Scope or Iron Sights?
05-04-2010, 04:39 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Clifton, VA
Posts: 1,101
Scope or Iron Sights?
My boy is still too young to get to the range with me but I’ve been thinking lately how to get him out to the range and introduce him to firearms.
So a basic question – when introducing a youth to rifle shooting, should I start with a scope or the iron sights? My first thought was go with basic sights but it occurred to me that the simplicity of a scope, with one focal plane, would be easier than first teaching him how to line up front and rear sights with the target.
What do you think?
So a basic question – when introducing a youth to rifle shooting, should I start with a scope or the iron sights? My first thought was go with basic sights but it occurred to me that the simplicity of a scope, with one focal plane, would be easier than first teaching him how to line up front and rear sights with the target.
What do you think?
05-04-2010, 05:11 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Clermont Florida U.S.
Posts: 4,970
Good question! I know my dad started me out with irons on a .22. Then, for a centerfire, a Win 94 in .32 Spl. It also had irons. BTW, I still have that gun, and have now mounted a Burris Fast Fire sight on it. So far, it's a keeper. Good luck.
05-04-2010, 06:10 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Tug Hill NY
Posts: 420
Iron sights are a bit trickier, but it is a quick learning curve. Be sure to show him simple drawings of the sight picture, and use a gun with easy to see sights. My very anti gun wife finally asked me to teach her to shoot a pellet gun when crows started to raid her garden. very quickly she caught on. learning on a carefully prepared padded rest helps them steady the gun, focusing their attention. I think shooters who learn open sight shooting first tend to have bettter concentration on sight picture later.
05-04-2010, 10:46 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cornwall, Pa.
Posts: 1,720
I also agree with iron sights. This not only trains the shooter with proper sight alignment, but also allows a young shooter to see what's around the target without obstruction. I still shoot iron sights on my brush rifle, but need the clarity of a good Leupold on distant shots. The eyes aren't what they used to be at distance.
05-06-2010, 11:50 AM
#10
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,425
I have trained my 3 girls on both...
My Remington 541-T is scoped, they can keep their shots inside an inch at 50 yards...
My Ruger Mark II .22 pistol has iron sights...We shoot mistletoe out of trees with it before Christmas...
Never know when they might need to use either...
My Remington 541-T is scoped, they can keep their shots inside an inch at 50 yards...
My Ruger Mark II .22 pistol has iron sights...We shoot mistletoe out of trees with it before Christmas...
Never know when they might need to use either...