peeps or scope on lever

[JustinNC]

Probably been discussed a million times, but Ive yet to find an easy way to search it efficiently.

Do you like peeps or scope on a HUNTING lever action? Granted most of the shots opportunities that I use my model 94 for are 50 to 80yards, which do you use?

My thoughts.....

I have little doubt I can cover my bases accuracy wise with irons/peep in the areas I generally bring the 94 into. BUT...I've often ran into several situations, especially in wooded areas, where the clock still said it was legal light, and I could make out a deer, but wouldn't have the confidence to make the shot with out a scope.

I have one many occasions, made that shot with a scoped rifle, where on low power, it seems almost bright as before sunset.

BEFORE WE GET INTO SAFETY...first, I know the area and know the back drop of the directions I shoot. I'm extremely familiar with the terrain in the spots I hunt. Second, Im not talking soooo dark you see something move and scope check it (That's why I have binoculars). Im just talking dark enough it sort of fades out when you look through a peep and/or focus your eyes on the sights .

 

[T.R.]

Depends upon one's eyeballs. There was a time when peep sights worked well for me. But now that age 60 is on my horizon, scopes are the only choice for me.

Jack

 

[MistWolf]

Shooting hours aren't always about what's legal. It's about what is safe and ethical.

Personally, I think optics on a lever action is just plain wrong (unless your eyes need them to keep shooting). The optic ruins a classic silhouette, makes the rifles less handy and it's not What John Wayne Would Do. None of these are very practical reasons, but some traditions should be observed afield. Get a the ghost ring sights. That's what I have on my Marlin 45-70. They are fast, effective and accurate and have the added bonus of keeping your rifle's good looks
View attachment 624036
View attachment 624037

 

[BADUNAME37]

I say, it depends on your intended hunting distance shots. If I am hunting 50 yards or less, I don't need a scope and am perfectly fine with iron sights of any kind. Over 50 yards, and I start to prefer a scope to help these eyes.

Since shot placement is everything, I really want to make sure I shoot a humane shot and, over 50 yards with iron sights, although I can do it, I can also miss a bit and still hit the game, but with a less than stellar shot!

MistWolf,
Beautiful gun you have there!

 

[rcmodel]

No reason you can't have both!



rc

 

[JustinNC]

Shooting hours aren't always about what's legal. It's about what is safe and ethical.

That's why I posed this question, safe and ethical ends, depending on the tree canopy, 5-15min sooner than legal light, when using iron sights over a scope. I can still SEE an animal, see whats BEHIND the animal, but may not feel comfortable making that shot in those given conditions (I DONT SHOOT UNLESS SAFE AND ETHICAL).

I just wondered what you guys put on your guns? I personally hate to lose those extra few minutes early and/or late (WITHIN LEGAL TIME) where a scope could have made the difference.

I'm thinking about ordering some peeps and jerking the scope off the 94, and just going with the peeps. I love hunting with that little gun. I suppose if I wanted to hunt legal light til legal light safe and ethically, I could always carry a scoped gun, but it's always fun hunting with those old levers.

 

[JustinNC]

RC Model, very nice haha.





It's not about being able to do it or not do it within XX range....I hunt within my legal, safe and ethical limits light wise AND accuracy wise. It's just a which do you prefer on YOUR lever gun....a hunting gun, not just a range toy or safe queen.

Do you go with peeps/irons as tradition and give up those few minutes you might lose or do you NEED a scope anyway as mentioned by another poster, or do you prefer it anyway, and able to hunt a couple extra minutes, which in my experience has made a substantial difference in my harvest numbers.

It's no doubt fun to hunt them with irons too though!

 

[CaliCoastie]

With a Winny right? I'll take the peep over the different scope mounts I have seen for the Winchester (i'm tell you now that i'm not a model 94 fan), if it was a Marlin they make a few setups that can really be flipped from peep to scope with some quick detach rings. Good luck.

 

[MistWolf]

That's why I posed this question, safe and ethical ends, depending on the tree canopy, 5-15min sooner than legal light, when using iron sights over a scope. I can still SEE an animal, see whats BEHIND the animal, but may not feel comfortable making that shot in those given conditions (I DONT SHOOT UNLESS SAFE AND ETHICAL).

I just wondered what you guys put on your guns? I personally hate to lose those extra few minutes early and/or late (WITHIN LEGAL TIME) where a scope could have made the difference.

I'm thinking about ordering some peeps and jerking the scope off the 94, and just going with the peeps. I love hunting with that little gun. I suppose if I wanted to hunt legal light til legal light safe and ethically, I could always carry a scoped gun, but it's always fun hunting with those old levers.

You have answered your own question

No matter what rifle in any configuration you take hunting, there are compromises to be dealt with. Before taking to the woods, the question is always "what set of compromises will I take with me today?"

 

[TexAg]

I tried a couple different scopes on my 336 and never liked how it threw off the balance and added weight. The stock irons weren't really sufficient either, so I went with a Burris Fastfire II and really enjoy it! It doesn't add much weight at all and it's very fast to acquire.

 

[Float Pilot]

PEEP or buck-horns I can hit the vitals on a moose at 200 yards even with old eyes. That is good enough and an ethical range. Of course that might change when I get into my 70s....

 

[krimmie]

I will be mounting one of these on my 336.

http://swfa.com/Leupold-1-4x20-VX-1-ShotgunMuzzleloader-Scope-P51851.aspx

 

[Abel]

I use scopes on my lever action rifles. I hunt in wooded areas that get dark and spooky quicker than an open field. With a scope, I can make an ethical, clean shot, every time. A 336 with a low mounted 2-7x32mm or a 4x32mm scope is the best deer rifle for me. I use that setup exclusively for the deer with white tails.

 

[Robtattoo]

I have Skinner peeps on my levers & I haven't really noticed that much difference between them & low-powered scope in failing light.
I must admit, I remove the aperture for a 'ghost ring' effect as it gets darker, but I'm still good out to 80yds.

 

[Reloadron]

I have a Marlin 444P that the wife bought me years ago for my West Virginia hunting trips. When I got the rifle first thing I did was place a nice Leupold 4X scope on it and sighted it in. So off I went to WV to see my friend.

Day 1 missed the first deer looking for it in the scope at about 40 yards.
Day 2 missed the second deer looking for it in the scope at about 60 yards.

Got mad and removed the scope.

Day 3 finally got my deer at about 75 yards using the standard factory sights.

The area of West Virginia (Webster County) really doesn't lend itself to long shots. Still have that rifle and still have the scope, just no longer connected.

At 62 I don't hunt like I did years ago and my friend in WV passed away 5 years ago. However, for me I found shooting the rifle at game works better for me sans the scope. For me the scope just got in the way of what should have been quick simple shots.

Ron

 

[beatledog7]

I'm a peep sites sort, but YMMV.

 

[snakeman]

rc is right why not have both

 

[jeepnik]

Or,



Actually it has a big peep (ghost ring) as a backup.

 

[OldTman]

When I deer hunted I used my Model 94 in 30-30. I had a peep sight installed on it and removed the original rear sight. I took the peep portion out of the sight and it was a sort of ghost ring with a much longer sighting plane. I used it always in the woods or brush with hand loaded 170 grain rockets.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

Peeps for 300 yds and under.

 

[Maverick223]

A ghost ring (you can use a Williams receiver sight and just take out the aperture, then you have the best of both worlds) is a good compromise. Not quite as accurate as the average aperture or scope, but it allows your eye to gather more light and acquire your target faster. It also maintains the aesthetics and balance of a proper lever rifle.

 

[Abel]

Peeps for 300 yds and under.

Maybe for range toys. But if you are going for real flesh and blood for recreation, then no. 99% of people who own hunting rifles could never be counted on to hit a set of lungs on a deer/coyote/pronghorn with a peep sight at 300 yards. That's exactly why scopes were invented. Heck, 50% of hunters probably couldn't hit a basketball at 300 yards from their deerstand with a 9x magnification setting. It takes most entry level infantry soldiers months before they can qualify expert with peep sights...and a private in the infantry gets more range time and better instruction that almost anybody. Most citizen gun owners don't do that kind of range time, and even the folks that do go to the range weekly or monthly are typically not practicing peeps.

 

[SwampWolf]

rc is right why not have both

Because having both completely negates the best reason(s) for using a receiver sight on a lever-action carbine. I can't improve on MistWolf's rationale:

Personally, I think optics on a lever action is just plain wrong (unless your eyes need them to keep shooting). The optic ruins a classic silhouette, makes the rifles less handy and it's not What John Wayne Would Do. None of these are very practical reasons, but some traditions should be observed afield. Get a the ghost ring sights. That's what I have on my Marlin 45-70. They are fast, effective and accurate and have the added bonus of keeping your rifle's good looks

I'm 69 years old and have worn glasses all of my life. But I have no trouble shooting with an aperture sight (I have the Williams "FoolProof" receiver sight mounted on all of my "traditional" lever-actions, including a Marlin 39, as well as an older Remington Model 760 that was stocked for irons in the early fifties). It seems that a few shooters don't know the proper way to aim with peeps. You don't try to center the bead with the aperture. Rather, the idea is to ignore the aperture and shoot "through" it, concentrating only on squaring the bead with the target. The eye will naturally center the bead with the aperture. This method is one of the fastest ways to acquire the target and to get off a well-aimed shot.

 

[Salty1]

Being one with old eyes I needed a scope for anything of distance, I ended up putting on Weaver see through rings which were perfect for me to use for closer shots then the scope when the target was beyond 75 yards.... I agree that a scope takes away from the beauty of a lever gun, but one has to do what they can to be able to shoot it........

 

[jmr40]

I can hit the vitals on a moose at 200 yards even with old eyes.

With good light that is not difficult. I can hit well enough with irons to take most any big game animal at 200 yards or even a bit farther, as long as there is good light.

The hard part is shooting a whitetail at 30 yards 10 min. before legal shooting time in a heavily forested area. Out in the open there is still plenty of light, but in thick forests you won't even be able to see the sights. Even if you are 20 years old with perfect vision. A peep helps with more precision especially at longer range, but does very little to help in low light.

I don't care for optics on a lever either, but you have to make the decision to either scope it, or simply pass on these shots. As much as I like levers, If I'm serious about getting my deer, I use a bolt gun with a quality low powered optic. All of my boltguns are lighter, more compact and balance better with glass on them than my levers would with glass anyway.