open, fixed, variable or all three

[Africa Huntress]

Scotty, I was inclined to answer you via pm but I will jut endure the "poor little rich girl" comments as I think there are a couple other fellows here that would appreciate my answer to your question.

When I move down to the 9.3 x 74R or 375 doubles, they are both regulated with open sights but have claw mounts for a scope, and a fixed power scope is used, or not. Below that most are scoped with quick detach fixed scopes but have open sights on them as well.

Dad is all over the place, but usually Nightforce, Vortex, Leupold, Kahl's or Zeiss. Mum is Swaro, S & B , Trijicon, Leica. I like the swaro Z8 ( 1-8 x 24 ), Leica Magnus (1-6.3 x 24), Trijicon ( 1-8x28 )

Dewey, one of our concerns when hunting is not the animal that we are looking for that day, but also the animal we might encounter, so we tend to take more gun than we need, especially if we are hunting alone and my mum hates it, when I do that.

Best regards

Jamila

 

[Europe]

Dont worry about it Jamila. Scotty is sincerely interested in all things hunting/scopes/rifles/bullets.
He, and others will appreciate your post, as it doesn't matter to them whether they ever use a double, one of those scopes, or even hunt Africa. Just like Hodgemans Moose hunting story. Many will never do that, but we love reading about it

 

[SJB358]

Dont worry about it Jamila. Scotty is sincerely interested in all things hunting/scopes/rifles/bullets.
He, and others will appreciate your post, as it doesn't matter to them whether they ever use a double, one of those scopes, or even hunt Africa. Just like Hodgemans Moose hunting story. Many will never do that, but we love reading about it

Amen... agreed.


What do you think of the 1x8 Trijicon? It’s a tank of an optic. What’s it on?

 

[Nimrod84]

Africa Huntress,

Do you or your mother have an impression on the Swaro 1" tubes, like the Z5 series? Given the demands of your hunting and possible encounters with dangerous game, I imagine the family favors 30mm tubes or larger. But if you have an opinion on the Z5 or Z3 series, I would love to hear it.

Europe,

I like peep sights a lot and use them on "fun" / varmint guns, on big game rifles I lose too much hunting time at dusk and dawn if I don't have a scope. Additionally, the owners of 9,000+ acres that I have access to hunt have been trying to manage the Whitetail herd and they have a standing fine of $100 per point less than 8 points (4x4 for Westerners).

After a few fines, I've gone primarily to the now discontinued Zeiss HD5 3-15x44 and 2-10x42 scopes. Before the switch to the HD5 series I purchased a set of used Leica Duovids 8-12 - I figured if I'm paying for an animal I might as well put the money into good glass and stop shooting 5 and 6 pointers.

I place a priority on low magnification for quick or close in shots, brush or bad weather. Magnification above 9 or 10 power generally takes away my confidence in the field due to the shakiness that accompanies buck fever. I do like the higher magnification levels for sizing game and making sure I'm seeing brow tines and not a branch, but 10x seems to provide more magnification than I need for any shot I'm going to take.

Prior to adopting the Zeiss HD5's, I was primarily using a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 and a Leupold 2.5-8x36. I have had a few fixed 4x scopes, but the magnification seemed high for close in shots - for example Coyote at under 10 yards - and also low enough that I couldn't confirm brow tines unless conditions were perfect.

 

[Africa Huntress]

Scotty, its on the 404 Jeff. It is the same as my 450/400, except, the 450/400 is regulated with 400 gr. The Jeff lets me use 450, 400 or 350.

Scotty also take a look at the Vortex Viper PST 1-6x24. Dad had one when I saw him last and it was a very nice fixed scope and it is cheap. I might get one and try in on the 300 H & H, if I ever get back to Africa.

I need to take off now, thanks for talking to/with me Scotty

Best regards

Jamila

Nimrod84. Sir, you were typing at the same time I was and I just saw your post. I have to leave now as they are boarding and if I want to make this flight so must I, but I will get back to you sir. Sorry

 

[c. schutte]

Scotty, its on the 404 Jeff. It is the same as my 450/400, except, the 450/400 is regulated with 400 gr. The Jeff lets me use 450, 400 or 350.

Scotty also take a look at the Vortex Viper PST 1-6x24. Dad had one when I saw him last and it was a very nice fixed scope and it is cheap. I might get one and try in on the 300 H & H, if I ever get back to Africa.

I need to take off now, thanks for talking to/with me Scotty

Best regards

Jamila

Nimrod84. Sir, you were typing at the same time I was and I just saw your post. I have to leave now as they are boarding and if I want to make this flight so must I, but I will get back to you sir. Sorry

Very interesting................... If the brand new loupy of mine takes a crap I might consider the trijicon.............

 

[Nimrod84]

No problem, have a blessed flight.

 

[Dwh7271]

Dewey, one of our concerns when hunting is not the animal that we are looking for that day, but also the animal we might encounter, so we tend to take more gun than we need, especially if we are hunting alone and my mum hates it, when I do that.

Thank you for the reply, Jamila.
A sound practice, enough gun. Fwiw, also the title of a Ruark book.
I was actually enjoying the small bore reference and mentally comparing your small bore concept versus ours. No disrespect intended whatsoever.

April, I think you should out these imbeciles that disparage your posts.

 

[Anonymous]

Dont worry about it Jamila. Scotty is sincerely interested in all things hunting/scopes/rifles/bullets.
He, and others will appreciate your post, as it doesn't matter to them whether they ever use a double, one of those scopes, or even hunt Africa. Just like Hodgemans Moose hunting story. Many will never do that, but we love reading about it

That is one of the things I love about this forum...we've got very savvy folks from all over who can describe and discuss aspects of the shooting sports (and life in general) that i'll never experience...and it makes me a better hunter and shooter as a result.

That's why I don't understand the folks who criticize threads or folks on their contribution. If a thread isn't interesting, I just keep rolling along. If a person isn't interesting or at least informative, I'll just ignore them. But, there's something worth knowing in nearly every thread and we don't have to wade through Interweb drama to mine it for the most part!

This thread has really made me rekindle my interest in aperture sighted rifles. I had a .375 with a setup much like Bear's 338RCM....I didn't realize how much I missed it.

 

[Europe]

Africa Huntress,

Do you or your mother have an impression on the Swaro 1" tubes, like the Z5 series? Given the demands of your hunting and possible encounters with dangerous game, I imagine the family favors 30mm tubes or larger. But if you have an opinion on the Z5 or Z3 series, I would love to hear it.

Europe,

I like peep sights a lot and use them on "fun" / varmint guns, on big game rifles I lose too much hunting time at dusk and dawn if I don't have a scope. Additionally, the owners of 9,000+ acres that I have access to hunt have been trying to manage the Whitetail herd and they have a standing fine of $100 per point less than 8 points (4x4 for Westerners).

After a few fines, I've gone primarily to the now discontinued Zeiss HD5 3-15x44 and 2-10x42 scopes. Before the switch to the HD5 series I purchased a set of used Leica Duovids 8-12 - I figured if I'm paying for an animal I might as well put the money into good glass and stop shooting 5 and 6 pointers.

I place a priority on low magnification for quick or close in shots, brush or bad weather. Magnification above 9 or 10 power generally takes away my confidence in the field due to the shakiness that accompanies buck fever. I do like the higher magnification levels for sizing game and making sure I'm seeing brow tines and not a branch, but 10x seems to provide more magnification than I need for any shot I'm going to take.

Prior to adopting the Zeiss HD5's, I was primarily using a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 and a Leupold 2.5-8x36. I have had a few fixed 4x scopes, but the magnification seemed high for close in shots - for example Coyote at under 10 yards - and also low enough that I couldn't confirm brow tines unless conditions were perfect.

Great information, thank you.

Hodgeman, I agree, tremendous amount of knowledge on this forum. I miss Dr Mike, cheyenne, Gerry, Earle, Don and some of the others who have quit posting regularly, but life has a way of steering us one way and then the other. Loved your moose story/hunt.

Dewey, I also thought her speaking about her 300, like we do the 243 was funny

Scotty, thanks for asking your questions, we got some good info via the conversation between you and her

 

[1100 Remington Man]

I like plan rifle sights with a small white ivory front sight 1/16 inch aim small hit small on some guns. I no you said no .22LR but this is what I use when I was younger to shoot hand thrown shotgun shells in the air.
I like peep sights when I want a little more precision. .22LR and the 30-30 which I have only shot rabbits with.
Centerfire Rifles Rifles and longer range cabability.
.17 HMR 3x9 40mm Balistic Plex is a Prairedog killing machine.
.223 Rem 4.5x14 40mm CDS on Prairedogs sold me on the dialing for distance, so I bought more.
6mm Rem 3x9 40mm I could probably live with a fixed power scope as it sits on 5 power 99% of the time 4 is not enough but 6 is to much where I hunt. Am looking to replace with ?
.264 Win Mag 4.5x14 CDS for delivering the mail at long range Antelope & Deer and soon Caribou.
300 H&H Mag. 3.5x10 CDS for everything but, Bears when I go again I will put my Burris 1.75x5 back on.
Why I like scopes and what I learned hunting Coyotes and Racoons at night, it's a lot easier to shoot them with a scope than hold a light line up sights and shoot, a scope makes it easy peasy even at dawn or dusk.

 

[SJB358]

Cool thread. Learned a bunch.

 

[cloverleaf]

Good thread... Myself I think a fixed 4 (or 6 power if you are consistently "west of the river") is just about perfect. Unfortunately the fixed powers are expensive lately so I have opted for 2-7 Leupolds. That falls into "perfect" for me, close range or longer you are covered. They are generally clear, gather light as late or early as I'm gonna pull a trigger, and most importantly stay where I put them. Im to old to be part of the "dial 'em up" crowd. I sight em in and leave 'em alone for the most part. CL

 

[Blkram]

I started shooting with regular open sights on rimfire and centerfire rifles as a kid, and it wasn't until I was in my 20's before I had the opportunity to shoot a rifle with a scope.

I have a few rifles that are only equipped with open sights, a Ruger 10/22 and a few leverguns, and several rifles with open sights that have scopes mounted on them and so am equipped if the scope fails. Two of them ( my 376 Steyr and 416 Taylor have NECG peeps ready to go on if the scope needs to come off; a Leupold VX3 1.5-5 and Trijicon 1-4 respectively). I have Williams peep sights for two other lever actions. And a ghost ring for my Model 88 in 338 Federal. I have ordered my new Sako 85 LH Hunter in 9.3x62 with open sights.
I still enjoy shooting open sights; just a lot of fun! And a great practice in the event of "just in case".

The only fixed scope I still have is Leupold 2.5 w/ heavy duplex that was on my Marlin 375 Win for years, and is now on my Marlin 41 Rem Mag. Oh, I guess I now have another; the Ruger MkII Competition Target pistol that I just got came with a fixed Leupold 2 EER scope. Have not mounted it or shot it yet. I used to have a Leupold 6x42 scope mounted on my first Rem 700 Classic 6.5x55. Was a great scope and it saw lots of use. Just found I was hunting more woods with it than open terrain, so went to a variable on my second one to have better field of view for closer shots when spot and stalking game.

The remainder of my rifles wear variable scopes, ranging from 1.5-5 to 3-18. Most are 3-10 or 3.5-10 variables. Only two have 50mm objective lenses (Leupold VX-L's that mount lower). Intry to match power ranges to cartridge and application.

I just enjoy shooting various rifles and cartridges in order to learn more about this great past time. And I enjoy harvesting game with them, and seeing the performance of the different cartridges and bullets on game in the field. Lots to learn!

It also helped me when working at the gunstores, as I could draw on first hand experience when assisting clients in selecting their new firearms, scopes and ammunition to be able to go on their own adventures. Experience adds greatly to credibility. Add integrity, and you have the recipe for creating lasting relationships with those new to the sport, as well as to those that have more experience than I. It builds a trust that must be earned and maintained.

 

[69gto]

Like a lot of oldtimers my first rifle had a peep with the small aperature removed before I had enough money for a new rifle with a scope. If I recall in basic training we shot man sized targets out to 350 meters with our M14's with peep sights.

 

[truck driver]

Like a lot of oldtimers my first rifle had a peep with the small aperature removed before I had enough money for a new rifle with a scope. If I recall in basic training we shot man sized targets out to 350 meters with our M14's with peep sights.

69goat; at least thats what we called them back in the day :grin: like you hitting targets way out there with the M14 and the peep seemed easy once you had your battle sight zero figured out. I blew the front sight and flash suppressor off off the one I was issued while on the range and those dang rifles just seemed like you couldn't miss with them and i could still hit targets with out the front sight or did till the DI took it away from me for it being unsafe. I asked him if I was in combat if he would do the same thing and got KP duty for being a smart ass :lol: . Ate good for the next three days :lol:

 

[SJB358]

Like a lot of oldtimers my first rifle had a peep with the small aperature removed before I had enough money for a new rifle with a scope. If I recall in basic training we shot man sized targets out to 350 meters with our M14's with peep sights.

Shoot, I hear them Marines weren't even getting warmed up till the 500 meter line. :lol:

 

[truck driver]

Like a lot of oldtimers my first rifle had a peep with the small aperature removed before I had enough money for a new rifle with a scope. If I recall in basic training we shot man sized targets out to 350 meters with our M14's with peep sights.

Shoot, I hear them Marines weren't even getting warmed up till the 500 meter line. :lol:

Just like a Marine always bragging about something but we all had to qualify out to 500 meters when we had M14s it was when the Mattel pop gun showed up that they cut it back to 350m and then you had to fix bayonets since most the time you had to shootem and stickem to stopem. :grin:

 

[Europe]

Nimrod84. I had reminded Jamila not to forget to answer your question only to find out that she already had given it to you via pm. Since I know her mother well, believe me she never meet a Swarovski Scope she didn't like LOL.

1100 remington man. a 300 H & H man. love it!

Gil, very interesting information, thank you. Your last paragraph is so-so true!

Rodger and Scotty----"The ox is slow but the earth is patient "

 

[Nimrod84]

Europe,

Thank you for looking out for me. Jamila did get me some good info... I'm planning on taking a hard look at the Z5 3.5-18 and gaze through some Z6 (V6's if available) Swaro's in January when I am blessed to go to a big hunting show. I picked up a 280 AI this year that is looking like it will be my primary for many years, as such I want to get some really good glass on it. I have a soft spot for the older Leica ER 3.5-14x42 with a 30mm tube, but that model was discontinued about when the Zeiss HD5's came out and I grabbed two introductory priced HD5's instead of the Leica.

One other example, I should have added to my long rambling post is that I started out bow hunting; so I am used to and prefer to get in close and personal with various critters. This also carries over to sights as I started and still use pins on my bow without a peep, this is the rifle equivalent of iron sights. Probably 10 years ago a doe saw me walking in a field and came to investigate; after I went prone, she came in close enough that I could have poked her with the rifle barrel. I was actually concerned that she would step on me. I shot an 8 point that was following her when he came out of the tree-line about 120 yards away. The key lesson I took from this encounter was that I really need to be able to take a close & urgent shot at all times.

I additionally took up shooting with both eyes open when using higher powered scopes within 100 yards. This has helped a lot with maintaining situational awareness on close animals, switching targets rapidly and keeping up with rutting bucks or unexpected visitors like Coyotes, Porcupines, Raccoons and Bobcats. I also practice out to 500 yards with an M1 Garand and a peep sight, target identification and wind beyond 400 yards are my limiting factors with and without a scope.