Anybody using open sights?

[jpshaw]

 I like most here have scopes on almost all my barrels but after carrying a Partner shotgun on a few hunting trips the Handi shur would be Handy with iron sights.  My first two deer were killed with open sights before I ever scoped the first rifle.  Only talking about leaving one with irons, possibly my .357.   I tried the peep (got it from one of our members) but found that I was about as good with the normal ones plus it needed an extra high front sight not to mention it got in the way of carrying it around the balance point.  Just wondering if anyone kept a barrel or Handi with just the irons on it.  I've actually squirrel hunted with my Ruger 10-22 with the normal iron sights.  It was early season with all the leaves and shots were close and I killed some squirrels with it.

[tallyho]

JP, funny you should post this today. 

I spent a couple of hours at the range yesterday to try out a couple of new to me rifles (Rossi mod 92, Ruger 10/22) as well as my CCW Ruger LCR in .38 spl.

At the last minute I though I'd take the 357 mag barrel I put on an older Topper frame. I hadn't fired it since I put it on the nicely case colored Topper frame, and had mounted the receiver sight, I figured I would run a couple of rounds through it if I had time and ammo at the end of the day.

As it turned out I had plenty of time and ammo.

First photo shows two groups fired from the Handi. One on the Coldwell orange peel target, high and left  and one lower down, clustered around the orange dot. The higher group is the first 5 shots I took standing offhand. Not bad, I was moderately pleased. But they were all to the left of center, so I adjusted the WGRS and fired the next five, also standing, but this time leaning on a post, with my left hand between the post and the rifle for cushioning.

I was shooting some handloaded .38 spl cast (kind of a cone shaped bullet 158 gr) that I bought at a gun show, and the guy didn't remember what powder used. I took them because I figured they'd feed well through the Rossi 92 clone - and they did.

Range was at 20yds. I just taped the orange peel target to the backing just because I figured I'd need something bigger than just a sticky dot to aim at. As it turned out, I had no trouble seeing and aiming at the sticky dot when I fired the last five rounds. I guess with the aperture my eyes did better than expected! 

This was the last shooting of the day, and I was quite happy with the Handi (and the Rossi and 10/22 though I do need more practice with the LCR!) Next time out, when I have more time, I'll try the Hadi with a solid rest and a variety of 38/357 loads through it. But as far as I am concerned, this iron sighted Handi will be scope-less for some time to come. 

I find it quite handy to carry at the point of balance. You may be right about a different front sight once I try it with different ammo and at different ranges, but as of now, it works just fine with the factory front... and as you can see it is the 18.5" barrel - I'm guessing there may be differences in sight requirements, and balance point, between the 18.5" and the standard 22" barrel with factory irons.

Anyway, have fun with your 357. I certainly did with mine - and plan to have even more! Just gotta do a trigger job on the stiff and creaky old Topper trigger.

[tacklebury]

Only one I have scoped is my .223 barrel because I haven't bought the skinner peep and band front sight yet.  hehe    All my other barrels and firearms are iron sight only.  oops cept one .22 for squirrelies. 

[jpshaw]

I like that 18.5" barrel tallyho.  That mushy looking butt pad would look (and feel) good on my light weight 12 Ga Partner too.  Good shooting BTW.  I had to take my .357 brl off of my SB1 frame since I started shooting hand loaded .360 Dan Wessons out of it.  The extra pressure would flow the primer back into that large firing pin hole and make it hard to open.  Dangerous too I'm sure.

[tallyho]

I like that shorter barrel too! Very handy and noticeably lighter than the 22" barrel that I used to have! Best one of all though is the Handy Gun II with a nice tapered barrel. I sold it a few months ago to help with the finances. 

I'm fortunate in having the smaller firing pin hole in my Topper. I originally got it with a 20 ga barrel, but I figure it started life as a Topper 20ga/30-30 combo gun. That being said, I haven't yet tried any heavier load in it, and I'll be on the lookout for pressure signs when I do.

[PowPow]

I tried it with my Handi 30-30 but nothing stepped out.
Shot a doe in the neck with open sights at 80 yards with my Ruger 1, but I put the scope back on and did not want to mess with it.
Been thinking about getting a superlight 243, but I would probably replace the standard Williams sights with their firesight.

[geartow]

I am using the Buck-horn open sights on my 45 Colt Carbine Classic and love it

[Land_Owner]

I practice daily, about 100 shots, with a Daisey Red Rider BB gun and its open sights.  Now that isn't a center fire by any means and I am here to tell you that I SUCK SHOOTING OFF HAND.  Perhaps that wasn't the intent of your thread either, but I am trying to improve.

I do use, periodically and only until my scope returns from repair, a 45 Colt Buffalo Classic that is presently open sighted.

I am using the Buck-horn open sights on my 45 Colt Carbine Classic and love it

Ditto that here.  But, my eyes are not what they once were.  I use trifocal eye glasses to provide the benefit of long distance while driving, desk top PC clarity in the mid-range, or close up for reading.  Trying to negotiate the eye's view through the narrow part of the glasses to the PC-distance front sight then not seeing the blurry target at ranges beyond 25 yards is problematic.

My son and ALL of his Marine compatriots, were instructed to and routinely hit man-sized silhouette targets at 500 METERS with open sights using their off-hand M-16's.  Now THAT's impressive.

[jpshaw]

Oh, I never claim to be an off hand shooter.  When squirrel hunting with a .22 I move from tree to tree, using them to brace with for a shot.  Call it "tree hugging" if you want.

[gcrank1]

I have the open sights on the Sportster .22LR and the Basic Williams peep and a sporting bead on one 38-55 (the other is scoped for schuetzen). Im going to put the open barrel sight on that 38-55 sporter, or it and a front on the 45-70 someday. Though Im not as good as once with opens, I find that the challenge is good for me and the thrill of making a good shot with opens offhand is as good as ever (how many things can that be said about!). I do shoot a lot of offhand. If you get even decent at it you will outshoot most people who never do it enough to get good; and all their bragin' wont count for a thing.

[jpshaw]

On those few barrels that even come with open sights, what kind are they putting on them now.  My latest barrel came with this sight which is a loosen and slide affair that I don't care for.
 

 
I really like the one that came on my older .44 barrel since it is screw adjustment and can be fine tuned plus it's lower too.
 

 
Sure would like a simple bead and buckhorn like my Ruger 10-22 has.  I shoot it better then either of these.

[gcrank1]

The ease of adjustment doesnt do much for me, other than the sighting in. I get opens where I want and tend to leave them there. I do hate an overly tall 'guthook' front, so a ramp is better up there if it need to be tall. It is cheaper for the factory to drill/tap a few holes than have to jig a barrel up to cut dovetails, then have to fit sights to them (there is only a 'nominal' 3/8 dovetail standard in the industry). Holes also look way better if an owner chooses to remove the sights.

[jpshaw]

Just wondering what aftermarket sights can be used on the Handi barrel, expecially the front.  I quess since the Handi will always have a 12 Gauge size chamber and barrel in the forearm area the front will always have to be fairly tall.

[quickdtoo]

See the Sights section of the FAQs, lots of options.

Tim

[Sourdough]

I only have three guns with iron sights.  My H&R 45-70 Trap Door Springfield, my Handi 45-70 with peep sights, and a Contender Carbine .223 with peep sights.  All are used for close range work, 15 to 60 yards.

[Canuck Bob]

I use them on everything.  I've accepted reduced range as vision reduces as part of becoming wise, ok already, old.
 
I use receiver sights and am researching tang sights.  I'm approaching 60 and still feel confident on deer size or bigger to 150 paces if needed. I'm of the opinon that a 300 yard deer shot is good skill but a 35 pace deer shot is bragging hunting technique.
 
For me the reason I don't step up to scopes is that I like to hand carry balanced lever actions.  I tried my 444 scoped and it was a good scope, Leupold 2.5X ultralight, but I removed it after one season.   

[reloaderman]

I'm using a Marbles Bullseye sight on my Clasic Carbine , and it's working out just fine !
didn't have to change the front sight, so it didn't change the good looks of this little carbine>
He's what it looks like:
 http://www.marblearms.com/bullseyeSights.html

[HAMMERHEAD]

On my classic .45 Colt the open sights did not work well in bright sunshine. Too much glare on the rear and the bead dissapears in some situations. I  put a Lyman #20 front globe with a plain post insert and the rear is a Williams guide sight (peep). It makes for a clear, sharp sight picture that my old eyes can appreciate.


I love the older style flat top, click adjustable rear with flat top post front that came on my .357 and 30-30 barrels like the one in jpshaw's lower photo. I shoot them much better than beads and buckhorns. One man's meat.....

[jpshaw]

I love the older style flat top, click adjustable rear with flat top post front that came on my .357 and 30-30 barrels like the one in jpshaw's lower photo. I shoot them much better than beads and buckhorns.

The only problem with them is that if you want to put them on another barrel you gotta totally disassemble the darn things to get them off of one and on the other.

[zoner]

I have 5 hunting rifles.....four of them have iron(peep) sights, only one is scoped. A couple years ago i decided to put irons on one rifle to see what i could do with em. Minute of front shoulder at 100 yds is easy....and my leverguns and single shots are so easy to tote around without scopes on em.

[Doublebass73]

I currently don't own any scopes. I have in the past, though. I don't care for the extra weight to carry around. I use peep and firesight combos whenever possible. My eyes are still good enough that a scope doesn't improve my groups all that much at the distances I shoot at (75 yards or less). I may set up a .223 at some point for long range yote hunting and scope that but otherwise I like my irons.

[slayer]

I have 1 scoped .22 bolt gun. All the rest are open sights. I prefer the simplicity and the lower weight.

[smokehouserex]

 
 
  I have always had very good vision, didn't work for my vision, just a gift. I am 66 and still can read most things but carry 1.5 readers just in case.  Not bragging ,,,just saying that I didn't start out with scopes because I needed them.
  I bought my first scope while in the USN,  fell in love with them, just a few places that Iron beats a scope, IMO, I  have dozens of them, some el-cheapo & some Burris' and leupold, weavers ect. most junker scopes were on the guns when I bought them,(used). Also have scopes on some of my pistols too, not too fond of scoped pistols unless it's a TC. I have 2 TC'bbls. without scopes and 1 with. A scope makes the TC a little uncomfortable to carry,but is great at a longer range.
 
  Last year I bought a syn., youth 243 Handi, scoped it, shot it and decided to go with the Irons on that skinny BBl. Rifle. Well I shot it a couple of weeks ago with 80gr. feds.. I fell in love with that little gun. It follows me almost everywhere I go, it lays in the back floor and is always on the ready,, except when I do Grands pick-up at school. It is so light and handi with no scope, shoots about 3"@ 100Yds, from bench.    I doubt that it will be weighted down with a scope in the future.
 Scope some guns and Irons for the others, personal preference, I don't think that a Colt Peacemaker would be right with a scope of any kind on it, Lever Trappers, don' look right with scope either, TC Pistols look right scoped, Long BBl./ long range type Bolt rifles do not look right without a scope.
  ON THE OTHER HAND;   Handi Rifles look good with or without scopes, and shoot good too.
 
   Just my opinion
  HM
   

[AtlLaw]

...I am 66 and still can read most things ...

I'm 66 and I can't read nuthin w/o a magnifying glass!   
 
Oh, btw, I hate you... 
 
 

[Old Fart]

...I am 66 and still can read most things ...

I'm 66 and I can't read nuthin w/o a magnifying glass!    

Bwha ha ha ha ha      
 
Back on topic       I've still got one 30-30 and a rimfire that are iron sites.
They work okay for what I keep them for.