Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Cowboy Action Shooting Wanting to put scope on Marlin 1895 Cowboy

I need to put a scope on this gun. Much as that pains me, I want to hunt with this gun as it was given to me by my Dad, who has recently passed away. My eyes won't work well with the iron sights that are on it, but my concern is that putting a Nikon Prostaf 3 x 9 x 40 bdc, would look out of character. Maybe it would look good, I just don't have a clue.

Would appreciate your thoughts on the proper scope for this gun, as well as any photo's if you have them.

Thanks!

I can't see that well anymore either, so I put a Skinner Peep sight on my 1895 CBA and it works really well. I just couldn't put a scope on an octagon barreled lever; blasphemy I say!! LOL

Remembering and honoring your dad by hunting his gift is a commendable thing to do. Being a Marlin 1895 he must have intended you to hunt with it. It being a Marlin 1895 design consider a scope with a 20mm objective. It would have some period correct relationship and work well for Marlin 1895 distances. Just my opinion.

I second the suggestion for a peep sight.

I can't use irons anymore but have a peep and a fiber optic front sight on a Win 94 that work very well for me.

Good luck and enjoy Dad's gun!

If it means you'll be able to use the rifle to hunt....

make a good clean shot.......why not ?

But....to keep it 'in charactor' I'd stick with the

straight tube with 20mm bell...such as a Leo 1-4...or

many others...I like the Weaver 1-3x20..Japan mfg...good clear

glass...under $200....just use good rings..your CB 1895 is a

Thumper on both ends...here's my 1894 CB 20" 45 Colt w/Weaver 1-3x20

Well,I put an xs rail system on my 1895 and this comes with a peep sight and elevated front sight and allows any scope you choose. I put a detachable scope on this setup and it will holds zero

1895 Cowboy ... I scoped my first one for load workup with a Leupold VX II .. or maybe that was in the Vari X II days .. 3-9X. I used Leupolds steel base and rings. It was pretty heavy scoped but it shot well, sub MOA with Remington's 405 grain factory load.

Tom

I got an Allin conversion sight (ladder type, easily made into a peep on a ladder) from Numrich iirc and mounted it on the receiver. Looks good on my 1895 CB.

Beautiful picture.

If I remember right there are 3 quality manufacturers' of the external adjustment Malcom scopes. 18" scopes in either 3x or 6x. They are pretty much the only choice if you want to keep a period look. Other than that set it up with any removable scope, I'd go with a 1-piece Picatinny-Style base with a 20 MOA offset, medium to high height rings, mounting your scope so that you have more elevation adjustment for increased greater bullet drop. Set it up with a quick detachable set of rings and get one of the numerous peep sights that will still mount to the Picatinny base allowing use of your iron sights when wanted, pick a range and set your front sight up to achieve that range. Me, I'd go with a fixed 6x scope and 4a reticle, But that's just me.


Phil

Leupold Scout Scope (2.5X) on an 1895 Guide Gun (45-70). XS Rail and Weaver rings. Scope in no way impedes ones operations. Intentions are as a deep woods elk rifle, so extended ranges etc are not an issue. And the photo...

I like it 1minute !!

Marlin 44........2005

Weaver 1-3x20......

If I have a Skinner express peep sight on top of the receiver can I still add that scout rail or do I need to take the peep off?

Thanks....

I've got Wild West Guns ghost ring sight permanently mounted on the back of mine and it doesn't interfere with the scope sighting, or the rail with the iron sighting.

Phil

No issues. Rail attaches to the rear sight dovetail and the forward scope mount hole. Rear most hole is still available. A buddy added a ghost ring to his scoped unit as a backup.

I'm mostly fond of the fact that hammer spurs etc are entirely unneeded.

Weaver low rings are about the lowerst possible mount.

DF

I put this Hi-Lux Muzzleloader scope on my 1894CB cause I can't see anymore.

2017 Hunt, Marlin 44-40 w/scope

I put a XS Lever Scout rail on my 1895SS 45-70 and then put a spare Nikon Spur red dot and really like it. A bit of ying and yang with old school meets new school. The Nikon is real low profile and it does not get in the way or impact handling. I hunt pigs with this rifle and can mo t a thermal on it if I want to night hunt with the big bore.

My favorite also.

I have that mount ... no rifle to put it on. I also have Talley ringmounts as plan B. Marlin said they were restarting production now post-covid but I have not seen any in the pipe so far.

I have a Marlin 1897 CB .22LR and this is the very scope I settled on for it! Doesn't look too out of place on it and helps my old eyes shoot it! LOL

Have an old pair of eyes but find success with tang/ aperture/peep sights. Also have a MVA Winchester B pattern scope for the .45-70 Highwall. Dunno how that would work in a CB rifle but it’s good glass in a 3/4” tube.

https://montanavintagearms.com/scopes/

Peeps, either receiver or barrel-mounted, may be your solution, but do what you have to in order to make killing shots, your first obligation. Something like a 1 or 1.5x to 4 or 5x should be plenty, and those scopes are usually light and compact if you stay away from tactical stuff. The Leupold 2.5 is tiny and light, only 6.5oz, with almost 5" of ER.

Skinner Sights offers a peep sight set up that is milled for either Talley or Warne medium height quick detachable rings. If I ever decide to mount a scope on my Marlin 45 70 it will be my Leupold 1.5-5x20 with the German #4 reticle.

1AK may have the answer for you. Though I can't use traditional open soghts well at all anymore, a few years ago I realized I was leaving my levers at home. If I needed a rifle I grabbed a bolt gun, because they were stocked better for scope use. So I took the scopes off a .30-30 and a .22 lever and put ghost ring apertures on them with a post front. Discovered I can hit with them pretty well, though not as well as with a scope. But for a day at the farm, they are often what goes with. They carry like an old friend on a walk through a pasture or hayfield, and the stocks put my eye right where it needs to be. I can riddle a pop can out to 40 or 50 yards with my Browning lever .22 and Skinner sights. That's what, I now remember, is what a .22 is for.

Although it’s been almost four months since the OP originally posted, I’ll throw this out there. I’m surprised no one mentioned Montana Vintage Arms scopes. I have two I use for my BPCR rifles, they are outstanding pieces of workmanship. The Winchester “B” series scope in their lineup would no doubt look very period correct - although one would need a gunsmith to drill holes for the mounting blocks. It is possible the Series 3000 28” (or a longer) scope could be fitted with the Malcom Silhouette mounts that fit into the dovetails of the barrel sights - no drilling required. MVA shows that option for 32” and 34” barrels. These scopes are usually mounted to single shot rifles, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work with a Marlin. Both can be had up to six power.

Just a thought - I also have an 1895 CB and use a Marbles peep with the factory brass bead up front.

OVW

I mentioned them in my post above, the MVA scopes are just replicas of the original Malcolm scopes. Where the thread has gotten of track is the OP's original want to put the scope on a 1895 Cowboy to talk of every type including the short barreled Scout rifles.

Phil

I had the same dilemma with a .45-70 Uberti High Wall reproduction, I mounted Leupold VX-III 1.5-4X20.

Michael

Character schmaracter, you have an obligation to the game to place your shots well. Low power scopes are a good choice, as are various peeps, IF you can shoot them well.

It is after all, not an antique, so do what you have to do.

Well that's interesting! I hadn't seen one of those mounts before. Thank you!

My 45/70 is set up with QD rings on a Weaver base. I can easily pop it off if I want to use the sights. It returns to zero well when replaced. Love the little 2.5x Leupold for the Marlin lever actions: