Red Dot Sights on an 1894C

[Jeff82]

I've been using Skinner sights on my 1894C for 100 yard target shooting, but find the lack of precise sight adjustment to be inconvenient. I really don't want to go with a scope, because I want to maintain quick handling and rapid target acquisition characteristics of the rifle. I'm now thinking about trying out red dot sights. Has anyone tried these on Marlin leverguns? Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,

--Jeff

[W.R.Buchanan]

Jeff; Try a Bushnell TRS-25, they are available from just about everyone for @$90 They weigh 3.2 oz. and will not weigh your gun down. Fastest way to get on target there is.

You will need to get a piece of Weaver rail with holes drilled for your Marlin's receiver but that shouldn't be more than $10-15 from Brownell's.

I have not actually put one on a levergun however if I was going to use one for hunting pigs etc I would not hesitate. I have 5 of these sights mounted on .223 carbines a .40 S&W carbine and one on my Gunsite Scout in .308. They all perform perfectly and are by far the best bang for your buck.

Check reviews at Midway, and Optics Planet. I think OP has nearly 500 reviews and the product still has a 4.8 star rating. Midway is over 100 reviews with similar rating.

Randy

[NSB]

I haven't tried one on a Marlin lever gun but I have tried one on a Winchester lever gun. They work very well if it's something you don't mind on the gun that is definitely not traditional. I used a Burris FastFire3. I tried two different Bushnell TRS-25s but they each had so much parallax in them I sent them both back for a refund. Other's swear by the TRS-25 but I couldn't find one that didn't have the parallax. Easy enough to check for it: put the sight on a table or flat surface and sight on something at 25yds or so. Move your head around and see if the dot stays on the target. My experience with the Bushnell was pretty dismal. The Burris FF3 didn't do that. Just something to think about. You'll pay more for the FF3 but I think they're a decent sight for the money. I think you pretty much get what you pay for with red dot sights.

[bobthenailer]

i put a 2x7 leupold scope on my marlin 357 mag to work up loads, then I installed a Aimpoint comp and its been mounted for over 10 years now , I really like combo . its my favorite centerfire rifle ! i have shot more rounds through it than all my other center fire rifles combined . i also have red dot sights on 3 22lr rifles and many handguns.

[woodsxdragon]

I've got a 2-7 on my guide gun... but i'm also looking at the trs-25 or possibly another primary arms dot. I really like the primary arms one on my ar pistol. plus with the magnifier it gives me some good options for distances.

[W.R.Buchanan]

NSB: Still trying to duplicate your Parallax problem.

On a rifle your head pretty much goes into the same position everytime you shoulder it. So you aren't really moving your head around behind it.

I am hitting 8 x10 steel targets at up to 200 meters with virtually every shot with 4 different guns with these sights mounted. I am failing to see how parallax is affecting my shooting.

The latest Burris Fast Fires are pretty good sights, and they finally got rid of the nightmare sighting in and resighting in after battery replacement, they are also $250 ish, and unless you are shooting a lot it is hard for the average guy to justify that much money spent on something he doesn't know if he will like. Resale of optics isn't all that great.

We will have to agree to disagree on this subject.

Randy

[Jeff82]

I guess, before I get ahead of myself, do red-dot sights have diopter adjustments to correct for poor eye-sight the way scopes do?

[fecmech]

I guess, before I get ahead of myself, do red-dot sights have diopter adjustments to correct for poor eye-sight the way scopes do?
None that I'm aware of. Just wear your glasses like you do normally. The dots are focused on infinity I believe so your normal focus eyeglasses work just fine with dots.

[TXGunNut]

I have a TRS-25 on my latest 336, pretty nice setup. As Randy says all it takes is a one-piece base to mount it. Liked it so much another one showed up on my black gun. Caught them on sale @ Midway. Something that cheap shouldn't work that well but I'm dealing with it as best I can. ;-)

[mrk_86]

Wonder what my Henry would look like with my burris ff3..

[TCFAN]

I use a Burris fast fire 3 on my Marlin 94 Cowboy 44 mag. Burris make a mount just for the marlin that puts it lower than a weaver base.It works much better than a peep sight but not as well as a scope.The rifle does carry and handle as well with the Burris as it does with a peep sight........Terry

[bobthenailer]

I guess, before I get ahead of myself, do red-dot sights have diopter adjustments to correct for poor eye-sight the way scopes do?

Ive owned over 30 red dot sights over the years, priced from 35 to 600 dollars and have never seen one with a diopter adj for eyesight.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Bob: all the red dots are zero magnification, therefore there is no way to adjust for diopter.

Diopter kind of means magnification. Like I wear 2.5 diopter reading glasses.

This will help you understand the concept http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dioptre

it is interesting that a lens works the same way as an aperture. IE: A Peep Sight can focus at a specific distance like your eye can,,, or used to be able to.:holysheep

An adjustable aperture like a Merit sight disc is a valuable option for your Peep sight because you can adjust it to cope with changes in the amount of light present when you are shooting.

I lay in bed in the morning and I cannot focus on the alarm clock across the room. I take my thumb and fore finger and make a hole and then choke that hole down until the clock comes into focus. This is the exact same thing a lens does.

Randy

[Jeff82]

"I lay in bed in the morning and I cannot focus on the alarm clock across the room. I take my thumb and fore finger and make a hole and then choke that hole down until the clock comes into focus. This is the exact same thing a lens does."

Amazing, I tried this and it works.

--Jeff

[W.R.Buchanan]

Yes Jeff,,, Necessity is the mother of invention.

Try one of those TRS-25's on your Levergun,,, You will like it.

Randy