Open Sights vs. Scope on BLR?

[UMFAN1]

Question to Lever action hunters here: Which would you prefer for hunting, Open Sights or a Scope on a BLR in .358Win.? Most of my shots at deer come within 75 yards.

[Blackhawk44]

A good 2.5 to 3 power would be the cat's meow.  May have to research a little to find a new one or search the web for an older 3x Leupold or K2.5 or K3 Weaver.  As well as I get along with peeps, these would be as fast or faster on target, be handy for the occasional long shot.and gather lots of light over a peep.  3X will do all you need up to 300 yards or more.  We're just getting spoiled with higher power getting cheaper.  Its easy to get more power than you need.

[Rick Teal]

I preferred using open sights on my BLR in .358, however, as my eyes began to fail, I made several switches in the sights on my gun (getting coarser).  Finally I settled on a red dot sight that I still use.

Most of my shots are between 30 and 50 yds with very few being over 75.

[C A Plater]

Of the 4 lever guns I currently have, two have Williams FP apeture sights, one a Marble tang sight and one is scoped.  The scoped one is a Marlin .35 Remington and I was fortunate to find an unused in the box steel tube Weaver K-3.  I find at 50 yards it makes no difference at the range weather I have a scope or a peep sight but at 100 there is an edge that the scope has the makes the groups smaller.   Low light conditions generally favor the iron sights for me.  I sometimes have trouble finding the deer in the scope due to loss of depth perception and contrast at dawn and dusk.   However, if there is an occasional 150 yard opportunity, the scope is the way.   If the .358 were mine, I would probably scope it with a low power fixed or variable less than 4x power.   The .358 is an easy 200 yard capable round and I'd like that option available and it wouldn't add much weight or make the rifle unwieldy.

That's my 2 cents anyway.
Courtney

[markc]

there may not be much need of a scope on your rifles at the range at 50 yds or so, I personally find that in the hunting woods and fields, especially in less than bright light conditions, a good quality low power scope makes me a better shot.  A better shot is less likely to wound and or lose game animals.  If the game animal happens to be a dangerous one, then the better shot is less likely to become the hunted rather than the hunter.   Even 75 yards is a long way when the sky is cloudy or the woods deep and dark.  My opinion is to scope it.
markc

[UMFAN1]

Thanks for all the great replies. I think I'll try a 4X scope. Thanks again!

[Mikey]

UNFAN1:  for those situations in which you wish you had a scope but did not you will probably want to find a big tree to bang your head against.  Even if your shots may be within 75 yds, as markc said, it gives you a greater advantage and allows a better shot.  In the event that you see the trophy, or harvest of your dreams, all the way out to 150 yds, you would benefit from a scope for that shot.

I have found, as most of my shots will be within 150 yds, that a low range variable of fixed power scope is preferable.  I just purchased a Bushnell 1.5-4.5 Dawn-Dusk scope to replace an older junk scope that went belly up and I am still amazed and quite pleased with the amount of light gathering and clarity even at just the 1.5 power out to about 150 yds.  

Bushnell is available.  Weaver still makes the 2.5, 4x and 6x fixed powers.  Leupold and others make a number of fixed power or shotgun scopes, even pistol scopes with close in eye relief.  For a powerful caliber or hard kicking rifle, there are many shotgun scopes that might serve you very well indeed.  But, I'll tell ya buddy, I like that Bushnell I just picked up - I think it's a darn fine scope.  I'm off to the range, hopefully, tonight before the sun sets to sight her in and I think I'm gonna have a good time doin' it, too.  Just my 2 cents worth but, as always, I hope this helps.  Mikey.

[Winter Hawk]

You might also consider mounting a 2.5X pistol scope out towards the muzzle on the barrel ("scout" configuration).  I did that on my NEF .30-06 and find it a dandy sight now that my eyes won't do well with a peep.  It's fast and you can keep both eyes open.  It also allows you to carry the rifle comfortably at the balance.

-Kees-

[mountain man]

I would put put a Bushnell 1.5-4.5 (banner or elite) on with Leapold rings. They are very quick with a handy power range and make a neat looking package.  For the price the banner is a very good scope.

[John Y Cannuck]

I guess I'm sort of a traditionalist. I have gone so far as to put Peeps on most of my big game rifles.
Those I have tried with scopes, eventually get converted back to peeps.
I like you, hunt where shots of 75 yards or more are rare.
I like the light gathering capability of a good scope, I'm probably as fast getting on target with a scope, but I can't stand the clumsy overall feel of a lever gun with one mounted, and at the range, my peep sights do just as well as my scope to a hundred yards.
I'll keep my scopes for the long range use, but for most of my shooting, it's still peep sights.
My eyes may change that sometime, but the peep sight, correctly used, close to the eye, does correct vision to some degree.