Lever Actions and scopes

[Pereira]

The thing you seek exists, I've got one mounted on my 444 and its very similar dimensions/ weight as the old ones.

https://www.leupold.com/vx-freedom-1...ing-riflescope

I have one of those on my '75 trapper 35R.



RP

[Pereira]

I have 2 of these on Rossi Puma 92s, a similar Burris on another..fantastic.

https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-cros...sharp%20images.

I have one of those on a Marlin 30-30. I like the old Redfield Revolution 2-7×33 like on this othe 30-30. I have 2 more. One is on another 35R and one's on the new R95 Rossi Trapper 444.



RP

[pietro]

What is that sight?

A Tasco Red Dot that I snagged at a yard sale for $15 about 20 years ago.

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[MT Gianni]

My Marlin 35 Remington from 1951 wears a Weaver 4x steel scope. One of my Rossi 92's has a 4x Tasco pistol scope mounted where the front sight sat. It has the now long unavailable NOE mount. My BLR wears a 2x7 Leopold scope. The other 92, and the 94 wear receiver sights.

[45DUDE]

Got a 4x on the 44 and 3x9 on the 357 J.M.s

[Bryan Austin]

Ya'll saw the photo of my Daughters Marlin 94 357 scope right? I really don't want to post it again...LOL

[oldleadhead]

I had a Leupold 2.5-8 x 32 on a .444 Marlin and it worked well for me. I like the extra magnification should I need it. The smaller size was a good fit IMO.

[dverna]

I used a cheap 1.5-5 Bushnell for load development years ago on three Marlins 1984's and it worked out well. I have two left and will be adding a scope to each of them. Been thinking about something like this:

https://www.bushnell.com/simmons/sim...I-SPTA432.html

[Hickok]

Thank fellas for all the great replies! Now I have some idea of what works.

At present I am looking to scope my Win. 94AE 30-30. I have other brands and caliber lever-guns with peeps and irons, just wanting to assist my 70 year old eye sight!

[FergusonTO35]

Of course Bushnell has to discontinue one of the best scopes they ever made. And I'm sure that whatever they replace it with will be totally underwhelming, if they even bother to do so. Glad I still have a spare one new in the box, mebbe I should try to snag an extra one on top of that while I can!

https://www.bushnell.com/discontinue...BU-611546.html

[FergusonTO35]

Thank fellas for all the great replies! Now I have some idea of what works.

At present I am looking to scope my Win. 94AE 30-30. I have other brands and caliber lever-guns with peeps and irons, just wanting to assist my 70 year old eye sight!

While the 94AE certainly can be scoped, you may find it doesn't work all that great. I tried several different mounts on mine and concluded that none of them could get the scope low enough for comfort. In fact, the old school Weaver side mount was still more comfortable, at least to me.

[scattershot]

You’re right, it would be great. At 79, my aperture sights are getting a little fuzzy.

[Eddie Southgate]

You’re right, it would be great. At 79, my aperture sights are getting a little fuzzy.

I bought Merit apertures for all of mine and run most wide open . I have one that the Merit thread didn't fit so I use it without any aperture and I can see it just fine with a Fire sight front sight . I got a scope on my BLR because my dad put it on when he owned it and if I had a Savage 1899 rifle I might scope it but the rest of mine will never be scoped . If you can find a clean Weaver V4.5 that still has its gas that would be my choice for anything with a lever or any short bolt gun . The 1.5x - 4.5x is about perfect unless your shooting out west or huge bean fields , for the woods they are hard to beat.

[7br]

I hunt close to sunrise and sunset and I have trouble seeing the front sight, so I mounted an old Burris mini 4x on my Marlin 336. I really like the combo.

[Griff]

The only suitcase handled lever gun I have is a Marlin 375
IMG_0202.jpg
I got it to hunt CA black bears after my deer season was over... never got to use it on game tho'. It has taken one coyote here in TX. Hornady needs to bring back their 220 grain .375 FP

[FergusonTO35]

I hunt close to sunrise and sunset and I have trouble seeing the front sight, so I mounted an old Burris mini 4x on my Marlin 336. I really like the combo.

Burris now has a semi-compact Fullfield scope available, a 2-8x35 with or without lighted reticle. I may get one to try it out. I love the Fullfield II's on my bolt actions.

https://www.burrisoptics.com/riflesc...field-2-8x35mm

[FergusonTO35]

Curiosity got the better of me so I just ordered one with the non-illuminated reticle!

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I too was going going to suggest the Burris Fullfield 2-8x35, I have a couple Burris Fullield ii 2-7x35 on rifles, acouple of the Burris Fullfield 3-9x40 on others and use the Burris Fullfield 4.5-14x42 on rifles for load development and off season practice. Burris was founded by a Redfield optics engineer long ago when Redfield existed in Denver, always have been a fan though I believe the Fullfields are made in the Phillipines. I have had good results with the Simmons scopes, I just put a Swarovski 3-9x36 on a Savge 99 in .300 Savage, pricey but a really nice scope to look through. Some of the Leupolds in the 2-7, 2.5-8, range are small and light enough for most lever guns. Checking auction sites might find a Leopold 4x or even their 1.75-6x32(kind of rare), I would recommend a fixed 4x or a variable with a 32-38mm objective. Size and weight make a big difference in handling. I have used 1.5-4x or 1.5-5x but found little use for powers under 3x for hunting. There used to be some 3-9x32 scopes available but small light scopes just are not TACTICOOL. Many of the 1-4, 1-6, 1-10 scopes are 30mm and weigh quite a bit, not being a range ninja, I have not found much use for them. Compared to modern manufacture, the old Weaver's may look COOL in the gun rack but are pretty dim in the woods, I have a couple in a box somewhere. There is an outfit that will put modern coated lens in your old scope, but it is pricey. I have had scopes on my lever guns since about 1966, a Marlin .35 with a 2.5 Bushnell, but I have never tried to scope a 94AE. Again for my money the Burris Fullfield's are the best bargains, with your wallet dictating from there.

[Mk42gunner]

I don't really like scopes on lever actions, mainly because they throw off the balance. Given my eyesight these days, if I am going to hunt with one, it will have to have a scope unless it is at high noon and the deer is in the open.

What really made a believer out of me in scopes on hunting rifles was one time in the early years of this century I was home on leave during deer season. I had a Remington 700 in 7mm Remington Magnum that I hadn't put a scope on yet. This was okay for the place I was hunting, until dusk.

I saw a doe just inside the tree line, and I could not get the sights aligned to my satisfaction. I could see the deer fine, but not the sights. So I did a bit of testing.

I was about 37 then so I still had good eyesight. What I found was that even a lower quality scope like an old Weaver K-3 or 4, or a Simmons AETEC gave about thirty minutes more time than iron sights. A good scope such as a Leupold or higher end Pentax better gave an additional thirty minutes of ethical aiming time, taking me to or past the legal hunting time limits.

Since then my serious deer hunting rifles have worn Leupolds. If I get back into deer hunting a Vortex may join the crowd.

I just don't see the need for a hunting gun to have target knobs. I like having the adjustments protected and unlikely to move on their own.

Robert

[farmbif]

I put a leupold vx2 2-7 on a saddle ring marlin texan 30-30. with Burris signature rings and Burris mount. it works and fits very well, actually looks pretty good too.
I'll put this same scope on this guns mate in 35 rem and maybe even put one on an 1894 marlin. putting a scope on a non AE Winchester is a different story.