Ruger rifles with open sights

[one shot hunter]

I wish Ruger would offer more of their rifles with open sights. I think they would offer hunters more options and could be handy if your scope was damaged or broken at the worse possible times. What happened to the RS and RLS models? Maybe it's time to bring these back for a time to fill in the void. Some are looking for open sight rifles. It would be especially nice in stainless finish and wood stocks

 

[black029]

Most hunters on costly hunts have a backup scope, and couldn't care less about irons. For the brushy deer woods maybe iron sights still have a place, but Ruger pretty much only equips rifles for big, tough critters with backup iron sights.
Plus, young hunters might scoff at them, and older goobers like me can't see well enough to effectively use them anymore.

 

[triggerpull]

Most hunters on costly hunts have a backup scope, and couldn't care less about irons. For the brushy deer woods maybe iron sights still have a place, but Ruger pretty much only equips rifles for big, tough critters with backup iron sights.
Plus, young hunters might scoff at them, and older goobers like me can't see well enough to effectively use them anymore.

+10

 

[Klondike Mike]

I agree with the OP. All my rifles have open sights. They are more functional than most people realize even with old eyes, they can save a trip back to camp for your back up scope in the event of a mishap and in my opinion a rifle just looks unfinished without them. Ruger should bring back the RLS. I'll take one in 7x57 but mark mine 275 Rigby.

 

[wunbe]

The nasty rear iron blade sights Ruger has used for decades are hard to impossible to adjust, useless in dim light, and so cheaply made it is near criminal to mount them on top of the line rifles. A waste of space IMHO.

wunbe

 

[black029]

Klondike, I was only reporting on the world as I see it (not as well as once upon a time). On a couple of points I agree with you: unless a rifle barrel is an inch thick or is sprouting out of an AR or SCAR or SIG, etc. platform, it looks naked without sights. And, I recently bought a RAR .22 LR, and dragged it along to a range session. Managed to make a 3" group at 50 yards off a rest (while keeping the blur aligned and consistant). Shocked me. And, I obviously know it can do better by a factor of 3.
I think it would be great if Ruger would do Remington type move, like they did with the .244/6MM or .280 Remington/7MM Express/oops!back to .280 Remington clusterbombs.
Reintroduce the Compact Magnum as the Compact Hunter, or Compact Super American, or whatever: same wood stock, same LOP and bbl length, same Williams rear sight. Just chamber it for the .308 family of cartridges, including the .260 Rem and the .223, since the .223 is useful and just plain fun to shoot. No magnums. I mean...........out of a 6 3/4 pound rifle? They were nice handling, well built little beauties, other than the frosted metal finish. Do the nice blue finish like on the current Africans or N o. 1's, and I think Ruger would do well. Better than sightless compacts with 12.5" pulls and 16" bbls.
That's as close to a rant as I can do.

 

[Rocdoc]

I also am a fan of iron sights, just looks incomplete to me with out them, although I have a tough time getting them to work with my eyesight. I've found that I can do pretty well with low magnification reading glasses out to 50 yards, but must depend on a scope for longer distances.

 

[black029]

When you have Eotechs on handguns.............
Still, it could be an option.

 

[triggerpull]

Klondike, I was only reporting on the world as I see it (not as well as once upon a time). On a couple of points I agree with you: unless a rifle barrel is an inch thick or is sprouting out of an AR or SCAR or SIG, etc. platform, it looks naked without sights. And, I recently bought a RAR .22 LR, and dragged it along to a range session. Managed to make a 3" group at 50 yards off a rest (while keeping the blur aligned and consistant). Shocked me. And, I obviously know it can do better by a factor of 3.
I think it would be great if Ruger would do Remington type move, like they did with the .244/6MM or .280 Remington/7MM Express/oops!back to .280 Remington clusterbombs.
Reintroduce the Compact Magnum as the Compact Hunter, or Compact Super American, or whatever: same wood stock, same LOP and bbl length, same Williams rear sight. Just chamber it for the .308 family of cartridges, including the .260 Rem and the .223, since the .223 is useful and just plain fun to shoot. No magnums. I mean...........out of a 6 3/4 pound rifle? They were nice handling, well built little beauties, other than the frosted metal finish. Do the nice blue finish like on the current Africans or N o. 1's, and I think Ruger would do well. Better than sightless compacts with 12.5" pulls and 16" bbls.
That's as close to a rant as I can do.

I recently bought a rossi 16" M92 stainless steel lever gun in 44 mag--it is heavenly--except for the fact Taurus makes it so lots of finishing issues. But at 4.8 pounds this lightweight delivers the hammer--and the recoil--even lacking a buttpad--is very tolerable. The ease of handling and delivering game-dropping power has to be experienced to be believed. THIS is the kind of weapon Ruger should be making IMO--and considering the QC problems of the competition they should easily be able to do it better.

 

[57springer]

Like sights on my rifles as well .

 

[one shot hunter]

I just purchased a Ruger RS in 308. I'm looking forward to its arrival and a shooting session it. I will keep you posted. You sure don't see many Ruger rifles with iron sights for sale.

 

[Alan in GA]

Wondering---should they make a strong HOOD for the front sight?...or maybe keep it bare as it is - strong enough to resist most impacts?
When I look at Remington's 673 rifle I canmt help but think 'gut hook' when I see their front sight !!!

PS- I have a Ruger #1A on layaway at a LGS and it has open sites and I kind of like them. I've always like 'slick' barrels on my Sporters, but am starting to appreciate open sites again.
Now, I don't think I would want open sights on a 257 Weatherby though!

 

[Beachbum]

A few years ago I ran into an old tang safety M77 at a pawn shop. It had iron sights on an 18" barrel and a 4x scope. I bought it immediately because of the sights. I took the scope off and the gun handles SO nicely and is so nice, light and slim, I can't bring myself to remount the scope.

 

[DPris]

Last two serious centerfire rifles I bought were Rugers, one a Compact Magnum model in .308 & the other the .30-06 Guide Gun.

Both were acquired largely BECAUSE of their iron sights, as quick-handlers for brush & relatively short-range conditions.
The CM had its tiny bead replaced by a white-line blade from XS to make a more visible sight picture.

My gunsmith says he does a steady business installing sights on sightless rifles for people who buy the current crop of "blind" rifles without them.

Sad to see the trend among makers today to leave them off.
Denis

 

[one shot hunter]

I just obtained a like new Ruger Mark 11 in 308 with open sights. That is one good looking rifle.

 

[No-1]

They probably save less than $5 a gun by leaving them off - of course when you're talking 1/2 million guns a year it's some real money.

 

[dakota1911]

I like to leave them on as my eyes are O.K. with them although I am over 60 now. I had to get a scope mount that was high enough on my SR762 so I could leave the fold-able sights that came with it on. On my older Ruger No. 1 in 30-06 they are not great but still there.

 

[RUFFBIRD]

I won't buy a rifle unless it has iron sights!
Next thing you know they will be selling handguns with no sights to save money.... :wink:

 

[glw3151]

I would not consider any rifle used primarily for hunting or possibly self protection complete with out open sights.

 

[DGW1949]

I don't own anything that has a scope, so it follows that I'd have no use for a sightless rifle.
On the other hand, Ruger has never been known for providing very good sights, so I'd be happy just to see 'em provide an empty dovetail or properly drilled/tapped holes so's I could mount my own....which I usualy end-up doing anyway.

DGW