I finally gritted my teeth and did it.

[doubleh]

I have owned a Henry Long Barrel Frontier rifle for quite sometime now. When I got it I stuck a scope on it to check how accurate it was and it would give me groups a little better than my Marlin 39A. Being one that has always thought a lever action rifle should wear peep sights I took the scope off and installed a tang sight. It was OK but my groups were not even close to those with a scope. Fast forward to over a year after cataract removal and a return to 20/20 vision and I still can't equal the scope.

I had to twist my arm until it was painful but it now has a 1x9x32 scope on it as of this afternoon. Now I am just waiting on a day with fairly low wind to go sight it in but that may take awhile. It's March and March brings wind to this area.

 

[gulogulo1970]

Some things don't look right but darn it, they work.

 

[JDeere]

I understand and I am fixing to go down that rabbit hole and scope my Henry .44. I have a Skinner on there now but the old eyes even with glasses are not shooting it as well.

 

[doubleh]

Some things don't look right but darn it, they work.

Yep, they do. Take those rubber Hogue grips for example. Butt ugly but so usable. I'm at the age where I will use all the advantage I can get for about anything.

 

[3Crows]

I like scopes on my rifles including lever guns. I do not see why of all the rifle platforms out there that ONLY lever guns must not use a scope. I think this stems in part from the idea that a lever gun is not accurate anyway so why saddle it with the scope. If that is so then I guess my Marlin 39A, 336T, 336S ----- 1895SBL are exceptional because they are near or are MOA.

Put your scope on and be done with it. I prefer low power optics for many of my rifles, El Paso 3X Weaver on 9422M:



3C

 

[redneck2]

do not see why of all the rifle platforms out there that ONLY lever guns must not use a scope. I think this stems in part from the idea that a lever gun is not accurate anyway so why saddle it with the scope. If that is so then I guess my Marlin 39A, 336T, 336S ----- 1895SBL are exceptional because they are near or are MOA.

I suspect it has to do with levers being THE cowboy era rifle. We grew up watching westerns and their rifles never had scopes

 

[BigBlue 94]

I suspect it has to do with levers being THE cowboy era rifle. We grew up watching westerns and their rifles never had scopes

Yup. My thoughts exactly. We all know that the accuracy of a lever gun is in the karma of the beholder. A white hat shooting one is sub MOA accurate to half a mile. A black hat shooting one cant hit the broad side of a barn!

To me its all about the period of the rifle. My classic 1890 mfg 1873 would be a downright shame if it were to wear a scope. Maybe one of those long, skinny, external adjustment ones would be okay. But a model 94 like posted above with a scope looks just fine to me. A lot of that was done in the 1970s and 80s from pictures ive seen. Same with some of the newer marlin rifles. As long as its not some huge bell triple knob tactical monstrosity.

Though i would not be opposed to a "tactical" model 94 in 357 with a 14" barrel, full length mag, red dot sight and silencer... Thinking along the lines of a wild wild west zombie themed shooting event lol

 

[redneck2]

Years ago my LGS had a beautiful, custom replica of an 1850 Hatfield .50 caliber percussion. Think original Hawken. Not the crap junk they pass off as a Hawken today. The real, live original. Workmanship was incredible. Traditional browned finish. This was probably mid 1980’s and the guy had paid almost $1,800 for it. IIRC, wait time was 2-3 years. He passed before he ever got to use it. The family sold it back to the shop for $850.

Problem was, it is a faster twist, set up for sabots. At least at that time you couldn’t use sabots for traditional shoots, so it was an oddball. He had gotten it specifically for deer hunting. It sat on the shelf for a long time, maybe 8-10 months. I looked at it every time I’m there. Gorgeous.

So, the LGS owner who is a good friend says some Fudd comes in and wants to know if it can be drilled and tapped for a scope. He is about ready to puke as he’s telling me this. He says he has to check with his gunsmith simply to stall the guy.

He says “if you want it, I’ll take a $100 loss just so it doesn’t get butchered”. I paid him what he had in it, and it’s in my safe right now, still unfired but protected from mutilation.

 

[BigBlue 94]

^^^ shoot that thing! The ol boy who ordered it would have! Even just a couple times. Great story nonetheless

 

[3Crows]

My lever guns were not made in the cowboy era aside from me possibly being one, maybe. I ride a Jeep Wrangler preferably to a horse and I will take a scope on my this century lever gun. If somebody ever gives me one from the 1800s I will dutifully not scope it. Bolt actions were around in the open sights day, long before scopes of any use as were rolling blocks, single shots, break-opens and yet nobody seems to complain about cowboys and indians did not use scopes on them? I tell you what, if I get in a time machine and take my 1895SBL back to Custer's last stand with a couple of boxes of ammo and a scope mounted, I do not think he would complain one bit or remove the scope because it was not cowboy. I probably would have given it to Chief Crazy Horse though, not Custer, and I doubt he would have complained much about it not being indian enough either. My opinion, that is silly, like buying a Corvette and cutting four of the plug wires so as to not get a speeding ticket. Leaving accuracy on the table, game in the field, shots you could have taken if you could have seen and older eyes that cannot do without.

3C

 

[Pat Riot]

It’s my opinion that years ago someone decided that scopes don’t belong on lever guns and espoused their disdain for all to hear. Over time this idea became entrenched as taboo. It’s similar to these young guys I hear in gun stores having issues with S&W locks even though they were mere toddlers and preschoolers when the lock mod was implemented.

I am soon putting a scout scope on my Marlin 336 and I am not concerned with what others might think about that. It’s my gun and my money to do with as I see fit.
I also don’t have the greatest vision. Never have really, but I won’t risk wounding a deer due to someone else’s nostalgic ideals regarding my rifle.

 

[jmr40]

I don't have an issue with a smallish scope on a lever gun that matches its capabilities. A 3-9X40 is really too much, but sometimes we have to use what we have. I sure wouldn't want anything bigger.

A small 1-4X20 is ideal IMO. They are small, very light and don't look out of place on a lever gun. On 1X they are just as fast as iron sights up close and fast, even for those who still have perfect vision. The most important asset is the ability to see the target in poor light. And on 4X you have more than enough magnification for any traditional lever action cartridge. And most any cartridge for that matter. Fixed 4X scopes were the standard for bolt guns for a long time.

I've not seen anything with 1X on the bottom and more than 6X or 8X on the upper end. But if it is small and compact enough a 1-9X32 should be OK. There is no such thing as 1X9X32