I'm thinking I might want an older rifle with iron sights. Something with a wood stock. Considering I don't know a lot about rifles like this I'll ask for your thoughts. This would not be something I would really want to put a scope on.
Bolt Action with Iron Sights
- Thread starter Jackcrow73
- Start date
You can get pretty much any rifle with iron sites. Winchester M70 Alaskan, Remington BDL, Tikka, CZ550.
The older Remington and Winchesters were pre tapped for a lyman or Redfield peep site. I am most fond of the rear peep sights.
Modern rifles like the Ruger Scout allow a rear peep, or standard scope and even a scout style scope. The Ruger guide is another modern style with irons, chambered in some hard hitting calibers.
Even if you find a rifle at a pawn, any smith worth their salt can add various types of irons: Peep, folding leaf, v notch, etc.
The older Remington and Winchesters were pre tapped for a lyman or Redfield peep site. I am most fond of the rear peep sights.
Modern rifles like the Ruger Scout allow a rear peep, or standard scope and even a scout style scope. The Ruger guide is another modern style with irons, chambered in some hard hitting calibers.
Even if you find a rifle at a pawn, any smith worth their salt can add various types of irons: Peep, folding leaf, v notch, etc.
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How old are we talking? What is the purpose? If you want to take a step back in time I'd go w/ a Mauser 98. You may want to look at the vintage rifle forum. You may be able to find a sporterized Mauser at a descent price. Good luck.
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Why would you ask for an iron sighted rifle "to put a scope on it"???
Other than that:
a) Savage hog hunter
b) Sporterized mil-surp
c) K-31 - the only one with easy and yet solid clamp on scope mount
d) Mosin Sniper - you get to eat the cake and keep it too - both irons and scope are usable out of the box.
e) Lever-action - not exactly bolt, but most are easily setup for both irons and scope.
Other than that:
a) Savage hog hunter
b) Sporterized mil-surp
c) K-31 - the only one with easy and yet solid clamp on scope mount
d) Mosin Sniper - you get to eat the cake and keep it too - both irons and scope are usable out of the box.
e) Lever-action - not exactly bolt, but most are easily setup for both irons and scope.
He said "This would not be something I would really want to put a scope on."
So no scope.
Get any factory rifle that you like and have quality iron sights fitted. Most factory sights are crap, with a few Ruger and CZ models being the exceptions. Or go and buy a surplus rifle, they are made to specifically use that sighting system.
So no scope.
Get any factory rifle that you like and have quality iron sights fitted. Most factory sights are crap, with a few Ruger and CZ models being the exceptions. Or go and buy a surplus rifle, they are made to specifically use that sighting system.
Reading comprehension > me 
Milsurp and iron sights are not for everyone, just get a Mosin and some ammo - not a huge loss if it's not for you.
Milsurp and iron sights are not for everyone, just get a Mosin and some ammo - not a huge loss if it's not for you.
I will use this rifle for close range deer hunting occasionally. But mostly I would just like to have a rifle that doesn't have a scope on it. I was thinking like 1960s or newer. Mil-surp is an option I guess I'm just not sure about the calibers they come in and reloading possibilities.
A 1903A3 is in a 30-06, one of the most common calibers in America, if not the most in centerfire.
Don't discount the 03-A3. I still shoot my grandfather's WWII issue rifle and I love it. .30-06 with a metal buttplate is not for the small of stature or week of heart, though!
The Yugo M48 has a bent bolt and is in 8mm Mauser or 8x57. You can still find surplus yugo ammo or commercial hunting ammo. Also brass from most manufactures as well as bullets. You can also form brass from 30-06 cases.
There are a plethora of mil-surp rifles in anywhere from 6.5-9.3 out there, but most or many Yugos were re-arsenal'd and have a fresh crown and shiny bore, with crisp lands. They were packed away in tons of cosmoline ready to see some action. They can be found anywhere from $200-$350. Tough and stout short rifle, with a punch.
Here is one I picked up, some guys think it might have been a parade rifle, as all the metal was "in the white", it was cosmo'd that way when I puchased it.
Heck, spend $35 and get your C&R license and you can have these type of rifles delivered to your house.
There are a plethora of mil-surp rifles in anywhere from 6.5-9.3 out there, but most or many Yugos were re-arsenal'd and have a fresh crown and shiny bore, with crisp lands. They were packed away in tons of cosmoline ready to see some action. They can be found anywhere from $200-$350. Tough and stout short rifle, with a punch.
Here is one I picked up, some guys think it might have been a parade rifle, as all the metal was "in the white", it was cosmo'd that way when I puchased it.
Heck, spend $35 and get your C&R license and you can have these type of rifles delivered to your house.
Nice rifle! I kinda like the idea of a 1903A3. Common caliber, and I already have some brass. Anybody know of a good source for these?
As already mentioned the Remington 700 BDL comes with iron sights. Although I took the iron sights off mine and put a scope on it, it's a laser.
Good luck, NYH1.
Good luck, NYH1.
Back in the 20s right after WWI, a lot of surplus bolt action rifles came home from Europe, and a rather prolific industry in sporterizing these rifles took off in this country. As scopes were in their infancy, sighting equipment usually consisted of a Lyman 48 receiver sight and simple front blade. These sights were made of steel and had repeatable adjustments. The precision of the sight picture could be varied by using different-sized apertures. These rifles were the staple of outdoor writers leading up to WWII.
Michael Petrov wrote an excellent book on these gunsmiths and their work published by Precision Shooting Magazine - information, and pictures, here: Michael Petrov, Historian
My favorites are RF Sedgley's Springfield sporters.
If you are going to go with an iron-sighted rifle, stock design is critical. Most current factory stocks have a comb height suitable for a scope. Iron sighted rifles need more drop to align the eyes closer to the bore. Check the drop on those vintage sporters. If you can find a box-stock Remington 722, they still had the right dimensions for iron sights. The caliber selection isn't that great, but re barreling is pretty straight forward. Vintage Lyman 48s show up on EBay every now and then. Vintage Redfields are also available.
A friend has a Krag that was sporterized like this with a Lyman 48. He loads for it using what amounts to a black powder level load and cast bullets. Cranking up elevation on the Lyman had us ringing steel out to 500. The basics are the same for shooting irons, just takes a little more effort when sighting.
Michael Petrov wrote an excellent book on these gunsmiths and their work published by Precision Shooting Magazine - information, and pictures, here: Michael Petrov, Historian
My favorites are RF Sedgley's Springfield sporters.
If you are going to go with an iron-sighted rifle, stock design is critical. Most current factory stocks have a comb height suitable for a scope. Iron sighted rifles need more drop to align the eyes closer to the bore. Check the drop on those vintage sporters. If you can find a box-stock Remington 722, they still had the right dimensions for iron sights. The caliber selection isn't that great, but re barreling is pretty straight forward. Vintage Lyman 48s show up on EBay every now and then. Vintage Redfields are also available.
A friend has a Krag that was sporterized like this with a Lyman 48. He loads for it using what amounts to a black powder level load and cast bullets. Cranking up elevation on the Lyman had us ringing steel out to 500. The basics are the same for shooting irons, just takes a little more effort when sighting.
Milsurp: O3A3 would be bad ass.
New: Ruger Scout
Lever gun is another option to consider. There are thousands of old 30-30s out there on used gun racks with several good iron sight upgrade options.
New: Ruger Scout
Lever gun is another option to consider. There are thousands of old 30-30s out there on used gun racks with several good iron sight upgrade options.
I've got a couple of Husqvarna Mausers in 8mm and 9.3x57mm. They didn't cost a whole lot, but are quite nice rifles for hunting medium and big game. Might be worth you checking out Allan's Armory (his website is closed until the 29th for inventory) to see what he has. BTW, he always errs on the side of the customer with his condition ratings of his rifles (often underrates them).
OAN, that 9.3x57mm will knock the living snot out of a deer, I can see why the Boers and Swedes have a soft spot for it.
OAN, that 9.3x57mm will knock the living snot out of a deer, I can see why the Boers and Swedes have a soft spot for it.
