Iron Sights for .45/70 Marlin

[GregLaROCHE]

My son bought a stainless Marlin Guide Gun a couple of years ago. He started out with a scope, but now wants to go to iron sights. I suggested a Williams peep sight like I have on mine from the Eighties.

Is that the still the best bet? Do they make one in stainless? Wouldn’t a black one look kinda funny on a stainless gun? Any other iron sights available today he should consider? I always liked the peep sight, because it wouldn’t get damaged by brush and is quick to acquire a target with. He will be using it for bear protection in AlasKa and maybe take a caribou with it.

Thanks for advice and ideas.

[Winger Ed.]

For quick acquisition, the buckhorn leaf with the white diamond at the bottom,
and a bead or fire sight on the front is about the easiest to pick up in a hurry-
both to get a sight picture and alignment while seeing the target, and especially if the target is moving.

On my CB, I've got the flip up for long range ladder version for the rear and brass bead on the front.
I got the el cheapo from Brownell's that drifts into the rear sight slot, but it works and I'd buy it again.

For what is available, Brownell's is the 900 pound gorilla in the market.
For hunting with it, I'd get what works best, and not worry too much about winning a beauty contest.

[pietro]

.

Skinner makes stainless receiver peep sights for the Marlin.

(click/scroll) : http://www.skinnersights.com/1895_sight_4.html

They are top-mounted sights (using scope mount holes), so new front sight that's about .10" taller than the issue front sight will be needed in order to zero the rifle.

Skinner can advise customers further, on required front sight heights.


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[Ozark mike]

Im running a 1895 ladder on mine for when i want to reach out and touch something looks kinda funny bein on a gs though

[FredBuddy]

I've stuck with the issue buckhorn on my
1895 CB 45-70. It works for me but I only
shoot to 100 yds. I've toyed with the idea
of a ladder sight, especially if I had up to
300 yds to work with. I like the looks and
feel of this rifle too much to put a scope or
even a peep sight on it.

[carolina sorillo]

Skinner is the way to go for a receiver sight. But, if you want a barrel mounted sight that is quick to acquire. There is absolutely NOTHING quicker to acquire than the Marble's Bullseye rear sight with a fiber optic front!

CS

[Drm50]

The Williams Guide Sight is best if you want to sight gun in and lock it in. It’s lightest and cheapest.
Mounts in rear scope base holes. The peep sights of this type, Skinner included are nothing but a mount to hold a ring. There isn’t much difference in them except some seem over priced for what they are. I use receiver sights on my woods deer guns. They are a bit more bulky but have click adjustments and can be used the same way as a scope. On my 1895 I have Lyman 66 and a Marble Patridge with inlayed brass bead on front. Sighted for 100yds and marked for ranges I can change and return to 0 no problem.

[Shawlerbrook]

You get what you pay for and unless you can get a vintage steel Redfield or Lyman, I would get a steel Skinner. I have a few Williams and they work, but not as bulletproof as the Skinner.

[DDJ]

Skinner is the way to go for a receiver sight. But, if you want a barrel mounted sight that is quick to acquire. There is absolutely NOTHING quicker to acquire than the Marble's Bullseye rear sight with a fiber optic front!

CS
I have a Sinner receiver sight on my Marlin CBA but I am going to try the Marble Bullseye sight on one of my 92's and if I like it I might just put one on my Marlin also. Here's a quick vid on one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoMTwOkt4yM

[GregLaROCHE]

I bought my Marlin in the mid Eighties for bear protection in Alaska. I was cutting a lot of trapline at the time, through sometimes heavy brush. After the second time the original sight got torn off, I went for the Williams peep sight and never had anymore problems. I realize that not everyone uses their guns in the way I did, so other sights could work well for them, but for a brush gun, I’ll always go for a receiver mounted peep sight.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have used the older Lyman 66, Skinner, Williams and Ranger Point Sights on my Marlins. Williams has made several models for the 336/1895. There is a William that sits on top completely using the rear scope holes (Guide?), the Williams Foolproof and 5D that look like the Lyman 66 ( goes along the side, using the side factory holes, another uses the rear scope mount holes). The Skinner and Ranger Point both mount on top. Of the two a prefer the Ranger Point due to its adjustment setup. The Williams Guide (WGRS-336) (Amazon) is inexpensive, very compact and works very well. I would not recommend any sort of tang sight on the Marlin 1895 due to recoil and possible eye injury.

[Drm50]

I have small collection of tang sights. Besides not working for me on running game I had bad experience with one on a Rem RB 45/70. Shooting at running deer in open pasture field. Sight got me good. I’m glad it kind of glanced of my eyebrow instead of digging in. I’ve been hit with scope once and wasn’t near as painful or dangerous as tang. They are fine for stationary game or targets but don’t suit me for moving targets.

[carolina sorillo]

I have a Sinner receiver sight on my Marlin CBA but I am going to try the Marble Bullseye sight on one of my 92's and if I like it I might just put one on my Marlin also. Here's a quick vid on one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoMTwOkt4yM

I liked the Bullseye but I cut the outer ring off with a dremel, softened the edges with a file and cold blued it. Now I love it!! To me there was just a little too much "going on" with two rings out there. I'd like to try one with just a little smaller peep too for a more precise shooting. But it works great the way it is.

CS

[TNsailorman]

I mounted a Skinner Express and a taller front sight on my Marlin. I will never go back to factory sights, or buckhorn either. just my .02 anyway, james

[Texas by God]

Personally I would want a vintage Redfield or Lyman receiver sight on that Marlin. I dislike Tang sights , I always have. They are just in the way and I don't even like the way they look. Plus they are delicate. I realize I'm probably the minority.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[carolina sorillo]

Personally I would want a vintage Redfield or Lyman receiver sight on that Marlin. I dislike Tang sights , I always have. They are just in the way and I don't even like the way they look. Plus they are delicate. I realize I'm probably the minority.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

May be a minority, but it's your gun do to it as you wish. I shot SASS for 7 years using a Marble's tang the whole time on either a .32Magnum Marlin or a .45Colt Marlin. It was quick to acquire a sight picture but I didn't drop the gun and run like the top shooters did. It took a little getting used too but, not much. I like the way they look, more so than a receiver sight. The only problem I ever had with a tang sight was on the 1895CB .45-70 I had. It "kissed" my eyelashes under recoil... ONCE!! Once was all it took to know to stay away from it. That's why I recommended the Bullseye for his .45 Gov't and not the tang sight.

CS

[Norske]

My variable bifocals don't like peep sights (I see 1 1/2 circles), so I had my gunsmith mill the buckhorn rear sight to an express vee.
It works very well with my Trijicon glowing dot front sight.

[44Blam]

I ran a skinner sight on my 1895 for a long time and I was able to shoot out to about 400 yards on Texas windage. But I got a montana vintage tang sight and I've been able to reach out to 625 - pretty sure I can get it out to 1000...

[smkummer]

It seems the factory guide gun sights were made for a fast sight picture. That’s why I won’t change my 1895 22’ sporter sights.

[Swamp Fox]

For hunting, I wouldn’t use any type of aperture sight. I love them in the daylight, but once it starts getting dark, you lose that sight faster than any other kind. I use a set of Williams fire sights and really like them, although they are more fragile than other types.

For bear defense he may be better off with an aperture sight of some kind. They are quick to acquire and aim very naturally.

[Tatume]

The Williams receiver sights work well for me.

[.45colt]

About fifteen years ago the local deer were starving when we had about 30" of snow most of the winter . they would come up to within 50 yards of the house at dusk where there is a thicket and they could mill about and dig for acorns. I stood in the enclosed back porch with all of My rifles laid out and tried every type of sight for several days . for Me nothing came close to the ones with the Williams foolproof receiver sight. that is what most of My hunting guns have on them.