Open sited bolt guns - Budget options?

BattleRifleG3 · 05-05-2005, 10:50 PM

I was at Wal Mart today, where I love to look at guns but refuse to buy them for many reasons. I saw a number of them on the shelf the new Mossberg ATR, a Rem 700, Rem 710, a Win M70, Savage 111G, and Weatherby Vanguards.

One thing I noticed was that the lowest priced guns of each type were without open sites, and that in order to get open sites you had to spend significantly more money. Cheapest gun with irons was the Savage 111G for $350. The Rem 710 was the same price but had a scope and no sites, while the open sited synthetic 700 was $470ish.

Sure sites cost money, but so do scopes. And I got to thinking, wouldn't budget minded folks prefer a decent set of irons to a cheap scope? I thought so. Am I missing a set of really affordable open sited current production bolt guns?

So I started thinking, and you know how dangerous that can be. And I figured, maybe we can change that. So I started thinking, what about making a clamp on front site and a receiver rear site that attaches to the rear mounting holes for a scope? Perhaps then making a scout type scope mount for the front set of holes?

Maybe charge as much as a cheap scope that should never be put on a 30-06 in the first place? Such a thing for the Mossberg ATR would make a new rugged hunting rifle available for less than $300. Such a thing could also really redeem the Rem 710, of which I'm actually a fan, but think should be treated more ruggedly and thus offered with open sites.

rebel727 · 05-05-2005, 11:33 PM

Starting at less than a hundred dollars you can get a set of Williams peep sights with a ramp front sight and free installation.

BattleRifleG3 · 05-05-2005, 11:43 PM

Ok, but do they mount to guns that have no mountings for sites already? Might look into them if so, always thought the Weatherby Vanguard was in dire need of irons.

Ooh, I like...

NorCalAshnjikov · 05-06-2005, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebel727

Starting at less than a hundred dollars you can get a set of Williams peep sights with a ramp front sight and free installation.

$27.99
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...equestid=54321

$80 for peep sights is nuts (i think 27 is still a little high, but i'm cheap)

BattleRifleG3 · 05-06-2005, 09:21 AM

So who does the installation? That link, BTW, was only for the black powder ones.

Shaun · 05-06-2005, 09:43 AM

find a gunsmith BRG -- Morgan installs them all the time on our rifles drill and tap carefully but having a good jig and then the proper measurement tools is also beneficial to make sure you get the right sights

Big Dog · 05-06-2005, 10:31 AM

I guess they figure most hunters are going to use scopes anyway, why bother with the irons?
I personally would spring for a good wood or laminate stock, and maybe a trigger job before installing iron sights. Most of the budget rifles have rather flimsy stocks, to get the price down.

rebel727 · 05-06-2005, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebel727

Starting at less than a hundred dollars you can get a set of Williams peep sights with a ramp front sight and free installation.

http://www.eabco.com/css_sts3.html
This is a place in MN. but if they do it I'm sure others do also.

rebel727 · 05-06-2005, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Dog

I guess they figure most hunters are going to use scopes anyway, why bother with the irons?
I personally would spring for a good wood or laminate stock, and maybe a trigger job before installing iron sights. Most of the budget rifles have rather flimsy stocks, to get the price down.

True, most people do want scopes on guns they hunt with. I used to not care much for scopes till I started hunting bean fields. No scope? stay outta tha bean fields.

BattleRifleG3 · 05-06-2005, 11:52 PM

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976554714.htm

Looks like the setup I was going for. And I'm severely tempted...

gunssb · 05-07-2005, 02:46 AM

Not bad. Maybe ask him for more pictures.

wirehunt · 05-10-2005, 05:37 AM

That's hard case, cause in New Zealand most of us shy away for open sights. They tend to catch on every bit of bush and scrub you go near, even to the point that if you buy a rifle with them on most people over here will send the rifle to the smith to get them removed!

phrogg · 05-15-2005, 11:56 AM

...Don't forget you could go MilSurp, if you wanted... It's possible to find Mosin-Nagant, Mauser, or Enfield rifles for incredibly cheap. I'm looking into buying an $80 Nagant rifle from the local sporting goods store - the wooden stock looks like it's in perfect condition, and if the bore is good and I get slightly lucky, Sub-MOA accuracy is more than possible.

BattleRifleG3 · 05-16-2005, 01:10 PM

I'm all into the milsurps. But I'm looking at something in 308. Now a 308 milsurp would be great. Though I still prefer the sites of sporting rifles.

Shaun · 05-17-2005, 03:18 PM

BRG look for a Rem 700 ADL in most cases they come with a full set of sights on them

BattleRifleG3 · 07-25-2005, 05:47 PM

Apparently they discontinued the ADL and still can't find them in 308.

BattleRifleG3 · 08-02-2005, 11:23 PM

Dag nabbet, that Weatherby would have been a great choice for my current scout idea. But I learned today that low LOP is VERY bad. Knocked my cheekbone with my own thumb while firing. Might see about an ADL in 308 still.

ruger22com · 08-03-2005, 08:56 AM

remington 700 adl should come with sites. My 7mm did, I remember because I had to remove the rear site so my big fat scope would fit and I could get the scope cover on.

BattleRifleG3 · 08-03-2005, 12:24 PM

That's what I've seen as well. Just hope to find one for the right price in the right caliber before they're all gone.

rdale 501 · 08-04-2005, 12:29 AM

I owned a mod. 700 ADL years ago. It had a scope and no sights when I bought it. At some time I decided I wanted open sights on it for a brush rifle. It was a 30/06 and I was hunting Roosevelt Elk on the Oregon coast. The barrel was tapped for open sights and small plugs were screwed in. All I had to do was unscrew the plugs and put on a set of stock sights. I can't remembber how much it was, but it was not expensive.

05-05-2005, 10:50 PM	#1
BattleRifleG3 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western PA Posts: 11,401 Images: 13	Open sited bolt guns - Budget options? I was at Wal Mart today, where I love to look at guns but refuse to buy them for many reasons. I saw a number of them on the shelf the new Mossberg ATR, a Rem 700, Rem 710, a Win M70, Savage 111G, and Weatherby Vanguards. One thing I noticed was that the lowest priced guns of each type were without open sites, and that in order to get open sites you had to spend significantly more money. Cheapest gun with irons was the Savage 111G for $350. The Rem 710 was the same price but had a scope and no sites, while the open sited synthetic 700 was $470ish. Sure sites cost money, but so do scopes. And I got to thinking, wouldn't budget minded folks prefer a decent set of irons to a cheap scope? I thought so. Am I missing a set of really affordable open sited current production bolt guns? So I started thinking, and you know how dangerous that can be. And I figured, maybe we can change that. So I started thinking, what about making a clamp on front site and a receiver rear site that attaches to the rear mounting holes for a scope? Perhaps then making a scout type scope mount for the front set of holes? Maybe charge as much as a cheap scope that should never be put on a 30-06 in the first place? Such a thing for the Mossberg ATR would make a new rugged hunting rifle available for less than $300. Such a thing could also really redeem the Rem 710, of which I'm actually a fan, but think should be treated more ruggedly and thus offered with open sites. __________________ Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf

05-05-2005, 11:33 PM	#2
rebel727 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Heidelberg, Mississippi Posts: 1,545	Starting at less than a hundred dollars you can get a set of Williams peep sights with a ramp front sight and free installation. __________________ North-1 South-0 HALFTIME!

05-05-2005, 11:43 PM	#3
BattleRifleG3 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western PA Posts: 11,401 Images: 13	Ok, but do they mount to guns that have no mountings for sites already? Might look into them if so, always thought the Weatherby Vanguard was in dire need of irons. Ooh, I like... __________________ Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf Last edited by BattleRifleG3; 05-05-2005 at 11:55 PM.

05-06-2005, 09:21 AM	#5
BattleRifleG3 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western PA Posts: 11,401 Images: 13	So who does the installation? That link, BTW, was only for the black powder ones. __________________ Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf

05-06-2005, 09:43 AM	#6
Shaun Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 8,592 Images: 1	find a gunsmith BRG -- Morgan installs them all the time on our rifles drill and tap carefully but having a good jig and then the proper measurement tools is also beneficial to make sure you get the right sights __________________ "Homeland Security is the responsibility of an armed citizen" ME http://webpages.charter.net/s.s.v/

05-06-2005, 10:31 AM	#7
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,214	I guess they figure most hunters are going to use scopes anyway, why bother with the irons? I personally would spring for a good wood or laminate stock, and maybe a trigger job before installing iron sights. Most of the budget rifles have rather flimsy stocks, to get the price down. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

05-06-2005, 11:52 PM	#10
BattleRifleG3 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western PA Posts: 11,401 Images: 13	http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976554714.htm Looks like the setup I was going for. And I'm severely tempted... __________________ Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf

05-07-2005, 02:46 AM	#11
gunssb Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: socal Posts: 1,833	Not bad. Maybe ask him for more pictures.

05-10-2005, 05:37 AM	#12
wirehunt Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Otago New Zealand Posts: 656	That's hard case, cause in New Zealand most of us shy away for open sights. They tend to catch on every bit of bush and scrub you go near, even to the point that if you buy a rifle with them on most people over here will send the rifle to the smith to get them removed!

05-15-2005, 11:56 AM	#13
phrogg Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 107	...Don't forget you could go MilSurp, if you wanted... It's possible to find Mosin-Nagant, Mauser, or Enfield rifles for incredibly cheap. I'm looking into buying an $80 Nagant rifle from the local sporting goods store - the wooden stock looks like it's in perfect condition, and if the bore is good and I get slightly lucky, Sub-MOA accuracy is more than possible.

05-16-2005, 01:10 PM	#14
BattleRifleG3 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western PA Posts: 11,401 Images: 13	I'm all into the milsurps. But I'm looking at something in 308. Now a 308 milsurp would be great. Though I still prefer the sites of sporting rifles. __________________ Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf

05-17-2005, 03:18 PM	#15
Shaun Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 8,592 Images: 1	BRG look for a Rem 700 ADL in most cases they come with a full set of sights on them __________________ "Homeland Security is the responsibility of an armed citizen" ME http://webpages.charter.net/s.s.v/

07-25-2005, 05:47 PM	#16
BattleRifleG3 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western PA Posts: 11,401 Images: 13	Apparently they discontinued the ADL and still can't find them in 308. __________________ Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf

08-02-2005, 11:23 PM	#17
BattleRifleG3 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western PA Posts: 11,401 Images: 13	Dag nabbet, that Weatherby would have been a great choice for my current scout idea. But I learned today that low LOP is VERY bad. Knocked my cheekbone with my own thumb while firing. Might see about an ADL in 308 still. __________________ Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf

08-03-2005, 08:56 AM	#18
ruger22com Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mobile Alabama Posts: 723	remington 700 adl should come with sites. My 7mm did, I remember because I had to remove the rear site so my big fat scope would fit and I could get the scope cover on. __________________ www.CheapGunParts.com http://ruger22.com/art/banners/tiny.gif Home of the "YELLOW JACKET" Bolt Buffer and Takedown Bolts! Free Shipping & Lifetime Warranty!

08-03-2005, 12:24 PM	#19
BattleRifleG3 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western PA Posts: 11,401 Images: 13	That's what I've seen as well. Just hope to find one for the right price in the right caliber before they're all gone. __________________ Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf

08-04-2005, 12:29 AM	#20
rdale 501 Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 21	I owned a mod. 700 ADL years ago. It had a scope and no sights when I bought it. At some time I decided I wanted open sights on it for a brush rifle. It was a 30/06 and I was hunting Roosevelt Elk on the Oregon coast. The barrel was tapped for open sights and small plugs were screwed in. All I had to do was unscrew the plugs and put on a set of stock sights. I can't remembber how much it was, but it was not expensive.