Hunting with Grandpa's old gun...a winter project.

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Anonymous

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I've been fortunate to inherit a few pieces from the family, and from time to time I like to hunt with them. I took the Model 12 out a couple of years ago on a sharptail grouse hunt and had a ball. This year I took the Model 37 out on several dry days and shot grouse and some hares. These certainly aren't work-a-day guns and they're cleaned and put away after use. I've got to admit I feel pretty nostalgic using them occasionally...The M12 will likely never see a duck marsh again, and for sure will never see steel shot- but for fast flushing grouse it did wonderfully.

I've also got an old Marlin 336, in 30-30 of course, that I haven't hunted with in over thirty years. The gun is in great shape but it's not really usable with my eyesight much past rock throwing range anymore.

The gun needs a little work- a replacement extractor is oversize and drags inside the receiver. A cracked buttplate that finally dried out and disintegrated with time needs replaced. It's functional but irritating but the big issue is the sights. The factory buckhorns are just tough to use with bi-focals and I'd feel bad dropping the hammer on something.

So I'm thinking about installing a receiver sight- maintaining the traditional look and feel but should add lots of yards to the effective range over the buckhorns. It'd probably be hauled after caribou on a nice fall day (those are rare enough) or perhaps shot at a black bear over a bait.

Any ideas on adding a receiver sight that doesn't look like an afterthought? Some of the newer ones are anodized aluminum and just look out of place. I could always add a scope, but frankly that's probably just not in the cards- if I want to hunt with a scope I have plenty of other rifles.

Any ideas or thoughts on getting this one ready for next season?
 
The skinner sights are pretty innocuous. I'd give them a look. You can also generally find nicer older steel Lyman sights on eBay that should fit in on that fine old rifle


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How cool is that. I am not sure what will work for you, but I agree that it is important to maintain the original look of the rifle as much as possible. Even if the sight isn't great for Caribou, you could still hunt the black bear over bait fairly easy with whatever sight you choose. those old rifles and those old rifles who were once used by a father or grandfather or both are priceless. best of luck with your winter project.
 
If you look at Brownels you can find a receiver peep sight for it that will be steel. Also if you look around hard enough you might find a Redfield peep sight.
 
I'd agree. Skinner sights or an XS sight if you want a ghost ring.

I have the XS on a Marlin, haven't yet tried the Skinner but they sure are good looking.
 
http://www.skinnersights.com/1895_sight_4.html

The low pro peep wouldn't be too noticable.

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I like it. That seems to be the ticket for what I'm looking for.
 
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