Mounting scope on Stevens 44

[Cheshire Dave]

I'm looking at a Stevens 44 in 25-20 wcf. I can either pay extra for the original tang peep or mount a scope. My eyes like scopes but the peep looks better. It has 2 holes D&T just in front of the receiver and 2 more about 7 inches back from muzzle for an old brass scope. Is there a way to mount a modern scope that wouldn't look out of place? Perhaps the rears hole and maybe the dovetail from the missing rear sight?I have a 1 3/4x5 Burris with no front bell that might look ok. I have also looked at the 6x Malcom short tube but not sure if I have the coin. A Lyman Junior would be nice but would almost cost as much as the rifle. Any ideas?

[1Hawkeye]

Unless you really have to have the optics I would go for the tang sight especially if its the original. I have a 44 in .32-20 and put the MVA copy of the stevens sight on it. Also be sure its chambered in .25-20 WCF and not .25-20 single shot WCF which most 44's are chambered in because they don't interchange. The single shot case looks like a large .22 hornet and the WCF is a bottle neck. Stevens never specified they just marked them .25-20

[Cheshire Dave]

That would probably be the smartest thing to do. I'm sure it's a 25-20 Winchester Centerfire because the seller said it's been relined and rechambered to that caliber. That's part of the reason I thought about putting a scope on it it's not a hundred percent original it's been restored. It looks very good and it would probably be a good shooter. I thought perhaps a Malcolm 6 power but I guess I could get the Tang sight and resell it if I can't use it. It's an original for the Stevens 44 and the seller would give me a pretty good deal if I bought it with the gun.

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[PBlover429]

With a rifle with that little recoil and using a light target scope like the Malcom knockoff, you can glue bases to the barrel with JB weld and it will work fine. Have several set up that way, none have come apart.

[Chev. William]

Obvious First Recommendation is to Buy the Peep Sight with the Rifle.
Second Choice would be to fit a Straight tube telescopic sight to the rifle.
Third Choice would be to fit 'Open' sights to the rifle using the original dove tail slots.
Fourth choice would be to make a 'bridge mount to engage the Rear Dove tail slot and the Rear screw holes that would then take the mount rings for a mount rings for a More modern Telescopic sight.
Fifth Choice would b eto add new Drilled holes to mount a modern Telescopic sight.
The FAR LAST choice would be to "Glue" mount bases onto the Barrel. Yes, it will work most of the time, and yes it may stay in place for a Long time; But IUt is Still "Glue" and repeated firing of the rifle will eventually cause the Barrel to Glue joint to fail.
Just my Personal Opinions on the Subject.

Chev. William

[country gent]

I would recommend one of the MVA Malcomb Style scopes Pluses are they use unertal posi bases so if the hole patterns don't line up then as set of blocks can be made fairly easily in a mill, or from brownels 3/8" rail blank. They are good scopes and with the 34" model should utilize the existing holes and spacing ( they are set up for 17" block spacing) and are a period style scope so will look right on the rifle. 3/4" tube 6X external adjustments. I have 3 and all repeat and adjust well. Learning to read the Vernier is important.

While more expensive than modern styles they are modern optics and have parallax adjustments. Look correct on the older single shots and are very nice. I believe my last on a 34" with long range rear mount and standard crosshairs was around $1000.00.

[PBlover429]

"opinions" are fine but facts trump them every time. NONE of my "glued" on bases have ever failed, even when hunted. If you don't like the result, a few seconds w/a propane torch will take them off. Once you punch holes in a collectible rifle they are there forever.

[gnoahhh]

How far apart are the rear set of holes from the barrel sight dovetail? If 5-8" apart (7.2" is optimal) you can install target scope blocks. The rear holes are obvious and blocks were made, or can be made cheaply, to fit in the dovetail. (Steve Earle is your huckleberry for that.) Then all you need is a scope to go on them. If cost is a factor you can find low power (4-6x) vintage small game/field/target scopes for not a lot of money, especially if you accept one with cosmetic issues that you can put some sweat equity/elbow grease into making them nice. An example of that would be a Lyman 438 field scope which looks like a baby Unertl and rarely sells for over a couple-few hundred bucks in nice condition, less with outside finish issues. Were it me I would save my nickels and get a correct scope.

Everyone wants Unertl, Fecker, Targetspot, etc. scopes, and they are top notch but they are expensive. If you settle for a lower-end Lyman, Wollensak, etc. you are still getting a neat scope that will look 100% correct on that Stevens rifle. A "modern" scope with internal adjustments and big ocular and objective lenses just looks out of place on a vintage rifle like that, IMO.

[Willbird]

Just offhand I think I would put a scope base on the rear two holes by the action, then create a barrel band further up maybe, it could just slip on and touch in a ring contact point, then tie it to the rear base, and glass bed it to the barrel profile....use a picatinny rail to join the two bases, then mount the optic of your choice.

Honestly a red dot is probably MORE accurate overall than iron sights..if your happy with zero magnification...pick a red dot that has a really small dot when set on lowest power, the Tasco Pro point are like that, the dot when set on "1" is about 1/3 the width of a 12 gauge hull at 50 yards...really nice for plinking stuff like that. One range I used to go the shotgun shooters littered the range with once fired 12 gauge slug hulls, they were fun and free targets for 50 yard shooting .

Honestly for a small and light red dot sight just the one base mounting point would work, just use a base long enough that fits the barrel profile really good, or is glass bedded to it.

Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 are like 50ish on Amazon or other similar websites, I really try to keep one in "stock"....you would want a base about 1.25" long for one of those. Not "traditional" by any means...but it would be almost plug and play except for drilling/countersinking the holes in the short section of Picatinny rail. Honestly as light as those sights are, and with the low recoil you could try it with ONE screw I bet .

Bill

[gnoahhh]

Picatinny rails and red dot sights? On a Stevens 44? The newest one being, what, 90 years old? To each his own, but.....

[Cheshire Dave]

I'm going to agree with gnoahhh. I want something that will look period to the rifle.

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[Willbird]

Picatinny rails and red dot sights? On a Stevens 44? The newest one being, what, 90 years old? To each his own, but.....

To me it is about enjoying the gun and seeing how good it can really shoot. Modern optics offer a lot over old school fixed sights or old school primitive optics , if I want to go back in time I can ride a horse bareback .

[uscra112]

Picatinny rails and red dot sights? On a Stevens 44? The newest one being, what, 90 years old? To each his own, but.....

Megadittos !

If the O.P. cannot live without a scope, mount another 3/8 dovetail as necessary and fit an old Weaver J-2.5 or J-4, but for the luvva Mike don't use a pickaninny rail and a garish modern scope!

[Drm50]

If I get old rifle that has holes already D&Ted I have a cigar box of old assorted bases to pick from. I just pick one out with radius to match and drill for screws. Is your 44 octagon to round? The last one I had was lined to 22LR and I used a Brownell base and drilled it to match holes. Then Drilled and tapped base for a old reciver sight that is made one piece on a straigh flat bottom tang. Don't have the 44 anymore but have the sight mounted same way on a Rem RB. It has a heavy round barrel and existing holes. I used a weaver base to fit radius and draw filed the wings down flush with base and drilled for screw pattern. Weaver is alumilum so it's easy to work and blacked with Birchwood Alum Black solution. I've had this sight on several old single shots. It bridges the actions from the barrel.

[MT Chambers]

Any modern scope would look real dumb and out of place, a Malcolm, Unertl, Lyman, Fecker, is proper for that rifle, or folks will laugh at you, at least I would.

[Cheshire Dave]

I did end up getting the rifle. Waiting for it now. I got the Stevens peep as well as a set of dies and a little bit of brass. I'll try my best with the tang sight and if I do mount a scope it will be a traditional one. Would't want MT Chambers to have reason to laugh at me.

[Chev. William]

Good Choices!

[Willbird]

Any modern scope would look real dumb and out of place, a Malcolm, Unertl, Lyman, Fecker, is proper for that rifle, or folks will laugh at you, at least I would.

Yes we should all live our lives based on what others think .

Bill

[Cheshire Dave]

Just thought I would bring people up to date. After getting a mold and some great advice from "35Remington" over on the Marlin Owner site I have to say I really like the way the Stevens44 shoots. 5.5 grains of 2400 and some dacron filler under the NOE 260-85-FN shoots great. At least when the light is good. I'm getting groups from 9/16 to 3/4 when I do my part. I did find the best way to scope a 25-20 though. Buy one that's set up for it....

[arlon]

Lot of reproduction brass tube scopes. I think a period looking scope would be fun. I have a few model 44s and a model 52, lucky to have peep sights on two of them but I have considered a reproduction scope for one of the 44s that is sightless.