Looking For A Lower Marlin/Henry Scope Mount

[Foto Joe]

Yesterday with the help of Larry Gibson I realized that the Weaver 2.5 scope and mount that I use on my Henry 30-30 or '94 Marlin is simply too high for the stock to produce consistent groups. If my noggin is down on the wood where it belongs then the scope is too high to accurately use. If I adjust my position on the stock then my noggin no longer rests on the wood consistently thereby making repeatable results pretty near impossible. After pulling the scope I immediately out shot my scoped 100 yard group with iron sights. I'd been blaming the boolits/load for the point of impact wandering all over half the county only to realize it was the guy holding the gun more than the boolits.

What I'm wondering is if those of you out there who shoot Marlins ('94, 336, '95) or Henry's have found a lower scope mount or ring set that will fit the bill to get that scope down to a usable height. On the other hand, the thing shoots so good with iron sights I may just leave it that way.

[snowwolfe]

Might help is you post what your current mount/ring combo is first.

Have you considered a red dot? Something like a Burris Fast Fire III is a lot lower than a scope and it can fit in a Weaver style base. Or put it in a Scout mount on the barrel and it will be even lower.

[Foto Joe]

Pardon me if I make a mess of this, I'm not a rifle person so to speak. The scope is mounted via a flat Marlin style plate screwed to the top of the receiver which fits either the Henry or the '94. The scope rings are what came with the Weaver 2.5 many years ago.

I'm not a fan of a red dot mainly because a scope looks silly enough on a lever gun. I'm basically looking for possibly lower scope rings as that's about the only way to actually lower this thing.

[snowwolfe]

If you already have low rings you cant get much lower. Have you considered one of those leather cheek pieces that you lace onto the butt stock?

But as far as the red dots go, have you looked at the Fast Fire and seen how small it is? Not everyones cup of tea but they are tiny and only weigh about an ounce.

[Foto Joe]

I just had a look at the Fast Fire, YIKES they really like those little things don't they!!

I thinks what I'm gonna do is get myself reaclimated to the iron sights. Really the only reason that the scope even got put on the Henry was for load development and chasing Bambi. I've discovered that the load development was complicated rather than simplified by the scope. Bambi has already fallen victim for the season so I've got plenty of time to get myself dialed in with the iron sights and since the Henry has a self imposed limit of 100 yards for hunting with or without the scope when it's in my hands I think I'll concentrate on leaving her naked. I shocked myself with a 5" ten shot group at 100 yards after I pulled the scope off so maybe I'm not as rotten of a rifle shot as I thought.

[NVScouter]

I'm working on the same thing now. Basicly what I'm seeing is get a rail and low rings to be low low low. Or go scout set up with an EER scope. Might do that too.

Let me know what you find

[Foto Joe]

Since I'm officially unemployed for the winter I'm not really interested in making any "investments" in scopes. I was just thinking that if there was a lower set of rings that the lever guys had a line on it might be worth looking into.

I had the '94 Marlin out today test firing 44 Magnum loads out of it (iron sights) and was able to print a 4" group at 50 yards with cast 211gr RNFP's running right about 1,400 fps and no leading. I've had some leading issues with the last 100 rounds or so because I was pushing too hard and the first batch was sized .429 instead of .430. I've got another two months or so before I have to get back to WY and work so I'll probably be able to improve the groups before then, I hope.

[Wayne Smith]

So what you are saying is that you have no idea what your current rings are? Take them off and take them to a gun shop where you can compare them with others. My scopes are mounted on low rings and I have no problem getting a cheek weld. This is on both of my 336's.

[Foto Joe]

So what you are saying is that you have no idea what your current rings are?

Yup, you pretty much hit the nail on the head. The problem is I'm in Arizona in a place where gun shops are weighted towards evil black guns with military style optics. If I was at home in Wyoming I'd have a lot better luck being able to talk to somebody at a gun shop that actually had something that would fit on a lever gun. I will throw the scope into the saddle bag sometime in the next week and go hit at least a shop here that actually has a couple of lever guns on their wall and see what I can come up with. I think I'll also look into a leather butt stock wrap to maybe try and get my melon up a little closer to where it ought to be.

[nekshot]

the old weaver pivot scope mounts almost everyone disses is as low as it gets. I have them on all my leveractions and I never in 40 some years had a problem with them not returning to same point of impact. They must be tuned (the screw that pivots )after installed and they work proper.

[wrench man]

All of my scoped Marlins wear Weaver 63B base's and Weaver detachable top mount LOW rings, don't have a # for them? (Weaver shows #49030 as the low ring), all were purchased used, the bottom of the ring is just about thick enough so there is meat for the cross bolt, the bell of a Weaver K4 is just off of the barrel, IF? you can find a Weaver 63 base they are shorter yet, you may run into hammer interference?

[Foto Joe]

And BINGO!! That's the answer I was looking for. You do bring up a good point about hammer interference though, I'll have to put the scope back on with the current rings and have a look at how much wiggle room I've got. I don't have a hammer tang on either lever gun although I've got the tang, I may have to dig it out.

[wrench man]

All of my lever guns that will accept, and even one that doesn't, wear "spurs" weather they are scoped of not, I like them that way.
Not at home to look, but IIRC?, I had to move a couple of the scopes back a little further than I would have liked just to get the hammer to not hit the rear bell?

[koger]

There are low, med and high, and ex high rings, a low set of weaver or Millet Steel, Weaver type rings, go for around $20 on a flat weaver base, $6 around here. Go to MidsouthShooterssupply.com, they have this stuff in stock, cheap, and they charge real shipping only, been doing business with them for 30+years. Cant believe gun folks cant figure this out in a few seconds.

[Foto Joe]

I slipped the scope back on to see how much room I had and noted about 1/2" of room between the hammer and the rear bell when the hammer falls, I think the low rings might just work. I found the rings on MidwayUSA and stuck 'em on my wish list for when I get an order together.