I'm thinking of replacing the Leupold 2.5 compact with these on my 1894 c to make it handier. What do you think?

I think it depends upon you. I have the XS rear sight with a Marbles flat faced 1/16" gold bead front on my 1895 .45-70 and a 336C .30-30 and really like the system. I have a 39A .22 with a Williams FP and the Marbles for squirrel hunting and as a practice piece for the centerfires. I could totally see how even a small scope can affect the handiness of a little carbine such as a M1894. I like the aperture sight for rifles such as that and for me it'd be an easy choice.

I have one mounted on the bolt of a 94 that works well.

Anyone got a link to the XS?

I use the WWG ghost ring setup on my 45/70, really like the fact that the aperture is protected by wings and in my mind aids in quicker acquisition of the aperture.

It came with a Williams Firesight, it had to go. I broke the first one, (just barely) more bent so that it wouldn't hit paper at 50 yards. Took a little closer inspection and found the problem the metal housing for the fiber optic had cracked and bent the fiber optic. Now it sports a Sourdough ramp on the front.

Only lack of funds and time is keeping me from setting up every lever gun I have in the same manner.

In my mind ghost rings and levers are a marriage made in heaven. They go together like vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup.

But the way I hunt I'm hard on equipment, including rifles so the Firesights are out for me.

Have a scout scope for the .45/70 and while it might ride on their if I was going hunting with it, for the most part to me scopes and lever rifles go together about like ice cream and hot sauce. YMMV, but I like levers clean, mean and lean.

I'd like to find something not quite so spendy for some of my other levers, WWG is proud of their stuff and they are not my favorite company to do biz with.

While I'm a great fan of the XS white stripe ramped blade front sight, I prefer a Marbles or Williams at the rear. Either is easier to sight-in than the XS, often cheaper and have the option of the finer eyepiece insert or its removal for the 'ghost ring'. Just my experience. BOL

I bought the XS sight system for my marlin 1894 and after shooting it for awhile now I like it. I always used williams or lyman peeps with bead fronts. I want to put a XS on the bolt of a browning 1886 I just bought.
Karl

I LOVE MINE!!!

Just got my Marlin 1895G a couple of months ago. I knew I wanted to hunt with a receiver sight, but really debated putting a scope on it for load development. Finally decided to shoot it with the XS sight first (by the way, my ghost ring is threaded to accept Williams apertures - makes it very nice for range work!). Here's some of my groups at 50yds - Pic's

I had no problems sighting in. I left mine sighted in about 2" high at 50yds for now. I need to get some loaded and shoot 'em at 100yds to see the difference.

I doubt I'll ever put a scope on it now!

I've got a 94 Timber carbine, which came with a factory ghost ring and white stripe ramp.
With a pistol grip and half mag. this is the fastest handling levergun I own.
Really like the sights on this one!
Also pulled the factory scout scope mount off.
Virgil B.

Wow, txram those are great groups. You should enter Ranchdogs postal match. Check it out at marlinowners.com or beartooth bullets.

Which williams aperatures are you using?

Ashley / XS front, Williams or Lyman rear.

!akhunter go to http://www.xssights.com/

Txram, Hot dang son, you're a shooter there. Them texas deer are in trouble.

I've used the Lyman receiver sight with the gold bead and the fiber optic. Not real happy with either. I went to the XS system and it's available with both the wings and without and THAT is the way to go. IMO It is as fast as a scope and plenty accurate at least out to 100 yards and that's as far as I've put it on paper. I do like the 50 yard site in but one thing to pay attention to is that it is apparently necessary to find how your load shoots at different ranges with any of the receiver/ghost ring type of setups. I think you will be surprised. I've also got a 45-70 with a scope but I usually take out the one with the XS sight.

Thanks for the compliments guys! Like I said, I'm really liking this rifle and these sights!!!

I'm not sure which Williams aperture it has, I'll try to "measure" it somehow.

I thought about entering the RD's Postal Match, but I just haven't had the time yet.

Well, you guys talked me into it and I just ordered a set from Midway. By the way, Midway has them on sale until July 31 for $69.99 which is as cheap as I have ever seen them. The set for the 1894 is on backorder, but they are supposed to ship August 2.

Has anyone tried the new XS lever rail for Marlin 1895's yet?