Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Lever gun hunter?

Joe,

Good deal!

The most important thing to do when shooting peeps or iron sights is keeping both eyes open when shooting at game.

Cool, did you use the 215gr Woodleigh in that 303?

I have an original 1886 in 45-70 with a half round 26 inch barrel, and shoot a version of the flat nosed grease groove bullet Sharpsguy spoke about earlier, except mine weighs 489 gr at 16 to 1 alloy and has a bit bigger meplat, it leaves at 1278 fps over a charge of Old Eynsford FFG, I cant think of an animal stateside/Alaska included, I wouldn't shoot with it out to 125 yards, and all the animals in Africa save Hippo and Ele.

A lever action with a peep sight has definite appeal. I used such from 2003 to about 2012 on all kinds of deer, hogs and even a bear.

Reason for stopping were suppressors - we got them available and I just could not bring myself to disgrace a svelte levergun with such a one.

My love for suppressors topped my love for levers and brought me back to my second rifle love - bolt actions.
I now use a .308 with 16" barrel suppressed Brno ZKK 601 WITH the folding peep sight under the rear mount.

Happy as a clam - best of my two worlds.

What was the question? Oh, ya, levers with peeps in AK for moose. Not being blessed with the expertise of others here, although I stayed at the Holiday Inn in Anchorage once, I would say:

If you have even the slightest bit of hunting prowess, you will not be hindered by a peep sight for moose. Thems big.

Can't say I do most of my hunting but I have 3 rifles I use that I use iron sights. British jungle carbine 303 with 180 grain bullets with a peep sight. Remington model 14 in 30 remington using either 150 or 170 round nose bullets with a peep sight. Last but not least my favorite a Mannlicher Schoenauer model 1906 shooting 200 grain round nose bullets using express sights. I have made meat with all of these and never felt handicapped. I am a died in the wool still hunter so honestly the open sights serve me well. Use what you believe in and are comfortable with. Practice makes perfect or at least better. Good hunting.

Dan,

Of course with rifle shooting and open sights, the front sight is king. But when we’re talking handgun distances and moving targets, it helps to have some shotgun skills. The difference between focus and squeeze and point and shoot are two vastly different shooting disciples. Allowing your brain to take over and make the call comes from experience and instinct. But you already know that.

There's at least one cow tag that would avail itself to iron sight hunting, so, if I get it, I'll think seriously about taking something like my 21" 375-284 with NECG buckhorn rear and fiber optic front. It definitely shoots minute-of-elk at 100 with 270 Hornady RN and I'll test on 200 if that tag drops.

I am a levergun hunter and shooter and horseman and the three dovetail well for my needs.
I don't rely on iron sights of any kind these days, I have had and XS , Ghost ring set up on a Marlin 1895 for a while. Tough to beat a long eye relief, variable scope, imo.
I can detach it from the rail when needed, I can wrap my hand around the reciever for carrying. I have pretty much switched to BLR's for my Elk and sheep hunting and won't go back to a turnbolt anytime soon.
A slender levergun should slither in and out of a saddle scabbard for my purposes. A smith can fine tune a BLR BLR trigger if you require it.

How’s that both eyes open thing work if a fella is cross eyed?

Back when I was a 30 to 45 year-old F-16 pilot, I was blessed with at least 20/12 visual acuity both near and far. I say "at least 20/12" because that's as low as the flight surgeon's instrumentation went and I did just fine with the "little letters." I was an avid collector and user of vintage peep sights back then and routinely shot MOA with them. I was even more blessed to eventually retire as a 59 year-old F-16 pilot, but with far vision barely scratching 20/25 and near vision north of 20/100 (corrected just fine with glasses but how I miss my old eyes). I still have all the same rifles but for some reason they are just not nearly as accurate as they used to be ;o).
That said, If I had the chance to do what you're planning on a moose hunt, I'd go for it. Might have to get some special spectacles made that put the front sight in perfect focus. I have a former squadron mate who had just such a set made for lever action silhouette competition, and he does well with them, and he's 73. There's lots of time before the season so you might consider that idea.
And apologies, I wrote the above without reading the next two pages of this thread, so if that's already been suggested...never mind.

Cheers and best of luck,
Rex

Yes. My last two elk were taken with my 1895 Winchester, .35 WCF sporting a Lyman #21 sight. I also have installed the newer Providence Tool Lyman copy on three different 1895’s for myself and other friends and family members. I installed one on my Browning 1895 in 30/06 and it is quite the shooter.

Oldest son has an old user 95 in .35 WCF. It is a good shooting rifle. I stuck one of the Providence sights on his rifle at his request. He enjoys it and practices often knocking big hogs down with that rifle!

Hey TRex,

I may look into those glasses and have also been looking into some for my other hobby, shooting pool. Maybe I could find some shooting glasses like old Teddy R. wore, then I would really look good!

1AKshooter,

I use a lever gun here in Alaska for winter caribou and spring grizz. Guns like the 71 and win/browning 95 are good full-power scabbard guns.

In my dog sled, space is very limited, so a short scabbard gun is ideal. No protruding bolt handle, and much shorter action than a bolt action receiver. With 20 inch barrel im right at 38.25 inch length. The rifle is vertical, right under my handle bar.

Before i started using this compact winter rifle, i would stuff the longer bolt action carbine into the gutted cavity of a caribou in the sled. If you hunt by horse or dog team, the lever gun is the ideal scabbard gun. I do use peep as back up, but scout scope as primary. My shots on winter caribou often exceed 250 yds. The scout scope doesn't fog up when you breath at 20-30 below zero as you take aim. Unlike typical scopes, which fog instantly with ocular lenses only 4 inches from your breathing.

Had to raise the comb 1.5 inches for proper cheek weld. This is the quickest hunting rifle I own.

Hey Mainer,
You always have good info and cool pictures.

I am another old guy, 76, who is getting more into iron sights. A couple of years ago I acquired a "Mule Deer Special," for my rather specialized hunting needs. It's a pre-64, M70 in .270 Win. Like the rifle so much, I had it refinished with a hard, flat finish. Where I hunt, blued rifles flash in the bright sun.
Got the biggest surprise I've had in a long time when I shot it a 200 yds. on a 12 inch target. Using a Safari Ching Sling, and shooting in a hurry, I put five rounds into the target. One called out. Four in just over 4 inches. The called shot made a 7 inch group. I was really surprised. Heck, my slow fire groups run 2-3 inches, or more at 100 yds..... Then I reviewed MD's book, Obsessions of a Rifle Loony and O'Connor's book, The Rifle Book. In the O'Connor book, he made it clear that the shooter must not look at the rear sight. The eye will naturally center the front sight. Eyes must be focused on the front sight. And the target will be blurry. So, my slow fire groups sometimes didn't turn out well because I was trying to focus on both the rear and front sights, then the target. Now, I need to go back and make sure I practice by only focusing on the front sight.
BTW, I've decided I will be hunting the low desert this year with my Mule Deer Special assuming I can draw a tag. E

Yes he does!!