Iron Sights vs. Everything

[GunFun]

If you're comfortable with iron sights for the distances you routinely shoot at, by all means stick with them! In my opinion, everyone should learn iron sights first.

A scope is undoubtedly better at longer range, but only if you have previously sighted it in for that distance, and you are familiar with "Kentucky windage and Tennessee elevation!" The fact remains, the human eye cannot see as far as an eagle's for small targets - scopes rectify this.

I prefer an adjustable magnification scope and see-through scope mounts so I can still use the iron sights if I want.

Also, as "renegade1alpha" posted, the less that can go wrong the better off you are, and that applies to a lot more than firearms.

It's also known as the "KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)" rule.

 

[GunFun]

BTW, laser sights are not necessarily good in bright daylight conditions, or at a distance. They ARE fun though!

 

[jhco50]

I like open sites and I'm 61 this month...Umm...I mean 39. I think it is a generational thing. Also, I have used the same rifle most of my life and when I throw it up to my sholder, I really need little alignment. I shoot a Winchester 30-30. I also have a Winchester 9422 that I just don't miss with.

I went shooting with my son-in-laws and two grandchildren. They made me not shoot until they shot at the targets for awhile. The oldest son-in-law is an excellent shot but was busy with the five year old (his first outing). I have taught them all to shoot.

People started using scopes because of marketing and the cool effect. It caught on and now has gone through a generation or two. I learned with open sights and can probably keep up with them. For the older guys having trouble with regular open sights, try using a peep site. You line up the front sight with the target and the ey will naturally line up the rear sight for you.

 

[Ballistic Mule]

Davey Crockett could'nt keep up w/ a scope at 300yds.

I do like apture sights also,and your confidence as well

 

[Harve Curry]

I started about 10 years old with iron sights, went to a scope, then by my late twenties quit optics and have been hunting mostly with open iron & peep sights. My range is limited but I enjoy the challenge. So there is shots I have to pass on. I'll keep to the iron sights as long as my eyes can do it, they're changing though now that I'm over 1/2 century old.

 

[GunFun]

Well, jhco50, I can keep up with most people that use scopes using iron sights but not at long range if they know what they are doing.

It's more than an effect, honestly - if the scope is sighted in for that distance, you can still shoot something MUCH farther away more accurately, just as if you were using iron sights. It takes a little bit of work though.

For short range shooting it's all technique, for sure.

BTW, I agree, peep sights are awesome, but not at really long distances.

 

[SpecialKalltheway]

I always argued I liked iron sights better myself as well, that is until my buddy handed me his AR with busted sights and I still shot great with it. Turns out I just like M16/AR's
I have a scope on my .270 for hunting, but I am curious if I could take it off and train myself the way I ended up being trained with a M16, just know where to point it basically. I don't think I have enough money to feed it and find out though

 

[GunFun]

I doubt it. The human eye just doesn't see that far, it's a fact.

 

[GunFun]

If you can beat a scope with iron sights at anything over say... 75 yards... then it's pure luck.

 

[Ballistic Mule]

Looks like Gun Fun really needs to attend an Appleseed event

 

[GunFun]

lol... I have, and I had already qualified as an expert marksman before that.

I think you're right though, I support Appleseed

 

[GunFun]

I still think a scope is better for long range shooting, but that doesn't take anything away from people learning marksmanship, and being educated about our 2nd Amendment rights.

I totally agree with iron sights being taught first, along with gun safety, as I have stated so far.

I usually shoot at much larger distances, but I enjoy challenges, hehe.

 

[Harve Curry]

My preference for a scoped firearm is that it have a good peep or iron sight on it, and that it be sighted in at an appropriate distance for whatever cartridge it is.

 

[mustang_steve]

My eyes utterly suck, I'm 30 and both eyes are wore than -15 diopter.

I still use sights instead of scopes, and do just fine. Red-dots are the only optics I will use, since they feel so natural when implemented correctly.

GunFun, any military servicemember can do 75 yards. They qualify at ranges farther than that using good ole iron. Also I'll repeat what others said: Appleseed.

when I was 9, I was shooting the bottoms out of coke cans with a .22 rifle at over 100yds on iron sights.

 

[Harve Curry]

Mustang Steve,
Let me guess , , it was a Marlin model 60.

 

[SpecialKalltheway]

"If you can beat a scope with iron sights at anything over say... 75 yards... then it's pure luck."

I must be the luckiest man alive then, because 75 yards is only 68.58m and I was trained to put down a 300 meter target with iron sights no problem. Must be my shamrock boxers that I wear.

I can still do it too even with my eyesight going on me, just takes me longer these days.

 

[mustang_steve]

T/C Contender, rifle barrel/stocks

My dad insisted on having iron sights on his contender hardware, so if the option wasn't there, he'd pay a gunsmith to make it so.

I hated having to reload after every shot, but dangit, those things will land a bullet in the same spot, every time so long as you keep it aimed at the same, spot, every time

 

[2nd 41]

Nothing wrong with Iron sights. They work. They're always there. They are paid for. And no batteries needed
I have a few scoped pistols. I enjoy both.
I shoot indoors at 7-10 yards

 

[IndianaBoy]

Get both!

 

[scythefwd]

Killing a man doesn't mean you are any more accurate than a guy with a scope. A kill shot on a man is a huge area. I want to meet the guy who is able to keep up with a benchrest shooter with a scope using the same rifle. I prefer irons as well, well peep sights actually, but I don't doubt that I am more accurate with a scope. Just because you are able to hit a popup at 300, doesn't mean you can choose which eye you are putting out.

More simply stated, a .5 inch group with a good benchrest rifle and iron sights at 100 y is considered great shooting. The same group when using the same rifle and a scope might not even place in a competition.

 

[chevyforlife21]

i like both. my eye sight is pretty poor so i like iron sights if i can see the target. other wise scopes are cool too. i dont like red dots though

 

[Harve Curry]

For hunting elk or deer, after 200 yards the front bead begins to cover a lot of the target.
I begin to start bisecting my front sight, trying to place the shot. For me 200 yards is my hunting limit with iron/peep sights. Maybe more if I practiced a lot. Scope lets you shoot at very small parts of the target, but I haven't had good luck with them holding zero.

 

[Edmond]

Myself, I can't stand the M68. For CQB, it's great, target acquisition is very quick. But when I'm just out there shooting 50-300 meters, give me the iron sights.

Just use the M2 or M240B, close enough seems to work pretty well.

 

[gym]

I'm 61 don't hunt, point shoot only. So i just use what god gave me. If I was at war I would use everything I could to shoot at a great distance. But my life is within 50 -75 feet at best. For self defense only. So I don't feel that the electronics are going to do me any good at all. Maybe a laser down the road.

 

[Autopistola]

<100yds give me irons. No batteries to fail, no way to get knocked off zero, no wierd tinted lense, no eye relief, just a wide open field of view with no stupid knobs obscuring it. Of course, that's coming from a guy who shoots milsurp EBR's.