larger calibers and peep sights

[SAS98M]

Sooo, I missed the same bear twice this year here in the Pa. woods,once at less than 100yds. and again at only 20. I was shooting a scoped Contender 14" .309 JDJ which I thought I was pretty proficient at shooting- I had practiced all fall shooting at various yardages out to almost 160 and was able to dance a baseball around at that distance. I'm using a Simmons 4x scope.                                                                                        I toyed around with taking the scope off and either putting the factory sights back on or.... trying the Williams type peep sights-reason being some/most of the shots taken here in our woods are at a quick pace ie: bears being shot out of a drive,or being shot at closer ranges 25-50 yds.
I fell victim to the scope gremlin-on the second closer shot-the first I agree was a first sight of a bear during that drive,the second shot I just couldn't get(find) the bear in the scope fast enough.....
What does everybody think about my delemma ? Should I take the scope off and become better with the factory sights or install a peep sight-all in leau of the quicker/close up work ?
 
I'm interested in any and all comments-Lemme know. SAS

[Flynmoose]

I don't hunt but find that I can find a target faster with a 2X scope than a more powerful one.
FM

[Keith L]

A good red dot would be my recommendation.  But only for close shots.

[bilmac]

I hunted antelope with a scoped 30-30 contender one year. I got an easy shot, but couldn't find him in the scope. So, I took the scope off and it didn't take long to get one with the factory iron sights.

 I have tried the peep sights on my revolvers. I have been shooting factory sights on handguns for years. Lots of rounds shot keeping proficient for LE and cowboy action shooting. When I hauled those peepers up into my line of sight it was startling. Seemed like it was taking forever to find the target, and when I benched them to zero them it didn't seem like they were as accurate as the factory sights. So I took them off and put the factory jobs back on.

Contender has really nice factory sights I like them better than S&W sights. The only problem I have with iron sights is if the light is poor. If you have a lot of deep shadows and heavy clouds I guess I would suffer with an aimpoint or a low power pistol scope.

[Doublebass73]

I'm a peep sight guy. I'd also pick factory Contender sights over a scope. The main reason is I live in NH which is over 80% forested. The woods in my town are very thick so I rarely see shots past 75 yards. Peep sights are very fast on target.

The setup I use while hunting is the same for both carbine and handgun configurations - Williams FP-TK peep sights with the 0.150" twilight aperture which is slightly smaller than a ghost ring. I use a Williams firesight on the front. This setup is much faster on target than any 2X scope I've ever used. I also don't have to worry about a scope fogging up in bad weather or batteries dying in the case of a red dot.

[Junior1942]

+1 on the peep sights but with a fiber optic front.  Either that or switch to a 2x scope.  That 14" barrel is also unhandy as heck offhand or from an awkward position.  Ever notice that deer never appear where you expect them?  All the above is why I switched my 14" 7TCU w/4x scope to a 10" 7TCU w/2x scope.  It made a heck of a difference in both findability and handyness.

[barber]

   I have the BUSHNELL HOLO  sight, and I really love it.I tried the cheaper Red Dots, but they wouldn't last with the recoil of my .44

[donkey445]

Since you have a 309 JDJ, I would hate for you to limit it by using a peep. I would think your best bet would be either
 
Buy a short range round (brush/up close hunting) on a 10" and put a peep, or a 2X scope on it. 
 
Or put a quality variable scope on your 309.  Something in the 1.5-4X range.  A 2X scope would work on the 309 but you still lose a little of the top end for longer shots. 

[smokehouserex]

 
 
  Hello SAS98M:
  Just a thought that may help. Keep both eyes open during sight alinement,,, that is, if your shooting eye is the dominate eye!!!! It don't work if off eye is dominate.  I have found this to be the best for me. It also works for scopes as well, very fast, it seems that your eyes will almost automatically line the sights/scope with the target. The 2x scope is very hard too beat out to med. ranges. JMO
  I hope this helps.
  HM

[7-30 Waters]

I have never shot a 309 JDJ but can highly recommend the Ultra Dot 30 mm.  I have it on a 12" 357 Maximum and have no trouble shooting critters out to 100 yards.  100's of full power loads using 180 grain  to 200 grain cast lead bullets and no issues.

[yooper77]

Sooo, I missed the same bear twice this year here in the Pa. woods,once at less than 100yds. and again at only 20. I was shooting a scoped Contender 14" .309 JDJ which I thought I was pretty proficient at shooting- I had practiced all fall shooting at various yardages out to almost 160 and was able to dance a baseball around at that distance. I'm using a Simmons 4x scope.                                                                                        I toyed around with taking the scope off and either putting the factory sights back on or.... trying the Williams type peep sights-reason being some/most of the shots taken here in our woods are at a quick pace ie: bears being shot out of a drive,or being shot at closer ranges 25-50 yds.
I fell victim to the scope gremlin-on the second closer shot-the first I agree was a first sight of a bear during that drive,the second shot I just couldn't get(find) the bear in the scope fast enough.....
What does everybody think about my delemma ? Should I take the scope off and become better with the factory sights or install a peep sight-all in leau of the quicker/close up work ?
 
I'm interested in any and all comments-Lemme know. SAS

Did you re-sight in your scope after you took it off, on and are you using the same practise ammo?
 
Also 4x scope at 20 yards is too much, and at almost 100 yards you need a steady rest. I suggest a Leupold variable pistol scope, so you can use it on low power and high power if you have a solid rest.
 
You could have fell victim to yardage complacency since it was only 20 yards.
 
I watched a hunting show once, a president of a long bow company miss a black bear with his own companies bow at 7 yards.
 
yooper77

[rickt300]

First you can eliminate you problem with some practice. Next I use a Bushnell 2x7 pistol scope on my 357 barrel at present and at 2x it works just fine. The practice you need can be done without firing a shot just get used to lining it up quickly. I practice by getting on birds flying around outside. That said a peep sighted 35 marlin could be your best running bear gun.