Good pairing of scope for Marlin Guide 45/70

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I would like to surprise my oldest son for his birthday by presenting him a new rifle for his collection -- a Marlin Guide in 45/70. He loves lever action guns and wanted something that can be suitable for deer in the Southeast (medium range often through crappy brush) but could also be used out West for bigger game. I've looked at .35 Rem for an all-arounder, but the power and punch of the 45/70 (and awesome history) are very attractive.

With 300-350gr ammo and also lever tipped bullets from Hornady, the ballistics should be improved for downrange shots, but I would like to make sure I have the best scope paired for the Marlin Guide in this caliber. Please let me know your experiences and recommendations...as always, your help is most appreciated! :)
 
I had a Leupold Vari-X II on my Marlin in .444. I liked it pretty good for the application. Plenty of eye relief, 1x for all the actual killing I did with it, and 4x would be able to shoot farther than the .444 had any business trying to reach. I will admit though, the only reason I put it on was to hunt hogs at night with it. Otherwise, that rifle worked fine with XS ghost ring sights, and I could ring a 12" steel target at 100 yards all day with them.
 
I experimented with a few different scopes with my XLR until I found Leupold UltimateSlam, 3-9x40. Ballistics of .45-70 are surprisingly similar to some muzzleloaders and SBR reticle + magnification has already combinations for 2/3 pellet load drop compensation, which nicely translate to Hornady LeverEvolution 325gr and Remington 400gr factory loads.

Very decent scope, Leupold quality and dependability and good price. I almost feel like it has been built with .45-70 in mind.
 
Thanks, Slick and HQ! Based on your input, I'm now online and looking at prices for the Leupolds. :)
 
Fixed 4x

Leupold first. Also, weird as it might look, one of the old "Colt" fixed 3x scopes for the M-16/AR-15.

Todd.
 
I have a Leupold 1.5-5x scope on mine that works very well during daylight hours. It's small and lightweight and more than enough for accurate shots on game at 250 yards (in combination with a good range finder). The only possible downside to the scope is that it's an older/cheaper Mark 4 model with less than excellent glass. It was originally intended to be a cheaper option for LE units wanting a decent scope for their ARs. I have a better Leupold Mark 4 1.5-5x with a 30mm tube and illuminated reticle and it might end up on this rifle.

sbl_galco.jpg
 
9mm+, I used the rifle and scope in the photo above to shoot the group shown below at 100 yards using Barnes VOR-TX 300gr ammunition. With the right target, the 5X max power of the scope isn't a hindrance to load development or hunting.

marlin_1895sbl_300gr_barnes.jpg
 
Awesome input, guys, thanks! I'll be pulling the trigger on the rifle/scope combo by the end of next week. My son will love it! :) (I might steal it from him for a few hunts... ;) )
 
after trying a few scopes over the years on some of my big bore lever actions i settled on a leupold 4x on my ruger #3 45-70 and a 1x4 leupold on my winchester timber carbine 444 marlin and another 4x leupold on my 1895 marlin 45-70. i shoot the 300gr hornady at 2000fps in the 45-70,s and a 265gr hornady at 2000 fps also and all three have taken deer out to 125-130 yrds with no problems. eastbank.
 

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I'd like to throw the Leupold VX3 2-8x36 into the mix. I have a 1-5x20 on a 450 marlin of mine right now but often find it dim when just plinking around in low light. I've been looking at the 2-8x36 for the larger objective to allow more light in and at 2x its still perfect for close up bush work.

Its also nice if you have a shot past 250 in the clear, and can dial up to 8x.
 
me? id kinda look towards teh 35 you were thinking about. i have both, and honestly my 30-30 gets more action than my 45-70 or the 35(might start bringing out the 35 more though). my 45-70 is currently waiting for me with a buddy up in alaska(north of where i am) and next fall ill be looking at some brownies(God willing) with it.
I just put a burris short mag 2-7 on my newest 30-30, its an odd eye relief, but with the xs sight system(long rail) i can keep the peep on as backup.
 
2rmy2kk.jpg

Minimal weight/dimensions
1X is de rigueur for close-in/wide-scan/fast-reaction work.
4X is about optimal for anything** out to 150 yards with reasonable Kentucky elevation for the venerable 45-70



* Weaver's 63B base has 'picatinny' slots at perfect locations to anchor weaver type rings for this scope's position/eye relief.

** "Woodchuck-capable" 405 lead/gas-checked bullet doing a moderately strong 1,750fps*** will be point blank ± 2"out to that point
*** Required weight & energy to prevent them charging if only wounded :)
 
I use a Bushnell AR 223 1-4X 24mm on my suppressed Guide Gun in 45/70.

It's got a center crosswire reticule with 4 holdover dots calibrated for the 223/556 cartridge.

Sighted in .5 inches high at 25 yards the holdover dots correspond very closely to the drop of my 400 grain subsonic hand loads at 50,75 and 100 yards.

With the suppressor in place its whispering death on hogs at those distances.

2148BCE5-EA31-4AC2-A69A-BE21DB7EC96F_zpsmryxyrbi.jpg
 
I've read every post and am most appreciative for all of the excellent input! I didn't think about feral hog hunting, but my son said it's a big pastime for his fraternity buddies at Ole Miss (the ones that are local and have hunting land. We live 12 hours away in N. Carolina). The scope input and holdover information was extremely helpful and will shorten my son's learning curve with Marlin next month. :)
 
I honestly don't know how you folks shoot those rifles with the scopes set so far back.
 
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