Iron sights or get a more powerful scope?

[coyote trapper1929]

HI:

  How well do iron sights work for shots under 100 yards? I was at the range today sighting in my rifle and I would barely get the last shot inside the black circle with my old Redfield 4x riflescope. I looked at the target and I could hardly see the holes. Should I get a more powerful scope that could zoom the target in?

Thanks,

[Mikey]

To me it would depend on the type of hunting or shooting you prefer.  If you shoot from a stand you might prefer a scope.  If you stalk and hunt you might prefer open sights.  

If you prefer to shoot from a bench when you plink, practice, etc., then a newer and better scope should help.  That old Redfield 4x may have seen better days.  

Open sights for hunting are a hunter's preference.  Many prefer a tang or rear peep sight to give them a large open picture for a blade front sight but many also prefer the Buckhorn with a bead front sight or a rear V notch with a blade front sight.  

I would see how she shoots with your iron sights first and then add a newer scope later if you wish.  JMHO.  Mikey.

[Jerry Lester]

I prefer only iron sights for revolvers, and lever actions.

I prefer my bolt actions scoped, but unless it's a truly long range rifle, I like fixed 4x to 6x scopes the best.

I'm not much on target shooting from a bench. The bulk of my shooting is plinking. Most of the rest is actual hunting, so my preferences are a little different than most peoples.

[ScoutMan]

CT,

Try this the next time you are at the range. Even thought the target and the reticle are in the same focal plane, concentrate on the intersection of the cross hairs and not on the target. Like focusing on the front sight instead of the target when shooting iron sights.

Post back and let us know if it helps.

[jhm]

You didnt say the cal. you were using, but lets assume it is 30 cal. and you say you can barely see the holes in the black at 100 yds. both you and the scope are doing a fine job as I can only do well to see the black at 100 yds :eek:      JIM

[Winter Hawk]

Iron sights work just fine and dandy, depending on your eyes.  The late Finn Agaard wrote a lot for American Rifleman.  If you recall, he was a professional hunter in Africa.  For years he was a proponent of peep sights as they are fast and accurate.  If you are in a position to become the hunted very fast, a peep sight on the receiver is hard to beat.  

Then his eyes got a little older and he saw the advantage of a low power scope.  I remember him advocating 2 to 2.5 fixed power.  He did not want a variable.  He felt that the variable had too much chance of being turned to a high power when you needed to be at low power with an angry critter coming at you.

The same argument has been used for years by such notables as George neonate and Townsend Whelen.

If you can see the holes in the target with a 4X scope there is nothing wrong with your eyes.  That is what they have spotting scopes for, to check out the target.  You don't want to be doing that with the scope on the rifle, at least not in a hunting situation.  It gives one a bad feeling to see someone looking at him through a telescopic sight!  Use binoculars for that.

I personally have a 2 1/2 power Weaver on my 88 Winchester.  Hunting I have a pair of 8X Minolta binos hanging from my neck.  I tuck them into my shirt when they aren't in use.  At the range I have a cheap Cannon Sportview spotting scope, which does fine for me.  My Marlin 336 has a Williams 5D receiver sight.  My eyes aren't what they used to be, but under 100 yards it still gets the job done.

So the long and short of it is, do what you are comfortable with.  That 4X Redfield should be everything you need.  Try using the red targets instead of black.  If they are the diamonds, you can align the cross hairs with the points for better repeatability of your shots.

-WH-

[targshooter]

coyote trapper 1929,
Perhaps the scope needs adjustment. Usually this is done by moving the rear objective lock ring and then adjusting the position of the rear objective so that the cross hairs and target are clear and in the same plane. Always remove your eye from the scope in between adjustments so you don't adapt with the change. Redfield had good instructions on performing this in their owner's manual.
If it is adjusted, you may need to have Redfield (oooops, they are gone) clean and recharge the scope with Nitrogen. Perhaps it is time for a new scope.
I like a scope for hunting because it allows more accurate shot placement in the heavy brush here in MN. In clear woods or small opening situations that I used to have in PA and Maine, peep sights worked just as well except for the opening and closing minutes of the season. For target work, I still prefer peeps. However, my eyes will probably dictate the end of 300 meter shooting with such in the near future.

[corbanzo]

If you are talking about short range, with quick game, or enclosed areas (lots of brush, trees, etc)   Then I prefer open sights, better target aquisition speed, and also you can better see what is coming up when an animal is running.  If you are staying under 100 yards, and are talking about anything the size of a coyote or bigger, iron sights will do the job just fine when going for the kill shot.  If you are talking about huge trees and open forest, or plain and grassland, where you have time, then sometimes a scope will help to make sure it's the exact shot you want everytime.  It really depends on what you are doing, sometimes my scope makes me mad because little critters are quick and I can't get a crosshair on them, so I just take my scope off right there in the field.

[Savage .250]

For me a scope is a necessity. Can`t see like i used to so with a good vari-powered scope i can at least "see" so much better.  Which makes shot selection/placement also so much better as well.
   
 " The best part of the hunt is not the harvest but in the experience."