jwai86 wrote:I asked a similar question on some other online forum a while ago, and the responses I got were quite divided. Some said that learning to use open sights is an essential skill while others argued that scopes and red dot sights make it unnecessary.
I would have liked to try the experience of shooting a rifle using open sights, but the issue of cross eye dominance comes up. Being right handed but left eye dominant is easy to work around when using a handgun, but not so much with a longarm. I'm aware that there are workarounds such as shooting left-handed, but it may be easier to simply forgo the idea of trying out open sights and stick to using a scope.
I used iron sights as a kid, and I really enjoy using them now - the field of view over open sights is amazing compared to a scope. But for hunting I owe it to the animal to place the shot as precisely as I can, and that dictates a scope most of the time. For large game like pigs and big deer at close ranges open sights work just fine though as bullet placement only needs be within an inch or two of your aimpoint. Iron sights are perfect against a white paper background, against a dark background it can be impossible to discern the dark front blade, but a brass or fibre-optic insert can help a lot. Trying to lead a small running target that's running away or uphill can mean the target is totally obscured behind the sights and barrel - it's worth learning to shoot both eyes open.
Also worth noting that there are a lot of variations of iron sights and different combinations of front and rear sights. Some will work really well for you, some will be hopeless. I really dislike the Mauser Kar98k sight picture for example, and I really, really like the AR15 sight picture.
The modern alternative to iron sights is a red dot sight or a holographic sight. These remove parallax and raise the sight picture above the receiver, so you can see what's below the target as well as to the sides. Not always useful in bright sunshine or against some backgrounds, and useless when the battery goes flat or the lens get water on them.