Deer stand test

[Scott Tschirhart]

I was testing various revolvers from my deer stand this afternoon. The results were disappointing. Seems like none of my revolvers shoot to the same point of aim from my hand and from a rest. Also I just couldn’t seem to see the sights without some backlighting.

Out of desperation I loaded my old Gunsite 1911 with six rounds of ball ammo.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I sighted this pistol in years ago at 50 yards and I’ve often thought I should shave that rear sight down a bit with a file.

I can see that gold bead really well.

[Griff]

And here I was spending the day getting my registration renewed and mowing the yard...

[Walt]

Scott, I have lowered the rear sights on several guns and in some cases it's much easier than ordering and installing a new sight blade, especially with Smiths. I have found that Smiths are so difficult to install a new, lower blade on that it's more practical to just replace the entire rear sight assembly. If a replacement assembly isn't low enough, I use emery cloth on a flat surface, placing an 1/8th" spacer under the emery cloth so that the angle of the cut doesn't allow reflection off the top of the blade when I shoot it and I move the whole gun forward and back so it's easier to keep it vertical. Ruger sight blades are much easier to replace but I use the same technique if the proper height is not available. Bevel the sides of the blade, put on a touch of cold blue and I'm back in business. I also sometimes widen the rear sight notch so that more light is visible on either side of the front sight.

[Scott Tschirhart]

It’s a Novak’s so a little file work won’t hurt it at all

[piller]

It is just human eyesight. Of all predators, yes our eye placement says we are predators, we have the worst eyesight other than bears. We need to use our brains to fix our limitations. A little thoughtful work and we can overcome most problems.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Testing continues. Hornady 230 gr XTPs do not seem to shoot as well as ball ammo. But that 270SAA in the old Ruger three screw shows promise.

[FLINT]

all this testing is probably great for your shooting and preparedness, but it's probably also good for making sure that you never actually have to shoot from your stand during deer season.

maybe your deer are different than mine though

[Scott Tschirhart]

Interesting observation. My pistol range is adjacent to my deer stand location.

Yet I see lots of deer all year round and I never seem to have any trouble shooting one when I want to. I have deer walk out on my pistol range all the time and I shoot year round.

[Grizz]

Loggers in Alaska say the same thing. The deer seem attracted to the fallers, who are providing them with free browse.

[FLINT]

Interesting observation. My pistol range is adjacent to my deer stand location.

Yet I see lots of deer all year round and I never seem to have any trouble shooting one when I want to. I have deer walk out on my pistol range all the time and I shoot year round.

well, that's great then! wish my deer were like that, haha.

[JimT]

Interesting observation. My pistol range is adjacent to my deer stand location.

Yet I see lots of deer all year round and I never seem to have any trouble shooting one when I want to. I have deer walk out on my pistol range all the time and I shoot year round.

Remember at Whittington? We have had to stop shooting because of deer, or turkeys, or bear walking on the berm or just behind it. That was with 50 to 90 people banging away.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Yes Jim. As I recall Carter’s County in Houston would occasionally have deer walking out on the range requiring a cease fire as well.

I have a theory. Deer get used to any sort of regular event. So we may be making a mistake in staying out of the woods and then flooding them with hunters when deer season starts.

I went by my pistol range thus afternoon to drop off a case of spray paint. Three deer were feeding there when we arrived.

[Grizz]

in Southeast (AK) the abundant beach deer were 'skiff hunted' by locals looking for some pot meat, and an easy dusk shot. but those deer were alarmed by the skiff noise and most of them over two years old would run uphill when the skiffs went by. But you could stalk up to them in the woods and if they had not seen people they might ignore you. That's how daughter shot her first deer. You could go 'on top' above timber in the alpine sphagnum mosses which made great napping beds. many of the deer up there had never seen humans or been hunted, and were much less wary. Except for the few actual big bucks, which got big by always staying out of range. I didn't pursue the herd bulls because they are inedible when they are rutting, I can't eat antlers, and their genes belong in the herd.... . . .

[Scott Tschirhart]

These deer see me on a weekly basis. Probably much like they saw my grandpa. They aren't afraid of me and they really have no reason to be. I take one or two deer a year on average, but they don't live long enough to tell any other deer about it.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Testing continues

[Scott Tschirhart]

Pretty impressive

[piller]

That is certainly good enough to take a deer.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I think I’m in good shape

[4t5]

I have trouble in low light when deer move around here, I went with a red dot on my rem 870 and it has made all the difference. I shoot a recurve bow all year long but for hunting switch to compound bow with lighted sight pins, again huge difference.I can not focus on a bullseye but instead aim for "center of blur".,thinking of selling some guns I don't shoot much to purchase some more red dots for the ones I do. if you have trouble seeing in low light give a red dot a try.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I’m having similar problems as I approach 60. I can still shoot but seeing the sights is sometimes challenging

[Scott Tschirhart]

We have a winner. No trouble seeing the sights and it consistently shoots like this.