Thread: Going ‘old school’

Who out there is turning their back on the current trend of long range hunting and deliberately setting up for short?

I recently bought a new Leupold VX3i 1.5-5x20 for my little Model 7, and I bought the only one in stock in the whole country. All it seems you can buy these days is a 6x Xoom variable with turrets illumination etc. All we see in the magazines is adverts and articles about gear for taking your animals at longer and longer ranges.
Don’t get me wrong I’m not having a go at those that are into it, as it’s an interesting and enterprising part of the sport. I’ve just found it’s not for me anymore. My long range rifle is on the way out, to be replaced with a walnut and blued ‘classic’. Maybe something in 7x57.....

Anyone else been there done that?

Yep got into 2 weeks ago, shooting hares with my 17hmr at longer rangers, then got into short range stuff, bought a 12 gauge semi auto!! in all seriousness I run an 8-32 on my 204 and a 3-18 on my 17 hmr, my 223 and 6.5 I run simple 3-9s. Rest are open sights

350m has always been a long shot for me , a high shoulder- backline hold is as long range as I dare go and if the crosshairs are waving around in midair above the animal then its time to get closer .

two of my centrefires wear m8 4x loopies.....the other two 3x9s for me also 300mtrs is a long shot 400 and its time to get closer. 50 yards is probably my normal/average range for deer.
old school is the single break open .45/70 with crude open sights cast lead projectiles and homerolled black powder.

I am starting an indicating dog, she is only 6 months at the moment but I’m looking forward to sneaking around in the bush again. I’ve got a 308 at Gunworks getting the chop and a can fitted. I intend to run subs through it to protect my dogs ears, but run a load I can use out to 300 if necessary. My kids will prob use the rifle if we do a tops trip and I take my longer range rifle.

I know what you mean. Even with all the long range kit, the farthest shot I’ve taken on an animal was 325yds on a chamois. That was with a pretty standard .260 and the distance was ranged with the Leupold ranging system on the zoom power ring of the 2.5-8 that I was using then. Pitched it clean off the hill. Now I have actually look for places to shoot my current rig out to the ranges it is set up for, and it just occurred to me how backward that is. The next longest shot was a sika stag at 300yds, shot with a .270 and that same 2.5-8 Leupold. Held along the top of the back, and lights out. No rangefinder, just well judged by eye.

I had 4 rifles mounted up with Leupold 1-4 VXR's, losing three of those in the confiscation, purchased one replacement.

Originally Posted by Hunter_Nick

Who out there is turning their back on the current trend of long range hunting and deliberately setting up for short?

I recently bought a new Leupold VX3i 1.5-5x20 for my little Model 7, and I bought the only one in stock in the whole country. All it seems you can buy these days is a 6x Xoom variable with turrets illumination etc. All we see in the magazines is adverts and articles about gear for taking your animals at longer and longer ranges.
Don’t get me wrong I’m not having a go at those that are into it, as it’s an interesting and enterprising part of the sport. I’ve just found it’s not for me anymore. My long range rifle is on the way out, to be replaced with a walnut and blued ‘classic’. Maybe something in 7x57.....

Anyone else been there done that?

I have a wee rifle I'm putting together at the moment, it's a 200yd cartridge at the best of times but it's getting chopped and suppressed and small fixed power scope. Wont be getting rid of the big gun anytime soon though

Iv got a BSA 30-06 with open sights , im thinking a spring challenge could be in order .

Originally Posted by Boaraxa

Iv got a BSA 30-06 with open sights , im thinking a spring challenge could be in order .

Awesome! During this process Ive been wondering about the simplicity of hunting with open sights.

Originally Posted by Hunter_Nick

Awesome! During this process Ive been wondering about the simplicity of hunting with open sights.

Most modern rifles don't even come with open sights , when I was a young fella I swore id never own a rifle that didn't have a set , Nek Minnit

303 with open sights if you want "real" old school

I had visions of going old-school a few years ago. Brought a classic winchester 94 .44mag (1970s vintage) and fitted an aperture sight. It was well balanced and shouldered really nicely, I hoped to get amongst the sika with it but ended up never using it and sold it a year later. The problem was that the compact suppressed 308 in the safe was just a lot more practical. Live & learn...

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

two of my centrefires wear m8 4x loopies.....the other two 3x9s for me also 300mtrs is a long shot 400 and its time to get closer. 50 yards is probably my normal/average range for deer.
old school is the single break open .45/70 with crude open sights cast lead projectiles and homerolled black powder.

Haha with a 500 grain projectile doing 1400 FPS that will take it head off even if it misses by two inches, what damage that must have done from a 577/450 when hit in the arm, leg or shoulder, forget the rest!!

Yeah I’m thinking something middle of the road... 7x57/270/308 maybe 30/06 or 303 or .243 at the outer edges of ‘standard’ Not heavy, and not light either. No lighter than 7.5lbs, no heavier than 9 (if in a heavier cartridge)
Low power scope, definitely no more than a 2.5-8, more likely 1.5-5 like my other rifle has.

I’ve done the extremes, heavy long range rigs and short ultralight suppressed rigs. I reckon middle of the road just works for 90% of everything I need