Scope or Ghost Ring Sight for Big Bears

[DR B]

I'm having a 375 Ruger built by Kevin Weaver. The only hunting I will be using it for is Big Bears in Alaska, and possibly; Cow Elephants and Buff in Africa. The rifle will be built on a FN mauser action, with a 21" Pacnor barrel, and Lone Wolf Stalker stock. I'm seriously considering making it a dedicated open sight rifle. Similar to the 458 Lott by Ron Paul that 458wim used two seasons ago.
Am I making a mistake, does anyone have any hunting experience with a rifle like this?

DRB

 

[.338 mag.]

Go for it!

Go for it!

I can shoot smaller groups of the bench with a scope. After 42 years of hunting in Alaska my average shot has been under 150 yards. Most of those shots were made with the scope on 2.5 power and most could have been made with iron sights. A scope will give you an advantage when light is bad. That being said, if you can hold a 2" group at a hundred yards from the bench I can see no reason for a scope if you would like iron sights. You can always put a scope and quick detachable mounts on your rifle later and use iron sights when you want. Take an 8" paper plate and move it to 300 yards. If you pay your dues at the range I bet you could hit that paper plate all day. I shot hundreds snowshoe hares when I was a kid, with open sighted .22's. Most were head shots. How many rounds will the magazine hold? Sounds like a neat rifle!

 

[AlaskaCub]

If it were me Doc, I would go with QR mounts and a low powered variable scope thats bright in low light conditions. I have been rolling around the idea of gettiing a 375 Ruger and putting like a 1.8-5 x38 Zeiss on it. Not all brown bear are shot inside 100 yards and if you have that bear of your dreams standing broadside at 180 yards why not be as precise as you can. When you go into the thick stuff you pull the scope and use the irons. The 375 Ruger will reach out and touch some stiuff so why handicap it? A guy I know went brown bear hunting on the Peninsula a couple years ago and they killed two brownies, neither was shot inside 250 yards. Keep yourself versatile I say.

 

[tboehm]

Same issue

Same issue

I have a 375 H&H that I'm putting together and I am purchasing the new leupold LX system. That way I can use the scope or use open sights. Right now I'm waiting for the mounts to arrive to decide on the type of open sights to use.

 

[BRWNBR]

i'd listen to thse guys, quick detach and irons/peep. i backed up a guy with my peep once at 120 yards, standing still bear you can hit all day long, get him spinning and running crazy and then try to figure out which part of the bear your front post is covering up...no can do. your just pulling the trigger for effect then.
crosshairs in a scope give you the advantage of aiming at a SPOT on the bear, front post of your irons out past 100 (i don't care who you are, someday you'll shoot past 100 on bears) just leaves you aiming the THE bear.

But if you just wanna shoot off the bench and amaze your friends and not impress any bears, just go with the peep and save yourself the money!

 

[Marc Taylor]

I vote Ghost Ring.

Taylor

 

[markopolo50]

I "second" the low power scope and QR or similar easily removable scope. Use open sights when in close or following up a wounded cape or bear.

 

[mcreg]

Good advise is listen to these guys! Best advise is listen to the guide you'll be using!!! I just bought a CZ 55 Safari Magnum in .375 H & H for a brown bear hunt this spring. Had them put on a fibre optic front sight and then a Q/D Ziess 1.5 x 5 x 38. Sighted irons in at 100 and scope at 200 zero.
According to the advise I rec'd this should do the trick both in N/A and Africa, or anywhere inbetween.
Good luck

 

[DR B]

What distance

What distance

What distance is the average shot on a coastal Brown Bear? Phil Shomaker says he tries to get his clients as close as possible usually inside 50 yd. and never takes a shot over 100 yd. I have little interest in a long range shot at a BB.

 

[DR B]

Which Q/D Mount

Which Q/D Mount

Who makes the best Q/D mount.

 

[logman]

Leupold double lever QD mounts

Leupold double lever QD mounts

I have a Mauser .458 with the Leupold double lever mounts and a Leupold 1x4 scope . My iron sights are pretty much the same as the Hawkeye , fixed leaf but I have a heavy duty sourdough sight up front . If you're hunting Kodiak or Afognak there are as many places you don't want a scope as much as you do , my opinion . I once pasted a bear close up and had a 4x fixed power and all there was in that scope was fur , I didn't like it . The Leupold levers are bomb-proof .

 

[groundpounder]

I personally would go with a good low power scope- I have a 1.5x6 zeiss w/ warne detachables on my Bill Wiseman .416rem built on a pre'64 mdl70- I like the scope- really important in lower light conditions for me. I don't take the scope off in trailing thru brush, however- I am more comfortable with the configuration that I shoot all the time-