open, peep, foxed or variable

Europe · Feb 2, 2019

Ir should say "fixed" in the topic, not "foxed"

A lot has changed since I started hunting and in some ways the more it changes, the more it stays the same.

I have two young ( mid twenties ) female friends. One is an indian girl who hunts to eat, so to speak, that live in the territories of Canada. The other works on a game farm in Namibia.

They both use peep and open more than a scope, but if it is a scope, it is a quick detachable fixed power scope. The young lady in Canada is the one that does most of her hunting with the win 71 348 and the young lady in Africa uses a double, a lot.

My old eyes have demanded a scope for years now, but I prefer a fixed power over a variable ( although some rifles do have variable scopes on them )

I am curious as to what you fellows prefer--for hunting, not shooting btw ----open, peep, fixed, variable or do some of you also prefer to use rifles with quick detachable scopes, so you can use either ( this also works if something was to happen to the scope when in the field )---

Obviously this also depends on where one is hunting and for what game, but was curious as to what you fellows like, in general
"

pgidley · Feb 2, 2019

Here in Canada in many areas that I hunt, 100 yards is at the far end of ranges I would encounter game at. The weight and reliability of a good peep site at that distance just can't be beat. Plus no issues with rain, snow and fog, and it's very quick to get on target shooting with both eyes open.

For bears and whitetail around here I will usually take my Marlin 336 .35 rem with a Williams peep. Hunting cutovers and mixed areas and power lines the old model 70 .270 with a fixed 4x Weaver has always been plenty of scope for me. Just recently I picked up a tikka 25-06 with a 3.5-10x40 vx-3i, but I got it with western hunting in mind.

I have a few friends who are newer to guns and hunting and I always encourage them to get used to iron sites first.

VAspeedgoat · Feb 2, 2019

I'm a variable power guy. I never had any use for open or peep sights since I learned to shoot. I fell in love with the idea of open sights when I hunted Maine while back. I found that despite the idea that it's faster, I was so awkward it was dreadfully slow. I admit this is because I didn't practice. So, a good scope is noticeably faster for me even in typical open/peep sight applications. I generally use a 3-9, 3.5-10 but I find myself rarely adjusting the power lower than six. One thing I have practice over the years is aiming my gun where I'm looking. Sounds simple, but many people are off by a few feet when they pull up a rifle. Hence a lower power helps them get on target. People that can shoot open or peep sure impress the heck out of me though!

VikingsGuy · Feb 2, 2019

My eyes aren't good enough to shoot iron or peep sights anymore. As to variable vs fixed, I am willing to add a little cost and weight in order to have the flexibility of zoom in the field. 3-12 is perfect in my eyes for any big game setting, 4-24 for varmint and paper under 500y, 6-40 for paper over 500y.

375H&H · Feb 2, 2019

25.06 variable scope somewhere around a 3x9.
375H&H detachable scope around 3x9 with Williams fire ghost ring rear sight and front bead. Hard to beat that in any situation.
470 NE foldable rear leaves with front bead.

I am not a bells and whistles person when it comes to scopes and thus don’t understand the draw of the CDS dial system or any of that nonsense. I just leave my scope around 5x and if I have time I may crank it up, but nearly all of my kills are within 100 yards so I rarely need the extra power. If I am concerned about the shot, then I get closer.

Simplicity cannot be over valued in hunting. I would be the guy that couldn’t use a semi auto pistol if a bear was attacking...revolvers only for me.

Europe · Feb 2, 2019

thanks for the responses.

Vikingguy. I have the same problem, my eyes no longer allow me to use iron or peep. But unlike many, all the bells and whistles on scopes just never interested me, so for me, I just stayed with a fixed scope. I should also mention that I never shot paper for fun, as some do, and I never hunted animals over 300 yards, or if I did it was only a few yards further. I did use a 1.7 -10-42 Z6i when hunting Leopard from a blind, as most times your only shots are 5 minutes before it becomes dark and illegal to hunt, and I am glad I did. Great light gathering little scope.

thanks fellows for the replies, interesting

dirtclod Az. · Feb 2, 2019

Always loved peep sights 50+ yrs Not so good... now.3x36 scope works great.
Leave it on 3x unless long range.Stink pigs love my bow!

454 · Feb 2, 2019

I really enjoy using open or peep sights when the conditions allow it. I had an eye injury in Iraq about ten years ago so I have good days and bad days when it comes to using open or peep sights. On my 300 wsm and 243 I keep variable power scopes but on the 45-70 I run a Leupold extended eye relief fixed 2.5 power mounted on the XS Sights rail with Leupold quick release mounts. If I'm wondering around in really thick timber, and my eyes are feeling good, I'll occasionally pop the scope off. The Leupold quick release have been pretty good in my experience. They go back to within 1/2" of original sight in every time I have taken them on or off.

MJE2083 · Feb 2, 2019

Variable scopes for me. I don't see much disadvantage to using them over a fixed power. I do have a lever action without a scope, but I rarely use it. I think I'm just so used to using a scope that the crosshairs and everything come more naturally to me now than iron sights. None of my scopes are quick detach, I trust Leupold.

BrentD · Feb 2, 2019

I use pretty much only barrel sights and tang sights. You might call them peeps, but I like to discriminate from the receiver mounted version. On most of my rifles, the tang sights are vernier scaled so you can dial in a zero just like Randy dials in a zero on his latest Leupold. Also on most of my rifles, I have them set up so I can shoot close with barrel sights (generally zeroed for 100 yds) and then longer distances with the tang sight. There is a trick or three to that, but it is generally doable.

This rifle was set up for 100 yds with barrel sights and 180 with the tang sight. The shot was 165 with the tang sights. Yes, he is a baby.

Europe · Feb 3, 2019

Brent, that is interesting , thanks

Dirtcloudaz-----stink pig---I had forgotten that (-:

I get the feeling after reading several posts that Leupold is the forum's prom queen ?

pgidley · Feb 3, 2019

BrentD said:
I use pretty much only barrel sights and tang sights. You might call them peeps, but I like to discriminate from the receiver mounted version. On most of my rifles, the tang sights are vernier scaled so you can dial in a zero just like Randy dials in a zero on his latest Leupold. Also on most of my rifles, I have them set up so I can shoot close with barrel sights (generally zeroed for 100 yds) and then longer distances with the tang sight. There is a trick or three to that, but it is generally doable.

This rifle was set up for 100 yds with barrel sights and 180 with the tang sight. The shot was 165 with the tang sights. Yes, he is a baby.

Nice old Marlin you've got there. I have a .33 WCF 1895 that I'm hoping to work up a good hunting load for. The tang and barrel sight setup is really fun. I have a tang sight on a 39a, and I'd love it on a centerfire.

BrentD · Feb 3, 2019

pgidley, I have a '95 too. It was a total basket case with a .33 barrel on it. It is now a .45-70. Someday, I'll hunt it, but it is a heck of a big rifle.

Europe · Feb 3, 2019

BrentD said:
pgidley, I have a '95 too. It was a total basket case with a .33 barrel on it. It is now a .45-70. Someday, I'll hunt it, but it is a heck of a big rifle.

Nice !

I should have never mentioned Leupold, as I have been asked privately,

I have nothing against Leupold. In fact ever sense my eyes started dictating the use of a scope, Leupold has been in the mix. We used Leupold, Swarovski, Zeiss, and Trijion most often but there were other brands as well. My personal favorite is Swarovski . They have good light gathering capabilities, excellent field of view, good eye relief, and easy to use---IMHO. I know everyone has their favorites. The last scope I purchased was one of their new Z8i for my daughter.

Brent, in the 45/70 my husband had he liked the 350 and 405 ( I think it was the 405 ) from Alaska Bullet works. I think they called them Kodiak. It is a brute of a gun--far more gun than I was able to handle

noharleyyet · Feb 3, 2019

I get the feeling after reading several posts that Leupold is the forum's prom queen ?

Nope...it's the king....7-08 and 6.5 CM are the co-queens. Grin...

BrentD · Feb 3, 2019

Europe,
The lightest bullet I use is about 430 grs, depending on the alloy I cast them from. The lever guns require fairly short bullets. In my single shots, I usually use 500+ gr bullets or at least 480 and above. The recoils is not bad at at all, but I launch them slowly. They are paper patched and powered by blackpowder. Plenty of velocity for those bullets on any size game. The guns can be heavy, but that depends on what you compare them too. They do carry much more easily than scoped bolt rifles.

My scopes are completely different than what you are used to. With the exception of squirrels, I almost never use them, but this year I took the Unertl off of this .22 Winchester and put it on a highwall .38-72 Winchester and killed a doe antelope with it. These scopes come on and off in less than 20 seconds and dial right into their zeros, so this is very easy to do. I generally prefer Feckers, then Lyman STSs, and Winchesters for targets mostly, but this particular Unertl works very well too.

Europe · Feb 3, 2019

That is a beautiful rifle. You have some very nice rifles.

And you would be correct. From memory I have only used one, on one occasion, shooting whistle pigs.

Also, the clarity of this picture can't be from a smart phone, very clear, beautiful picture.

noharluyyet--touche ! lol

time to get ready to watch the Pats win another Super Bowl (-:

BrentD · Feb 3, 2019

Thank you. It is, perhaps, not my fanciest, but certainly my most dear rifle. It has many oddities and components that make it quite different than a normal lowwall. It is the center rifle, dressed for a schuetzen match below. Different buttplate, hammer, and scope along with the palm ball. It is my rifle for all occasions.

noharleyyet · Feb 3, 2019

Stunning trio Brent....

BrentD · Feb 3, 2019

Thanks. They get a work out.

open, peep, foxed or variable

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