lever gun and scope - how wrong?

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themic

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Ok everyone. Usually a pistol lurker, but been shopping around for rifles lately. In terms of rifles, I only own a .243 bolt action. Today I picked up a Marlin lever-action in 30/30, and absolutely loved the feel, balance, and action of the thing. Beautiful to look at, and priced very well, too.

Here's my question. Exactly how much of a wrong against rifledom is it to mount a scope on it? It had a place fro a scope mount and seemed to eject to the side, so it's doable. But... it's a lever in 30/30.

I know, i know, someone's going to tell me that if it's what I want, then go for it. But really, give me an opinion... it's really ok to mold my fragile mind with preconceptions of aesthetics and beauty, and accelerate my path to rifledom socialization.

Pictures are nice, too.
 
There's nothing wrong with scoping a levergun, most people just don't like how it looks or something. Personally I love shooting my uncle's .357mag scoped levergun.

I'll try to get a picture sometime, no promises! I probably won't see him again (or the rifle) until around Thanksgiving.
 
hell with it man, i'm all about a red dot on a lever gun ;)

scout scopes and lever guns go great together

in my opinion of course ;)
 
I've thought about putting a scout scope on my .44 Mag 1894. But, I can shoot with the irons just fine out to about 150 yards, which is really as far as I want to hit something with that gun, so there's not much need.

But, I still want to do it! :D
 
I had a 4X Weaver on my Marlin .30-30, and it didn't allow me to wrap my hand around the reciever when walking...kinda ruined the balance.

A XSS Scout mount for a forward-mounted Scout Scope or a dot scope would be fine, it'd speed up your aim and generally stay out of the way. But a conventionally mounted scope ruins a levergun's balance and purpose (to be light, quick, handy and powerful).
 
I'm gonna second Mr. Murphy here.. I had a scope briefly on a Marlin 336, but it just tanked the handling of the rifle. Came off pretty darn quick.

(Now that said, some folks do it, especially those with older eyes that need glass, so I'd not call it a heresy or anything. Just doesn't work for me. :) )

-K

edit -- oh yeah -- check out the tricksy sights some of the CAS shooters put on their leverguns. A friend of mine has a Marlin cowboy with full buckhorn rears and some kinda circle-type forward sight. That thing gets on target faster than anything this side of a red dot. Yow!
 
The debate about scoping or not is a really cool excuse to buy another gun.

I've got a Marlin 45/70 with a 1.5x5X scope, and one with an aperture sight.

I like both.
 
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ah! balance and handling. didn't even think of that.

good thoughts here.

think i need to seriously check out the XSS scout scope mount and maybe somehow figure out how to cop a feel for the weight and balance of one before buying it. (thanks MrMurphy)

(have to confess i have no idea what it is - not too familiar with scopes - although it sounds like a fun area to get to know alot about)

anyone have a lever action with a forward mounted scope then? anyone with pictures?
 
on another thought...

seriuosly, though, Kamicosmos, you can shoot to 150 YARDS with the iron sights? good enough to take deer?

is that normal?

that would be sufficient range for almost any deer shot here in the woods of Alabama and Mississippi, I think. don't think i've ever bothered trying iron sights beyond 50 yards.

i personally shoot 1 1/2" - 2" groups with iron sights at 50 yards (last tried with an FAL)..... 3" - 4" groups at 100 yards seems like an awful big circle. maybe I just need to practice the rifle more. or get laser eye surgery.
 
Heathen pagan heresy. Completely uncivilized. Go ahead and do it. Get it out of your system. Take the rig to a public range and show it off, too.

You won't be able to get that scope off quick enough.:eek:
 
i'm of the opinion that scopes are for the old and the blind. :)

more seriously, i find scopes remarkably silly and unattractive on pistols, carbines, shotguns, and leverguns of all sizes. all were originally intended for use at ranges where optics aren't required by anyone with decent eyes.

scopes just ruin the clean lines of otherwise classic designs :p

but, to each his own...
 
Today I picked up a Marlin lever-action in 30/30, and absolutely loved the feel, balance, and action of the thing. Beautiful to look at...
Click to expand...
And all of that is trashed with a scope. If you have to put on an optic, a little Optima wouldn't be so bothersome to ruin the balance feel and looks.

Just my opinion, I might be wrong.
 
XSS used to be Ashley Outdoors, now they are Extreme Sight Systems? Something like that......


I handled a Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum with both their Ghost Ring sights and Scout Scope mount mounted on it at the AO shop in Fort Worth when I was there getting their Express Big Dot Tritium pistol sight mounted on my Glock.

The Ghost Ring sight gives you a quick accurate sight picture, and the Scout Scope mount (which slides over the barrel but under the forearm grip) gives you the ability to mount a scope on a quick-detach base on the Picatinny Rail. An Aimpoint Comp M2 (what the Army and Marines have on their M16s now mostly, a dot scope) would be a good quick-hit scope for 100-150yard or under hits. Back that up with the Ghost Rings in case for some really odd reason the scope took a dump and you detached it, and you're well set.

The GR runs about $90-100, the Scout Scope mount does too (without the scope). So be warned, you may be tossing down as much cash as you paid for the rifle. If I had kept my Marlin I was planning on putting the GRs on, and eventually the SS mount for a 2.5X scope.

Edit: you can find them cheaper in some places, that's what XSS usually charges. Also check out Wild West Guns (www.wildwestguns.com I think) for some really wild lever guns....... they build them for serious use in Alaska.
 
Scopes and red dots rule!! Any carbine, IMO .. can benefit from extra sights ..... my old eyes just love the red dots .. make things way more efficient, interesting and ............... FUN!! :)

Marlin 44 mag '94
marlin_44_s.jpg



Win '94 in .357
win94_s.jpg



Marlin Camp 9mm (OK, not lever .. but!!!)
marlincamp_s.jpg
 
Wrong...very Wrong - Gosh that's as bad as canned biscuits ...as bad as putting sugar and cream in coffee - Wrong. :D
Opinionated - who me?:p

The "handiness" is taken away with glass.

The sights like Kaylee mentioned, don't detract from handiness and if done right "really" don't hurt astheics. Those old Tang sights with aperature removed really work well and retain the asthesics.

Remove the aperature helps when the eyes get to where they don't want to cooperate. Mine are getting that way. Bi-focals not in the right spot and with non-script shooting glasses...well.

Gee...At least I ain't as bad as Chris...:neener:
 
Hmmm ....... well Steve ... your eyes have ten more years to go to reach mine!!!

''Handiness'' ....... ???? .... phooey!! Them red dots is great .... fast target aquisition ...... just remember tho to switch the buggers off after a session :p ... AND ...... have some spare 2032 cells available!!:D

Red dots rule!! :p :neener:
 
Themic,

Here are a few things to think about when considering putting a scope on a lever gun.

A. Scope on lever gun = low proflie street tires on 4 wheel drive vehicle.

B. Scope on lever gun (SLG)= Pink fluffy sweater on a hound dog.

C. SLG = Squat to pee.

All SLG owners will go staright ot rifle hell when life on thgis earth is over
:evil: .

And one more little ditty for you guys, Ashley Emerson (as in Ashley outdoors) was so dead set against the scout scope rail mount for the 1895 that it was one of the reasons that he and present company XS sights are no longer involved with each other.

Do not scope your lever guns....

You wanted opinon you got one

H&Hhunter:)

Themic

Don't take this too seriously it's just one mans thoughts and meant to be slightly tounge in cheek. Except the thing about Ashley is true.

Ashley is a true lever gun afficiando and has built and used many highly tricked out lever guns. He too believes that putting a scope on one is a true sin.
 
Well Chris, it might not take ten years...
I'm in need of new script, College is bad for eyes. :p

I do understand and I tease Chris and others - I'm only kidding. I respect those things like eyes and other stuff that dont' want to cooperate.

Being Serious again, I prefer to use and choose tools , including firearms and accessories in such a way as to NOT be dependent and leave things to chance.

Scopes break and Batteries go bad.
Iron sights, and hand held compasses work.

Truth time.
I grew up poor and never really learned to shoot a scoped gun. All my rifle competition as a kid was iron sights. I used Model 52 and 9422 in rimfire. Model 70 in '06, and Model 94 in 30-30 and .243.
Guess what actions I prefer and use to this day still.
Hopeless, sentimetal relic - "I are one".

I tried pump centerfires...uh...brain says a pump action belongs on a shotgun.

Yeah I know, I wired weird.:)
 
Pump .308 tho Steve is good .. my deer rifle is 760 Gamemaster .... great piece!

All my ''teething'' was, of course .... irons thru and thru. Now tho yeah .. concessions to age ......... red-dot-itis has bitten. But I have shares in battery makers .... so spare .2032's no prob!! (I jest - but .. as long as spares on hand, we are good to go.)

Actually, wherever i can, I allow for visual access to irons - so ... if batteries fail .... I can still manage the ''misty'' irons and hit something!!:)
 
Chris my friend, no harm no foul. I do respect your experience and the need for red- dots. Same for other folks.

Batteries...next time we converse let me tell ya about kick-starting a onery motorcycle...and I thought only mules kicked...:D

But ya gotta admit , a tang mount is 'authentic" and a very accurate.
 
If I put together a few bucks before deer season, I'm seriously considering a Marlin in 45/70, with an Aimpoint on a scout mount. Why not? If it helps you hit what you're aiming at and YOU like it, don't worry about other folks.

Unless you're gonna Bubba-ize a Garand or 1903. Then we'd have to have some words.:)
 
Sm and I agree on a lot of things I see.

All my levers are the short light trapper styles(handy). If I want glassed guns I've got a full length 30-06 or 300 mag to play with. I bought the shortest lightest levers possible for those specific reasons, a scope would screw that all up.

I have one but however: I'm still fairly young, and so far my eyesight is perfect 20/20. Any of my lever guns from 200 yards in, if the target is big enough the front sight doesn't hide it, I own it.
If my sight were to deteriorate, I might consider glass, cause I won't give up shooting them.
 
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