Front sight - hooded or not?

[zephyr]

Can the hood be removed on a new 375 model 70?

Yes

 

[Nevada Mike]

My 404J has no hood, my .375 does have one. I shoot the 404 with a ghost ring rear and the open front sight - accurate to about 100 yards, which is probably as far as I would shoot irons. The .375 (M70) hood will come off before using the irons.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Anyone try the window hoods?

 

[1dirthawker]

For those of you who like to use open sights on DG bolt-actions, do you prefer the front sight to be hooded or not?

i don't like hoods over sights, they obscure light. my vote is take it off.

 

[degoins]

I put them on when not in use.....otherwise I can barely see the front sight.

 

[zephyr]

Anyone try the window hoods?
View attachment 503956

I would use this Window Hood with a Fiber Optic Front Sight to protect the sight as they can be fragile

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I, like most others, have removed the hood from 375 and 458s. Either they come off during recoil or mainly I can't see the sights with a hood on. My eyes are not all that good anymore. I have gone to scopes or red dots.

 

[Sika98k]

I hunted hyenas last year at night with a night vision device mounted to a scope on a rifle with a hooded front sight.

The IR beam bounced off the hood and I couldn't remove the hood to save my life.


My PH had a hand held IR illuminator, so he would "illuminate" the bait from time time to time when he thought he heard something.


(a hyena never came along)

From many years of experience shooting foxes at night a team needs to work together to achieve a goal. The ir torch really should have been mounted on the rifle or the PH should have been further off to your side. Difficult, if not impossible, to work an invisible beam.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

I leave the hood on my Rigby, I prefer it. Have fired a lot of rounds and the hood has never moved.

 

[Frederik]

7x57 is ready for the kalahari this weekend hood taken off this morning.
Item ticked from list to do.

 

[uplander01]

Hood on for transport or if scoped, off if hunting with irons.

 

[Longwalker]

A hood is a good idea if you like a small bead as a front sight. I prefer a strong & simple flat bladed post sight in front, "partridge" style. A flat face doesn't reflect light from the side, so a hood in not necessary for accuracy for that reason. And a simple fairly wide blade is strong enough not to require a hood for protection.

 

[geoff rath]

My biggest pet peeve with hoods is that recoil kicks them off eventually. So, no hoods for me. Now, if you are using a rat caliber like a .375, then no issue.

Not often we read the term "rat caliber" in relation to the olde classique 375 H&H

 

[Longwalker]

regarding my post above, I do know the correct spelling of "patridge" - damn auto correct!!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I was about to start a similar thread when I found this one. I have kept the hoods for both Winchester Safari Express sights I mounted on my 30-06 Springfield 03A3 and 404 Jeffery Mauser 98. Both have Williams Firesight blades which are relatively fragile. I see the sight well enough and don't seem to have a problem picking up the target. I find it hard to believe these hoods could be knocked off by recoil. They are a SOB to remove manually. The hood is typically removed when hunting in snowy conditions ... for obvious reasons. They are on when both guns are stacked in the gun case for trips to Africa but in the future I will be adding slip-on recoil pads to protect the stocks. Iron sights are for backup in case scope craps out or for rough environment/bad weather.

 

[Dan458]

I’ve taken the hoods off mine. Faster target acquisition and less bulk to get caught on things

 

[HankBuck]

I thought that the “Hood” served two purposes: 1). To protect the front sight. 2). To keep the shooter from “lifting their head” and properly kind up the rear sight with front sight? I would think it helps on long shots and is a hindered effort in a DG “charge” situation. Also, it’s completely useless if rifle is scoped....might even block some of the scope view for a low mounted scope.

 

[Scott CWO]

On CZ rifles, they won’t stay on due to recoil. Besides that, if hunting in heavy cover, they get tangled up with brush. Also a real distraction for close quarters dangerous game charges or quick shots. Off with the hood!

 

[93marlin]

The only rifle that I have with the hood still on, is an older Husqvarna 8x57. Rifle was built using an FN model 98 action.
When I use it the very large hood seems to help me find and line up front site quicker.

 

[Philip Glass]

I think that they are good protection especially for travel. I personally would not want a hood on a DG rifle. It is a distraction for me. If a person is very familiar with it then I am sure it is ok. This is all part of the ever so important DG homework!