Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Marlin 1894 44 mag

I have a Marlin 1894 in 44 mag with the peep on rear. How far can one shoot a peep accurately?

When I look through the peep everything seems fuzzy at 25 yards. Im thinking I may remove the peep and put a 2-7 or 1-4 power scope on it.

Have you looked at putting on a Burris Fast Fire?

As good as the shooter can see............

1-3x20 Weaver is your best bargain.......

that will look good & function as well.......

straight 20mm tubes go well on lever guns

usually around $165..........

a busnell banner 1.5 to 4.5 works good on 44s at about 70.00$

Only as well as they can see. I run a 3-9X on mine. Takes some of the "traditional" appearance on them, but it works the way I want it to.

-Jake

I tried to mount a low power scope on mine, and just couldn't like it. With the XS ghost ring and front sight, I'm good to 100 with it, that's about as far as I'd likely take a shot anyways.

I have a small off brand scope on mine.. It was on it when I bought it. Shoots great.. If I were to change, I would go with the ghost ring, and have a fine bead put on the front...

I would try the XS Ghost-ring setup before you give up on irons but if you think you'd prefer an optic, the 2-7 Redfield Revolution with the Accu-Range reticle is a nice fit for the 44 Mag too.....

If you are using a Williams type peep might try unscrewing the center peep and using the larger ring, increase view but does not decrease usefulness of the sight.

I'm assuming you don't have much experience with peep sights. If everything's fuzzy you are either trying to focus on aperture (it should be a blur) or, most likely, the aperture opening is too small for the lighting conditions and/or your eyes. If you're using a peep with a screw in aperture, take it out as Dobegrant said and use it like that. You'll have the equivalent of a ghost ring as other have suggested. The large aperture opening will make little if any difference in accuracy at the distances the .44 carbine is good for, and besides, you can't hit what you can't see.

Example how different size openings affect the view.

PM sent----

one of the replys above is right always have a big peep on this size bore,this type/size bore is a good short range rifle and you need to see clearly what you are shooting at ,I like the ghost-ring set-up if I were to use this size rifle.

Pulled the Skinner peep off. I put a 1-4x32 Bushnell scope on it. I shot it with the Hornady Lever revolutions and its not grouping very well.
Going to find a different brand ammo to try when time permits.
Thanks for the help

for whatever reason Winchester white box shoots extremely well in the Marlin 1894's...try your local Walmart

My 1894 (1976 version) is very accurate, 1 1/2" or so at 100 with Hornady 240 XTPs. That's with a Weaver (Japan) K2.5 scope. I have gone back and forth many times on sights with this rifle. Had a Skinner peep for a while, then tried a red dot, then a scope. I like to carry the gun best with open sights so that I can wrap my hand around it. Can sort of do that with the red dot but not with the scope aboard. My problem is that the front sight is no longer in focus for me so accuracy with open sights is not great. I have never hunted deer with this rifle. It gets mostly carried just on walks in the woods in the off season for what ever might need whacking. If I ever decide to hunt with it, I'll go with a scope.

I have never fired a factory load in this gun so have no idea what works. I did load some Remington 240 grain bullets and accuracy was not very good.

Despite what isn't supposed to happen, I had a Winchester '94 trapper in .44 magnum with a 1-38" twist that handled 300s just fine. 20 grains of Win 296 under a 300 grain XTP seated to the front cannelure is just hard to argue with. Knocks holes through stuff. I think the 270 grain speer should be as good or better though it didn't exist back then. Funny, I had a Weaver K2.5 on mine, too. Good setup. A serious hammer that wasn't too hard on the ears.

Today I'd look at a Leupold 2.5 x compact.

Tom

I tried a 240 cast Keith bullet in my 1894. They keyholed at 50 yards. No workie! Shot great out of a Super Blackhawk though.

I am about to try a Leupold 4x33 on my Marlin. Any interest in the Weaver K2.5? I may sell it. It is a gloss finish. Only way they were made, I think. I like the looks of the straight tube Weaver better but the Leupold 4x should be more suitable for my eyes.

For me, a receiver sight roughly doubles the shooting distance.

I have an Lyman aperture receiver sight on mine, love it. As others have stated use a large diameter aperture.

If that doesn't work for you I have several like new low powered scopes that are not in use. Weaver and Leupold...

shoot some fat boolits...........

.432".........433"

matte finish 1-3x20 Weaver.........Japan mfg......