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Hello all -

I have a win m70 ss classic in .375 H&H I intend to use as my 'travel gun' if and when I finally make it to alaska and/or africa. I currently have it set up with a leopuld 2-7 in fixed (not qd) mounts. Does anyone have any thoughts on the pros/cons of having iron sights as backup to the scope, and if so, any suggestions as to how to set it up?

Thanks!

tq

dumazuri,

I'm a fan of irons on scoped rifles. I've set my favorite bear rifle up with NECG iron sights, backing up a Leupold 2.5-8x mounted with Leupold QR rings and bases...


There's been more than a few times, that I've removed the scope, due to thick cover when stalking brown bears. It's comforting to have the choice.

I understand that as we get older, our eyes have a harder time focusing on both iron sights, and the target. So some older hunters prefer to stick with low power scopes.

Welcome to the Campfire. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

tq,

On my first moose hunt after moving to Alaska 18 years ago, my only big game rifle(I was a broke, young GI) had no irons and an old Redfield scope. The scope fogged, and ruined the hunt. I have not set foot in the woods since, without iron sights!(or a second scope) It's cheap insurance. Also, Talley rings are the best QD mounts I have used. They even make a neat back up peep that fits on their bases, but I generally have a normal rear sight in place. One less thing to lose/forget.

Jeff

It is diffenatly a bounus to have them, as long as you are not considering the see-thru rings!!

RON KONTOWSKY
ACTIONS BY R.A.K.
GUNSMITHING DIV.

I also have a Win M70 Classic Stainless in .375 H&H. I put a matte Leupold VX-II 2-7x33mm on it with the silver Leupold QR mounts and rings. I am currently looking for some kind of express leaf sights to put on it. There are a couple different ones in Brownells that would work.

Thanks for the input everyone. Mr. Kontowsky, see-thru rings are most definately not an option. Mostly I was wondering whether folks thought they were a good idea (unanimous affirmative there) and what the setup was. I take it that folks are using rear sights that are not integrated with the scope bases for the most part. I still have the original iron sights for that rifle, (though I took the front sight off since you could see it thru the scope at low power), I guess I'll get some Leoupold QR mounts and rings, and then put the irons back on!

Thanks again, and let me say as a newcomer to this board that this site is great!

tq

I took some time filing the sights on a .375(since it already had them on the rifle) I'm taking to Africa, but for my eyes, and since I can afford it, I'd rather spend some extra cash for an extra set of Talley QD rings and put them on an already sighted in extra scope that is preferably lightweight, such as the Leupold 2x compact at what, 6 oz?, and carry it with you.

That said, if I was going to have a scoped rifle and wanted open sight back ups(which I don't, if all my rifles had only scopes it would suit me fine), for my aging eyes, I would consider the Talley receiver sight which attaches to the QD bases (I believe,don't have one) and would be cheaper insurance for those who wanted it at $64.50 MSRP.

It depends on the rifle and mount, of course, but many open sight set ups are going to require removing the scope bases before you can see the sight anyway, ergo the Talley QD peep sight.

I am most likly a little anal in this reguard, but Murphy is my frequent companion. I set this rifle up for the bush.

I have both a back up scope and back up irons on my Mdl. 70 375H&H. I can use the factory folding rear, although it has been filed to a shallow v, and an NECG 3/32" white bead front. As the rifle wears Talley bases for their QD rings, the rear base is altered to fit their peep sight aswell. The peep is stored in Talley's trap grip cap along with another front sight bead. I think the peep is quicker than the swallow v, and I can still be confident well over 100 yrds.

HBH

Gents

Up through the 1950s when scopes were still not believed to be completely reliable your monied hunter went to Griffin & Howe, had them put a Lyman Alaskan in a G&H QD sidemount onto his Super Grade M70, plus a Lyman 48 receiver sight with QD staff and also a folding open sight in the Winchester barrel slot. For extra bucks G&H would fit a trap buttplate into which went the staff from the receiver sight. This all worked quite well and if you really wanted to splurge you could have a second scope sighted in, in an extra bracket. This was in the days before variables so one would be 2.5x and the other 4x. Such a rig was pretty expensive in those days, G&H can still do exactly the same thing today but the price is near prohibitive and if you had a minty pre64 M70 its collectors value would bar you from drilling holes in it.

Miki