is it a bad idea to start a new shooter out on a scoped rifle as opposed to irons?

[PowerJoker6.0]

my girlfriend has been getting into shooting with me, plinking and such with my ancient 10/22 with iron sights. she enjoyed it so much the first few times that i kinda used her as an excuse one day and picked up a newer used 10/22 with a scope. well since she got ahold of that she's been driving tacks at 75 yards, but she likes the scope alot more than the irons. i have heard that its good practice to get new shooters proficient with iron sights before moving on to a scope, should i pressure her to get good with the irons? or is it not big enough of a deal to worry about?

 

[Sunray]

"...not big enough of a deal to..." Yep. If she's happy, leave it alone.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Unless she's into formal target shooting, she'll never have to shoot with irons. So why worry about it.

 

[230therapy]

Yes. She needs to know how sights work. This is fundamental.

 

[Rail Driver]

I plan to teach my son to shoot with irons then move him up to a scoped rifle. I think it's better to learn the fundamentals with as simple a setup as possible, and it doesn't get any simpler than iron sights.

 

[wally]

Its certainly easier to learn with a scope, and its a lot more fun to hit than to miss. Be happy she goes shooting with you.

 

[taliv]

definitely encourage her to do what she enjoys.

 

[J.Boyette]

Sir,

If the student wants to learn marksmanship then iron sights are a faster way to learn the fundamentals. But it is also harder.

I would let her do as she wants for now. One thing alot of men do is rush the shooting experience, to this or that, bigger calibers and so on.

I would keep her right at a 22lr until she wants to try a center fire. Then I would go to a .223, to a .243 or a .308 and stop at that point. I have been shooting for a long time and I do not like the mag rounds unless is a well built rifle.

Just a thought.

 

[PowerJoker6.0]

yeah you guys pretty much affirmed what i was thinking as i was typing the question, i shouldnt worry about it, just be glad she comes out and shoots. i just didnt know if it would bring about any bad shooting habits that will hurt her ability later if she ever does want to shoot irons. so for now, ill just let it be. i will however encourage her to challenge herself with the irons, b/c she's wasting alot of 22LR going from shot to shot to shot b/c she is so quick with the aide of a scope!

 

[Jim Watson]

Kind of like learning to drive - automatic or stick shift first?

 

[Rail Driver]

i will however encourage her to challenge herself with the irons, b/c she's wasting alot of 22LR going from shot to shot to shot b/c she is so quick with the aide of a scope!

While it's a good thing to encourage her to challenge herself, I wouldn't consider going shot to shot quickly a waste of ammo if she's consistently increasing her accuracy.

The more trigger time, the better anyone shoots.

 

[Skribs]

I started off with a BB gun that came with a 4x scope. I hated the irons and loved the scope, because it was so much simpler for me to use and easier for me to adjust. I don't shoot competition; so I see no reason to use ironsights when I could just as easily use a reflex sight or a scope.

 

[bigalexe]

Is it better to start with Irons or Scoped?

WHATEVER YOU WANT!

Now there are some cases where you may want to build certain habits based on future intent but in the end just shoot what you have. I have a friend that was insistent that he needed raised scope rings so he could still use irons, until it was pointed out to him that was intended for combat where optics may fail and for hunting it wasn't much of a concern.

 

[CraigC]

IMHO, every serious shooter with good enough eyesight should become proficient with iron sights. Contrary to some of what has been posted, competition is not the only place for them. Lots of folks still use them and for different purposes. While I have many rifles with scopes, the majority of them have some sort of peep sight and that is my usual preference. It's really a skill all its own and one I certainly would not want to be without. Any iron sight shooter can quickly adapt to a scope but the reverse is not true. However, with that said, you don't wanna push too hard and/or take it too seriously if it's gonna take the fun out of it for her. I'd suggest you both attend an Appleseed event. It's fun, you're guaranteed to learn something and it's something you can do together.

 

[-eaux-]

IMHO, every serious shooter with good enough eyesight should become proficient with iron sights. Contrary to some of what has been posted, competition is not the only place for them. Lots of folks still use them and for different purposes. While I have many rifles with scopes, the majority of them have some sort of peep sight and that is my usual preference.

IMHO, I'm completely with CraigC

 

[russ69]

...b/c she's wasting alot of 22LR going from shot to shot to shot b/c she is so quick with the aide of a scope!

Have her shoot the A17 target. That's a good challenge, it should slow her down and have her looking to use match ammo.

Thanx, Russ

 

[ZCORR Jay]

I'd say starting with irons is good practice and a good way to build on the principles of aiming. Try to have her go back and forth from scoped to iron to keep the skill fresh.

 

[kinshipknight]

Yeah, I'd let her shoot and have fun with the scope, but definitely get her learned on irons before too long.

 

[A and O]

I use both and to be honest I prefer the iron sights for 200yds. and under. And that is where most of if not almost all my shots take place.

I would encourage her to develop her skills in whichever route she wants to take. A little like what gun to use.

 

[therewolf]

IMO,I have to agree with allowing her to do what she really enjoys.

Accuracy is important, and if she's having a good time, and she's pitting the ace

with the scope, I personally would not want to push the issue. Now's the

important time to boost her faith in her own accuracy.

She may want to challenge herself with the iron sights later, and it would be easier if she came around to this all by herself. If she's got a good scope zeroed in on a rifle she really likes, I would think hard and long before changing it.

While I have to agree the basics of iron sights is somewhat important, having your GF for a shooting buddy truly is the main thing.

 

[CZ223]

I love iron sights

and I also love driving a stick shift. Most people will never need to drive a stick, because most cars come with automatic transmissions. Most rifles don't even come with iron sights any more so no, not everyone needs to know how to use iron sights.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

To me, irons are for hunting, competition, or just personal satisfaction. If none of those are a concern, then let her just shoot and have fun. As others have said, be glad she is there with you at the range. If she does choose to go hunting with you, Iron sights are an invaluable tool in the thick woods where a 4 power scope may be just too much. But that is pretty much all up to the conditions you hunt in as well. It is good to have the ability and skill with irons, but it is certainly not a deal breaker by any means.

 

[benEzra]

No, not at all. I started on a scoped .22 and learned irons later.

IMO, it's her prerogative to shoot what she enjoys. If that's shooting with a scope, then she should shoot with a scope.

 

[mbogo]

I prefer scopes, and that is how I start new shooters out on rifles.

Whatever you decide, find out which of her eyes is dominant.

mbogo

 

[rondog]

I learned to shoot on a single-shot .22 rifle with peep sights, and I started my grandson on iron sights too. We both prefer various optics, much more fun that way, but knowing how to use irons is a good skill to have. That boy can shoot my M1 Garand very well, and it ain't gots no scope. I agree with the comments about "just be glad she likes to go shooting with you!"

Oh yeah, the dominant eye comment is important! My grandson is right-handed, but left-eye dominant. Shooting was difficult for him until I got him to shooting left-handed, he does much better that way. He was having to lean waaaay over the rifles to see the sights, much too awkward.