There are a half dozen lever action collectors here,
I am wondering what % of your guns have scopes on them .

I had a .357 that I put a dot scope on ,
next time I will just put a traditional scope on it .

I put a FastFire 3 on my Marlin 1894 44m, and a Leupold VXr Scout on my Marlin 1895 Guide in 45-70. Prior to that the Guide gun had a Leupold FXII fixed 2.5 power. The rest are buckhorn or peep.

I do, because I have CSS and can't hit shit with the existing sights.

Since this is a .35 Remington, and hurls bullets on a lob, I went with a red dot, because magnification isn't needed for under 200 yards which is optimal for the round.

Yup.
I stick to low power variables by Leupold or Weaver.
Never need batteries and much easier to make 200 yardish hits for my middle aged eyes.

Nice rifle, AtrieS...looks like it's gotten some good use over the years!

I am not a big fan of optics on my lever guns. I feel it messes with the balance, and makes what is a supremely handy platform significantly less handy. My .357, which I primarily use for shooting steel at 50 yards, does not wear any. I don't plan on putting one on my newly acquired .30-30, either.

That said, my eyes kinda suck. Making precision shots out past 50 isn't an easy thing for me to accomplish. As such, my deer rifle, a 45-70 guide gun, has a 4x Nikon on it. I still cringe every time I look at it, but it's a necessary evil.

I do like the idea of a red dot...definitely breaks from the traditional, but it would have a much smaller footprint and minimal impact on balance, as well as faster target acquisition than a traditional scope. I may need to consider it.

Thanks 92, unfortunately, the wear isn't mine. I got it used at a good price, and the wear is the price of the prior owner leaving a leather band around the barrel which held the sling. I've cleaned it up best I can, and it shoots beautifully and is very smooth.

As for a red dot on a .45-70, my shooting buddy has a Vortex Venom on his 45-70 Marlin, and it has held up beautifully. It holds zero, and seems unaffected by the significant recoil.

Both he and I are easily holding three shot groups inside of 4 inches at 100 with the red dot on it, and you simply don't notice the weight or any change in balance.

I put a red dot on my .357. My thinking is that a pistol caliber would do better with a red dot for the shorter range. For my 30-30, I'll probably put glass on it some day. With astigmatism, irons are more luck for me.

I have two and the 45-70 has a compact, fixed 4x scope. It is the modern Marlin version.

The cowboy style Marlin .357 does not. I can't bring myself to scope even though it would be easier for me to shoot with one.

I think I'm 50/50. Though there's one scoped that I wish wasn't.

Unfortunately my eyes have betrayed me and mostly optics is probably in my future. I won't scope the lever guns that aren't already though, I'll probably let them go.

I prefer bolt actions for hunting, but I do have a Leupold 3-9x40mm on a 336 30-30 that I sometimes take out in the deer woods for fun. My eyes just don't pick up fixed sights like they used to.

Yup. I hunt with Marlin .44 mags mostly, and a scope in brush is imperative. One sports a Primary Arms Micro and kills deer as well as any of my traditionally scoped ones.

I've scoped the 45-70, but the .44 Mag and 30-30 remain open sights.

No optic on my lever gun. Skinner peep sight works forme.

Never

Optics? Never!

None of my several lever guns have anything other than iron sights. I have a couple with receiver mounted peep sights, though, which seem to help with my 60 year old eyes.

edited: I do not have an optic on my lever action rifle as I like to use the peep sight it came with.

I have a Marlin in .45-70 that I've been meaning to do some work to. I'm tempted to buy a second and scope it.

As for all the "never" and "asshole" type comments..

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:


As for all the "never" and "asshole" type comments..

Twas meant to be a joke hence the blinky face. If it is too offensive I'll happily delete it.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
The cowboy style Marlin .357 does not. I can't bring myself to scope even though it would be easier for me to shoot with one.

I have a Marlin 1894 Cowboy Limited with the octagonal barrel and I also can't bring myself to scope it. Same with my Marlin 39A Mountie. I much prefer shooting my levers with irons only.