Iron Sights on New Rifles?

[Uncle Grinch]

Other than lever guns, there seems to be very little offered iron sight rifles. The Mossberg MVP and the Savage Hog Hunter are the only ones that I have found. I hunt in close, thick areas and scopes are not my preferred optics as my ranges are all 75 yards or less. I seem to be in the minority when it comes to iron sighted rifles. I like 18-20” barrels with iron or receiver sights, unless hunting power lines or pastures.

 

[Charlie-NY]

I noticed that a number of African game hunters have been using a very small optic (not scope) on their double rifles. Looked fast and efficient.

 

[B y r o n]

If you can't find a rifle with iron sights then maybe a red dot sight would fit the bill. 1X magnification and you can shoot with both eyes open. For longer ranges, you can add a magnifier.

 

[ISS]

I bought a Lipseys Ruger carbine stainless/laminate in 35 Whelenfrom Ammojo here last month. I cam with irons. Ruger hunting rifles tend to.

 

[mattri]

ARs are easy to fit with iron sights and come in a number of chamberings very well suited to hunting in cover.

 

[joshb]

Tikka has a few models with iron sights.

 

[GetReal]

300 Ham' r (AR15 platform) with irons.

Or your rifle of choice with a red dot..

 

[jds holler]

Damn, I wish I could remember his name, but he was one of the "big dogs" of rifle gurus and paid hunters, as well as a frequent contributor to the main outdoor magazines we all used to read. Maybe Fin Aagard, or ???
Anyway, his opinion of scope vs irons, was that ANYBODY with just minimal training with a scope will be faster AND more accurate than with traditional open sights. That's a pretty broad statement to make, but I think I agree with it.

Uncle Grinch, I'm not trying to change your mind, and I love leaving a traditional rifle as they were designed. And scopes can break, fog, smear-up, and malfunction, and a 30-30 with buckhorns prolly won't.

If I was shooting any rifle in your situations that I wasn't sentimental and traditional about though, I'd have a dot sight or even a 2x red dot scope on it. They're just too good these days. jd

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Look for a used cz. They had several iron site models with low combs designed for irons. I particularly liked them after switching out the rear blade for a ghost ring.

A scope that goes down to 1x is way faster in my experience.Both eyes open I have mowed down piles of jackrabbits that get up at my feet running. I first tried irons on a couple rifles for this purpose, but settled on a 1.5-5x20 vx3 eventually.

 

[Oso]

A red dot, reflex sight (etched glass), or low-magnification optic.

Popular low power optic are fixed 2x, fixed 3x, or adjustable 1x-4x, and adjustable 2x-7x.

 

[Knotwild]

Damn, I wish I could remember his name, but he was one of the "big dogs" of rifle gurus and paid hunters, as well as a frequent contributor to the main outdoor magazines we all used to read. Maybe Fin Aagard, or ???

I think his name was Ross Seyfried.

 

[Gary in MD]

I always look for a clean barrel when I’m rifle shopping. Can’t see a reason to go with irons on anything but a dangerous game rifle in thick stuff. YMMV

 

[ebb]

I think that iron sights are absolutely the most dependable and fool proof method and if I had the eyes for them they would be on every rifle I own. But the reality is a low powered optic is faster and more precise. I have never warmed up to a holographic, red dot or reflex sight, I tried one on an AR rifle and was unimpressed, but just because I didn't like don't make it bad. The reality is, as you age your ability to focus on the target, the front sight and the rear sight at the same time will diminish. I like the LPVO scopes the best for anything close. Check them out, I think you will like them better than irons. I was helping the neighbor with his new 22 rifle yesterday, he was having trouble with his irons, he hadn't hit anything all afternoon, so we shot on paper and adjusted the elevation and he left as dark approached, with 3 or 4 consecutive hits on the little iron swinger target. I think he is an addict like most of us now. He barrowed my 308 to deer hunt in October and loved it, now he has bought one of my older neighbor's rifles a Ruger in 308, and a Savage in 22lr.

 

[David Milisock]

Other than lever guns, there seems to be very little offered iron sight rifles. The Mossberg MVP and the Savage Hog Hunter are the only ones that I have found. I hunt in close, thick areas and scopes are not my preferred optics as my ranges are all 75 yards or less. I seem to be in the minority when it comes to iron sighted rifles. I like 18-20” barrels with iron or receiver sights, unless hunting power lines or pastures.

Buy any rile you like and add iron sights.

 

[Uncle Grinch]

Not that familiar with red dots, especially on rifles. And definately not an AR fan.
But…. Who makes a mount to be able to use a red dot on a traditional receiver ring that is drilled and tapped for Weaver mounts

 

[ebb]

Add the weaver rail or picatinny rail and the red dot comes to go right on it. At least all I've ever used do. https://www.bing.com/images/search?...9&selectedIndex=4&itb=0&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0

 

[UrsusMagnus]

I learned how to shoot with irons. If the scope breaks and you don’t have irons it’s a crapshoot. So I look for guns with irons.

 

[David Milisock]

Not that familiar with red dots, especially on rifles. And definately not an AR fan.
But…. Who makes a mount to be able to use a red dot on a traditional receiver ring that is drilled and tapped for Weaver mounts

My only problem with red dots is how much of the target gets covered by the dot at longer ranges. I've shot them but never bought one.

 

[kwarw123]

I have an old Remington 742 in 30-06 made in the late 1950's. Absolutely the best iron sights I have ever looked through. It kicks like a mule so I have not shot it in like 20 years. I would go look at some older used rifles if I was looking for good iron sights. The old saying "they don't make them like they used to" rings true here IMO.

 

[MClark]

I have rifles I actually use to hunt with irons, usually a peep, for rainy days and close range.
I have a couple blinds I like where I can only see 25 yards or less, commonly shooting at half that. A scope will not focus and field of view is nil.
I have a red dot on a shotgun used for turkey, tried on a rifle but I was not happy.