Do you shoot iron sights or do you use a scope?

[southerngal]

Do you shoot iron sights or do you use a scope when you are hunting? If you do use a scope what kind are you using?

 

[BrittanyG]

I don't care to use a scope. Of course, I've taken a lot of time practicing off-the-hip so I can be accurate without taking too long to aim.

 

[northernbushape]

I prefer a scope as it affords better accuracy at longer ranges. A hundred yard shot is much easier with a scope - at least for me. We generally use the spot-and-stalk approach and tend to shoot 80 - 100 yards.

The draw back is the 30-50 yard shot that an iron site would be better suited for.

I'm stoked for bow hunting deer or elk in 2011. I shoot a re-curve with no sites or anything on it. I'm practicing hard and will be ready in the fall of 2011 :tinysmile_grin_t:

 

[kiljoi308]

I agree with the above. Of coarse a 100 yd plus shot would be easier with a scope. And anything under say 50 would be best with open sights. But a 3-9x40 scope would be an all around good scope. For the shorter shots you can adjust the zoom out and for the longer shots zoom in.

 

[dinosaur]

I use both. Like kiljoi308 said, long range is better with a scope.

 

[dhoyle]

I also use both a reciver and scope for my hunting. I use the reciver primarly on my brush rifle (Marlin 336 30-30 and a Marlin 1895G 45-70) on my scoped rifles I use either a 1.5-5x or a 2.5-8x. Just remember to keep it on the low setting most of the time, it's always eiaser to change the setting for the longer range than to change to low range for the close shot.

 

[greensteelforge]

I use the same 2-7 scope on nearly every rifle I shoot, with the exception of the few rifles I have set up for shooting beyond 400 yards, and some target rifles with micrometer peep-sights. I keep the magnification turned down to two unless I'm relatively sure my shots will be beyond seventy five yards or so. It is important whether you use iron sights, or a scope to learn to acquire your target with both eyes open, and preferably to shoot and follow through the same. A good scope will generally yield better results than good iron sights. I know plenty of people who use iron sights for various reasons, the main one being that it's what they've always used, and are accustomed to. Either way, you should hit your target.

 

[td_porter]

I suppose this kinda falls on personal preference and the type of hunting your doing. I definately agree with the people above...if your hunting short range, you'll probably got on target faster & easier with open sights. My little brother Jon uses an old 8x57mm mauser rifle with peep sights for deer drives, this works well in fast target aquisition under 100 yards. You don't ever have to take your eyes off target either, you simply raise your weapon to your shoulder & the sights will align right into your line of view. However when I'm sitting during the fall whitetail rifle season, I have a 3X9 scope with a 40mm objective lens mounted on my .308 win. I keep the magnification down at 3x, as its easier and faster to find targets in the scope with the lower setting (you can always crank it up if you see something out in the distance.) I remember back about 15 years ago, my other brother Mike had a nice 7 point walk out in front of him on his first year of hunting. Due to his inexperience with shooting however, he couldn't find the big buck in his scope. He was pretty upset that that big buck walked, but he went on to practice with his scope to learn to find objects at different ranges (remember your firearm safety if your decide to do this.) I guess the best advice for you is perhaps to try both ironsights and scope and determine what works best for you; also make sure you practice with your firearm, so you won't be in a similar situation where you can't find something in your scope.

 

[sh4d0wm4573ri7]

I prefer a scope and own several

 

[Tony]

In hunting, do you need to have the skill of a sniper? I mean do you need to consider the wind, atmospheric pressure, or the distance? Or do you just set your scope to the target and that's it?

 

[greensteelforge]

In hunting, do you need to have the skill of a sniper? I mean do you need to consider the wind, atmospheric pressure, or the distance? Or do you just set your scope to the target and that's it?

The skill of military snipers is really not in the shot, but in setting up for a shot, gathering intel, and evaluating targets of opportunity, so, no, you don't need all the skills of a sniper. What you need to do is understand the limits of your own skill as a marksman, and the limits of your weapon. The degree of accuracy required on most game is not that great, generally, the accepted accuracy standard for most big game is about the size of a pie-plate. With most high-power rifles, a good 200 yard zero will hold you in that range for shots out to around 300 yards before compensation for bullet drop becomes necessary. If you intend to do any long range shooting at game, you will need to practice regularly, and develop a body of data on your rifle and load under different environmental conditions. Unless you do the work, and understand and can calculate the intersection of a parabolic arc on a plane, you should not attempt shooting much beyond 400 yards or so. The short answer to your question is that it's up to you, and the conditions you intend to hunt under. Shooting under 300 yards is as straight-forward as a basic 25 to 40 yard base zero, and aiming where you want to hit. Though the point of impact will not generally be exactly at the point of aim, it will be close enough that compensation is unnecessary.

 

[sh4d0wm4573ri7]

Yes and no lol The scope is sighted to a certain distance and you judge or use a rangefinder to obtain distance to your target and hold according to distance and wind.

 

[dinosaur]

You need to have a working knowledge of the laws of physics. Things to consider are bullet weight or mass, ballistics, and muzzle velocity. These are interdependant variables.

The more mass, the faster the drop. Less mass will cause more wind drift. This can be lessened by higher velocity which, in turn can be augmented by the shape of the projectile.

Practically speaking, sight your weapon in at twice the distance you expect to hunt it. Then shoot it at the expected range and adjust for the difference. After doing so, stick to the same round. If you change any of the three above mentioned variables, you will have to sight your weapon in again.

At close range (100 yards) using a high powered rifle there won't be much difference. It will become apparent at 300 and impossible at 500. The average hunter will not be called upon to make a "sniper" shot at 1000+ yards. I say this with tongue in cheek because the best snipers are the one's with the most kills. Some shots have an immediacy that require long range. But the object is to get as close as you can.

By the way, unless you are in the middle of a monsoon, atmospheric conditions won't have much of an affect.

 

[yooper94]

would get over/under rings for a 2x7 would be good choice. it has low power so you can focus fast or use iron sights if too close. nikon pro staff very good clarity for about 160 bucks seems to be well worth it. this combo would let you go the distance and still have ability to iron sight a animal on the run if too close to focus or no time.

 

[Erwin]

I prefer to use my scope while hunting. I have several that I use but my favorite thus far has been my Aimpoint 3000 with the red dot and I just got a buck at 200yds with it yesterday.

 

[hunter44mag]

I use both, depending on what and where I'm hunting. As I have gotten older, my far-sightness has become more pronounced. If I don't have glasses on the rear sight is sometimes fuzzy, therefore I use scopes more than I used to. I don't like "see-through" mounts as they put the scope farther above the line of the bore. You don't have to be a sniper to hunt, but accurate bullet placement makes for cleaner kills and less wounded and lost animals. If you use a scope, leave it set on the lowest power, it is easier to find your target at short range. If you target is at longer ranges, it useally gives you more time to increase the power setting.