Distance

[Daveinthebush]

Probaby depends on the distances that you want to hunt.  I have a 4X Leoupold on my 7600. It works and I have no problems with it. Have you thought of a ghost ring sight. Or possibly a peep with the center piece removed or drilled out to your comfort level.  

I drilled out the center of the peep on my bow so that my pin guard, a semi-circle, aligns perfectly with the edge of the hole. Works great on the bow.

[Rick Teal]

I've always been an ardent user of open sights, however, age and failing eyesight led me to try other sighting systems.  I tried scopes (again) for a short while, but found that they still weren't quick enough for me as a still hunter, and they also seemed to be a magnet for snow, leaves and evergreen needles rendering them useless.

I first experimented with red dot sights about 10 years ago, and quickly became a devotee.  Now more than half the members of my hunting camp use them as well.  All of my hunting rifles now wear red dots, and I've put a holosight on my favourite deer rifle (my BLR in .358 Winchester).

[Daveinthebush]

I used to hunt several places that were too thick too.  I mean 30 yards was a long shot but the deer were in there. I started hunting those areas like a bow hunter. Either from a tree stand or the ground with a handgun. I would wear full camo including the hat but wear a blaze orange hat walking in.  I'd then take that off and replace it with camo.  I also carried a 6'x4' piece of camo netting that I proped up in front of me on sticks.  I used a device I call a sling seat, and I could lay against a tree for hours not moving.

I did try a red dot scope for a while. I think under 50 yards it might have worked.  My beef was the size of the dot blocking the game at longer distances even when I used the smaller dot.  I even carried two Contender barrels with me.  The .44 with open sights and the scoped 30/30. Depending on the area I was going to hunt, thick or thin, I would change and use the appropriate caliber/sights.

[Siskiyou]

My 760 wore a Williams peep for a couple of years.  Love it, but not as much as I loved a scope.  It has worn a 3x9 on it for years.  It get close up shoots to across a canyon.  Never no until the day is over.

My 870 also wore a peep site.  Removed the insert and used the ghost ring.

Siskiyou

[savageT]

Siskiyou--I love to hear stories of enough confidence in a 7600 for cross-canyon shots. Year before last, my buddy shot a moose at around 300 yds with his 7400.  It too was wearing a 3x9 scope-the 7400, not the moose.

When I'm moose hunting, my rifles are topped with a scope, because we do have chances that could be from 20ft. to 300+ yds.
I do like the red dots for deer hunting because I can keep both eyes open and follow moving deer thru bush much easier.  Moose seem to present a different set of problems.

I think Dave has the absolute best system--interchangable barrels-now that's the way to go.

Ol' Tom,

I'm so glad to see a few guys say something positive about Red-Dots.  What kind do you have?  I was told that they take "getting used to"....but I love the "both eyes open" to follow your target.  My only question is......  Have you ever had a shot go astray because you didn't have the red dot scope lined up with your eye?  My Tasco Red-Dot is mounted on a B-Square saddle mount atop my trusty Ithaca 37 smooth-bore Deerslayer.

[Daveinthebush]

Some how I learned to shoot with both eyes open, even with a scope so I don't have that problem.  I think that that is one reason for the scope foreward, scout rifle concept, the ability to keep both eyes open.

Someone wrote a real good explaination for the ghost ring site concept but I can't remember where I read it. It might have been on another site. Yea I cheated on GB and use another site once in a while.  I would love to have a ghost ring site on my 870, the tactical one. That concept is old and works.  Many of us with failing eyes have been drilling out peeps and removing the centers for years.  I did back in 1968 for my first deer with a 12 gauge and a Williams peep with the center removed. Was only 16 then but the thing worked better without the center.

[freddogs]

:-D I like the 2 power shotgun scope I have on my Remington 742. It's got a big enough field of view and enough magnification for me to see well.

[High Brass]

I know I'm gonna make some purists choke but......I mounted a Leupold Vari X-III 2.5-8 pwr scope on my Model 760 last year.  Absolutely love it.  Lots of folks asked me why I would spend the money on a Leupold scope for a pump rifle.   My answer is that it makes a great gun even better.  2.5 power is not a handicap to me, even when shots are close.  8 power is definately plenty for the distances that I'd ever shoot a deer.