A Scope For My Marlin 1895 in 45-70

[tapehoser]

Any specific models you suggest? I really want to make this my 'go to' gun for all my hunting needs and will make loads that are efficient out to 300 yards......give or take.

Supposing it'll have to be something quite strong enough to handle the potential rip-roaring recoil of a hotly loaded 500 grain bullet.

 

[JD338]

tapehoser,

I am going to go with a Leupold VXIII 2.5x8 only because I have an extra one in the safe.
The VXIII 1.75x6 would be about perfect.

Regards,

JD338

 

[Greg Nolan]

I have a Win. 94 Timber in 450 Marlin and I scoped it with a 3x7x32 and it shot real good but the esthetic balance and carryability of the mod 94 suffered. It didn't feel balanced and was bulky. I switched to a Weaver 1x3x20 after a lot of research on owner opinions. It shoots just as accurately at 100 yda (1.5 in.) and is real fast to swing at close range with a wide field of view. It now feels like a 94 should. But it still kicks like heck. John Wayne would be proud. :grin:
Good Hunting!

 

[Guy Miner]

I tried a couple of different scopes on my .45-70 Marlin Guide Gun, but happily ended up with a little 2.5x Leupold compact. It's just about perfect for the little howitzer and makes for a nice hunting scope. On the other hand, I don't use it at 300 yards. My Marlin is mostly a short range setup. The small scope is lightweight and doesn't affect the fast-handling qualities of the Marlin.

Regards, Guy

 

[JD338]

Guy,

Nice set up!

I have a M1895 on my list, hope to have it by summer.

JD338

 

[Guy Miner]

JD338 - For several years I was struck with bad luck when carrying the Marlin afield - I just never saw game!

That changed two years ago and I finally took a mulie doe at about 70 yards with the Marlin. Didn't need the power of the .45-70, but it was an impressive kill. The deer literally lifted up on her back legs and fell over sideways, never moving again. The big 405 gr Rem FNSP bullet went through the shoulders, a little higher than I would have liked, but I took the shot offered. I was pleased that there was so little meat loss - much less so than with a higher velocity cartridge.

I couldn't be happier with the fixed 2.5x scope on this Marlin. It's a great combination! Note how far forward the ocular lens is - the fixed power scopes have about an inch less ocular since they don't have the power-adjustment ring. This makes it easy to avoid scope-eyebrow, a real concern with a lightweight rifle throwing big bullets.

 

[ChrisG19]

If you have the money, you can't go wrong with a Nightforce 2.5-10x24 NXS.

Any specific models you suggest? I really want to make this my 'go to' gun for all my hunting needs and will make loads that are efficient out to 300 yards......give or take.

Supposing it'll have to be something quite strong enough to handle the potential rip-roaring recoil of a hotly loaded 500 grain bullet.

 

[RAM]

You might consider the 1-4X Trijicon AccuPoint. I have used this scope extensively and the post reticle with the optional illuminated tip is very fast to pick up. I have one in 3-9X mounted on a 7.3 pound .416.

 

[Alaska]

Marlin GG 45-70

I have a Leupold 1.5x5 VX-3 in Warne Low QR rings and bases.

I installed a Williams Firesight front sight with Cut Out hood makes a sweet combo!

 

[tapehoser]

Ended up going the cheap route and guess what happened?!?!?!

I called the Simmons customer service line and asked them which scope would be acceptable for my rifle. She said, and I quote, "Sir, you can use ANY of our scopes on your gun and we guarantee it will hold up and do just fine."

Curse you Simmons customer service! Curse you! May the fleas of a thousand camels infest the loins of your grandmother!!!

The day I was leaving for the elk hunt I decided to take the thing to the range and, being the anal-retentive-type that I am, make sure it was still zeroed. So I look through the crosshairs.....all fuzzy. Strange. I try to adjust the magnification from 3x to 9x and nothing. NOTHING.

(model in question was the Simmons 8-Point)

So I hand the thing to the rangemaster, who also mounts and sights scopes as a side job and does it QUITE well, and he tells me it is BUSTED. Busted beyond repair. And I leave for the elk hunt in less than 3 hours!!!!!

So I RUSH to the closest sporting goods place (Wally World) and purcahse a Bushnell Sportsman 3-9x40. Sorry, I know it's still a cheaper scope at $70, but i just didn't have 200-300 bucks to blow on a scope the day of the elk hunt!

I run it back to Steve at the range and in no more than 10 minutes has the thing mounted, boresighted and ZEROED at 4" high at 100 yards for my reloads (300 grain Partitions and 58 grains of AA2015).

WOOHOO!!!

Thing shoots straighter than ever and the scope is great. Just hope it lasts. I failed to get an elk, but it was a fun hunt nonetheless.

 

[Thebear_78]

I would probably opt for a 2.5 or 4 x straight power scope, definately a leupold. It doesn't take a lot of magnification and you want to keep the weight down. I personaly went with a 2.5x scout scope for my guide gun. 300 yards is fairly optimistic, the 45/70 is a great old cartridge but really only good out to 200 yards for most hunting aplications.

 

[Calvin]

I went for a VX-III 2.5-8 with the new B&C reticle, however, the balistic drop did not match at all to my disappointment. So I switcched to a VX-II in 3-9 I had in my closet. I would still like to gat back to a VX-III in 2.5-8 for the over all size and magnification range, but in the mean time...

The 3-9 almost worked perfectly at first, almost only because of my ammo selection. When I sighted in with the new hornady LeverEvelotion I did not have enough upward adjustment to sight in at 4" high. I called Leupold, who told me that the LeverEvelution shoots higher than most, and sent me a free shim to put under the rear of my mounts. Why did I go through all the trouble to sight in with the factory offering? Simple, it shoots one raged hole groups through my 1895 at 100yds!!!!

This is hot ammo and the scope, which has the needed adjustment thanks to the shim leupold sent, has all the needed adjustment. It has not had a single problem yet, and given my past use of leupold I really don't expect one. When you buy the good one first, you spend less on replacements!