Lever gun scopes

[SMLE]

Hi All,

I know it’s sacrilege to put a scope on a lever gun but I think my eyes have reached a point where nature is trumping lever gun design.

I am the new owner of a Henry in 44 Rem Mag that I purchased second hand with a Skinner Express sight installed thinking my eyes would be ok with a ghost ring aperture. Great at 25 yards but at 50, no chance if I’m honest.

I don’t want to win any competitions, just plinking fun but have been thinking of a 1 - 4 boar hunting type of set up. Just wondering what others use, pro’s and con’s etc.

Thoughts gratefully received.

[TC]

If you could find an old Philippines made Simmons Whitetail Classic 1.5-5x20 snap it up.  A great little scope for not a lot of money and sits nicely on a lever gun.

Tony

[Scrumbag]

If I could find one, a little 1.2-5x36 Zeiss Duralyt might work well.

Not huge, handy mag range and with the illuminated ret and the mag turned down very quick on target.
 

Scrummy

[Mattnall]

2 hours ago, SMLE said:

I know it’s sacrilege to put a scope on a lever gun

I think you have your answer right there.😉

 

If I had to I think something like the Simmons 1.5-5x20WTC (or whatever the new version is) is the way to go. Light and small and with a wide field of view it is great for picking up targets quickly and the 5-power is fine for 100yds+.

 

[Popsbengo]

I have a Leupold VX3 1.5 - 5.  It's on my 45-70 Henry.  Oodles of eye relief (which is indeed a relief on a 45-70).   Very bright, simple reticule.  Altogether the ideal zombi stopper scope.

I did need to put a comb riser on to get a decent cheek weld even though the scope is on low mounts on a picatinny rail

[terryh]

I relented and put together a gallery rifle for use in my local club, concur a scope on a lever gun is a bit ‘off’ but as the basic Marlin is no ‘Turnbull’ I was not too bothered, used a (true) 1-10 x 24 March on it

 

[Kalahari]

Would a red dot work? Much smaller and neater and maybe one of the finer ones would be "tight" enough for your needs.

 

David.

[Scrumbag]

12 hours ago, Popsbengo said:

I have a Leupold VX3 1.5 - 5.  It's on my 45-70 Henry.  Oodles of eye relief (which is indeed a relief on a 45-70).   Very bright, simple reticule.  Altogether the ideal zombi stopper scope.

I did need to put a comb riser on to get a decent cheek weld even though the scope is on low mounts on a picatinny rail

I've found this, if the iron sights work for you, pretty much any scope won't ;)

[Scrumbag]

12 hours ago, terryh said:

I relented and put together a gallery rifle for use in my local club, concur a scope on a lever gun is a bit ‘off’ but as the basic Marlin is no ‘Turnbull’ I was not too bothered, used a (true) 1-10 x 24 March on it

 

I actually quite like that

[Scrumbag]

14 minutes ago, Kalahari said:

Would a red dot work? Much smaller and neater and maybe one of the finer ones would be "tight" enough for your needs.

 

David.

Not a bad idea. Certainly quick. I suggest if you want to hunt with it though a little magnification and low light performance is not a bad idea IMHO

[1066]

I'll second the Whitetail Classic 1.5-5 x 20 suggestion - I have one on my Winchester 94AE .357.

[Triffid]

Another vote for the Simmonds WTC 1.5-5x20. 

I also run a cheap Tasco red-dot on my Marlin Cowboy, which works well.

Triffid

[gazzar15]

I run a Vortex red dot on my Henry 357

[gazzar15]

20 hours ago, SMLE said:

Hi All,

I know it’s sacrilege to put a scope on a lever gun but I think my eyes have reached a point where nature is trumping lever gun design.

I am the new owner of a Henry in 44 Rem Mag that I purchased second hand with a Skinner Express sight installed thinking my eyes would be ok with a ghost ring aperture. Great at 25 yards but at 50, no chance if I’m honest.

I don’t want to win any competitions, just plinking fun but have been thinking of a 1 - 4 boar hunting type of set up. Just wondering what others use, pro’s and con’s etc.

Thoughts gratefully received.

In the same boat with exactly the same rig. Opted to put a red dot on my Henry 357  but will be sorting a rail and scope for my 44 very soon ...rubbish this growing old nonsense .

[Kalahari]

Better than the alternative!

 

David.

[SMLE]

Thanks for the input folks.

A general consensus seems to be the Whitetail Classic and I’m surprised how cheap they are, certainly worth considering.

Thought about red dot sights but not sure whether they’re just an optic too far for a lever gun, but yes, this growing old is rubbish. I remember Terry Wogan saying once that if you have to sit down to put your socks on and you still make a noise when doing it then you’re definitely old..... I’ve been doing that for years!

[Popsbengo]

3 hours ago, SMLE said:

Thanks for the input folks.

A general consensus seems to be the Whitetail Classic and I’m surprised how cheap they are, certainly worth considering.

Thought about red dot sights but not sure whether they’re just an optic too far for a lever gun, but yes, this growing old is rubbish. I remember Terry Wogan saying once that if you have to sit down to put your socks on and you still make a noise when doing it then you’re definitely old..... I’ve been doing that for years!

I'll take a hoist to Bisley next visit, lower you down gently - I will require payment to hoist you up again 😁

[SMLE]

Thanks Pops - don’t hoist me up until I get the V

[Popsbengo]

12 minutes ago, SMLE said:

Thanks Pops - don’t hoist me up until I get the V

all day then..

😉😂

Too easy that one - I jest

[Mattnall]

On 5/6/2021 at 10:48 AM, gazzar15 said:

I run a Vortex red dot on my Henry 357

Argh!

Stop running, start using.
🤨

[Dodder]

I had a Simmons WTC 1.5-5x20 on my Marlin .444 and TBH wasn't impressed at all.  I've replaced this with a cheap Minox 2-7x35 (about £135 from The Sportsman's) which IMO is leagues better - sharper, clearer glass, it's like comparing a cheap Hawke with a Schmidt & Bender!

[PCM]

On 5/5/2021 at 5:20 PM, Scrumbag said:

If I could find one, a little 1.2-5x36 Zeiss Duralyt might work well.

Not huge, handy mag range and with the illuminated ret and the mag turned down very quick on target.
 

Scrummy

I've got one, I've used it for boar shooting for many years, the only problem is that the illumination doesn't work and Zeiss UK did not seem interested in repairing it, apart from that it's 100% and a great little scope for up close and personal, that can also reach out to well over 100 yards.

[Scrumbag]

16 hours ago, PCM said:

I've got one, I've used it for boar shooting for many years, the only problem is that the illumination doesn't work and Zeiss UK did not seem interested in repairing it, apart from that it's 100% and a great little scope for up close and personal, that can also reach out to well over 100 yards.

Really? That's unlike Zeiss. Be interesting to know if Zeiss Germany could help direct. (There are customs codes for stuff being sent for repair which should not incur duty or charges).

Scrummy

[drone]

I put a cheap chinese 1-4 ir on my win 94 30/30, massive improvement on the whitetail classic tightened up my groups significantly,only downside, if it is that, is the scope is on the weaver offset mount to allow the cases to go into orbit.

I put a Nikko Sterling boareater (lovely name for the states) 1x4 ir on my blr 81 308 which is magnificent but I've swapped it round and put my old zeiss 1.5x6 diavari on whilst I use it and that is still the best scope I have by some margin despite its age.

[drone]

Wee update on the scope and mount, I modified the mount base by drilling and tapping the mount holes so the scope turrets are in the correct plane. Here's a couple of images worth 2000 words

Gun ejects fired cases just fine,they ricochet off the turret and land to the right but unloading live cartridges from the gun requires a new technique, not difficult but different.