O no...I done it now, now what?

[freebullet]

Well I have avoided like the plague getting a lever gun. Shot my father's levers as much as possible growing up. I didn't want to start down this slippery slope.

I went to lean on a guy who is way past due on an invoice with me. He gave me what he could and then offered a couple goodies as part trade. I had to begrudgingly decline the first goody, but the second I couldn't help but latch on to it. Like a moth to flame, it just didn't matter.

My wife is quite gunny, not just guns all weapons really. Guess I'm lucky in that regard, never being hounded on about them. In fact I'm the one who has to show restraint on those purchases, and that's an absolutely ridiculous plan. She has been after me to get her a lever for some time.



So this marlin 336w w/a sling and 41 factory loads came home as part trade. Now is where my trouble begins. I bring the rifle in the wife comes running out. She says "Nope, don't bring that in here, don't you dare set it down". She knew my intent would be to turn this rifle in to cash before any attachment or love was formed.

Next thing I knew she was holding it. I was apprehensive about letting her shoulder it. Then the unthinkable happened. She absconded with it, running off in the bedroom. Wait wait wait... get yer mind out the gutter fellers. As I opened the door my worst fears were realized, there she laid (fully clothed), hugging the rifle and our pup. There she was cuddling with a lever gun I had no intent to keep. To make matters worse the pup seems to have a strange attraction to the sling.

So obviously I should have snuck this one in the house or hid it in my truck. Long story short I can't sell it unless "I get retail for it". I may still sell it, but it's doubtful now.

So I have an mp311150hp mold I think will work with this, but no dies yet. I would like to get opinions and experiences with a lighter and heavier mold recommendation.

In addition my ability to focus is gone due to cataract surgery, that leaves me using scopes on everything longer than a pistol to avoid glasses. I'm considering a standard scope, but the possibility of a scout mount seems like it might make for a fast handling woods gun for deer hunting. I'd like to hear opinions and experiences on that as well. I'll try to get a poll for this one at the top.

I guess if anyone has some extra brass and/or a set of dies cheap it looks like I may need them.

[btroj]

You will enjoy that rifle. Mine currently wears a receiver sight. Try around 16 gr of 2400 with that bullet.
i have both RCBS and Lee 30-30 dies. The RCBS doesn't size the area just below the shoulder enough to allow easy chambering in my rifle, the Lee does.

A 30-30 is just about the perfect cast bullet rifle. I just shot some MP 308 hunting bullets cast from range scrap and water dropped in mine. Shot well enough.

[freebullet]

As always excellent tips btroj. Thank you!

[pworley1]

I have never been able to get comfortable with a scout scope. Nothing against them, just me.

[Fatdaddy]

If you go with some of the 1-4X options it is as quick as a red dot on 1X and good magnification for long shots at 4X.
Check out the Leupold 1-4X Hog.

[btroj]

Sorry but the entire scout scope thing is silly. I can't stand the look of them and just don't get the fascination.

[NavyVet1959]

My old eyes have a problem with the common blade and notch type of sights that you see on most rifles these days, but not so much with the aperture type sights. The small aperture helps to increase the focal length of the eye like a high f-stop does on a camera. Those are the only type of iron sights I can use anymore. Otherwise, it's just a case of putting trying to center the blurry front post between the blurry back notches while holding it on the blurry target.

[Guesser]

I have an opinion but no slot to vote it in on the poll. I'd put a receiver sight on it an keep it handy and balanced. Scope it and it becomes unhandy and out of balance. My levers don't wear scopes for that very reason.

[bigarm]

I didn't vote but I think you should consider a peep sight. Skinner makes very nice sights (as well as other companies) and it is amazing how much it improves the sight picture for older eyes.

[tdoyka]

I didn't vote but I think you should consider a peep sight. Skinner makes very nice sights (as well as other companies) and it is amazing how much it improves the sight picture for older eyes.

what he said

[Bodean98]

I have no real input here other than to say I would vote for the peep/aperture sight as well. They are hard to beat.
What I really enjoyed was reading the story of bringing it home to the wife! That is awesome and every man should be blessed with such a woman! Kudos to you sir!

[725]

I don't have a dog in this hunt, but my son has that rifle and it has a forward mounted scout scope. Works like a charm. Some here think every lever action should look like John Wayne's '92, and that's their prerogative. I prefer the look myself. However, when old eyes need a little more to make it work right, there is nothing wrong with that. Better to have a clean, one shot, humane kill than yield to fashion. Do what you have to or want to, it's your rifle (well, maybe yours after the better half says so). In any case the scout set up is a proven winner.

[runfiverun]

I love peep set-ups on my lever-guns.
they are far more accurate than open sights, and not as cumbersome as a scope.
they also help focus your eye on the front sight.

if I were gonna use a scope I'd just buy whatever I could get that's got clear glass and is easy to acquire the sight picture with.
a leupold 2x7 would fit the bill nicely.

[Jack Stanley]

It's hard not to like a standard scope with the right magnification for the purpose at hand .

Jack

[TXGunNut]

My Marlins wear low-powered compact scopes or dot sights. A compact 2-7 (?) Weaver is on one 336, a dot sight on the other. I won't scope a Winchester but all my "shooters" wear some type of aperture sight.

[Fatdaddy]

My 336 and 1895 wear low power scopes but my 1894 44mag has a set of XS ghost rings that is a vast improvement over the factory buckhorn. I have to admit to this making a handy configuration.

[highnoon]

I didn't vote but I think you should consider a peep sight. Skinner makes very nice sights (as well as other companies) and it is amazing how much it improves the sight picture for older eyes.

+1 for the Skinner sights. I put a set on my 1895gs and absolutely love them. Waaaaay better than the buckhorn set-up that came on the rifle and they look good too. Most of my rifles are scoped, but I never really cared for a scope on a classic lever action.

[freebullet]

I tried the large peeps. The x ring is interesting, but due to vision I'm gunna have to use a scope. I really enjoyed open sites, but aside from handguns my open sight days are behind me. I don't want to rely on having glasses to use the gun. I wish I could use them on a rifle, it would be the cheapest option. I learned shortly after I could walk on pellet rifles with similar sights and did well. Today it's a fuzzy mess, can still make hits but just won't have the accuracy I want.

I'm thinking I will probably go with a standard scope. It's not like this rifle is a classic that would be buggered up with a modern scope. I will see if the local stores have a scout I could at least peer through, never had one myself.

I would like to get a mold in the 100gr area for gallery loads and something around 170-180grain for heavies. Any suggestions on that would be helpful.

The wife already wants a larger lever loop cause her hands aren't gunna fit in there with gloves on. If I sell it at this point she'll want it replaced with an authentic lever of old. Scoping this sounds cheaper.

[btroj]

The NOE ranch dog 165 works well in mine but I do need to trim cases a bit short to get them to chamber.

[rintinglen]

I warn you now--the darned things multiply like crazy. Next thing you know, the gun case will be crawling with them. I would not scope one, I vote with those who hold with receiver sights.