Marlin 336 30-30 scope issue and scope or no scope?
 

I bought a marlin 336 30-30 a few months ago, came with a simmons deerfield 3-9 on it with see thru mounts. When i finally got out to shoot it, the scope was off, about a foot high 6 inches right. I had a bad feeling about the scope though, because moving the variable power it clicked or wanted to get stuck around 5, so i took the caps off and i noticed that the windage adjustment was screwed almost all the way in to the left, so i moved it about 2 clicks and the bullet droped about a foot and a half and was 4 inches left. Any ideas? bad scope?

Also, the scope seemed too high for good cheek placement, and where i hunt i really shouldnt need to take a shot i couldnt make with open sights. Not to mention i get my father in law saying, "a 30-30 shouldnt have a scope on it" So what do you think about going open sights?

see through mounts are junk and your scope probably is too. Either go open sights or put a peep on it for a little more precision.

A 30-30 with a scope is an abomination!:rock:

put on some good open sights and give her hell. that is what that gun was made for anyway.

Open sights on a 30-30 just seems natural, I killed my first deer with that set up. However, I have in the 24 years since that time put a scope on mine. I just simply prefer a scope over open sights. Get rid of the over/under mounts though, they do create a cheek weld problem for most.

Ok.. Next question, what are some good open sights for this gun? and where can i get them? i have heard alot of good thing about peep sights, anyone have experience with them on this gun?

For me, lever guns don't have scopes (period). Oh yea, IMO.

Agreed! Although with the hornady ammo, it has the potential to be a long range shooter. I still use core-loks 170gr and am deadly with it. I would try Skinner Peep Sights. I have shot a .30-30 with them and was good beyond 100yds.

Check out Williams Gun Sight. They make an affordable very high quality sight.

I really like a rear ghost ring with dots on each side for a lever gun or shotgun. Just feels faster to me. They have those too.

Tom

For me I have a Marlin Glennfield 30-30 and I love my tip-off scope mount on it. The scope helps me get a little more range out of it. The tip-off allows me to use my sights when I want to and for closer shots. With the arc in the 30-30 if gives me the best of both worlds. For as far as the see threw scope mounts i tried that route and it was no good for me. I discovered after shooting it for a while it developed a hairline crack on it that threw my shots something terrible. So I went with the tip-off and I have to make sure it is locked down before shooting.. IMO this gives you the best of both worlds in a 30-30...

Peep sight. Either Williams or Lyman. End of story.

I hate to be a naysayer but in my humble opinion a low power 32 or 40 max bell mounted with the lowest rings possible to clear the barrel works wonders. I went through several configurations with the 336. Peep sight( to dark in thick timber or low light), reflex site (too bright when low light and too light when the sun is at my back), see through mounts (the worst idea ever invented). When I picked up a Leoupold 2-7 x 33 with low mounts the clouds parted. The sight is big enough to give you a few extra minutes in the evening and low enough to keep your head down on the stock. And even at 7 power a jumped deer is toast.

Your not the only naysayer my friend.. I hunt with my 30-30 and it has knocked down quite a few deer up here over the years.. The tip-off is about as close to the gun anyone will ever get.. I had to cut into the mounting bar to make the scope work for me.. Anyone can say what they want but I am happy with it and no peep on it for me.. After I set my scope up and sighted it in I put three shots right on the "X" at one hundred yards. Say what they will but the Marlin has done me just fine..

What would you say, if I told you it come with sights.


"Adjustable semi-buckhorn folding rear, ramp front sight with brass bead and Wide-Scan™ hood"



Get some of Hornady's leverevolution ammo and shoot-N-C targets and practice, practice, practice.



Unless you plan on becoming a bench shooter !?!?

I would answer that is why I have a tip-off mount on it. That way I can use my sights when I wanted to and my scope when I wanted to. That is a pretty simple answer and both shot fine for me. I currently have my scope set at 150 yards while my sights is set at 100 yards. This gives me what I want in my 30-30..

I agree with the practice, practice, practice though and it gets you to understand the different ranges you can shoot with it as well..

Adjustable semi-buckhorn folding rear I also agree is one of my picks for a rear sight if I was only using sights. My set up right now wouldn't allow me to put those on now. I do have a brass beaded front sight though..

For me a scope on a levergun just upsets the balance and feel of it. With a Williams peep and lever evolutions sighted in at 150 yds, it does a good job on long and short shots.

I have to admit that the 336 looks better without a scope, but my eyes ain't what they used to be. I have a scope on mine, for now it's a cheap 3-9X40 but I plan on replacing it by next year. I have to agree with cmore, too many people worry about big 50mm scopes that can adjust to high powers. With a 30-30 you're just looking to clarify what you're shooting at so an animal isn't wounded. A 32mm objective lens is plenty big enough to give a good clear picture at reasonable power levels. IMO ideally I am looking to buy a 2-7X32 or a 1.5-6X32 scope in a satin silver to match my 336 Stainless Steel. It's hard to find this size anymore, at one time the 2-7X32 was more popular than the 3-9 power, but the trend has been to make bigger, more powerful scopes. One of these smaller, low power scopes mounted low to the receiver and set at its low end, will aquire a target as easilly as any open sight. And with the exception of somebody's uncle Charley who's a wiz with a peep sight, a low power scope will be more accurate than open sights.

I killed more deer with my scoped Marlin 336 than any other rifle I've owned. I used a 4x Weaver, 32mm bell w/ Weaver base & rings.

x2, My marlin 30-30 came with a 3x9 and I took it off and went with the Williams peep sight. Its deadly accurate. A 30-30 is a good rifle up to 150 yrds so no need for a scope. The Williams peep sight is the way to go.

Bobby

If you go to a peep sight, and I do recommend that for your particular application, the Williams and the Lyman are great choices. I'm not sure if they come with more than one aperture or not...the largest one would probably be the one I would suggest, and I have even known people to remove the aperture completely and do quite well without it......my late father being one...

As much as I like scopes on my other rifles for lever guns I would either use open or peep sights.Just the way it was meant to be IMO.

Here's what you want to get...

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=968159



Williams FP-336 Receiver Sight. Comes with a small aperture for target shooting and daylight use, and you can either buy larger apertures for low-light or just remove the peep and use the 3/8" opening the peep screws into as a ghost ring. Williams also sells replacement fiber optic front sights, but the existing front site will work fine. This sight screws right into the existing rear scope mount holes, so it's an easy DIY installation. The "FP" version also has micrometer windage and elevation click adjustments for ease of use, and the adjustments have set screws to prevent accidental changed to the zero once set.

Oh, and at $60 it's quite a lot cheaper than the cheapest decent scope you can get.

Mike

When I passed fifty I made sure all of my rifles had sights on them. I inherited a Marlin 336 earlier this year with an old Redfield 3X9 and sight through mounts. I trashed the mount and went with a Weaver base and rings to mount it closer to the barrel. It is a tackdriver now at 100 yds (1" 3 round group).

I have a feeling that most that post about not wanting a scope on one. Has never really shot one with a scope set up proparly on one. But none the less to each their own, I preffer to keep mine scoped out with the tip-off mount.. It shoots like a charm and that is all that counts to me..

Had a scope on mine for a while and just didnt' like it. I will save the scopes for my bolt action rifles. I put an XS site on my 336 and it works like a charm. Check them out.

See-through mounts are crap for two reasons:

1-they are not sturdy enough to hold a zero worth a darn.

2-they put the line of site and the barrel too far apart. This is especially troublesome for a chambering with an arcing trajectory. Your point of impact will be different at every range.

A good 4X scope with low mounts would be perfect.