How do I choose scope ring height for my "Scout" Marlin 336?

That's puzzling. Ideally, you want the scope mounted as low as possible. If you're used to shooting a rifle with a high-mounted scope or sights, a low mounted scope can probably seem unnatural at first. I think it is a matter of practicing mounting the rifle so the scope is naturally aligned with no head movement at all. At least that's what works for me. Good luck.

You're missing something.

A Marlin lever gun has a stock on it that is intended for use with iron sights. Maybe it fits you, maybe it doesn't, but let's assume it does for now.

"Fit" means that, when you bring the gun to you, the stock is against your cheek in a natural position, but firmly, and you're looking at the target through the sights, effortlessly. This is a "cheek weld". The idea is, when you move your upper body, your head and your eye move as a unit along with the rifle. This is how you hit a moving target, and it's also how you "point" rapidly. Look at target, raise gun, fire, if the target is still. Follow target with eyes and upper body, raise gun, pass target while moving, fire, if the target is moving.

A scout scope is designed to be at a height similar to irons, or the rib on a shotgun. It's meant for a quick-pointing gun that fits you. It's also meant for both-eyes-open shooting, like a shotgun. If you want to close your off eye, and the gun doesn't fit you, get a regular scope. It'll work better.

Some rifle shooters are used to having their face in very loose or no contact with the stock as they look through a high scope. Maybe you can hit a target that way, but it's slow, physically and mentally tiring, and it's useless on a moving target.

"Cheek weld" does not mean "scrunched up." Neither does a low-mounted scope on a gun with a lot of drop in the stock.

Note the drop in the comb on this Marlin:


Now look at this rifle:


See how different the drop is? The bolt rifle will work fine with higher rings. The Marlin won't. It's not meant to.

It certainly does sound like you're getting the right scope centerline when you use higher rings.

I guess I should have said that, too... If the irons are way too low for you, then a really low scope will be also. Gun fit can be very individual. In shotgunning, you find that, while there are some standard dimensions that fit many people, there are also people who need pretty extreme modifications to make a gun fit, due to the proportions of their body dimensions.

Good luck! I'm toying with putting something like that together, also. I really like the forward mounted scope. My right eye has a bit of astigmatism, but I like iron sights. A "scout scope" helps me aim more precisely at longer ranges, but still feels a lot like irons.

A good "fit" is very important when assembling a fast handling carbine with either a Scout Scope or Ghost Ring sighting.
Col. Cooper always specified that the rear lens of the scope should be over the chamber of the rifle and as close to the receiver ring as possible.
I understand your frustration when conventional combinations don't seem to give you that. :banghead: However, in building up several dozen rifles and shotguns for clients, and teaching hundreds I have found the physical act of mounting the gun to the face and shoulder to be a crucial element of the "fit".
Please try the following - it may or may not help you...

(Assuming the shooter is right handed)
1. Bring the gun to the face and not the faced to the gun... i.e. do not tilt your head.

2. Your right arm should be parallel to the ground to raise the shoulder and create a "pocket" for the butt. [This is the most important aspect of a proper rifle/shotgun mount. A low elbow changes the angle of the shoulder and makes recoil absorbing more difficult because there is less contact with the butt to the shoulder. A low elbow also may also be the source of your problem of a sight line over top of the sights.]

3. Left arm (for rifle shooter) should be under the fore arm and perpendicular to the ground.

In every case that I encountered a proper mount was THE solution for a proper "FIT".

I hope this helps but it could be that because of your particular physique [Arm Length, Neck Length, etc] that it is not possible to find a conventional solution. Best of Luck!

Do you shoot right handed or left handed?

Are you right eye dominant or left eye dominant? (See the test described at http://www.archeryweb.com/archery/eyedom.htm )

Perhaps this determination will help answer your question...

lpl/nc

Interestingly, XS recommends medium-height Weaver rings for use with their scout scope mount.

Are you sure you want a handgun scope? The parallax might not be what you want for a rifle. Depending on what you are trying for, there might be better options available in a true rifle scope.

You may be absolutely correct, and I'm not familiar with the scope you intend to use. You might want to check the manufacturer's specs and make sure the parallax isn't set to less than 100 yards. Good luck with it either way.

I use a Burris 2-7x handgun on a Mauser '98 and like it a lot.
Burris claims they're paralax free to 100 yds. Don't know if that's
good enough for your app, but I can generally recommend the
scope if you want that kind of eye relief.