Best iron sights

[Sierra Sherpa]

Hi fellas,

I'm brand new here.  Just got my .45-70 Handi as a pack rifle for backpack deer scouting trips in the High Sierras of California.  I have a concern of bumping into black bears on some of my cross country jaunts looking for deer sign.  My buddy has been bluff charged a couple of times and is real spooked about them, I guess rightly so.  My Uberti Highwall .45-70 is too pretty, too heavy and too long to bushwack with.  It's Marble tang sight is nice for the target range, but not much good in the deep woods.

Picked the Handi up in early Dec. and back (herniated disc and sciatica) issues have kept me pretty much grounded from the shooting range.  Was wondering if anyone has compared the Williams Firesight set up with the XS Ghost Ring set up on their Handis.  What did you like/didn't like about either?  Which sets fit our Handis?  I may, at some point, opt for a 1-4X straight tube scope but right now I like having the gun unfettered and it's balance point not affected.  Do you feel that the irons are faster than a 1X scope?  Thanks for your comments.  Real nice site here.

[Shu]

Fastest sight is kind of subjective. The military used to use the open sight, then went to a kind of peep sight and is now headed toward red dot sights. Each sight is faster in that order. A 1x scope would be pretty fast also. However I'll throw in the disclaimer that some of the old timers can shoot that fast accurate snap shot faster than most can with any sight. It comes down to practice and experience. You just can't beat trigger time.

Good luck with your hunt.

[Spanky]

If you're thinking of using it for a close range bear stopper I'd stick with sights instead of a scope.
A rear peep with a wide open aperture and a fiber optic front sight would get you on target quickly.



Spanky

[ohiobenito]

I have a williams peep and firesight on my marlin 3030, and XS sights on my 1022.  I think I'd go with the XS for fast.  that tall white front sight really stands out.  They're twice the price as the williams tho....

[ohiobenito]

oh yeah, welcome aboard!! hope your back is all straightened out soon.  I  just put a peep and ordered a taller front blade from H&R for my 4570.  I'm researching a powder to reload with that will work with the lee dippers.  fun gun.  I guess you could just go that route and use some "white out" or liquid paper covered by laquer for a poor man's XS.  I might giver a try and let ya know

[quickdtoo]

Welcome! Check out the FAQs and Help sticky, there's a section on sights including details on the Williams WGRS and Firesights specifically for the 45-70 Handi, the WGRS can be used without the aperture or they make a ghost ring aperture that replaces the aperture carrier, dunno what height front sight would work with the XS, but they should certainly be able to tell you if you asked. http://www.xssights.com/contact.html

Tim

[Sierra Sherpa]

Thanks for the input and welcomes.  I will check the FAQs and links provided.  Ohiobenito, your comparisons are good to know.  I'm wondering if fiber optics still work in thick timber and I thought I read one post where the XS rear sight ring was stated to be "too high" to get a good cheek weld.  I have a Williams peep on my .30-30 94 and the front sight post is colored blaze orange/red.  It's nice in the timber where the bucks all go once the season's on.

[gcrank1]

A Monte Carlo stock will affect that sight height for comfort and cheek fit; with my cheekbone the Williams was too low, but a std. comb buttstock cured that. Once the rear sight height suits you the front sight height may look like a gut-hook, but a ramp of the right height makes it look better.
The dangerous game rifles with that wide V express open sight on the barrel was regarded as the quickest, but that pre-dated the optics we have now.
Im inclined to think that the Red-Dot type might be better (if you have it turned on!) because of no need to align sights, just dot the danger & go, regardless of light. Any top mounted optics do ruin the look and carry of a 'classic' single shot, though, but remember what you have it along for.
Im sure somebody who has been there, done that will chime in......
and BTW, Welcome!

[Darreld Walton]

Whatever you pick, stay away from those plastic junk sights with the dayglo inserts like they put on my .500 barrel.  WHAT a piece of junk that is!  I got tired of packing around a thread of the insert materialin my wallet for in-the-field repairs, and put a 2.5X scope on the thing.
I put one of the Bushnell red dots on an AR15, and for $160, couldn't be happier.  Shoots well, doesn't seem to matter a lot where I put my head (parallax), and the batteries are available and inexpensive.