Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Options for a Marlin Guide Gun optic

I've used a variety of scopes on a Guide gun.

FX-II Ultralight 2.5X20, I like the eye relief, weight, and robustness. It suffers a little in the eyebox and field of view areas, but the scope works good. I like the wide duplex, and I prefer this scope when using high-recoil loads.

VX-2 1-4X20. Great eye relief, easy to get behind, has a wonderful field of view. Just a little bit bigger and heavier than the Ultralight.

VX-3i 1.5-5X20. Same things can be said for this scope as said for the VX-2 1-4X20. But, just a little bit bigger and heavier than that scope, but not a huge difference in that respect, actually not enough to notice in the field.

i put the 1-4x20 Vx1 shotgun scope on mine, has the heavy duplex.
have been very pleased because it is used as a woods gun.

I guess I should call Leupold and see what can be done with the VariX III on it.

I dislike the friction adjust. Somewhere back in the thread, it was asked why.

I dislike them because I find I usually over-correct when sighting the scope, and then have to sort of ping-pong in to the zero I want. I just get annoyed by it compared to click-adjust turrets. But maybe they can do something with that, too.

I'll see what they charge for those items. Thing is, I can get in a new VX3i for 250-ish, so anything more than 100-150 to do the upgrades seems like I'd be better off just getting the new scope, unless I'm not considering something.

I would simply ditch Leupold altogether and buy something with more accurate adjustments. I've found even with the click adjustments sometimes you get one for 3. It usually stays once adjusted but it doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

R H Clark, have you run any of those SWFA scopes? I see generally good reviews on them, but sparse field use reviews. I haven't looked at them exhaustively, though.

I've been a Leupold guy, then not, and now I'm sort of ambivalent toward them. I know they'll fix it if something's wrong, but I really dislike having to actually USE a warranty in the first place.

I should check the Trijicons, too.

I'm not a fan of a belled objective on a lever gun, or some of the suggestions on here would be slam dunks. I'm asking a lot, I know. I thought the VX6 was going to be the "unicorn" scope, but it's just too big for this purpose.

I could get by with a fixed 2/2.5 for pure shooting purposes, but for checking for clear shooting lanes and checking on points (have to see 3 to a side, 1" or better), I like a little more magnification if I can get it.

A buddy of mine just acquired an SWFA 3-9x42 and is giving it a good once-over. Seems optically to be pretty decent, from what he's shared.

Just spent some time digging into that SWFA scope.

Damn I'm liking that more and more...

Too bad you just missed the Black Friday sale on that SWFA 1-4 it was quite a bit cheaper. Still a great value. FYI there will be another sale on tax day. I think it will still be a great scope at the price it is now. I would be willing to bet big money nothing will touch it for durability and tracking close to that price.

No sir, I have just ordered my first SWFA SS, the 3X9X42. It hasn't even arrived yet. I do trust them though because too many people I trust are trusting in them. Yes, the Leupold is a lot lighter but you have to know that weight went somewhere. They aren't making the SWFA out of lead. Could it be that the Leupold just has lighter,less robust internals?

My scope philosophy has been changing over the years to reliability first, then adjustments and reticle, then weight, and glass quality closer to the bottom. At one time glass quality and price was all I thought about.

I'm going to buy the 1-4 SWFA on the tax sale and probably a Trijicon before then.For the price that new Accupower LED illuminated line looks really nice. I'll probably buy the 3X9 mill dot.

Zeiss DL Conquest 1.5-5 with a German 4 reticle.

I had a Zeiss Conquest 2.5-8x32 on my Guide Gun. Worked great!

I got one to try out on an AR during the Black Friday sale for $299.

It definitely wouldn't suck on your rifle.

Aimpoint T2

VX-3 1.5-5 I sent in for a CDS upgrade. Need to decide on a load to get my custom dial made.

What mount are you running there, tkinak?

This^^^^^

Or a straight 2 or 2.5x if you can find one...........not a LR rifle.

MM

DNZ Game Reaper, didn't like it much at first but it's growing on me.

I tried a number of different scopes on my SS guide gun.

I don't like real low power. If the barrel is visible in the field of view, it distracts me and slows me down. I guess I could learn to work around it but it's just that, "work", and I don't have to do it with my other rifles.

My final and favorite scope for it was the Leupold 1.75-6X ... now discontinued.

I had a 1.5-5X on it for a long time. Because of that issue with seeing the barrel in the scope, I used it at 3X. That makes the suggestion of using a Leupold 3X interesting.

If I were doing it again today, I'd look at a 2-7X but I think I would wind up with a 2.5-8X VX 3.

I'll be the odd man out, A Weaver V3 is the perfect scope for this application!

I've seen on levers and bolt guns folks running an scope with quick detach rings and having an Aimpoint with an quick mount. I plan on doing this with my Marlin 45-70 and keeping the irons on as well.

I've seen this setup and it's impressive.

Ran a 2.5x in Buehler mounts on a Marlin 1895 for 25 years & killed lots of stuff with it...........I've never seen a need for a quick change mount, still don't.

YMMV

MM

So far, I'm liking the VX3 and SWFA options. I have a Leupold Redfield-style base on the gun and Leupold rings. Not sexy, but it works.

I don't really see me using QD stuff and reverting to irons. the purpose for the low-end magnification negates any use for irons unless the scope gets FUBAR'ed, in which case I take one of my other 7 deer rifles for that hunt, lol.