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I've got a 94/3030 that my dad bought for me for HS graduation 1972. My eyes are having a hard time focusing on open sights now and was wondering about the side mount for that rifle or trying a red dot mounted in front of the action.

I'd like input/facts/opinions from folks that have used either sight. Pros/Cons, general information, or anything you consider relevant.

Thanks,
Old Eyes

I cringe at seeing these old guns with side mounts. Once you drill the holes you cannot un-do it and the value crashes. The receiver should be drilled for a peep sight. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1005986748?pid=198988
Way better than the barrel rear sight and no harm to the gun.
If you must have a scope, look for a AE Winchester or a Marlin.

There are side mounts that use the factory peep sight holes and lever pin access hole to attach, so no holes need to be drilled. It mounts the scope offset, which isn't ideal, but it works. Sometimes you have to rotate the scope 90 degrees to clear the windage turret from interfering with ejection. Weaver makes one that is thumbscrew detachable and Kwik-Site, Williams and S&K make mounts also.

Unless you are wanting to keep the gun pristine for era and resell I’d do nothing. On the other hand I’d forget side mount sights as they are very unattractive IMO because they cover a side of the 94 action, which detracts from a nice look to the overall firearm. If I was serious about maintaining the best abilities with my eyesight, I’d put a rail out front at the back of the barrel and go scout style with an EER scope and quick release mounts. There are many handgun and rifle scopes in EER configuration to choose from. When you remove the scope all you have is a flat rail, which to me is much less detracting and in some ways kinda cool lookin. Only one man’s opinion.

Turnbull makes a little mount for the Burris Fastfire III that attaches via the factory peep sight holes and puts the sight centered over the bore but far enough back to allow spent cases to eject in front of it. It's the slickest looking set up for putting a dot sight on a top eject 94.

The one I’ve seen replaces the rear dove tail sight with a Turnbull fast fire mount. It is in fact a scout type setup as it sits well in front of the top ejection port on the barrel.

I’ve now seen the rear sight setup behind the ejection port. It seats behind the port and is attached via screws into the receiver. So they have two offerings for setup.

Yep, I've been thinking about putting one of those receiver mounts on one of my 94's. Looks pretty good to me.

How you say "Rube Goldberg"! Leave the Winchester as a family heilroom and preserve whateever value. Divert the expensive mount cost toward a decent Marlin 336 of whichever flavor you prefer. Just avoid those made the last couple of decades.
My take
Good Luck!
John

Consider trading it for a modern angle-eject model. - Sherwood

Jeeze, I don't get some of you guys.............he wants to be able use a rifle with sentimental value, a gift from his father, that he's unable to use the barrel sights anymore. It's not a pre-64 collectors piece, and even if it were, there's several ways to add an optic without permanently altering it. I've mounted several such rifles with Weaver side mounts for friends and family over the years and they work just fine. It does offset the scope to the left, so if you're left-handed (like me), it doesn't work so well. The Turnbull receiver and barrel mounts for the Fastfire red dot are pretty slick and unobtrusive. Pearson's make a forward mounted rail for LER scopes or red dots that, again, require no drilling or tapping. With any of these you can return the rifle to original unaltered condition in minutes with a screwdriver so, no harm no foul, and he gets to use his graduation present.

I’m really intrigued by these Turnbull mounts. Rifles with iron sights usually stay in the gun safe nowadays, my eyes just can’t use them like they had to. I have a couple old 94’s that have a lot of sentimental value, that I would love to get into the woods again. This looks like a good solution.

Here's my Browning 65 218 Bee with a fastfire 111 on the Williams 5D sight base. Fastfire matched the Williams screw pattern. Works very well. This same setup would work on a 94 Winchester..

A Stith mount on a custom 71/86.

I found one and it's going on my Legendary Frontiersman 38-55 with a Post & CH Alaskan.

Can't see, can't shoot.

Would rather go this route. 2 small holes in top, rear of receiver.

http://www.skinnersights.com/winchester_26.html

Maybe the last 10-15 years at most.

Long ago Leupold made a Detacho-Mount base that was installed in the rear sight dovetail on the barrel. You'd need a long eye relief 1" scope in addition to the Detacho-Mount base and rings. I have a couple of the W94 bases that are NOS and 1" rings are regularly available on eBay.

I have a 94 set up with the Leupold Detacho-Mount, works very well. It mounts in the rear sight dovetail, (there's a backup sight in the base but I used a Lyman) and you drill and tap a hole in the rear barrel band (I bought an extra to use and preserve the original.

The scope is a Leupold M8 2X Scout scope. I have a complete extra setup if the OP is interested.

Another option is the Williams no drill side mount, used existing holes. Not as clean looking as the Detacho but you can use a higher power scope. I did it for a friend and got 1.5" groups with a 9x scope. He didn't like the look so we took it off.

I also have that if the OP is interested.

There is a fellow named Pearson that makes a mount that uses the rear sight slot and an existing hole in the receiver. It takes a scout type scope or you could use a red dot. I've not used it, but you wouldn't make new holes. It does look like the scope might be up a bit higher, but these kinds of things often require some compromise. I've seen them on listed on ebay.
Love my old 94 with peeps, but even they are getting hard for me beyond 50 yards.
Good Luck
Bfly

Redfield made a special scope with no drill mount for 94s.
PM me if you need one.