Marlin Scout Rifle Setup

[Mike_60]

I might be about to get my hands on a Marlin 1895GBL in 45/70 (since nobody is buying lever guns at the moment) and I've been considering how to set it up. What I'm considering installing is Brockman's 'winged' front and rear sights with an XS scout mount topped by a Leupold 2.5 scout scope. BTW, I have ZERO experience with scout scope setups and I not really sure if I want to go that way or not. Has anyone tried anything similar? Would anyone care to offer an opinion?

Thanks,

[W.R.Buchanan]

Mike: Just my opinion but you might try a Red Dot sight instead of a 2.5x scope. I have several now and am outfitting all of my "close range weapons" with them.

The target aquisition speed that a dot sight gives you is much faster than anything else out there. They are also small and compact. They work well in a Scout type of configuration.

As far a accuracy goes, I can hit a man sized target nearly every time offhand at 200yds, and the same target at 300 yds every single time off a rest.

If you get a small Red Dot like a Bushnell TRS25 or even better a Burris Fast Fire which weighs 2 oz. it doesn't mess with the natural balance of the gun at all.

Something else to consider.

You can buy Dot style sights for as little as $30 and whereas they aren't as good as the more expensive ones you can get an idea of what they are like to use for not much money at all.

That way you are making a more informed choice.

If you try it I can almost guarantee that you will be impressed.

Randy

[Southern Son]

I have a Marlin 1894SS .44mag that I fitted with the same mount/scope but I used a Williams rear peep (with hind site I wish I had gone with the XS rear). I do like it, more than red dot kind of scopes. I cannot get any precision with red dots.

[softpoint]

My preference on the Marlin 45/70's is a 2.5 fixed power scope mounted over the receiver in the conventional position. I have tried red dots and the forward mounted scopes, and have gone back to the standard position scope. I do have an XS receiver sight that I keep in my hunting box that is "pre-zeroed" for my favorite hunting load in my Guide gun. Leupold makes a little 1x scope that has an etched reticle and is lighted, supposed to be able to use like a regular scope if the battery fails, or if you prefer to use just the crosshairs. I wish I knew a little more about it, but the little bugger is $500, so I am waiting to see reviews on it before I trade into, or purchase one. The 2.5 fixed power Leupold is my favorite low power scope.

[softpoint]

I think the Leupold I was refering to is called a "prismatic scope". small & compact, would make a both a rifle AND your wallet easier to carry.....

[Nobade]

Another vote for a red dot. Vortex SPARC has a 2 MOA dot and works great on rifles. Retails for $200 and the three I have seem to be holding up great. Every time I have built somebody a scout rifle with a forward mounted scope they would eventually come back and want it changed to receiver mounted.

[Rick Hodges]

I have a similar set up. A Marlin 45-70 Guide Gun set up with the XS mount and Leupold 2.5X IE Scout Scope. I love the package and it has become my go to deer rifle. My set up uses Warne QD rings which work as advertised and Williams receiver sight. There is a learning curve to using a scout scope on a rifle but it is an extremely fast and accurate aiming system. It is just about perfect except I would much prefer a heavy duplex crosshair like they use on the shotgun scopes over the med duplex.

57820

[softpoint]

One of the problems I have seen with the scout scope mounts on the .45/70 with top loads is the screw in the front of the mount that attaches it to the dovetail block breaking. Others may not have had this happen, but I might would go to the full length rail, and get the XS sight to go with it, if I went the scout scope route.

[MtGun44]

Personal preference. I like scout scopes on this model, also use conventional mnt
location.

Bill

[starmac]

Some of you guys can undoubtedly answer this for me, but what is the purpose of mounting the scope so far forward on a marlin??

[btroj]

To look ugly. No other real reason.

My 1895 wears a Leupold 1.75 to 6 and works like a champ. No scout setups for me. Not ever.

[helice]

Some folks really like them. They are fun and quick. It's something you have to try.

[Tim357]

Some of you guys can undoubtedly answer this for me, but what is the purpose of mounting the scope so far forward on a marlin??

It allows the shooter to use both eyes to shoot. The left (for a rh shooter) tracks the target whilst the right can see the crosshairs on target. As mentioned earlier, there is a bit of alearning curve, but once mastered, there is none faster, IME.

Edit: also, there is virtually no loss of peripheral vision with a scout scope, when used properly.

[starmac]

Ah you can still see the indians running at you from the side huh. lol

[Piedmont]

There is an advantage if you get the Scout scope low enough. You can get a Scout set up lower than a normal scope in low rings over a mount on the reciever. I first handled a M94 Winchester with the old Redfield 3/4" scope and proprietary scout mount that was from the 1960s when I was in a large gunstore in the mid 1990s. It sold me immediately. These leveractions are normally set up with the comb height for iron sights. They generally feel clunky with a regular scope, partly because you have to lift your face off the comb.

Unfortunately many of the lever scout mounts I have seen mount the scope too high for your target to immediately be right 'there' where you are looking. It isn't as big a deal with bolt actions because almost all are set up with a comb height set for scopes.

A properly set up scout leveraction is a joy and I like it more on a lever than on a bolt action.

[baer19d]

I have the XS rail with the ghost ring sight and the Leupold Scout Scope with Warn QR rings. I like the ghost ring for close fast shooting on deer but of course it's lacking in the longer range department. Even with the smaller apperature the field of view is HUGE!! at 75 yards or so. This is where the scope comes in. If I'm sitting in an area where shots past 50 yards are likely I put the scope on and that take it off when closer shots are expected. My problem is the scope doesn't hold it's zero when taken off and on. This is probably more of a base and ring compatability that a design flaw. If you use QR rings with the XS base use a weaver style ring with a square cross bar as oposed to a round one. That should fix my problem.

[rush1886]

Well, my opinion may not be very timely. I first aquired my '95 in 45/70 in 1975. Put a Burris 2 3/4x with a post and crosshair reticle on it(they might be hard to find now a days). Granted, I may not be a "youngster", and may like what works best for me, I've killed 9 elk with this combo, one shot each, max range 95yds, by my reckoning--weren't no rangefinders back then.

I shoot a Ruger SBH Hunter, 44 mag, with a red dot. I have a red dot on a 12" contender on 357 Max, and love both of them. But it all comes back to the age old question: What ya goin to do with it? If you're looking for a 100yd "timber" gun, for deer, elk, hawgs, I'll go with the normal mount, low fixed power scope. Just me, but the closer you can get to a post/crosshair reticle, the better you'll like it.

Just my 2 pennies worth.

[Gtek]

My thumpers have Leupold 2-7x33's and roll it back to 2 walking in and out. With little practice learned to hold both open until on then close. Mr. Cooper was a great man, can't do the scope dude! Gtek

[TXGunNut]

Not a fan of the Scout concept either, much like DA auto pistols. I understand it, I can teach it, I can even do it if I have to. I just don't like it and will likely always prefer a low-powered compact scope for conditions where Cooper felt his Scout concept worked best. Someday I might even give a red-dot scope a try.

[MtGun44]

Both eyes open, great for fast shots, or running. Scope kinda disappears
and you see the crosshairs floating on the target. I use both, prefer the
normal scope type for most rifles, but some rifles are intended for applications
where the scout mount is great.

Bill

[Red Sky]

I originally wanted to mess with a scout build on a 336. Ended up going with 45-70 since a friend was getting a 308 which would handle the things the 30-30 would anyway (we share most of the guns), and decided to look more into a "dangerous game" setup with low power variable in standard location. Glad I did - there's a reason so many recommend these setups. Nikon 1-4x "African" (great scope for the money, little bit of distortion at 1x but does not affect usability with both eyes open - I understand this is normal with most "1x" variables), Marlin 1895GBL (for magazine capacity and pistol grip stock), EGW non-MOA mount w/ Leupold quick release rings. Standard irons still visible over rail with scope removed as backup or to trim the package to carry as bear defense on a planned Alaska trip in the next year or two.

58078

[Mike_60]

Sorry about posting and then abandoning the thread. My employer seems to have gotten the idea that I was spending to much time going home and getting a good night’s sleep. So, they found some work to keep me busy for a few days. But on the positive side the OT does help pay for the toys.

Actually, I have a couple of Aimpoint H-1 sights mounted on rifles already, but frankly, I didn’t connect the dots (pun intended) and even consider a red dot because I was so focused on looking at forward mounted scopes. I appreciate all the comments, and I guess I should maybe rethink my options a little. Maybe getting a little more flexible by choosing the XS Lever Rail, instead of the Scope mount and the Brockman rear sight, would be a good idea. There are almost too many choices, but, that’s what makes it fun I guess.

My concerned was, is if I’d like the forward mounted scope concept or not, because I’ve never tried one. It sounds like, based on what I’ve read that guys either love it or hate it without many opinions in between. I guess the only way to decide would be for me to try it and find out if I would like it.

BTW, great pics guys!

[MtGun44]

Try it with a cheap Chinese scope, and if you really like it, get a good one, like a Leupold.

Not related to this guy, but he has good prices.

http://www.crankyfarmer.com/pistolscope.html

Bill

[JesterGrin_1]

I Used to have a Conventional Scope set up on my Marlin 1895 GS in 45-70 BUT it only took one good bloody wrap in the head to make me decide to go with the Scout Set Up lol. And I like it and so does my head lol. :)

[winelover]

I have the XS rail with the ghost ring sight and the Leupold Scout Scope with Warn QR rings. If you use QR rings with the XS base use a weaver style ring with a square cross bar as oposed to a round one. That should fix my problem.

Try Leupold's QR levers for repeatability on the XS rail system.

Winelover

[Red Sky]

My concerned was, is if I’d like the forward mounted scope concept or not, because I’ve never tried one. It sounds like, based on what I’ve read that guys either love it or hate it without many opinions in between. I guess the only way to decide would be for me to try it and find out if I would like it.

Definitely give it a try - if you have a dot sight around you could give that a try mounted in the scout position and get a decent feel for how it will work for you. I've noticed that the scout scope, even though magnified, "feels" rather like a dot sight since it comes up directly on target much easier due to being placed farther out on the rifle. Obviously getting a scout scope and playing with it will be the real test, but you could try with a dot sight and get a bit of a "feel" for whether you will like it or not. Good luck!

[Red Sky]

I Used to have a Conventional Scope set up on my Marlin 1895 GS in 45-70 BUT it only took one good bloody wrap in the head to make me decide to go with the Scout Set Up lol. And I like it and so does my head lol. :)

That's an added benefit for sure.