scopes on lever guns...

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PT1911

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So, my first rifle was ( and is) a marlin/glenfield model 30 30-30 and I absolutely love it... Well, when I first got it... several years ago, it had a cheap 3x9 scope on it along with the horid hi-rise see-through rings that everyone just loves to put on them. anyway... Hate the look of a scope on a lever gun... ANY lever gun... I Love the lines of the gun and just feel the scope takes away from it... somewhat like putting a new scope on a milspec rifle... be it a garand or mosin nagant. So, I took the scope off and recently put on a Peep sight which I absolutely love. I look forward to seeing how accurate I can be with this new addition.


So, Do any of you share my sentiments that scopes just shouldnt be on some guns?
 
I am not saying it isnt practical or useful. I could hit very well at 100 yards with my 30-30 scoped (1.5 inches consistently with core locks) .. just that it takes away from the overall look of the gun....
 
I've always thought that a scope on a lever action was a sin.

Now I'm older and my eyes are worse than they used to be. A scope ruins the balance of a lever gun... but aging eyeballs like scopes. :)
 
All my levers were Marlin so a scope sits pretty well on the top of the receiver. Now a Winchester 94 or a Henry is a different story. No way to make that set-up look good.
 
kdstrick-"A scope ruins the balance of a lever gun". I have to disagree. My marlin 1894 carbine w/Bushnell 4x32 was perfectly balanced and a natural pointer. Another model might not balance as well.
 
depends on the scope. if its intended for the claiber your shooting, then its great. if its in a wideview style, then definitely grab it.
 
Not me,I scope ALL of my rifles including leverguns and mil-surps(unless a collector). I can't hit what I can't see.
Click to expand...

Actually a scope doesn't help you see better it just magnifies the image.

I find that even my aging eyes prefer a good receiver mounted peep sight out to 150 yards or so.
 
To me a lever gun is for close in tight shooting [bears with hounds]Lever guns are by far the most common action for hound hunting here.Seems like every greenhorn uses a scope the first year.But by the second year the scope is gone, they have black tape around their elevation ramp, and the front hood is lost.Seems like a scope catches on everything in the woods and you always worry about knocking it out of adjustment.Personaly I think its like putting a winch on a Corvette.
 
I can deal with a scope on a marlin, a normal sizes one. What I hate is the pistol scope mounted out on the barrel.
The "scout rifle" look on a lever gun just looks wrong, no matter how usefull it maybe.
 
I have a 1974 built 94 .30-30 that I love, and I would NEVER ruin its perfect lines with a scope.

BUT...I just picked up a recent 94 AE .30-30, LNIB, 100% condition. Since this 94 is already ruined with the horrid cross bolt safety, I have decided to scope it.

I will post pics when I get the bases (on order now). The only reason I am willing to do this is due to the scope. I have a 45 year old vintage Weaver K-4, 100% condition with matching vintage Weaver high gloss rings. This all steel scope is bright blue, matching the rich blue of the gun beautifully.

I think the standard height rings will just clear just barely, allowing for a very low mount to the bore centerline. The irony is, I will actually need the ugly safety with the minimal hammer clearance such a low mount will allow.When I match them up sans mounts, that Weaver really matches the gun perfectly. We'll see--mounts in 3 days!
 
BUT...I just picked up a recent 94 AE .30-30, LNIB, 100% condition. Since this 94 is already ruined with the horrid cross bolt safety, I have decided to scope it.
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Think how much better it would look with a Lyman or Williams receiver sight. :cool:

Then you could have a reason to buy a nice bolt action to use the scope on.

I'm pretty sure that there is some kind of leaver action Karma that covers this. :D
 
I love the look of lever guns too, but I can't see iron sights any more. I use a single power red dot on my 336.
 
I've got a winchester 94 AE in .30-30 and I have a weaver base and use a 1X red dot scope sighted in to 75 yds, and it works great in my opinion.
 
I think that scopes look just fine on lever guns. As for ruining the balance .... :scrutiny: ... all they do is add weight, nothing more. I'll take the extra weight since it's accompanied by an even greater increase in accuracy.

xlr_guide_gun.jpg


:)
 
Think how much better it would look with a Lyman or Williams receiver sight.

Then you could have a reason to buy a nice bolt action to use the scope on.
Click to expand...

I've got lots of scoped bolt guns. This K-4 came off a 1965 manufacture Model 70 .270; It now wears a VXIII & is no longer a safe queen. If I did not have two 94's, no way would I scope my only one.
 
I think the general reason for scoped lever guns being so prevalent is between the lines here.
Older guys with aging eyes need scopes. Young men learning to hunt learn from those old guys. Like most young men, they follow the monkey see- monkey do of most young hunters. They get what the mentor has.
So, then you wind up with a bunch of scoped lever guns that don't really have capability beyond what a good shooter with peep/aperture sights can do.


I don't like the aesthetic of scoped lever rifles either. And, for the 30-30 at least, I think a scope is just needless given the effective range and how accurate one can shoot with a peep.
However, for the people who like their levergun but don't like getting old, a scope is the only way to go.

When my eyes get bad, I'll probably do the same thing.
 
Learn to shoot accurately and confidently with your iron sights before you scope
the rifle, but do not needlessly handicap yourself by not installing a good optic.
 
Learn to shoot accurately and confidently with your iron sights before you scope
the rifle, but do not needlessly handicap yourself by not installing a good optic.
Click to expand...

I think that's the whole point. I don't feel handicapped at all by not having a scope on my lever gun. I believe that out to 150 yards or so (about as far as I would use a .30-30 or .35 Rem) that I can shoot every bit as accurately with a Lyman receiver mounted peep sight as I can with a scope. Also with this setup I don't loose the inherent good handling of a lever gun.

Don't get me wrong, I like scopes. I just like them on long range guns. And to me anything that shoots flat tip bullets because of the tubular magazine isn't long range.
 
it had a cheap 3x9 scope on it along with the horid hi-rise see-through rings that everyone just loves to put on them. anyway...
Click to expand...
Well there is your problem high rise see thru rings well make any gun look ugly.

Own lever guns both scoped and unscoped don't see a problem as long as the scope is a reasonable size.

I am not saying it isn't practical or useful. I could hit very well at 100 yards with my 30-30 scoped (1.5 inches consistently with core locks) .. just that it takes away from the overall look of the gun....
Click to expand...
What size groups are you now getting at 100 yards without a scope? For me going to a 2 -7 X on my Marlin 336 cut my groups at 100 yards in 1/2 over the the stock iron sights. Without even getting into the crude POI adjustment the stock iron sight 336 gives you. I do keep stock iron sights on my Winchester 94.
 
I NEED a scope on any rifle I shoot. Because of my vision hinderances I CANNOT see a rear aparture sight nor can I see the rear open sight through my bifocals. When I obtain cheek weld with the stock my eyes are looking through the upper portion of my glasses. If I raise my head to use the lower portion of my glasses I am above the sightline. Except for my mil-surps I don't have iron sights on any of my hunting guns as they would be useless.
 
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