What rifle for hunting with irons?

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For hunting with irons, I use an old Winchester 94 30-30 with a lyman rear peep sight. I can hit a balloon at 200, but I doubt I'd stretch it much beyond that, and I've never actually taken a deer with it.
That’s what I think of when I think of lever rifles
 

Pdzoller

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IMG_6758.jpegIMG_6761.jpegIMG_6760.jpegIMG_6759.jpegSavage model 99 in .308, using Norma Alaska 180g. I can’t remember what company made the peep sight.
Favorite rifle for hunting thick brush and timber. It handles fast and hits really hard. Previously owned by my wife’s Grandfather and then father who gifted it to me before he passed.
 

z987k

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I really like my 1892 Chiappa wild lands takedown in 44 mag.

Skinner irons on it. Scout location pic rail if you want to put a red dot or scout scope on it. Threaded barrel for your ears. Fits in my backpack.

Range is a bit limited with 44, but they make another model with the same features in 45-70.
 

Obsessed1

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View attachment 646843View attachment 646844View attachment 646845View attachment 646846Savage model 99 in .308, using Norma Alaska 180g. I can’t remember what company made the peep sight.
Favorite rifle for hunting thick brush and timber. It handles fast and hits really hard. Previously owned by my wife’s Grandfather and then father who gifted it to me before he passed.
Thats a marbles bullseye....great sight. I run them on a couple lever action 22s as well as a midland in 30-06. As for open sights i love huntung with open sight.
I have peeps (tang and receiver) ghost rings, bullseyes, and express sights. Blades and beads for front sights.
The most accurate will be a blade up front and a peep on the receiver. But for fast up close action its either express with a good visible bead or a ghost ring with a wide front post. I shoot rimfire out to 500yds with peeps on 24x24 steel and CF out to 1k on 36" targets with a 12" bull..
I run open sights on lever guns as well as bolt actions. Most of my general duty rifles are equipped with usable open sights zeroed for ideal MPBR / caliber/ game hunted even if equipped with a scope.
 

robtattoo

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I would probably go M14

Oooof no.
I wanted one for yeeeears. Bought one 2 years ago & I think I had it for a month before I offloaded it.
It's got the ergonomic of a 3x3 & weighs just shy of 13lb. The mag digs in when you sling it & gets in the way if you hand carry it.
I'm sure it's a useful fighting rifle, but as a hunting gun, no.
 
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Oooof no.
I wanted one for yeeeears. Bought one 2 years ago & I think I had it for a month before I offloaded it.
It's got the ergonomic of a 3x3 & weighs just shy of 13lb. The mag digs in when you sling it & gets in the way if you hand carry it.
I'm sure it's a useful fighting rifle, but as a hunting gun, no.
But Dude.

You looked awesome. 😉
 

Anschutz

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Thought I was losing my mind and getting golf and hunting mixed up when I saw thread title.
Well, the approach is important. In golf or hunting with iron sights, but especially when sneaking up in Bambi with a Callaway.

OP, there are a ton of good options out there. I think every rifle with a shorter contour barrel should have good irons. Iron sights are pretty personal, what your eye likes, mine may not. I hate a gold or brass bead in a Buckhorn because my eye constantly changes focus.

My favorite open sighted hunting rifle is a Ruger No. 1. Before I hunt with it, NECG will be getting some of my money for a peep rear and partridge front sight. A Ruger M77 or Model 70 would also interest me as would a Tikka Battue or Arctic. I did see that EuroOptic has a new Tikka with irons. It was the Gaboon when I first saw it but now it's the Ranahan. Comes in .350 Legend or .223 and looks to have a Roughtech stock.



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Gorp2007

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I’d get a peep as close to an M1 or M16 as possible and I’d echo that just rolling with an M1 is the coolest way to do it. Load up some M1-safe 150gr soft points and you’re off to the races.
 

Unckebob

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Snowwolfe

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Peep sights. I shot my first grizzly with a peep on a Rem 700
Shot an adult bull bison with a 1895 in .405 Winchester using a peep.
Peep sights are capable of shooting MOA groups, or better, at 100 yards.
 

Nine Banger

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My favorite open sighted hunting rifle is a Ruger No. 1. Before I hunt with it, NECG will be getting some of my money for a peep rear and partridge front sight. A Ruger M77 or Model 70 would also interest me as would a Tikka Battue or Arctic.

I have their older patridge sight that is bronze. It seems to have been replaced with a white striped blade.

I went with the Skinner sight for the rear though.
 

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I was going to suggest a low profile peep with easily adjustable apertures and/or notches set at the rear of the action, but that arctic Tikka would be the ticket with those sights.
 

Caseknife

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Peruse the gun shop used racks and the pawn shops. Seems that it has only been in the last 20 years or so that manufacturers have eliminated the iron sights. Lots of older guns out there with very functional iron sights. I prefer receiver mounted peep sights. Leave the pan in for target or long range shooting and remove it for close quarter/timber hunting. The eye naturally centers the sight, original ghost ring.
 

Choupique

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Rifles carry about a million times better without a scope and weigh a lot less. I dont know what made us transition to everything needing a scope for every use. Good irons are great.
 
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