What rifle for hunting with irons?

[FLS]

Winchester 64 with a Redfield peep

 

[Weldor]

Mannlicher- schoener 1952 spoon handle 257 roberts with folding leaf style sights. larger leaf is for 300 if you can see that far. I can see a large piece of white paper, deer not so sure. The front dot blocks it out pretty good. At 100 its great.

 

[Chris_in_Idaho]

OP, what type of hunting and what terrain are you planning to do with your iron sights?

 

[robtattoo]

Reeeally old school cool......

Twin rear leaf setup for 100 & 300 meters, tiny gold bead front blade.

 

[TaperPin]

The barrel is still waiting to get installed, but it will be interesting to see how accurate those wide shallow V’s are - I’m not optimistic, but even at minute-of-elephant it will be fun

 

[robtattoo]

At 300? Elephant vitals is about right
At 100 & in, you might be surprised. Both my 9.3s will shoot 2 moa with a 6 o'clock hold. And that's with really fat ivory front beads.

 

[TaperPin]

This post made me face the fact I have never had a good long range peep sight setup for a hunting rifle. I’ve had a crude backup sight, and a ghost ring on a bear gun, but never anything that would shoot well at longer ranges, and be tough enough.

I‘ve looked at aluminum peep sights on other people’s bolt guns, and a little finger pressure can visibly bend the arm - seems good enough, but steel just seems like a better material.

Looking at what the military issued on m24/m40 rifles, it seems like the Redfield “Palma” model was the latest mentioned. Newer sights are used on military competition rifles, but those seem to match current competition trends. Palma sights are at least $250, but going back a generation to the “International Match” or “Olympic Match” cuts those prices by half and still seem super solid. The Redfield model 75 was sold alongside those sights as a less expensive more basic target model. I pictured the 75 as being popular in 4H clubs and basic marksmanship, while the others sights were favored by top shooters of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and maybe early 80’s. After that other more complicated sights from other companies took over for target shooters.

These sights don’t mount directly to the gun, but to a mounting plate screwed on the left side of the receiver, that remains on the rifle. Most mounting plates have a number of different holes so the sight can be placed at different distances from your eye. These plates are/were also available in different heights.

I‘ve heard and read different specs for adjustment clicks - some older ones were 1/4 moa or 1/8 moa, while newer Palma models might have been available in moa as well as mil.

I ordered the International sight in the first picture because it was in good shape, half price of the Palma model, came with a mounting plate matching factory holes for Rem 700/Win 70. The left side of the scale goes up 60 moa, and the right side is blank so a person could mark out yardages for their rifle.

The second picture is a Palma and appears thicker and built like a tank. They are easy to spot because the verticals adjustment slides in a large dovetail and the threaded peep hole is under slung.

The third picture is a model 75, and is probably just as useful as the other two on a hunting rifle.

I was shocked at how few mounting plates are floating around - someone somewhere probably still makes plates for various guns, but I haven’t found them yet.

 

[TaperPin]

At 300? Elephant vitals is about right
At 100 & in, you might be surprised. Both my 9.3s will shoot 2 moa with a 6 o'clock hold. And that's with really fat ivory front beads.
View attachment 647126

That’s cool! I forgot these are shot with big beads. Where in the V does the big bead usually go? Does it rest on the bottom of the V or is it centered with the top of the V, or is the bead sized large enough so it does both?

I still refer people to your thread about installing the barrel band - really makes for a classic vintage look. I haven’t tried it yet, but have a front sight base that will be my first victim. Lol

 

[robtattoo]

I snug the bottom of the bead into the bottom of the V.
The top of the bead doesn't quite line up with the top of the V's ears, but it's close enough that it's a very fast & instinctive sight picture to pick up. Not quite as quick as a ghost ring, but pretty damn close & it gives a pretty generous margin for error.
For really close up pig hunting in thick palmetto, where shots are more likely to be measured in feet (which i guess is the poor man's version of kicking Buffalo out of elephant grass & mopani thickets) it's perfect.
They're not really designed to be precision sights.

 

[robtattoo]

Not the best photo, but basically this.....

 

[TaperPin]

I snug the bottom of the bead into the bottom of the V.
The top of the bead doesn't quite line up with the top of the V's ears, but it's close enough that it's a very fast & instinctive sight picture to pick up. Not quite as quick as a ghost ring, but pretty damn close & it gives a pretty generous margin for error.
For really close up pig hunting in thick palmetto, where shots are more likely to be measured in feet (which i guess is the poor man's version of kicking Buffalo out of elephant grass & mopani thickets) it's perfect.
They're not really designed to be precision sights.

I’ll try that! It’s such a funny feeling to pick up a rifle and not even know how to line up the sights. Lol

 

[MichaelC]

This post made me face the fact I have never had a good long range peep sight setup for a hunting rifle. I’ve had a crude backup sight, and a ghost ring on a bear gun, but never anything that would shoot well at longer ranges, and be tough enough.

I‘ve looked at aluminum peep sights on other people’s bolt guns, and a little finger pressure can visibly bend the arm - seems good enough, but steel just seems like a better material.

Looking at what the military issued on m24/m40 rifles, it seems like the Redfield “Palma” model was the latest mentioned. Newer sights are used on military competition rifles, but those seem to match current competition trends. Palma sights are at least $250, but going back a generation to the “International Match” or “Olympic Match” cuts those prices by half and still seem super solid. The Redfield model 75 was sold alongside those sights as a less expensive more basic target model. I pictured the 75 as being popular in 4H clubs and basic marksmanship, while the others sights were favored by top shooters of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and maybe early 80’s. After that other more complicated sights from other companies took over for target shooters.

These sights don’t mount directly to the gun, but to a mounting plate screwed on the left side of the receiver, that remains on the rifle. Most mounting plates have a number of different holes so the sight can be placed at different distances from your eye. These plates are/were also available in different heights.

I‘ve heard and read different specs for adjustment clicks - some older ones were 1/4 moa or 1/8 moa, while newer Palma models might have been available in moa as well as mil.

I ordered the International sight in the first picture because it was in good shape, half price of the Palma model, came with a mounting plate matching factory holes for Rem 700/Win 70. The left side of the scale goes up 60 moa, and the right side is blank so a person could mark out yardages for their rifle.

The second picture is a Palma and appears thicker and built like a tank. They are easy to spot because the verticals adjustment slides in a large dovetail and the threaded peep hole is under slung.

The third picture is a model 75, and is probably just as useful as the other two on a hunting rifle.

I was shocked at how few mounting plates are floating around - someone somewhere probably still makes plates for various guns, but I haven’t found them yet.

View attachment 647131View attachment 647132View attachment 647134

As a Palma shooter, it’s cool to see those old sights. I have one of those redfield sights on my 22. Here is what modern palma rear sights look like.

This post made me face the fact I have never had a good long range peep sight setup for a hunting rifle. I’ve had a crude backup sight, and a ghost ring on a bear gun, but never anything that would shoot well at longer ranges, and be tough enough.

I‘ve looked at aluminum peep sights on other people’s bolt guns, and a little finger pressure can visibly bend the arm - seems good enough, but steel just seems like a better material.

Looking at what the military issued on m24/m40 rifles, it seems like the Redfield “Palma” model was the latest mentioned. Newer sights are used on military competition rifles, but those seem to match current competition trends. Palma sights are at least $250, but going back a generation to the “International Match” or “Olympic Match” cuts those prices by half and still seem super solid. The Redfield model 75 was sold alongside those sights as a less expensive more basic target model. I pictured the 75 as being popular in 4H clubs and basic marksmanship, while the others sights were favored by top shooters of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and maybe early 80’s. After that other more complicated sights from other companies took over for target shooters.

These sights don’t mount directly to the gun, but to a mounting plate screwed on the left side of the receiver, that remains on the rifle. Most mounting plates have a number of different holes so the sight can be placed at different distances from your eye. These plates are/were also available in different heights.

I‘ve heard and read different specs for adjustment clicks - some older ones were 1/4 moa or 1/8 moa, while newer Palma models might have been available in moa as well as mil.

I ordered the International sight in the first picture because it was in good shape, half price of the Palma model, came with a mounting plate matching factory holes for Rem 700/Win 70. The left side of the scale goes up 60 moa, and the right side is blank so a person could mark out yardages for their rifle.

The second picture is a Palma and appears thicker and built like a tank. They are easy to spot because the verticals adjustment slides in a large dovetail and the threaded peep hole is under slung.

The third picture is a model 75, and is probably just as useful as the other two on a hunting rifle.

I was shocked at how few mounting plates are floating around - someone somewhere probably still makes plates for various guns, but I haven’t found them yet.

View attachment 647131View attachment 647132View attachment 647134

those old sights are super cool. Here is what modern rear Palma sights look like. They do however cost the same as a new NF NSX.

This post made me face the fact I have never had a good long range peep sight setup for a hunting rifle. I’ve had a crude backup sight, and a ghost ring on a bear gun, but never anything that would shoot well at longer ranges, and be tough enough.

I‘ve looked at aluminum peep sights on other people’s bolt guns, and a little finger pressure can visibly bend the arm - seems good enough, but steel just seems like a better material.

Looking at what the military issued on m24/m40 rifles, it seems like the Redfield “Palma” model was the latest mentioned. Newer sights are used on military competition rifles, but those seem to match current competition trends. Palma sights are at least $250, but going back a generation to the “International Match” or “Olympic Match” cuts those prices by half and still seem super solid. The Redfield model 75 was sold alongside those sights as a less expensive more basic target model. I pictured the 75 as being popular in 4H clubs and basic marksmanship, while the others sights were favored by top shooters of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and maybe early 80’s. After that other more complicated sights from other companies took over for target shooters.

These sights don’t mount directly to the gun, but to a mounting plate screwed on the left side of the receiver, that remains on the rifle. Most mounting plates have a number of different holes so the sight can be placed at different distances from your eye. These plates are/were also available in different heights.

I‘ve heard and read different specs for adjustment clicks - some older ones were 1/4 moa or 1/8 moa, while newer Palma models might have been available in moa as well as mil.

I ordered the International sight in the first picture because it was in good shape, half price of the Palma model, came with a mounting plate matching factory holes for Rem 700/Win 70. The left side of the scale goes up 60 moa, and the right side is blank so a person could mark out yardages for their rifle.

The second picture is a Palma and appears thicker and built like a tank. They are easy to spot because the verticals adjustment slides in a large dovetail and the threaded peep hole is under slung.

The third picture is a model 75, and is probably just as useful as the other two on a hunting rifle.

I was shocked at how few mounting plates are floating around - someone somewhere probably still makes plates for various guns, but I haven’t found them yet.

View attachment 647131View attachment 647132View attachment 647134

Here is what modern palma sights look like. They cost about the same as a new NF NSX.

 

[robby denning]

Might have already been mentioned, but I've had good luck with the XS Ghost Peep on a muzzleloader, with the rear aperature that is threaded to run different sized aperatures. (Brownells sells the aps)

hunted to 150 with it, but have practiced to 300 yds

 

[TaperPin]

Reeeally old school cool......
View attachment 647098
Twin rear leaf setup for 100 & 300 meters, tiny gold bead front blade.

That half octagon barrel is super cool. . . and the pistol grip. . . and are those double set triggers? That rifle was a good find for sure.

 

[wyobigbuckhunter]

Not that it is practical, but I inherited an open site, 30-40 Krag that was a WW1 service rifle from my grandfather. It was a rifle that was passed down to him from an uncle. He was an outfitter in western Wyoming for 30 years and the stories that he would tell of big bucks that he harvested with this rifle are mind blowing. For sentimental reasons, I would like to harvest a giant buck with 30-40 Krag in memory of him. 2024?

 

[Anschutz]

As a Palma shooter, it’s cool to see those old sights. I have one of those redfield sights on my 22. Here is what modern palma rear sights look like.

those old sights are super cool. Here is what modern rear Palma sights look like. They do however cost the same as a new NF NSX.

Here is what modern palma sights look like. They cost about the same as a new NF NSX.

Nice Eliseo. I've got one in 6BR that I need to get a .308 Palma Barrel and sights for.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[robtattoo]

Yessir, double sets on a Mauser '98, dated between 1898 & 1901. Rebored to 9x57 sometime after WW1, then stolen from the Oberndorf Proof house before WW2 (no date there) probably by a guy named Paul Schüler (scratched signature on the bottom flat that doesn't corresponding to any of the known or documented owners in Germany) It next shows up in Alaska in 1945..... liberation
The guy I bought it from bought it in 1958, so it's quite possibly a 4 (legal) owner gun, me included!
Shoots around 2½" at 100yds with factory Kynoch ammo. My reloads are no better, but I had to match factory stuff for the fixed sights.
Good enough for me!

 

[TaperPin]

As a Palma shooter, it’s cool to see those old sights. I have one of those redfield sights on my 22. Here is what modern palma rear sights look like.

those old sights are super cool. Here is what modern rear Palma sights look like. They do however cost the same as a new NF NSX.

Here is what modern palma sights look like. They cost about the same as a new NF NSX.

Thanks for sharing the sight setup - very nice.

Not that it is practical, but I inherited an open site, 30-40 Krag that was a WW1 service rifle from my grandfather. It was a rifle that was passed down to him from an uncle. He was an outfitter in western Wyoming for 30 years and the stories that he would tell of big bucks that he harvested with this rifle are mind blowing. For sentimental reasons, I would like to harvest a giant buck with 30-40 Krag in memory of him. 2024?

You’re living in the right place to make that happen!

Even the old world record John Plute elk was taken with a 30-40 krag.

 

[24on48hunting]

If shots are within reasonable distance, I’d opt for a Sako 85S Black Bear in .308 with the fast acquisition iron sights. I have a set for mine but threading the barrel required having to alter the front sight to get it to fit behind my can. They’re in a bag in my safe now.
For shots at longer ranges I’d want a rear peep sight.

 

[MuleyFever]

OP, what type of hunting and what terrain are you planning to do with your iron sights?

Typical SW mountain terrain, Pinyon/Juniper.