Scopes

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Joined
Dec 2, 2021
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89
Location
Florida
I like peep sights and had them on various rifles. My eyesight is not what it used to be, and I have been replacing them with scopes. As far as lever actions, I have a Winchester 94 AE with a Leupold 1.75-5x mounted on it. If your rifle is a rimfire, you may want to look into those made for a rimfire and have a finer reticle than one for a big game rifle as those could block out a squirrel.
 

XUSNORDIE

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jul 29, 2023
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Location
Gettysburg PA Area
Had a 336 and 444 scoped with a basic Bushnell fixed 4x 1 inch back in the day. Logged a lot of hunting with both and no issues.

Currently have a Winchester 94 topped with a newer Buhnell 4x....hasn't logged as much miles as the others but certain it will last forever.

Don't have a lever 22 any more (sadly). But if I did. I'd top it with a Vortex Crossfire 2-7X32 Rimfire. I just recently topped a 1022 build with one and love it.
 

XUSNORDIE

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jul 29, 2023
Messages
214
Location
Gettysburg PA Area
i just hate putting a scope on my lever guns. It seems to take away the old west feel when im packing one of my guns in the woods

I was the same. My current 94 had XS sights and they were great for still hunting ridgelines and thick woods jumping deer. But those days are pretty much over....my joints creak too much when I creep lol. The XS sights were replaced with the 4x and is now pretty much a blind gun when set up on small clearings.
 

RC44Mag

Buckeye
Joined
Jul 18, 2022
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1,844
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Long Island
Yes it does and sometimes the compromises stink
Yes they do but hitting what ones trying to hit is often most important. I have a Marlin 30-30 that( for now) has no scope but mainly because I haven't hunted with it. If I did I'd likely scope it but like you, Id do it begrudgingly for the same reason. Fortunately I have other rifles,both rimfire and center better suited for glass.
 
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bisleyfan41

Blackhawk
Joined
Jul 13, 2007
Messages
677
Location
People's Republic of Maryland
i just hate putting a scope on my lever guns. It seems to take away the old west feel when im packing one of my guns in the woods
Form has to follow function. Hitting what you're shooting at should be most important.

If your peep sights no longer get it done, you can either scope it OR accept missing everything you shoot at OR stop hunting OR choose another rifle to scope.

Nothing carries like an unscoped levergun, but if you can't see the sights.....
 

GunnyGene

Hawkeye
Joined
Nov 23, 2013
Messages
9,417
Location
Monroe County, MS
Yes. Henry BBSC .41mag, Nikon scope. I like to see what I'm shooting at. Don't care about the aesthetics of the combo.

henrynikon.jpg
 
Joined
Apr 4, 2009
Messages
6,349
Location
China Spring TX
As my husband has gotten older and so have the eyes he has his Marlin .45-70 scoped now. He has one of the low end Leupold variables, not sure of the model but it is 1.5 - 4 X 20 and has the European three plex post style reticle.
 
Joined
Dec 19, 2001
Messages
10,131
Location
Alaska, Idaho USA
Is a 20 or 24 objective lense to small. Im having a hard time finding one thats not $400. Around $200 would be good.

That's one of the reasons I like Leupolds. You can buy a used one and if it has a problem, send it in and they will fix it. Having said that I highly recommend you educate yourself to the various models. Personally I avoid older models because when I buy I'm mostly trying to upgrade. Get educated to prices and when one comes up for 50-60% of new, jump on it.

I tend to use the 1-4 X 20 or 1.5-5 X 20 the last number is the objective, these go on lever guns or rifles that are heavy recoil beginning with 375 H&H.
For moderate calibers or long range I might go with 2-7, 3-9 , or between 2.5-8 X 36, or maybe 3.5-10 X 40, and I never go with a higher objective than 40. The reason is if it has a higher objective, raises the scope, takes higher rings and so on.
 
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Joined
Nov 2, 2012
Messages
348
Location
Western Maine
When the eyes get old you do what you have to do if you want to keep hunting/shooting. I deer hunted for years with a Remington Model 8 35 Rem. with a peep sight. Then the eyes said no more. I didn't want to "bastardize" it with a side mount.
This is my Marlin 1894 41 Mag with an old Leupold VX-2 1-4X.
Marlin 1894S 41 Mag.jpg
 

Actnbill

Single-Sixer
Joined
Mar 16, 2023
Messages
279
Location
Seacoast NH
I have a Henry 22 lever with the Octagon barrel..... It has the Hi-Viz Orange and Yellow Fiber Optic sights on it......might be an option before you go to scope...

I had a Winchester 94 with scope and see thru mounts and I found it to be too bulky for hunting
 

needsmostuff

Blackhawk
Joined
Sep 4, 2008
Messages
533
Location
Tucson,AZ
i just hate putting a scope on my lever guns. It seems to take away the old west feel when im packing one of my guns in the woods
I have worn corrective lenses for my eyes since I was in 3rd grade. Do they degrade the ascetic picture of my face. Sure,,,, doesn't matter , I like to see.
So at plus 70years now it is a case of red dots or scopes on rifles ,,,,,,,,, or quit shooting.
Just pay attention to size and they don't have to be overpowering. No tall rings, no big objective bells and you really don't need big magnification for squirrels.
These are how my 327 Henrys roll and I would never go back to peeps.
327.jpg


But,,,,,,,,, you also have a choice of where it mounts. This "scout " mount on a Rossi 357 could use a smaller red dot but HEY! It was cheap, it works well and it was here.
100_1187.jpg
 

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