Lever Gun Scope Rant

[ditto1958]

I used a nose/thumb weld in kindergarten. My mom found out and made me take a box of Kleenex to school.

[dmsbandit]

I own 4 lever guns with 3 wearing scopes, 2 of them being henrys.

The winchester 38-55 wears a vintage Weaver K-3 scope

The octagon barreled 22 wears a 3-9x32 Simmons mag22 scope

the 45-70 now wears a weaver 3-9x40 scope. The scope pictured here is a 4-12x40 simmons, since removed.


All work as needed and IMO, don't look out of place. My old eyes don't like iron sights and IMO it is the duty of EVERY sportsman do go afield with the best chance of cleanly killing their quarry, and 99% of the time that means an optic sight on the long gun. Anyone that would pick iron sights over some optic sight is hunting at a disadvantage and risks wounding or losing animals. Even a simple "red-dot" sight is superior to iron sights.

I'm sure people will have differing opinions.

[CT_Shooter]

...IMO it is the duty of EVERY sportsman do go afield with the best chance of cleanly killing their quarry, and 99% of the time that means an optic sight on the long gun.

I'm sure people will have differing opinions.

But, not me. I totally agree with you.

[dmsbandit]

in support of my opinion that any optical sight is better than iron sights, here is my Squirrel and rabbit killing rig.

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Pump action CZ 612 shotgun with a BSA RGB dot sight. Deadly and fast, as the few hundred squirrels it's put in my freezer can attest to.

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I also have a dot sight on my "ranch rifle". A Kel-Tec SU-16. it is lighting fast on target and anything the dot touches is in serious jeopardy.

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[BigAl52]

I use scopes and red dots on bolts and semi auto 22. I have a couple of AR's that also wear red dots and scopes. Im like some of the others with levers. I just cant do the scope on a levergun at all. I understand why some do and its just a to each there own thing. But as long as I can shoot irons on the leverguns I have they will all continue to be naked. Al

[SloopJohnB]

I have a combo of Skinner, Lyman Globe, and Lee Shaver inserts on my Big Boy. As it is still zero power, I guess it can be in a category that is a bit better than just iron sights, but less than a scope or red dot.

[North Country Gal]

As I've mentioned on other threads, I'm now at a point where accurate shooting with iron sights only happens on days of good lighting conditions combined with days when my old eyes are at their best. Unfortunately, with our climate and my old eyes, those days are getting fewer every year. No way I'm I going to let my lever guns sit around till I get such days, especially out of some false notion that only iron sights are proper on a lever gun. As Sir Henry notes, scopes have been around even longer than lever guns. Let's face it, much of what we regard as traditional western guns and the way they were setup and used is a little less than historically factual.

I don't like big scopes on my lever guns, mostly because of the way they change the handling and balance, but, then, I don't need such scopes on my lever guns, either. I've shot some very nice groups at 100 yards with 30-30s equipped with nothing more than a vintage 4x scope. A 1-4x or 2-7x class scope does everything I need to do at the distances I shoot my lever guns.

As for looks, I see nothing ungainly or out of proportion with this little Leupold 1-4x on my Marlin 357. It's small enough and light enough that I hardly know it's there. Make no mistake, though, even with this low power, I shoot this gun better with a scope than a peep on ANY day and I have the groups to prove it.


Again, nothing against those who don't want to scope or even go red dot with their lever guns. I get that. I like iron sights, too. I use them when I can or when I'm in the mood. Not about to abandon scopes, though, based on some erroneous and unfounded sense of what is or is not traditionally correct. I'll shut up, now.

[Deadwood Dutch]

I like one with, and one without, I like to use the 1894 with no scope especially in bad weather.

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[greyrush]

Why do scope buyers want scopes that are so big? Older 3-9 scopes were more like 28-33mm in front. New scopes in stores have 40 or 50mm objective lenses, and are designed to look all tacticool. Which means ugly on a lever gun.

I kind-of agree with ya' ditto1958. Some huge scope objective that looks bigger than the gun's receiver doesn't quite look right on a lever gun. That said, and as others have mentioned, sometimes older eyes need some help, or it's just a matter of personal taste.

I'm new to Henry guns (and rifles in general) but I couldn't help but put a 3-9x40mm on my .30-30 all-weather. I'm trying to learn how to use a scope and shoot at some distance taking into account bullet drop, wind correction, scope subtend, etc. And I thought a silver scope would look fairly nice on the all-weather chrome plating. My first 200 yard shot with the .30-30 actually hit darn close to where I was trying to put it. I'm enjoying it so far.

However, I also have a Henry .45-70, blued .... don't plan to put a scope on it. It does look pretty nice just the way it is, all I did was add a nice brown sling. But I won't be able to hit a barn door much past 70 yards with those buckhorn sights. 50 yards is about my max with it (to stay within 7-8 in. group).

So, 1 with a scope to learn, 1 without to play with.

[Steve51]

Just personal preference but I do not like the looks of a scope on a lever gun. I have a 3 X 9 scope on a Henry Classic .22. That is what the grandkids started out shooting on our outings to the woods. They are teens now but that rifle still wears the scope because that is still their rifle of choice.

I also put a 3 X 9 scope on my Big Boy .44 for a while. I have to admit that it definitely helped my longer range shooting but I removed it because I am a "set in my ways" old man.

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