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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,622
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,622 |
Granted, this goes back over 40 years to a different time and gun culture. My son, now over 50 and a battalion commander in the Army NG, combat veteran, learned to shoot with a single shot Savage .22, then muzzle loaders. Open iron sights all. Don't recall that he ever fired a semiauto until a Garand as a teenager. Don't recall the first scoped rifle, but it too came along later. This photo is from a state muzzleloading match when he was just shy of his ninth birthday. The medals, three gold and a silver, are from the teen class, and the target a 100 yard prone match where he beat the men's winner by a point. The shot at 9 o' clock should have gone center, but for a bad wind call on my part. Stiff breeze from the left. Rifle a .50 cal. Hawken, round ball. He has always had a natural ability, but a kid doesn't develop that kind of skill with a scoped 10/22 and bricks of ammo. Paul ![[Linked Image]](https://oi102.photobucket.com/albums/m88/Paul39/IMGP0289.jpg)
Stupidity has its way, while its cousin, evil, runs rampant.
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,611
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,611 |
If they get more enjoyment out of shooting with a scope I’d scope and let them shoot as much as possible. Once it’s in their blood and they love shooting they could learn open sights. Another option would be scoping the rifles and adding a good 22 pistol for open sight training. Adding the pistol would add a cool factor that should set the hook pretty deeply.
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,631
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,631 |
I think you are on the right track. Let them learn with open sights first. I was in my late 30's before I went to a scope. Never felt handicapped at all.
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 17,099
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 17,099 |
Let them use open sights as long as they can, unless their eyes dictate otherwise.
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 38,848
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 38,848 |
Granted, this goes back over 40 years to a different time and gun culture. My son, now over 50 and a battalion commander in the Army NG, combat veteran, learned to shoot with a single shot Savage .22, then muzzle loaders. Open iron sights all. Don't recall that he ever fired a semiauto until a Garand as a teenager. Don't recall the first scoped rifle, but it too came along later. This photo is from a state muzzleloading match when he was just shy of his ninth birthday. The medals, three gold and a silver, are from the teen class, and the target a 100 yard prone match where he beat the men's winner by a point. The shot at 9 o' clock should have gone center, but for a bad wind call on my part. Stiff breeze from the left. Rifle a .50 cal. Hawken, round ball. He has always had a natural ability, but a kid doesn't develop that kind of skill with a scoped 10/22 and bricks of ammo. Paul Really neat, Paul! Thanks for sharing.
Not a real member - just an ordinary guy who appreciates being able to hang around and say something once in awhile.
Happily Trapped In the Past (Thanks, Joe)
Not only a less than minimally educated person, but stupid and out of touch as well.
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 973
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 973 |
In ideal circumstances, where a beginner (kid or not) has lots of opportunity to shoot, learning to shoot with open sights is useful. However, many folks these days do not have much opportunity to shoot. The kids in my extended family like to shoot but they only get the chance when they visit us, which is infrequent. So, I want them to become proficient shooters as soon as possible and that is much easier with a scoped rifle. Especially for those kids who want to hunt with me. It's essential that they be able to shoot accurately.
Last edited by eblake; 04/07/19.
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 845
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 845 |
I grew up with open sights and still enjoy using them on rimfire and center fire rifles. One can become quite proficient with open sights. My vote would be to let them use the iron sights. Everyone's eyes are different. I've always preferred a bead vs a flat post.
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 60,270
Campfire Kahuna
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OP
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 60,270 |
Thanks everyone for the suggestions.
I did buy an affordable scope.
As it stands one Henry has a scope and the other is open sighted.
I will make sure they get time with both.
They do quite well with irons yet. Once I ask if they have their eyes open......
I am MAGA.
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Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 6
New Member
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New Member
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 6 |
I started both of my girls with a Remington 512 with open sights, same rifle I started with. One has now graduated to a 10/22 with a 2X-7X Leupold and the other a Ruger American with a 2X-7X Weaver scope. Both rifles have Warne QD rings so I can remove the scope if they want to shoot open sights.
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 845
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 845 |
Thanks everyone for the suggestions.
I did buy an affordable scope.
As it stands one Henry has a scope and the other is open sighted.
I will make sure they get time with both.
They do quite well with irons yet. Once I ask if they have their eyes open...... I have the Henry H001. My only complaint with the rifle is the sights. I eventually put a scope on it which I didn't want to do. I should have bought the Golden Boy with better sights I guess but I liked the feel of the H001 better.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 15,593
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 15,593 |
Savage Cub Mini/Rascal...
Bought a cub mini when my youngest was 8. Wish I had 5 of them as it's always everyboby's favorite when the bunch is together littering the landscape with rimfire brass.
And I suppose there'd be room for it in the safe but it never makes it that far. Somebody is always toting it somewhere...
"Chances Will Be Taken"
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Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 138
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 138 |
I agree that iron sights should be learned early and are a basic skill for the rifleman, however due to nearsightedness and colorblindness scopes opened up a whole new world of shooting to me when I was ten.
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 845
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 845 |
I agree that iron sights should be learned early and are a basic skill for the rifleman, however due to nearsightedness and colorblindness scopes opened up a whole new world of shooting to me when I was ten. I agree. My Dad's eyesight wasn't great but he was deadly with a scoped rifle. Grandpa had excellent eyesight and never used a scope in his life. Grandpa had receiver sights on all his rifles.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 15,593
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 15,593 |
Had the Savage Cub Mini out this morning and at 50 yds put 5 CCI standard velocities in a bit over 3" standing offhand. Left forearm braced on a 4X4 upright post.
"Chances Will Be Taken"
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,419
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,419 |
I’m pretty much with the majority. I have three boys, youngest is a freshman in college. All three learn to shoot with open sites first and after they showed they got it I then would introduce a scope into the equation. I also taught them to shoot open sites with both eyes open. Really helped them when they transitioned to shooting clay birds with a shot gun. During all of this we found out the youngest son was left eye dominant but he was mostly right handed. I explained everything to him and told him he would be better off shooting left handed. His reply was ... ok. He never flinched and hasn’t looked back.
Help keep our sport going. take a kid outdoors!
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