45/70 Scope recommendations

[Carver Speed]

I’m not a rifle guy, I’m into clay shooting and steel challenge. However I bought a 45/70 Ruger/Marlin 1895 when they first came out that I have never used. I am thinking it is time to put an optic on it and see what it can do. I will be shooting paper and gongs and 100-200 yards. Recommendations appreciated.
Jeff

 

[RugerForMe]

If your not reaching past 50 yards I would get a Leopold 1.5-5x20 VX-3HD. You spent the money on the rifle might as well get a good scope for it

 

[WendyZXZ]

If your not reaching past 50 yards I would get a Leopold 1.5-5x20 VX-3HD. You spent the money on the rifle might as well get a good scope for it

That sounds like or similar to the scope my husband has on his Marlin 1895 in the caliber. It has the three post European style reticle, nice scope!

 

[BULL'S-EYE]

50 yards? That's practically point blank range for a 45-70 rifle.
If your eyesight is still good, I'd just go with a Skinner peep sight, or perhaps even a quality RMR red dot.

 

[Carver Speed]

That sounds like or similar to the scope my husband has on his Marlin 1895 in the caliber. It has the three post European style reticle, nice scope!

I corrected the yardage

 

[375hh1973]

Ive got a Leupold 2.5-8 on my Marlin 45-70

Yanked the sights off it, can't stand sights on a rifle.

Most of my shots are 50 to 150 yards

 

[Mobuck]

I'll admit to being opposed to using magnification beyond what's 'practical'. By that, I mean 12-16X on a 200 yard rifle or in the case of a 45/70 'plinker' more than 4-5X.
My recommendation: look at a variable with 1-2X on the bottom and 4-5X on the high end with a fairly long eye relief- unless you enjoy the thought of stitches in your eyebrows.
There are lots of choices in this range and some are very economical. I'm carrying a 'cheap' one on the UTV AR that has held zero and works fine despite the constant bouncing/pounding/vibration and exposure to elements--what I can't comment on is it's resistance to recoil.

 

[rcs9250]

A nice Leupold 3-9x should be plenty. That’s pretty much what every 30-30 has on it. 150-200 yards and 9x should be fine.
If you’re wanting to play around shooting groups (you didn’t mention hunting or plinking) you might go to maybe 18x so you can really zoom in on your target.

 

[Donnieweps]

I’m not a rifle guy, I’m into clay shooting and steel challenge. However I bought a 45/70 Ruger/Marlin 1895 when they first came out that I have never used. I am thinking it is time to put an optic on it and see what it can do. I will be shooting paper and gongs and 100-200 yards. Recommendations appreciated.
Jeff

45-70 is a great round goes from lame stuff to fully adequate for anything that walks on earth. Lame stuff has a rainbow like trajectory.

 

[TATERARK]

My vision is poor so I put one of the Leupold VX-Freedom 3X9X40 on my No. 1. Works well so far but a fairly new purchase.

 

[Laserbait]

My vision is poor so I put one of the Leupold VX-Freedom 3X9X40 on my No. 1. Works well so far but a fairly new purchase. View attachment 90006

That's a beautiful setup!

 

[Laserbait]

I am an unabashed Leupold fan, I have like 15 models so far. I think for a 45-70 Lever, going out to 200 yards, a 3-9 power would be more than adequate for hunting. The nice thing about Leupolds is that they have a generous and forgiving eyebox, and you don't need to have your eye right on top of the objective - which is a big deal when you're shooting something that can be heavy recoiling. I have seen a lot of people with cheap scopes get hit with the objective under recoil (scope bite) because they have to have their face so close to the scope. Leupold is not the only one with a good eyebox, though. But, I just know that I never have to worry about it with them.

I have a Leupold Rifleman 2-7x on my 50 Beowulf AR15, which seems to recoil about the same as some of the 45-70's that I have shot with the heavier loads.

If you're interested in saving a few bucks, there are Leupold cosmetic blem models for sale on occasion. I have bought a couple, and it's hard to find what/where the blemish is. for example:

Leupold VX-Freedom 450 Bushmaster 3-9x40mm Duplex Riflescope, Blemished 177484
https://www.eurooptic.com/leupold-v...-9x40-1-inch-duplex-riflescope-177484-blemish

While they state it's "450 Bushmaster", it should work perfect for any cartriges that have similar balistics.

 

[WendyZXZ]

My vision is poor so I put one of the Leupold VX-Freedom 3X9X40 on my No. 1. Works well so far but a fairly new purchase. View attachment 90006

With his 20/80 eyesight my husband is the same way. If you have trouble seeing and making things out, not good when hunting, not fair to the game either.

 

[Donnieweps]

On an associated subject, I once tried a Bushnell TRS red dot on one of my S&W 500 Magnums. Bushnell said it was good to go on 12ga 3" Magnum ammo.

One medium power round absolutely destroyed the sight, objective lens poking out 45 degrees off of normal.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I use ghost ring sights. It’s a bigger ring in the back so pretty fast. They are XS Sights. Very easy to use and doesn’t affect the balance of the rifle.
If you’re set on a scope the 1.5-5X20 Leupold is pretty handy.

 

[kmoore]

That rifle deserves a small light weight scope, IF using as a hunting rifle. But you stated you're not. So, nothing wrong with a full size scope in power ranges to see hits at 200 yds. 10-14 power at upper limits might be useful.
Then you get into the problem of objective lens and main tube size. You can easily get a scope that is far too high to use a proper cheek weld on the stock. That rifle stock is made for iron sights or a low mounted scope.
Scopes that might work in the Leupold name. 3x9 1 inch tube 40 mm objective lens. 3.5x10 1" 40mm or even the 4.5x14 1" 40mm.
Seeing a bullet hole in paper at 200 yds is not easy. A hit on a small steel plate not a problem.

 

[PapaDetail]

Go with the 4.5x14 1" 40mm with A.O.

That will give you the additional magnification at 200 yds.

 

[krw]

Magnification only hurts you on a scope because it narrows your field of view. This really affects you on moving targets. Shooting paper or steel, and still hunting deer within reason the more magnification the better

 

[krw]

Lots easier to shoot doe's between the eyes at 200yds when you can see their eyes at 200yds

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Sending you a PM.

 

[Ronbwolf]

I have a Skinner Sights 1-6 lpvo on mine, decent price, and enough magnification. Too much movement in 12 or higher magnification unless you are on a bench.

 

[rcs9250]

This is probably going to be a hijack of the thread but plinking with a 45-70 has little to no appeal to me, especially with a lever action.
When I go plinking, it’s either with my Tikka T1x .22LR or my Savage LRPV in .223 or my Sig MCX Spear LT in 5.56/.223.
For one, the ammo is a whole lot cheaper and if I want, I can plink well past 200 yards.
The Savage has an Element Optics 6-24x 50 on it and with Hornady good varmint ammo, it’s a laser, it’s so accurate it’s almost boring to shoot.
I like to shoot when I get to the range so an economical ammo is a plus. When I’m just playing with the Sig I use the cheapest 55 gn ammo available that I buy 1000 or 2000 at a time. It’s entirely adequate for whacking my 4” diameter steel gong at 100 yards.
I’m not wealthy and spend too much of my social security “monthly allowance” on ammo but it was that or take up alcohol.

 

[Rumrunner]

I also have a Skinner 1-6 scope, but on my CVA 44 mag, I have a 3-9 Nikon on my CVA 45/70. With its hashmarks I'm good out to 200 yards. If I didn't have the Nikon laying around, I would have got a 2nd Skinner 1-6 for it.