Iron sighted gun

team muddy creek

Twelve Pointer
I am wanting some options for my wife, she has a problem seeing deer in the scope of her centerfire rifel. It seems all the deer she sees are at close range. She had a nice buck come in close this afternoon. She had just set down and the rascal walked up within 40yards. She said she couldn't get him in her scope fast enough. I am thinking a semi- auto or a pump with iron sights. She thinks her Remington 870 with Tru-ball slugs will work. I would perfer a centerfire. What do ya'll think.

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41magfan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Before resorting to iron sights, I'd consider a quality LPV (1-4x for example) with generous eye-relief and a large FOV. Before going to irons, I'd rather go with a good RDS. If it's got to be a iron sight, I'd go with a Ghost ring (aperture) sight like the XS design.

Of course none of this will be optimal if the gun doesn't fit. I'm a decent sized guy and most factory rifles have a LOP that is too long to suit me. You can make anything work from the bench, but the gun needs to really "fit" when shooting from field positions or when forced to shoot under any time restraint.
 
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g3trappernc

Twelve Pointer
Remington 760 or 7600 with see through scope mounts. Deadly rifle and highly prized by the guys the drive for deer and bear in PA. Hate I had to sell mine especially so cheap, but it went to someone on here. .35 Whelen.

Have the scope if you have time, but can drop down to the iron sights in an instant.
 

Longrifle

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
A red dot with a flip-up magnifier might be a solution, especially if her shots are close to medium range.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
I would slap a holo sight on her shotgun and let her have at it. They are so easy and you can shoot with both eyes open. That would be the best way to go


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nchawkeye

Old Mossy Horns
People not used to scopes can have problems...A good solution is to get her a .22 with a scope and let her learn to squirrel hunt, after killing a few hundred using a scope will be a cinch...Astigmatism has nothing to do with how she sees through a scope, I've had it for decades...I would never go to see through mounts, they are a pitiful excuse for hunters that never learned how to use a scope or pay enough money for a reliable scope...

There is nothing wrong with deer hunting with iron sights, both of my flintlocks have them and I'm able to shoot squirrels in the head or deer in the lungs...Her 870 would do just fine or simply get her a Marlin 30-30, that might fit her even better than the 870...We tend to make things too complicated with deer hunting, the fact is, most of us would do just fine with an open sighted 30-30...The good thing is, you have about 10 months to play with it and figure it out...
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If she really likes her current gun get a 1-4x20 or 2-7x33 and mount it in as low rings as possible. Most of my deer are shot at 40 yards or less. Either set at 2x will get her on target fast. I don't even turn mine up up higher unless I get the rare longer shot.
 

JBGrizzley

Eight Pointer
For shorter shots or places i dont want to use my 7mm Rem Mag i carry a Marlin 336 in 35 Remington wearing Williams peep sights. Plenty of power and accurate. Does the trick nicely in a swamp
 

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genbud78

Ten Pointer
If she has astigmatism a red dot may be an issue. All the red dots I had looked more like a star and not a dot so I had a difficult time with them. A prism sight may work for her since the magnification isn't very high and the reticle can be illuminated if needed. My prism has a slight shadow when alluminated bc of my astigmatism but not nearly as bad as the red dots I had.

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41magnum

Twelve Pointer
4-12 is way too much scope for the woods...IME....where a long shot could be 100 yds or less...or even 150.
When deer walk under us at 4 yds they are nearly worthless.
I agree completely with 45/70 on a 1x4 or 2x7 or 1.5x5 (like I just sold) since we need more field of view at short range in timber.

Learning to keep BOTH EYES OPEN during initial scope alignment on target has helped me a lot over the years, too, and very may could help her.
 
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41magnum

Twelve Pointer
...I would also suggest PRACTICING from a stand at 10 yds and 30 and 50....just like Dad did with me.

Then we learn thru experience and more apt to retain that knowledge.

She (and anyone) will see how LOW the bullet goes at 10-50 yds compared to where we "think" it goes.
 

klim

Twelve Pointer
I don’t know how far her shots are. I’d would look at Kick’s buckicker with buckshot, of course you would have to test different buckshot brands. Now with that being said I just started reloading my own buckshot and I wouldn’t be afraid to take shots up to 60 yards.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
Take a look at a large FOV low power scope. Like a 1.5-6x42 Kahles/Zeiss or 1.8-5.5x38 Zeiss. Good glass, low power, large ocular/FOV may be the ticket. It’s not the easiest to find to try before you buy though. I tried it all with first son and that was by far the best. Other options above are great suggestions. Really depends on your environment/conditions. I like sights, red dot, etc. until I’m peering into dark brush or poor visibility. I was surprised how easy my Son got behind the 1.5-6. I’d make sure it’s a 38+mm as well. For design reasons beyond me the larger objectives are made with larger oculars that give better FOV and eye-box. With a scope novice a forgiving eye box is critical IME and often overlooked for other specs.
 

aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
A 4X scope is more than enough for close woods shooting, and something like a 2X or 1.5X is usually better.

Sometimes the answer is practice: the ability to quickly acquire a target in a scope takes time & effort. Maybe all she needs is to practice mounting and acquiring a sight picture (with an empty rifle).
 

Greg

Old Mossy Horns
I've got a 1.5-4 power scope on my favorite woods rifle. I keep it at 1.5 unless I decide to dial it up a bit for that rare >60 yard shot. The main reason I have a scope on it is for low light. If not for that, I'd shoot open / peep.
 

FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
Take a look at a large FOV low power scope. Like a 1.5-6x42 Kahles/Zeiss or 1.8-5.5x38 Zeiss. Good glass, low power, large ocular/FOV may be the ticket. It’s not the easiest to find to try before you buy though. I tried it all with first son and that was by far the best. Other options above are great suggestions. Really depends on your environment/conditions. I like sights, red dot, etc. until I’m peering into dark brush or poor visibility. I was surprised how easy my Son got behind the 1.5-6. I’d make sure it’s a 38+mm as well. For design reasons beyond me the larger objectives are made with larger oculars that give better FOV and eye-box. With a scope novice a forgiving eye box is critical IME and often overlooked for other specs.

Nope. Your objective lens can be as big around as a large soup can but it won't change your FOV any.

"Field of view (FOV) is measured in feet at 100 yards. This is the amount of view you see through your scope from right to left at that distance. As magnification is increased, FOV goes down. As magnification is decreased, FOV goes up. For instance, a typical 3X variable scope might have a FOV at 100 yards of a bit over 30 feet, and at 9X, the FOV would be around 14 feet. A larger objective lens diameter will not change these figures. Field of view is directly related to the construction of the eyepiece." - https://www.opticsplanet.com/howto/how-to-choose-a-riflescope-field-of-view.html

<>< Fish
 

41magfan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I've been using LPV's on my woods guns for several decades now and my latest acquisition is the absolute BOMB! If you're considering something on the low-end of magnification give it a look. At the lowest setting, it works like a RDS so you can readily shoot with both eyes open. The FOV is great and the eye relief is very forgiving. I was impressed enough with the 1.25-4 that I got another one; a 2-7. I'm more than impressed with the FireDot reticle in these two VX-R series scopes.

https://www.leupold.com/scopes/compact-scopes/vx-r-1-25-4x20mm

 

FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
Thanks for all the replys, idk which rout we may take. We have all year to figure it out.

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The sooner the better for her hunting. You could start her on targets or predators with the new sight and be ready when the next deer season rolls around.

<>< Fish
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
Nope. Your objective lens can be as big around as a large soup can but it won't change your FOV any.

"Field of view (FOV) is measured in feet at 100 yards. This is the amount of view you see through your scope from right to left at that distance. As magnification is increased, FOV goes down. As magnification is decreased, FOV goes up. For instance, a typical 3X variable scope might have a FOV at 100 yards of a bit over 30 feet, and at 9X, the FOV would be around 14 feet. A larger objective lens diameter will not change these figures. Field of view is directly related to the construction of the eyepiece." - https://www.opticsplanet.com/howto/how-to-choose-a-riflescope-field-of-view.html

<>< Fish

Yup, re-read my post. I’m not a 3-9x50 type. What I said was “Ocular” gave FOV but Designers for reasons I’m not familiar with tend to put larger Ocular on larger objectives in low power Euro designs and also that relationship to the proverbial “Forgiving Eyebox”.

If you look back years ago we had a long discussion in Optical Theory when I was working at a Next Gen Concentrator Optics company and had the best and brightest Optical Theorists to ask questions. I’ve probably forgotten most of the little I actually knew back then.

My recommendation is still a Kahles/Zeiss 1.5-6x42 for the large FOV and “Forgiving Eye Box”(catch all term but commonly used and easier than going in weeds)
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
There may even be some links to scope design from a Science application perspective. I recall Schnells law being covered but my memory is poor at best so I may have to dig up that thread and review myself.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
I recall a very late night discussion with the two Woodchucks that taught me to hunt. Both swear by 3-9x50 on everything. After an hour of trying to explain a bullet crosses your point of aim twice in a hundred yards I gave up so maybe I just suck at articulating thoughts.

The difference between a Woodchuck, Hillbilly, and Redneck and the status hierarchy between is a much longer, murkier topic than scopes FOV?
 
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