I NEED LEVER ACTION INFO!!!

[Hal]

Hi, I am member of the NRA SILHOUETTE Rifle Committee. Our meeting is scheduled this coming weekend. I am trying to compile some data as to what the average lever action shooters have in their closets. I would appreciate input as to what is used the most by you, regarding sights. My Question is...... Of your Lever Action rifles that you like to shoot the most, be it for hunting, target or plinking what sights are mounted on your favorite guns, scope or open sights? Thanks…. Hal

[J Miller]

Hi, I am member of the NRA SILHOUETTE Rifle Committee. Our meeting is scheduled this coming weekend. I am trying to compile some data as to what the average lever action shooters have in their closets. I would appreciate input as to what is used the most by you, regarding sights. My Question is...... Of your Lever Action rifles that you like to shoot the most, be it for hunting, target or plinking what sights are mounted on your favorite guns, scope or open sights? Thanks…. Hal

Hal, Welcome to the forum.

I have either side mount receiver peep sights or factory open sights on my lever action rifles. Eventually all of them will be equipped with the receiver sights.
I do not like scopes in general and I really dislike them on lever guns. I have stated my reasons more than once but I always get dissed by a certain group of members.
Look for the thread: Some of you guys make me feel old on this page. That will give you a lot of answers about sights and scopes.

Joe

[COSteve]

Welcome! Leverguns were designed for iron sights, be they buckhorn barrel mounted, receiver peeps, or tang mounted. A scope on a levergun is really out of place in my book and really makes for an ugly carry handle.

[w30wcf]

Hi Hal,
Welcome to Leverguns.
scopes - 3
iron sights - 8 (factory -1 / receiver - 2 / tang - 5)

w30wcf

[Rimfire McNutjob]

Receiver peep, a couple of tang peeps, otherwise barrel mounted buckhorns. No scopes.

[rjohns94]

I have a receiver sight on my .22 TDS for hunting. My Win 22M is open sighted for hunting, the Model 55 has a tang peep (30-30) for hunting, original 1886 has open sights as original, the 92 in .357 has a receiver sight, the WWG .457 takedown has ghost ring sights and a scout scope (hunting).

[jnyork]

I shoot Lever Action silhouette, all three guns, I shoot 2-3 matches a WEEK down here in Yuma.

All three guns wear Marbles Tang Sights and Lyman 17a front sights with the post insert.

I hope you guys will NOT screw with the rules any more!! Latest outrage was to allow the silly fiberoptic front sights. Fiberopic front sights, for heck's sake!! Just like ol' Sitting Bull, Tom Horn, Teddy Roosevelt and Roy Rogers used back in the day. Sure they did.

Our club meeting a couple of days ago featured quite a bit of discussion on this very subject. If you continue to allow a few elitist and vocal Master Class shooters to influence you into making exceptions to the rules or changing the rules just so they can shoot their particular technical innovations (Anschutz sights, etc, rebarreled guns, etc) then you will certainly see Lever Action Silhouette go the way of IHMSA, High Power, Smallbore, Rifle Silhouette, etc. These disciplines have declined over the years to the point where in some cases they are largely extinct or on the verge, precisely because the Rules Committees keep messing with the equipment rules.

LEAVE LEVER ACTION SILHOUETTE ALONE!!!! Rifles as-issued from the factory, iron sights only and only those specifically manufactured for the rifle in question, no shooting coats, no technology of any kind that will give anyone a leg up. It would be nice if NRA would have at least one SHOOTING sport as opposed to an EQUIPMENT CONTEST.

PLEASE, PLEASE, No, repeat No, scopes in Lever Action. PLEASE. If they want to shoot scopes, let 'em shoot Smallbore Silhouette or High Power Rifle Silhouette.

I confidently speak for every Lever Action Silhouette shooter of my acquaintance in this matter, everyone I have ever talked to feels exactly the same way.

[Hobie]

Tang peeps on all but one of my 9 or 10 leverguns.

[Chas.]

1 - 357 Rossi w/barrel irons
2 - 44Mag Rossis w/barrel irons
1 - 45-70 Marlin w/Barrel irons
1 - 45-70 Marlin w/tang ladder

[firefuzz]

1873 Uberti in .357....factory buckhorn sights (yech)...soon to be replaced with tang mounted peep

1876 Uberti in .45-60 same sights and situation as the '73

1886 Miroku/Win in .45-70....Marble's tang mounted peep and fold down barrel sight

B92 Browning in .357.....at the gunsmith's having a lyman receiver peep installed as I write this

Ted William 100 ('94 Win) in .30-30....Williams receiver peep sight

1895 Browning in .30-06....same as the B92

Front sights are all factory...for the time being. But when they're changed they'll be made of metal, not plastic.

Like Joe, no scopes for me on my lever guns. And like JNYORK I think fiber optic sights on a lever gun are an abomination. I don't shoot NRA lever gun comp, but I might like to....if you don't let the rules run away with the game. I quit shooting IPSC years ago for that very reason. Make up an open class for those that want fiber optic, scopes, weighted barrels, set triggers and such and keep them out of the other classes.

BTW, welcome to the fire.

Rob

[Jayhawker]

Out of place or not, most of my lever actions wear low magnification scopes. Most of those are fixed 4 powers with heavy reticles. Several have receiver sights and one has a tang although for the most part, these have become primarily range rifles. I'm not embarrassed to use new technology when it suits me

[gamekeeper]

I have only used factory iron sights on all of my leverguns, I did try a scope on a Winchester 9422M, it worked but felt awful to carry. I aim to put a tang sight on my 30/30 one day.

[dkmlever]

All of my traditional levers (4) have iron factory open sites. One the oldest a Marlin 93 in 32 Win Spec was carried this year during elk season here in CO. The others are a Win 88 in 308, Win 94 in 30-30 and a Savage 99 in 300 Sav. My psuedo (sp?) levers, a Ruger #1 and a Ruger #3 both have scopes.

[edwardyoung]

22's, 357's, and 30-30's. All iron sights. In the past, I've had leverguns with tang-mounted peep sights that I liked.

[C. Cash]

All open sights...use Williams FP Peep on Winchester Big Bore, AO Ghost Rings on the Win. Trapper, and standard leaf rear for Marlin 39A.

[iceman]

Win 94 30wcf circa 1942 factory semi buckhorn
Win 94BB 356 Wiliams receiver sight
Win9422 Williams receiver sight
Savage model 99 300 savage 1.5 x 4.5 scope

[OldWin]

Hands down receiver mounted peeps are the most practical in my opinion.

[COSteve]

Hands down receiver mounted peeps are the most practical in my opinion.

Not if you are trying to overcome the effects of poor eyesight. Then the tang sight is best because to gain the maximum Depth of Field (DOF) you have to get the tiny aperture as close to your eye as possible. I've even used the tape aperture on my glasses while trying both my tang and receiver sights and the clearer picture is through the tang.

[Blaine]

LOL....this topic really has them tinkling in the campfire IMO, scopes end up on hunting rifles where conditions might not be very good. I have a scout scope on a Guide Gun, and when I get my M88 in .284 set up, I will need a scope on it to use the effecive range of the rifle. I have a Marbles Tang on a 1895CB, and factory or Williams 5D on other levers. Oh...a ORH on my 9422M.

[Ben_Rumson]

3 tang peeps
1 semi buck horn
1 scope

[TedH]

Most of my Marlins wear scopes. Winchester 94s and 92 clones have receiver sights.

[rimrock]

Scout scoped Marlin .444, but if I were competing I'd strongly consider a tang sight based my recent experience using factory iron sights for part of an Appleseed shoot. Why not have a division for historical sights and another division for scopes? No sense in causing anyone to for go competition because of a technical rule if all can be accommodated. FWIW, tell NRA to reduce the junk mail, and increase support for these types activitiies.

rimrock

[FWiedner]

3 with scopes for hunting deer and hogs in low light
1 with factory semi-buckhorn to add dead weight to the rifle rack
1 with a ladder peep for practicing distance shots with iron sights
1 with ghost ring peep for fast daytime hunting shots, and a red-dot holosight for when the sun gets low
1 with scout scope backed up by ghost ring peep because I like the flexibility

[AJMD429]

Depends on the gun/purpose:

'Carbine' leverguns in pistol calibers:

• Aperture sights on the receiver (Williams FP) my favorite, but
  Aperture sight on the barrel (Marble's Bullseye) for 'fast-action' hog or home-defense guns, and
  Scope 3-9x if used for hunting (in Indiana), to maximize 'twilight' visibility.

'Rifle' leverguns (long-actions):

• Aperture sights on the receiver (Williams FP) still my favorite, but
  Scope 4-16x on a Marlin XLR due to distance/accuracy potential, and
  Aperture sight on tang, for more 'target' guns of 'vintage' nature.

Then there's the "go-to" .45 Colt levergun, with a Burris Fastfire-II holographic sight, a LaserMax Unimax pistol-rail sight, and a magazine-mounted 190-lumen target illuminator. Good for things that go 'bump' or 'grrr' in the night...

[rodeo kid]

Rossi M92 .357 stock semi buckhorn
Winchester 94 .30-30 Williams Peep sight
Winchester 94AE .30-30 Tang sight
Winchester 9422 Tang sight
Winchester 9422m stock semi buckhorn
Winchester 9422AE .44mag stock semi buckhorn
Henry large loop carbine .22lr stock semi buckhorn
Marlin 1894 .357 Scope
Marlin 1895 .45-70 New Redfield scope

[MrMurphy]

Currently:

Marlin 1894, 20", AO (pre-XS Sights) ghost ring sight set. .44 Magnum. Short-handy field gun.


Previously: Glenfield 30A .30-30, with a Weaver 4X K4 scope applied sometime in it's past, presumably mid 60s/70s and the factory irons.

If i did that again, it'd be a Marlin 336 with XS's new ghost ring/Picatinny combo mount, and a 2 or 3X scope. That way you can use both with QD rings and keep the zero.

[pokey]

irons.

[BAGTIC]

Of 14 guns

No Scopes

No Tangs/b]

Some open

RECEIVER PEEP preferred

[quietman]

Hunting- scopes
Target / plinking- peeps

Would like to get into lever silhouette and agree I would not be interested if scopes are allowed. If I wanna use a scope I can jump into either high power, or if it still exists, hunting rifle silhouette with a marlin express.

[olyinaz]

Standard iron sights on all but one of my lever guns.

Oly

[Mutt]

I usually have and use what ever the rifle comes with . Although I did remove a scope base on one My lovely young wife gave me for a Christmas or so back. But then I seldom have a new rifle . But then too, I hardly ever have to site in . The one new is a Rossi '92 and it was right on out of the box . I don't like scopes on lever guns ! My 2cents
..................Mutt

[Steelbanger]

I've seen those ridiculous, needle thin fiber optic front sights that stick out of the globe front sight to gather light. Not exactly my idea of a sturdy sight. I agree that scopes should never be allowed. Look what happened to IHMSA after Elgin Gates passed away. Rules were modified to allow most anything you could afford and what did it accomplish? Declining membership and many clubs that stopped shooting silhouette. Cowboy Silhouette is about the only game left that allows one to compete with his hunting rifle. Please no divided classifications for "Unlimited" type leverguns.

[Tycer]

1 tang
5 receiver
2 barrel
2 scope

My favorite is the tang.

[dgslyr]

I shoot NRA Lever action silhouette's.I have Williams FP-TK's on 4 Marlins and one Browning 1886 that I use for centrfire,pistol cartridge,and smallbore.I have scopes on two other Marlins that get used for hunting.I have Marble's tang sight's on a rossi 92 357 mag.All with receiver or tang sights have Lyman globe front sight's.When I hunt I use peep sights in the morning and a scope in the afteroon so I don't miss out on the last 20 min.of legal shooting time.

[OJ]

I don't like scopes on my lever guns and do use Williams FP apertures (aperture removed for ghost ring sights - did it later on the first 94 here) - been working for my 84 year old eyes - about to have cataracts removed and with some macular degeneration in both - a little worse on right.







all FP94/36 - and on the 95 - a FP71 (fits 1886 also)



and, on the BL 22 - FPGR -



Taller front sight needed - I use the XS white stripe blade 0.5" on all except the 95 - top one the 94s and bottom one the 95 -





Works for me - I've notified my eye doctor I'll hold him responsible if my shooting doesn't improve after surgery -

[gundownunder]

BLR .222 receiver and globe front
1894CB .357 receiver or semi buckhorn and front post
39A .22 receiver or semi buckhorn and front post

I'm actually starting to get interested in cowboy silhouette and agree with jnyork. If this is a survey aimed at rule changes to the silhouette match, please don't turn it into an equipment race as I will lose interest real fast.

[JerryB]

All of my Lever guns have factory open sights or Marble's Tang sights. None of those green or orange glow worms on my levers.

[kimwcook]

Standard factory irons or tang sights. I don't have any receiver sights and that's just because I haven't gotten any.

[Griff]

and Welcome to THE Forum for us levergun addicts.

In answer to your question, leverguns and sights:

I only have one levergun with a scope; a Marlin 375.

All my other leverguns wear irons. The vast majority wear factory sights. I have Winchester 1894/94s from 1899 to 1980. I have 3 Rossi '92 clones and two Uberti's, (a Henry & 1873). I have two favorite Winchester 94s, one wears a Smith Enterprises tang peep with a modified globe front sight from Shiloh.



The other is a custom trapper:



My other 2 favorites are my two Uberti leverguns, used mostly for cowboy action shooting, both of which wear their factory iron sights. The '73 has had the front sight changed out several times, but I've always come back to the factory standard.

[Lastmohecken]

All of my traditional leveractions have either receiver sights or open sights, but I am pretty darned picky on my sights and will often change stuff until I am happy and can see the sights well.

My main BLR Browning wears a 2x7 Leupold scope, and when I just absolutly have to get something killed, that's the gun I grab. I love a tradition rifle with iron sights, but under hunting conditions, when I am really serious, then I know I need a scope, if I want to have the best chance of taking game in low light, or anytime the target is not well defined.