Irons dont' shoot that much worse than optics if you shoot em enough.
You're exactly right Rost, I shoot Sharps rifles all the time out to 500 yards on steel gongs with barrel sights, and, iirc, I shot a bit over two inch 10 shot group with my REPR 308 in the black rifle challenge with the iron flip ups, plenty good enough for completing and hunt or defending oneself should a scope malfunction occur.
