To scope, or not to scope. This is the question.

For those who do not know I was not going to put a scope on my AR15. I was thinking that I would not need one... I can shoot really good with it out to 100 yards with iron sights.

Well this weekend I am going hunting for hogs. I know that the shots are going to be 50-100 yards. Now take in mind that I have been shooting a lot lately with iron sights, but I have not been hunting with iron sights for a long, long time, and this worries me. I know I can hit paper, but hitting a large animal makes me have some doubt. I don't know why, but it does.

I just do not want to wound the animal. I want to make sure I kill it.
The issue I am having is that I feel like using iron sights makes it more of a rugged sport. I mean who cannot use a 4x scope? The scope seems to take the sport out of it for me.

Could someone shed some light on this for me? PLZ...

I have old eyes and, if my FAL is anything to go by - scope = good!! I fitted a Leupold and this combo is stunning ... suits me fine whatever anyone might think! I am after good results - by any means and for me moving away from irons is not a conscience problem!

I have an L1A1 also - and shoot that with just irons - it's OK but - the FAL is cat's miaow!


http://www.acbsystems.com/boards/thr/cb_gun2/fal-s.jpg

Nice rifle, P95Carry.

I do wear some really thick glasses. I figure that the iron sights are going to be a problem in a few years.
My wife is going to give up the CC for the purchase. I think the scope that I would put on would be a Swift. I cannot afford much, but have read good things, and they have a wonderful warranty. At least that is the word I hear.

Do you have any thoughts about Swift scopes?

The solution is to have two AR-15's. My Bushmaster has a Burris 3-9 on it. My DPMS wears a holographic sight but could easily go back to iron sights if the need be. Though the holographic sight is great out to 100 yards, but really shines for close in home protection mode.

I knew it had to be something simple like that. I think that I am going to put a scope on this 20", and use it for a hunting rifle. That will give me an excuse to get a carbine for the home.

Dang it. Why is there never just a one size fits all? :aargh4:

I dont know where you are going hog hunting, but if its anything like where I've been the last thing you need is a scope.

If you can already shoot well out to 100 yards, the scope will be more of a hindrance in close cover than its worth. I've killed some over the years, and some of them have been pretty close, the closet one landing less than 10 feet away. For shots out in the fields, a hog is a big enough target that it'll look huge against your front sight.

Hogs can move suprisingly fast, and they can be out of sight in the blink of an eye. Unless you are well practiced with a scoped rifle, I wouldnt advise it. If a sow had little piglets with her, there's a 50-50 chance that she'll run toward you rather than away from you. The last thing you want to try is to pick up a hog in a scope that wants to thrash you because you are in the same county with its little ones.

Trust me, I've been there and done that. I used to carry a scope 30-06. About the third time I went I started leaving the scope gun at home and using an iron sighted rifle. Now I just use a .444 with peep sights on it and like everyone else I know I carry a big pigsticker just in case.

Like any other caliber the .223 will kill one,but eventually you'll grow out of it and start using something other than a varmint cartridge on a big game animal that can weigh an easy 350-400 pounds.

HotGuns, thanks.

I am going to Magnolia, AR. It is in zone 12. Maybe there will be a deer walk out as well.

Good luck ! Let us know if you whack something.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by *SA-XD4ME*

I am going to Magnolia, AR. It is in zone 12. Maybe there will be a deer walk out as well.

---

You will only be about 50 miles down the road from me this weekend.

I personally would recommend not putting a scope on the rifle for the weekend. Even though I don't shoot one of the scary black rifles, (not since uncle sam provided me one) I haven't used a scoped rifle for hunting in this area of the country for a long time. I don't know what type of area your going to be hunting in, but it is awful brushy down here and scopes just seem to be a hinderance. If your going to be hunting mainly over a cleared field, and not having to do much walking in the woods, I might consider it but that would be the only time. If your back in the dense woods and having to keep track of things that are in and out of brush, scopes are just about impossible to hunt with. Like Hotguns said also, if they get to moving, give it up.
That is what a good lever gun with opens sights is for. BTW, bring a good pig sticker and a magnum pistol if you got one. You never know what you might need.

Yea, and post some pictures of what ya'll shoot. Goo.d luck

.223 for hog? That's gutsy.

Hog hunts are pretty close range and very dynamic, I don't think a scope will do you any good.

I work with guy that's got 400 acres in AL and he runs a hunting camp down there, we talked hog hunting for many hours, and this guy knows pigs. :yup:

While there may be deer out there, I'd be more worried about the hogs, they will be more likely to do damage than the deer will. While the average deer is going to run away, the hog will probably run toward you, and the scope is going to be a hindrance at close range, the last thing you want to do is bring the rifle up and see nothing but hide and not know where the shot is going to go, and with a .223 vs. a hog, you're going to want really good hits, hogs can take quite a beating with poor shot placement.

For a hog hunt expect ranges of 50 yards and less pending on terrain and brush.

Also, as Hotguns stated, start looking into larger chamberings that the .223 for medium to large size game.

well. all i have is a 223 and a 9mm. i have to say that 30 rounds of soft point 223, and 17 rounds of 127 grain hydra shocks should bide me some comfort.

went out to the range today. I wanted to get my confidence up with the irons. I was shooting bulls at 50 with 55 grain black hills soft tips.

i shot some 64 grain winchester super x power points, but it seems my gun liked the 55 grains better. so i think that is what i am going to use.

the 55 grains were +2 clicks to the right to hit bull, and the 64 grains were +8 clicks to the right to hit bull. after thinking about it, i feel more comfortable with the 55 grain.

I like a red dot sight, myself for those ranges. I use an Aimpoint M4 and it works great. Speed of target acquisition, no parallax and wide field of vision are worthwhile features.

I did get to go hunting this weekend. We went out deer/hog hunting. I was luck and a little buck walked out just after 20 minutes of being in my stand. I shot it while the others were walking to there stand. :biggrin2:

I have posted some pics on another site to help along the discussion of is a .223 a good round for hunting medium game. The pictures on the site say to me...YES, it is a good round for hunting medium game, and it is not the worst by any means. A well placed bullet does way more than bullet size. Guaranteed.

Even though the damage was severe I did manage to get most of the meat from the animal. All but the two shoulders, neck and ribs were harvested. It was a humane shot, and penetrated both shoulders, hitting the heart and lungs on the way through. The bullet penetrated an estimated 18".

http://homepage.mac.com/jeremy16/dee.../December2007/