Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Three rifles, what scopes?

I have three rifles I need to put scopes on.

A Marlin 1895 GBL, in .45-70 caliber.
A Remington Mohawk 66 in .308 caliber.
An AR-15 built by a friend of mine, 5.56.

I'm not sure I'll hunt deer with any of them this year, but if I do it will probably be the .308. The .308 was my dad's. He has some kind of blue light special scope on it. (The tube has something in it that looks a little bit like glass. ) The .45-70 is brand new. So is the AR, and I might hunt coyotes with it this winter.

I have a Nikon Monarch 3-9. Which gun should I put it on, and what scopes should I buy for the others? Advice on mounts would be helpful, too. (I'm partial to Talley.)

Thanks in advance for the advice many are sure to give.

Steve.

Can you give a budget per scope and outline of use?

Basically,I would put a low power 1.5-5 or 2-7 or 1-4 on the 45-70, either straight tube or small objective. I would put your Monarch on the Mohawk and then scope the AR based on how far I intended to shoot.

Redfield 2-5x33 on the 1895 or a Leupold VX-Hog 1-4x20
Monarch on the Mohawk
Don't know about the AR

I'd scope the AR with the 3-9x, the 1895 with a Leupold 2.5x and the Mohawk with a Leupold 1.5-5x. Or you can ask Congress and find more costly solutions.... WvZ

I agree with WvZ on the 2.5x Leupold on the Marlin. This has a good level of magnification for a .45/70's typical range and, importantly, has a nice small eyepiece so you can mount it low and still have access to the hammer. A 4x Leupold would also not be a bad choice - that is what I had on mine, and it worked very well for hunting pigs and deer, including close-in and running. I had it mounted on a Weaver base with Weaver tip-off rings, which got it nice and low. You can also get a peep to fit the Weaver base, for a back-up (especially for wet weather), or as I did trim the rear end of the Weaver base to allow a Williams 5D peep to sit behind it, under the scope, for the same purpose. The Weaver rings can be removed and replaced by hand, and without noticeable loss of zero.

For the Remington, I'd probably go with a 2-7 or something like that. I have a 2-7x32 (a Bushnell Elite) on a lightweight .30/06 which suits it very well for all-around use on deer, pigs and other game. I'd personally use Weaver mounts here too. As well as the advantages outlined above, they are very light and have proved reliable over the many years I've used them.

That would leave the 3-9x, and I guess the AR15 is the last chair left when the music stops.

I wouldn't use anything but a nightforce or a swfa everything else is junk according to this page.