Scout scope vs. iron sights - forest hunting
- Thread starter Shadow9
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dave in maine
New member
the scout scope{leupold} on my marlin 1894 works just fine in the maine woods. other than that i like a reciever sight, or ghost sight.
dave
dave
You didn't say what kind or rifle you will be using??
For 25 to 50 yard, even 75 yards, I would suggest a good red-dot, fast, both eyes open, excelent target aquistion and easy to set up.
If you are snap shooting, or even still shooting, or even tree stand shooting, during dawn, dusk or even noon, still a very good way to go.
Jim
Now having said that. I like a little more range 75 to 125 yards and use a 3-9x40mm scope set to 3x 80% of the time. As you will note, I have see through rings on the rifle and at 25 yards, I go straight to irons.
For 25 to 50 yard, even 75 yards, I would suggest a good red-dot, fast, both eyes open, excelent target aquistion and easy to set up.
If you are snap shooting, or even still shooting, or even tree stand shooting, during dawn, dusk or even noon, still a very good way to go.
Jim
Now having said that. I like a little more range 75 to 125 yards and use a 3-9x40mm scope set to 3x 80% of the time. As you will note, I have see through rings on the rifle and at 25 yards, I go straight to irons.
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trg42wraglefragle
New member
Scope will be a lot better in low light conditions.
scout scope
This is my scout gun. A Marlin 375 in .375 winchester with a Pentax 1.75 x 5 x 20mm. low power is great and has a wide field of view for the western wa. woods, but I can still dial it up for long range(250 yards is a long shot here). this gun is light, powerful, and handy.
. no red dots allowed here in washington.
This is my scout gun. A Marlin 375 in .375 winchester with a Pentax 1.75 x 5 x 20mm. low power is great and has a wide field of view for the western wa. woods, but I can still dial it up for long range(250 yards is a long shot here). this gun is light, powerful, and handy.
. no red dots allowed here in washington.
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bamaranger
New member
scope
I believe either 'scope will be superior to an "iron sights" in about any circumstances, w/ a rifle or carbine, and provided the 'scope is of fair quality and mounted well, and of correct magnification for the job its tasked with. We are even seeing optical sights on shotguns and handguns these days.
REgards a conventionally mounted low power variable and a "scout scope"...
I have a Savage Scout w/a scout scope and coarse reticle and am pretty much convinced I shoot it better (more quickly and accurately) in snap shots, than I do a conventional scope.
But.......not by much. And a conventional low power variable, cranked up to 5x or even 7x on some models, likley has an edge on the scout at longer ranges.
I can tell you for certain that I can see and shoot, w/ a scout or a low variable, better in bad light, than w/ any peep or iron sight arrangement.
And...although I have mounted a white light on my duty carbine, I have little to no experience with dot or battery powered sights on firearms.
I believe either 'scope will be superior to an "iron sights" in about any circumstances, w/ a rifle or carbine, and provided the 'scope is of fair quality and mounted well, and of correct magnification for the job its tasked with. We are even seeing optical sights on shotguns and handguns these days.
REgards a conventionally mounted low power variable and a "scout scope"...
I have a Savage Scout w/a scout scope and coarse reticle and am pretty much convinced I shoot it better (more quickly and accurately) in snap shots, than I do a conventional scope.
But.......not by much. And a conventional low power variable, cranked up to 5x or even 7x on some models, likley has an edge on the scout at longer ranges.
I can tell you for certain that I can see and shoot, w/ a scout or a low variable, better in bad light, than w/ any peep or iron sight arrangement.
And...although I have mounted a white light on my duty carbine, I have little to no experience with dot or battery powered sights on firearms.
I have to agree with the scope as bamaranger describes. A scope set on 1x, 2x or 3x power has a wide field of view and is much better in the shadows or lowering light in the woods. And if you can crank it up to 7x or 9x then you see if those are antlers or a tree branch/twigs.
My Dad always insisted on having iron sights on his rifles as back ups and I have continued that. But the first choice is to use the scope. The scopes nowadays are so good even at the low-middle range that the light gathering and clarity beats irons hands down.
Hunt with it on 1x or 2x for the close in snap shot. If you see something 100 yds or more away (rare in thick forest) then you should have a few seconds to crank it to 7x. A fixed 4x scope is a good all around, too.
My Dad always insisted on having iron sights on his rifles as back ups and I have continued that. But the first choice is to use the scope. The scopes nowadays are so good even at the low-middle range that the light gathering and clarity beats irons hands down.
Hunt with it on 1x or 2x for the close in snap shot. If you see something 100 yds or more away (rare in thick forest) then you should have a few seconds to crank it to 7x. A fixed 4x scope is a good all around, too.
Love shooting with iron sights at the range, and I do OK with them. But that's broad daylight, and just shouldering a rifle and trying to acquire the sights at dawn or dusk tells me I need a scope for my hunting to be successful.
Lower the power the better, for me. 1-4 is about perfect for most things from squirrel to deer at close to medium range.
Lower the power the better, for me. 1-4 is about perfect for most things from squirrel to deer at close to medium range.
10Ringmagic
New member
I use a Ruger Mini-30 7.62X39mm as my "swamp gun" here in northern Michigan. A Bausch & Lomb 2X7 Compact scope was my chosen set up for many years, but then I decided to try an Ashley "ghost ring" rear sight, and fell in love with it for such short distances. It is way faster at finding the target at close ranges vs. a scope.
Kreyzhorse
New member
I've always prefered a 3x9 even in the thick Kentucky woods. My shots have always been between 40 and 75 yards.
To scope or not, it really is what you are comfortable with and what you practice with.
To scope or not, it really is what you are comfortable with and what you practice with.
My favorite scope for the conditions you described is a 1.5 to 4.5x variable. I have also taken deer at those ranges with a red dot, including a shot from a stand right handed (I shoot lefty) due to my position in the tree. For quick, short to medium range shots the red dot is hard to beat but I didn't like the fact that both my gun and myself were capable of better groups than the diameter of the dot allowed when you got out to 80 yds or more. The deer would still be dead, but I just couldn't get the thought out of my head and went back to a scope.