Actually ,you are 100% wrong in this case.Adding a scope and mounts adds weight to the gun which reduces recoil.This is simple physics.

scope all the way when i was younger i could hit anything i shot at with iron sights but now i could not hit a bull in the butt with a base fiddle without a scope just a little thing called age

All my deer rifles are fitted with see through mounts. The have always worked for me and I've never had a problem. I wouldn't have any use for a rifle without iron sights. See through mounts and a scope just sweeten the package.

I used Iron sights for about 4 yrs when I was hunting with my WW2 swiss carbine. But I bought a 7 mm rem mag and a 3-9X40 simmons and I like it much better

Newguy, I don't think you have shot many weapons both ways, or trained that many people to use them or you would know what I am talking about. I have shot rifles, pistols and bows with both scopes and open sights, or non at all. Scopes are not always easier to use or more accurate. With my bow I can hit a 3 inch circle at around 80 yards using a peep sight and a fiber optic pin that competely covers the aiming point. As long as everything is centered and I focus the arrow still goes where I want it to. If I put a 4X scope on my bow I can see the target a bit better but the bow is very hard to hold steady.

And we are talking shooting large game here, not target shooting for groups at long distances. Marksman can put kills on human sized targets at 1000 meters and out with open sights and military rifles so I don't think hitting a deer at 100 yards with them is unreasonable. I will admit that a scope helps in shooting small groups at longer distances with a steady rest if the shooter does his part. However not everyone can do that and it isn't needed to kill large game at short to medium distances. You can kill deer at beyond 100 yards with a muzzle loader that has fixed iron sights and a crappy trajectory if you know the rifle and range well enough.

And scopes are not easier to focus then open sights. If they are you are using open sights wrong or you have very bad vision.

Paul

Not true... I hunt archery, shotgun, rifle, and ML. I also target shoot with my 1911 and smallbore rifle. I use open sights and scopes, but hunt only with scopes.

You are far from the average hunter if you can make a 3" group at 80 yards with your bow... Most people would be lucky to hit the target at 40 yards!

Agreed, but the vitals on a deer are approximately an 8" circle for a humane kill.

So if a scope allows for more accuracy at longer distances, doesn't that mean you will be more accurate with a scope!?!?!?!?


Laws of human anatomy as I have stated over-and-over... SCOPES ARE EASIER TO FOCUS THAN IRON SIGHTS. You cannot argue this point. You physically cannot focus on the front sight, rear sight, and the target at the same time. If you can you have superhuman ability!

Maybe I should have written felt recoil! I just figured most people would understand what I meant anyway. That is the important part of recoil no? and that is not mere physics!
Beside the spot weld change, there is also a matter of the barrel rising from recoil. It is something that will be noticed more when one seees through a magnifying scope with a more limited field of view. The rise makes the target disappear from view and give the impression of a more severe recoil.

You don't focus on all three when aiming. You focus on the target and your subconsious will line them all up. The human brain likes order and will automatically line things up for you. Not to mention if you have proper form the sights should be lined up when you bring up the weapon, all you need to do is put it on the target. So like I said, you are using open sights wrong.

I can make much quicker shots with open sights than I can a scope, especially with a pistol. It is just more instinctive and faster to aquire a target.

And yes, like I said with the proper conditions a scope can be more accurate because you have a magnified veiw of the target, but only if you can hold the rifle steady and don't have some sort of trigger panic. Try holding a 6 power or above scope steady on a target off hand for any amount of time and making an accurate shot. It is not as easy as most think it is. Most new shooters get very stressed out when using a scope and develope some very bad habits.

I also wouldn't consider hitting an 8 inch circle at 100 yards with open sights an "excellent shot". More like subpar or mediocre to me. I would suggest more practice, finding better matched ammo, or possibly thinking of a new hobby if that is all you can do. Chances are if you shoot that poorly with open sights a scope won't do you much good either unless you are shooting from a bench with a rifle rest.

I guess we will just have to agree to dissagree on this point, but I would be willing to bet you are in the minority on this issue. But hey, you are entitled to your opinion I guess.

Paul

Hello All..

I might add that most of us who had BB guns when growing up didn't have scopes on them,But we could shoot them sparrows and purple headed black birds from 20 yrds or so away with open sights.It became nature to us and got quite good at it I would have to say.Plus I think there is less movement with open sights than there is with a scope.Even if it's all in our minds.

I prefer iron sights under normal hunting situations in Pa.and scoped rifles for long shots or smaller targets and varmints.Much has to do with the shooters eyesight and abilities.