Poor, old eyes... good gun

[lovedogs]

Still playing with the birthday rifle, a Marlin 1894 Cowboy .44 mag. Using the Williams aperture and a Saeco #431 mould I've been getting 2 in. 100 yd. groups right along. This sight worked well at the silhouette range but I was concerned whether it would work in the deer woods. As we are are aware, apertures get pretty dim in low light situations. And, of course, we aren't as precise with apertures compared to using scopes.

I set out some cardboard silhouettes of deer in different light situations. I found my old eyes couldn't see well in shaded conditions. Then in sunny conditions I had trouble with glint off the brass front bead, hampering precise sighting. I could still make killing hits on the cardboard deer but with much difficulty.

Enter an old rebuilt Weaver 3X with a post reticle. Mounted in low Weaver rings it looked real good. Handling wasn't affected enough to mention. I'd rather not have a scope on it but if it allows me to place my shots better on game I'd not worry about how it looks.

Wow! Was I surprised! With the scope I could hit exactly where I wanted all the time. It does better in low and bright light. Nothing mattered... standing, sitting, whatever. And bench rested groups all were nice and right at an inch at 100 yds.

It's tough to get old but with this scope and a 240 gr. bullet at just over 1800 FPS I think it'll be a great woods rifle.

[NVcurmudgeon]

I know big scopes are in fashion these days, but the deer haven't gotten smaller in the last 50 years that I have seen. I have a Redfield Bear Cub 2 3/4 X scope with quite heavy crosshairs. It has been on a number of rifles and has brought home most of my deer meat. Last time I sighted in my .35 Whelen with this scope it shot several groups of three into an inch at 100 yd. Then my stepson won the scoped rifle event at Winnemucca with a 0.95" group at 100. I bought this scope used in 1964, resolution appears to have held up OK. I'd say you have the ideal woods outfit with that Weaver K-3 on your Marlin, I envy your post reticle!

[PatMarlin]

Got a pic of that rifel LD?

I cherish my low power Lupey's.. :drinks:

[JDL]

lovedogs, I have a Leupold Alaskan 2.5X on my 1894 Marlin carbine .44 and really like it! Some say it destroys the lines of a lever to scope them and while there is truth to this, I'd rather hit where I aim rather than somewhere close to aim. I play with irons on the range at paper and tin cans but, whenever I go hunting, I feel obligated to put the boolit exactly where it will do the most good, and a scope works better in the vairing lighting conditions for me. -JDL

[lovedogs]

Sorry, fellas. I don't have the capability to put a photo on here and don't know how anyway. As far as envying the scope... this was an old worn out used scope one of my sons gave me. It already had that neat post in it and I liked the looks of it so I sent it down to that fella in El Paso who rebuilds old Weavers. Boy, he did a great job. He cleaned it all up, put in a newer style erector assembly, and sent it back in about a week. Cost? Only $35!! So if you see an old Weaver that would work if it was fixed grab it and send it off to Frank. He does good work. I'm really looking forward to blooding this new rifle this fall.

[JesterGrin_1]

Still playing with the birthday rifle, a Marlin 1894 Cowboy .44 mag. Using the Williams aperture and a Saeco #431 mould I've been getting 2 in. 100 yd. groups right along. This sight worked well at the silhouette range but I was concerned whether it would work in the deer woods. As we are are aware, apertures get pretty dim in low light situations. And, of course, we aren't as precise with apertures compared to using scopes.

I set out some cardboard silhouettes of deer in different light situations. I found my old eyes couldn't see well in shaded conditions. Then in sunny conditions I had trouble with glint off the brass front bead, hampering precise sighting. I could still make killing hits on the cardboard deer but with much difficulty.

Enter an old rebuilt Weaver 3X with a post reticle. Mounted in low Weaver rings it looked real good. Handling wasn't affected enough to mention. I'd rather not have a scope on it but if it allows me to place my shots better on game I'd not worry about how it looks.

Wow! Was I surprised! With the scope I could hit exactly where I wanted all the time. It does better in low and bright light. Nothing mattered... standing, sitting, whatever. And bench rested groups all were nice and right at an inch at 100 yds.

It's tough to get old but with this scope and a 240 gr. bullet at just over 1800 FPS I think it'll be a great woods rifle.

What load if I may ask?

[Poohgyrr]

Congrats on your CB .44, they look and handle great.

And I'm a member of the "my eyes aren't what they used to be club", with an appreciation for the larger aperture peep sights. And a scout scope on one M94 as well..

Can't have too many levers, and my eyes are definitely bigger than my budget!

One of those Cowboys would look real nice in my safe!

[PatMarlin]

I pluggd a 4" diameter gas cylinder at 200yrds with my Marlin 336 in 30-30 using the "Fat 30" cast boolilt and Lyman tang site Sunday.. :mrgreen:

[lovedogs]

For JesterGrin 1... The load is: W-W brass, CCI 350, 23 gr. H110, Saeco #431 (supposed to be a 250 gr. RNFPGC that drops from my mould at 243 gr. using Lyman # 2 alloy). I use a Hornady GC, size .430, and use Larsen's 50/50 lube.