Backup Sighting Preferences

[JGJohnson]

What does everyone prefer for backup sights on hunts were you can't just walk back to your rig, say if you fly in, pack in, or back pack in? Your rifle falls and the scope is ruined. Do you:
-strip the scope off and use iron sights?
-remove the crashed scope and install a backup scope in preset and zeroed rings?
-you SOL so you go to your pistol and a big knife!?

I've contemplated this for some time. Leupold has a fixed 2.5 power ultralight scope that weighs a hair over 6 ounces. Set that puppy in some Talley vertical split rings and have it pre-zeroed to your rifle. An allen wrench to pull the damaged scope and tighten down the fresh one. Beats the heck out of iron sights.

Thoughts?

 

[DropTyne]

I use sound firearms and optics that have a proven record for durability. My experience is rugged durability with scopes often starts at 18oz of weight. I prefer to haul in one sound, superior scope than 2 lightweight inferior ones. If I drop my rifle off a cliff, I am just SOL. Haha.

Scopes are the weak link. I hear of failed scopes every season. I hear of failed rifles every once in a blue moon.

 

[cahunter805]

+1 Use a good quality base/ring combo and durable scope. If your scope gets ruined in a fall I guess your SOL but most quality scopes can take quite a bit of abuse. Even after a hard fall just check zero and keep hunting.
Worst case scenario sneak close enough and aim down the side of the barrel.

 

[johnrr65]

I use sound firearms and optics that have a proven record for durability. My experience is rugged durability with scopes often starts at 18oz of weight. I prefer to haul in one sound, superior scope than 2 lightweight inferior ones. If I drop my rifle off a cliff, I am just SOL. Haha.

Scopes are the weak link. I hear of failed scopes every season. I hear of failed rifles every once in a blue moon.

+1

 

[elkhnter]

I agree with going quality and not sweating it. All of my go to rifles are wearing Leupolds, Vx-3i or better. The only rifle with iron sights is a Rem 673.
Have a Rem 700 ML with Leupold QD mounts and don’t know that I’d trust them 100% to return to zero.
I figure if the tumble I take renders the scope inoperable, the rifle probably needs checked and I’m more than likely needing checked too!

 

[Don Fischer]

I read about guy's that seem to be bragging about banging up their rifles hunting. On a fly in trip I think most people are using a rifle that does not have open sight's. Maybe they carry a spare scope? But in my opinion the best way to avoid damage is to avoid damage. Ya want to be a man and go into the junk, go for it. You may come out fine with a buggered up rifle! Your hunt may be over. To read much of what is written lead me to believe that what people really want from a manufacturer is a bullet proof rifle/scope that will take everything you hand out and then some. manufacturer's do some good work making tuff scope's but there is a limit to everything! Now just a though, you bang up the scope and destroy it but have open backup sight's. How do you know in the process of destroying your scope you didn't mess up the open sight too? Reminds me of guy's requiring stainless rifle's. I get the feeling they are going hunting in the monsoon's and are going to leave their rifle laying in the boat all week!

 

[Bambistew]

The odds of a scope failing (if you buy a decent one) are about zero. Plenty of other things to worry about that could end a hunt. Walking out to get another rifle/scope isn't' the end of the world, neither is going home without a critter. I've gone on a number of hunts where one rifle was shared between hunters, matter of fact I'll be doing it again in a few weeks... for sheep no less. I'm more worried about my tent getting eaten by a bear, or blown off the mountain than my rifle scope.

 

[2rocky]

Well hunting with a group, there will always be someone else with a rifle. When My BIL's cheap scope fogged up I left him my rifle as I went to another hunt. Gotta get inventive but there have been plenty of 2 hunters, one gun scenarios with the other hunter being the spotter. Kinda like having a 1 on 1 guide.

I know $h1T happens, but I've managed to make it 28 years with the same scope and rifle with horseback scabbard hunts since 2007. Now that I've upgraded, I'll keep the old 2-7 as a spare and it can ride in the gun case that will stay at the Trailhead or basecamp. If I need to ride out to swap the scope, It will be a whole day lost. About the same as packing meat.

 

[Cav1]

Over the past 30+ years most of my rifles had back-up sights, rear aperture and front blade, but I never once ever needed to dismount the scope and actually use them. OTOH, maybe 25 years ago down in the Beartooths my rifle and I took an unpleasant ride down the hill when a patch of scree rock I was crossing broke loose under me. I had a newer Model 70 at the time, with no iron sights, and it had come with a Bushnell 3-9x40 that I didn't really trust to begin with. I just walked back down the mountain and drove home. I went out to my 100-yard range afterwards and wasn't even on the paper.

 

[Wildabeest]

Walking out to get another rifle/scope isn't' the end of the world, neither is going home without a critter.

Yeah, I worry more about doing something to myself and not being able to walk out than I do about doing something to my gun/scope. I take a backup rifle on every trip. It stays with the truck. If I need it (which I never have), I’ll go get it.