Installing irons

[Spitpatch]

Thats a beautiful rifle. Ive always wanted that lpvo optic for my old blued lever gun but they've always escaped me and now no longer in production.

Not only out of production, but out of Guarantee. Leupold won't even service 'em anymore. Happy to send you away with a scum-sucking bottom-feeder flat-black, sharp cornered piece of "Freedom" crap to complement your dark blue Marlin.

 

[Kruel J]

Three hunting rifles, each with a different reason for irons being necessary (nearly mandatory) as well as optics.

View attachment 2092963
Top: A "Frankenstein" Ruger M77 in .250-3000 Savage that you will not find in any catalogue. Assembled by a gun shop owner who was a Ruger Dealer, he wanted the "Lightweight" contoured barrel with sights, preparing for a Montana hunt for Pronghorn and river-bottom Whitetails. He pulled the barreled action out of an "International" (Mannlicher-style full length) stock, and dropped it into the sporter stock with the full length butt. No scope can find a five-by-five flushing under your feet as fast as a brass bead.

Center: A Remington Model 722 in .300 Savage. Inspired by multiple trips to Alaska, this gun has three operational and properly adjusted sighting systems, putting NASA's redundancy procedures to shame. A Lyman Alaskan All Weather 2.5x (possibly the absolutely most rugged hunting scope ever built, good enough for battle rifles), a Redfield receiver peep (base block installed, slider/aperture calibrated and stashed behind the buttplate), and the original buckhorn. This gun's sighing systems will survive/operate in rain or blizzard or after being recovered from the bottom of the Naotak River on an eight-day float trip for Moose. Oregon's a little too far south to be the premier proving ground for hunting optics.

Bottom: A Marlin 1894 .357 Magnum, with a Leupold 1-4x on QD mounts. This gun has been used for hunting deer in open country as well as brush, and sees work being carried in hand or horse scabbard (minus the scope). Rock Chuck hunting and Coyote calling were served well by the optics.

There are plenty of reasons to install iron sights on a hunting rifle besides "not wanting to use a scope".

Often, the hunter may have no choice. Often the hunter may want the choice.

Nice looking rifles and good info.

 

[Koda]

Not only out of production, but out of Guarantee. Leupold won't even service 'em anymore. Happy to send you away with a scum-sucking bottom-feeder flat-black, sharp cornered piece of "Freedom" crap to complement your dark blue Marlin.

Im aware and have had one of those freedoms on it for a while but removed it for an old polished blued VXII i have that matched my Marlins vintage better but the VXII... while it does the job fine is a bit too much for a lever gun. But the gun looks more era complete.

 

[orygun]

I dont know about that... this is Oregon after all. Ive hunted most of my life with a scope and the rain or weather isnt an issue with a good scope. A basic lens cover is needed tho IMO.

I've found using lens covers cause more of a problem than running the scope bare. The only thing I would consider would be cover for the whole scope, but that's another thing to contend with, which doesn't promote quick use of the rifle.
Many a time I've turned my rifle upside down and let the water run out of the cavities in the stock.

 

[Spitpatch]

I will not have scope covers on a rifle when in a game-potential situation. I consider scope covers as I consider carry slings: NEVER in operation when actually hunting. Scope covers are to protect the lenses during "idle" times for the rifle. The extra step (or, in the case of hinged covers, TWO steps) to get them out of the way prior to the shot WILL cost the shot.

In torrential rain or heavy snow, I do well with the rifle tucked under the carry arm, objective down, eyepiece sandwiched between the bicep and ribs.

Bikini covers take care of the idle times, and are in a pants pocket unnoticed when hunting. Nothing extra attached to the gun, and certainly no flimsy-hinged, spring-loaded, snap-latched gizmo that will break off, take time, and fail to operate at sub-freezing temperatures.

 

[dangerranger60]

Yes, they do.
But, if one has poor eyesight, the scope will help them define the target they otherwise would not see clearly. Then, there is the issue of target acquisition when it's nearly dark, like the 30 minutes before sunrise and after sunset. If you hunt in timber, especially if it's cloudy, that hour (30 before and 30 after) of "daylight" may be the most productive. A scope will drastically improve what you can see.

If you have the old eyes with hardening of the cornea that most guys seem to start getting in their mid 40's, Peep sights help with that more than a scope.
Semi buckhorn sights has your eye quickly focusing on rear sight, front sight, and target. a scope has your eye focusing on the crosshairs and target, the peeps have you only focused on the target. Much easier on old eyes that no longer focus quickly.
The only times I reach for a scope is when shooting near dawn or dusk, by moonlight or in finding tiny squirrels in grass or twig piles. DR

 

[orygun]

If you have the old eyes with hardening of the cornea that most guys seem to start getting in their mid 40's, Peep sights help with that more than a scope.
Semi buckhorn sights has your eye quickly focusing on rear sight, front sight, and target. a scope has your eye focusing on the crosshairs and target, the peeps have you only focused on the target. Much easier on old eyes that no longer focus quickly.
The only times I reach for a scope is when shooting near dawn or dusk, by moonlight or in finding tiny squirrels in grass or twig piles. DR

I've put ghost rings on a couple of levers and have something similar on my ARs. Much better than open or Buckhorns!

Last year, while sitting in a treestand, I kinda took a poll in my head about which was the most common time of the day that I've killed critters. (deer n elk)
It came out about even, between early, late morning, mid day and evening/sunset.
Then I counted times the irons were a handicap and it was entirely due to lack of lighting. Too big of a handicap for my preference.

 

[DirectDrive]

On a rifle like an AB3 I would not monkey with trying to find someone who could install irons and make the job look OEM.

I would get another rifle with irons.
Most all of the old school hunting rifles will have factory irons.
Check the used market for that Easy Button.

 

[Spitpatch]

On a rifle like an AB3 I would not monkey with trying to find someone who could install irons and make the job look OEM.

I would get another rifle with irons.
Most all of the old school hunting rifles will have factory irons.
Check the used market for that Easy Button.

Solid advice, but I'd not disregard the chance to take that AB and put a sighting system on it that no factory would offer on any gun. A basic job for any 'smith to stick it on the gun once the customer has made a choice from a world that is his oyster.