EER scope recommendation

[Bill.68]

Ive never used one but due to age related eyesight deterioration Im going to be forced at some point in the near future to consider a scope for my lever guns. The thought makes my stomach roll but it is what it is. The strain and concentration needed to be accurate even with something like the RPP or Skinner types is just sucking the enjoyment out of shooting them.
The Henrys of course is easier as far as scope selection goes but the '92' and others that require the use of forward mounted EER scopes is new to me. Can anyone share their experiences with these "scout" scopes?

[North Country Gal]

I've used scout scopes on a number of lever guns and enjoyed them. Going scout does have some trade offs compared to a scope over the receiver, but some advantages, too. Scout scopes are usually labeled as IER (intermediate eye relief), while pistol scopes are labeled as EER (extended eye relief). I have successfully used 2x pistol (EER) scopes, though, as scout scopes. Going with typical 2-7x pistol scopes doesn't work very well, though, because the eye relief gets tricky as you zoom up.

Advantages for me include:
a) the scope in that forward position doesn't temporarily black out your view until your eye picks up the view through the scope when you bring the gun up to your shoulder, as with a scope on the receiver. With the scout scope, you still see everything around the scope when the rifle comes to your shoulder. They are designed to be used with both eyes open and and that makes them very easy to use. With a scout set up, you always see what is happening to either side of the scope. For this reason, I find that I can get on target faster with a scout scope than with a receiver mounted scope. This is why scout set ups are popular with the tactical crowd, but know that scout scopes originated on lever guns, thanks to Jeff Cooper back in the day using them on Model 94 Winchesters.

b) it really is nice not having a scope over the receiver when you are handling and carrying the rifle. It leaves the receiver free for carrying and handling.

c) if you stay with the typical low power scout scope, they nice and small and compact, which is a good thing out there in the forward position.

Disadvantages for me include:
a) you will lose some field of view with a scout scope compared a receiver mounted scope. For this reason, it's just not practical to use high magnification on a scout scope. The highest you can typically go on a scout scope is a 2-7x, but even at 7x, it gets a little tricky using one. You'll be a lot happier keeping the magnification down.

b) not a lot of selection out there on scout scopes, but there are still some very good ones. Have had my best luck with the Leupolds.

c) as with scope selection, not much of a selection in scout scope mounts, so you are limited in what guns you can go with a scout set up.

Hope this helps.

[North Country Gal]

Let me follow up with alternatives if the scout set up is not your thing or not doable on your rifle. You really, really can't beat a small low power variable scope on the receiver for the sake of getting a bright, clear picture with a sharp crisp aiming point, plus it gives you the ability to see back in the shadows, something a red dot cannot do. I can't say enough about the ease of use of something like the Leupold Freedom 1.5-4x or similar.

The other option isn a red dot, of course. Also very easy to use. Out in the woods or at the range, though, I prefer a low power scope on my rifles.

[The Happy Kaboomer]

Scout scopes may work in the sunshine. But at predawn and twilight a receiver mounted(quality) scope works better if you are hunting.

[rickhem]

Ive never used one but due to age related eyesight deterioration Im going to be forced at some point in the near future to consider a scope for my lever guns. The thought makes my stomach roll but it is what it is. The strain and concentration needed to be accurate even with something like the RPP or Skinner types is just sucking the enjoyment out of shooting them.
The Henrys of course is easier as far as scope selection goes but the '92' and others that require the use of forward mounted EER scopes is new to me. Can anyone share their experiences with these "scout" scopes?

For a quick fix and not too dramatic change in how the rifle carries, a forward mounted dot sight may be worth looking into. Skinner makes a "Dovetail Slot Scope Mount" Go about halfway down this page:
http://skinnersights.com/scope_mounts_31.html
You just drift out your buckhorn rear sight and put that one in. Then get a small, light dot and mount it to that. I'll bet it doesn't have as much of a change to your cheek weld as a regular scope would.
I wouldn't suggest it for serious precision work, but for "bottom of a beer can" accuracy, the dots would quite well.

[Bill.68]

rickhem, I saw those but not until after I had bought the pic rail that mounts into the four taps in the barrel. Nice rail and I may actually use that rail to mount a scope on a 454, if I ever get one I can shoot.
Ive just come to accept the fact that I just have too hard a time seeing sights anymore. My eyes have just gotten too bad.

[rickhem]

rickhem, I saw those but not until after I had bought the pic rail that mounts into the four taps in the barrel. Nice rail and I may actually use that rail to mount a scope on a 454, if I ever get one I can shoot.
Ive just come to accept the fact that I just have too hard a time seeing sights anymore. My eyes have just gotten too bad.

I'm right there with you Bill. I learned to accept that the dots in my bullseye guns were no longer a dot, but a weird amoeba looking thing, until I tried low power readers. The dot got round again. For a while, I could see fine at distance and have used the readers for close-up things. I'm now at the point where low powered readers, like 1.25, give me a sharper image at distance, and I need stronger ones for fine work or reading very small print. I absolutely need glasses for iron sights, and even the dot sighted pistols. My scopes are all adjusted so that the reticle is sharp and clear without glasses, since I prefer shooting without those readers, but anyone else needs to adjust that ocular side for them. My fiber optic pin on the compound bow just looks like an egg shaped array of multiple dots when I shoot the bow, but if I use that almost like an aperture sight and center what I want to hit inside of it, it works, so I bowhunt without the glasses. But yeah, everything is a constant adjustment now and a decision as to whether I'll wear the low power stuff for the sharper images they provide, or go for simplicity without them.

[azdover]

Here's a setup that works for me on my BBS 357 carbine
- Leupold VX-Freedom 1.5-4X28 IER Scout scope
- Warne QDS low rings
- XS lever rail plus their Ghost Ring Sights & a Skinner .750' front sight

XS sells the rail and sights separately. When I bought my rail, XS only made them for the 45-70. They now make them for the Big Boy Steel 45-70, 357 Mag, 44 Mag, and 45LC but only the round barrels. If you have a brass receiver or octagon barrel it won't work for you.

I had to shim the front mounting screw to keep from bending the rail - maybe because the 357 barrel is a smaller diameter than the 45-70?

I also wanted backup iron sights, so I bought the taller .750" Skinner sight since the XS 45-70 front sight was too short at .600".

Pete