking up deer in the scope. I feel that was a huge help growing up.

RE: scope vs open sights
 

From personal experience, I say put a scope on it, a 4x would be perfect for a first scope. When I started hunting when I was 12 or 13, my dad gave me a Marlin 30-30 for a present. Not knowing anything about hunting or shooting, other than a little 22 plinking, I relied on my dad to teach me the ropes. Well, he's a great dad, but he never believed in scopes, he thought it was to hard to pick up the deer in the scope in the woods. He was a great rifle shooter in the military so he of course usually got his deer with is open sights. So I proceeded to miss about 7 deer the first 5 or so years of hunting, including a 10 pointer, all around 100 yard shots or so, my confidence was pretty crushed. I finally got my first deer, a doe, with those open sights when I was about 18. I was still pretty low on my ability so I pretty much took deer hunting off through college, and then casually hunted with my dad after that for a few years, mostly just to spend time with him. Then in my mid-twenties I really got the shooting and hunting bug, started reading everything I could get my hands on, started buying my own guns, and finally put a scope on a rifle. I'm 33 now and have gotten a deer every year since I put that first scope on. I feel there were many years wasted because my confidnece was crushed from missing all those deer. Know that I am an avid shooting and hunting enthusiast I can take the time to learn the art of shooting with open sights. But as a young boy, I think you need to get that confidence up.

-Camp

RE: scope vs open sights
 

if he is already a good shot with open sights then i would go for the scope. my son just got a scope on his 22. he had to learn to use open sight and become a good shot with them before i scoped it. i hope he inloys his new rifle!:D