A scope really helps. To make "Rifleman" with the passing score on the test, you need to keep nearly all of your shots in 1.5" groups at 25 yards.
I can't do that regularly and repeatably with the standard iron sights on any rifle. I can come close with my AR-15 or M1A, but not quite.
With target-style peep sights, I can do iit with the Ruger 10/22.
With a scope, even a low-power cheap 4X scope, I can.
Is it "cheating" to use a scope or other optics? I don't think so. They're too useful to omit from rifles intended to hit small targets at longer ranges. I won't shun scopes for Appleseed just because the Revolutionary War generation didn't use them, or even because the U.S. military didn't use them as standard issue until just recently.
If I didn't have good target (aperture) sights on the 10/22, I would have put a scope on it for my Appleseed weekend.
