I'm still undecided on scoping out this gun. Maybe i can get some great advice here. I'm doing fine with iron sights, but might have more confidence and a little more range with a scope.

I have a Leupold 2-7x33 VXII I''m thinking of topping it with.

I'm really undecided about the bases or rings to use. I really like the simplicity of the Talley one piece base/rings. I'm wondering if i go with the low, will i see my front sight in the scope?

Maybe someone has another idea or suggestion on the rings and bases. Thanks in advance for the input, Robinhedd

I think your scope is perfect for a 35. I have leupold base and low rings on mine. There may be better choices.

The scope will be a good match to the rifle. I like Weaver Top Mounts, but that is a personal failing.

Talley Warne one piece aluminum base or Talley Warne two piece steel bases and Weaver Tip Off rings. This will allow you to quickly remove the scope and go to the irons if the scope goes bad. All my lever guns are set up so I can yank the scope quickly and swap to open sights if the need arises. My bolt guns with irons sights are set up similarly with Talley or Warne QD bases & rings.

Warne not Talley for the Marlins. My bad.

https://warnescopemounts.com/product/a997-marlin-lever-actions/

https://warnescopemounts.com/product/m864864/

you may see the front sight.......otherwise good scope choice......

this SS 44 Marlin has a Weaver 1-3x20 on it.....perfect for me........

IIRC...rings are Burris Signature Zee....Weaver base

I'm almost tempted to put a picatinny rail on it for the base, just so i can get the best possible eye relief/scope position. Midway sells a rail for a 336.

That would be the direction I'd go, but my opinion is worth what you paid for it.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Only way to go.

Ha! Thanks for the advice men, I ordered a rail a couple days ago. Can’t wait to get the scope mounted and sighted in.
I killed a buck last weekend with this rifle, iron sights. The first shot was a miss at 150 +-yards , the second shot was almost perfect @ right around 175 +- yards. I aimed right at the top of his back, hit him center mass. Shooting the Hornady 200gr leverevolution ammo. I’m gonna put a rangefinder on those distances next time I hunt from that tree. Robinhedd

Many of the compact scopes are rather short in length. They are "compact' after all. On my 336, for instance, I mounted a Leupold 2-7x27 compact scope. When mounted using a standard Leupold base I cannot slide the scope back far enough in the rings and have to lean my eyeball way way far forward to use the scope. No workie for me. A full sized VX-2 would have been fine. In fact, I had one on it and just wanted a smaller scope on the 336.

So I used a Weaver base and ring set up. The rings on this set up are placed further back by may 3/4". Much better for me.

I've got an older long-tube Leupold M8-4X on my Marlin, with plenty of eye relief, and it's comfortable to use thataway.

Here is a Leupold 2x7 on a Marlin

Leupold VX Freedom in 1.5-5x20

i like the talley lightweight extra lows and a leupold 1.5.-5x20 on my marlins. it fits the gun better IMO than the 32mm bell scopes. nice and short and plenty of magnification and FOV.

Way back when, Dad bought a Marlin 336 and one each for my brother and me. Mine was in 35 Rem. Dad and the brother went with fixed 4 power scopes, whereas I went with iron sights. I found that shooting at dusk was way tougher for me than for them. Eventually I added a 4 power, and my deer killing efficiency increased considerably. So, scope it, but more than 5 power is wasted on a 150 yard gun.

My 35 Marlin wears a Simmons 2-7X scope that is sturdy and bright. It holds the same zero year after year.

Sherwood

This is a scope/receiver sight arrangement I have used on my 336's. My eyes don't like iron sights much anymore but I still like to have them around incase my scope takes a hike. My brother came up with this solution years ago and it works great!

I have Weavers on mine, the scope that's mounted is a 1.5-5 leupold, another spare set of Weaver rings holds a previously zeroed Weaver 3X fixed scope, I like them both on that rifle, and Weavers can be removed with any coin if trouble/equipment failure arises in the field.

When I was on my high school shooting team 65 odd years ago, I could out shoot most scope sighted rifles out to 100 yds, but that was then...NOW...I can't see doodly without my glasses and I CAN'T see open sights with glasses so if I want to precisely place my shots I have to have a scope...PERIOD.

Midway is chocked full of scopes, mounts, rings etc...buy the cheapest Weaver mount/base and a good mid range 1-4 x 1.5-5 or 6 x scope...1 power is perfect for close in bushy stuff and 4 to 6 x will get you out to 150-200 yds outwith a problem and even work in the bush if you forget to set your scope x...or take your pick of those already proffered, the work OK also. I have a 4-12 on my 356 Win...GREAT for working up loads but a bit big so for hunting I swap on a 6 x Leopold or 3-9 depending.

Luck

For the most part I don't want a scope on an exposed hammer lever gun with a magazine tube and my 1895 Marlin 45-70 an Mod. 94 Win. .44 mag. wear receiver sights with a "ghost ring" aperture. At 68 I know I could shoot smaller groups at 100 yards, but the rifles are carried on hikes and camping trips and I use scoped bolt guns for hunting. The slab sided rifles carry best for me with out a scope and muzzle down on my off side. Yup, I am aware of my muzzle and keep them taped.

I have Skinner rear sights on the 1895 and like them. They also make one with a cut out for Warne or Talley med height rings. I may get that some day. I think my straight tubed Leupold VX3 1.5-5x20 with the German #4 reticle would be a good 150 yard moose and bear set up with those Kodiak Super Bonded 350 or 400 grain bullets from Alaska Bullet Works. I also think my Trijicon MRO would work well at the same range.

I have a Marlin 336 with Leupold VX-2 2-7x33, Warne QD Rings and this EGW rail.

http://www.egwguns.com/scope-mounts...nny-rail-scope-mount-0-moa-ambidextrous/

Like the setup a lot, but haven’t used it much.

If you want pics, pm me

I put a Williams peep on mine when I first got it back in the 70's. It stayed that way until my son started hunting and I let him use it. He had trouble using the peep, so I scoped it. After he started using other rifles, I put the peep back on. A few years ago, I thought I might hunt with it some, and knew my old eyes couldn't see thru the peep, so I scoped it again. It's wearing a Nichols 2X7, as low as I could get it. Shoots great too, even better than I did with a peep.

I used to have a Nichols Light 2-7x32. That was a dang good little, very compact scope. Kinda regret selling it.

That's what mine is, a Nichols Light. Yes, it's a good scope, one that I've had for years.

Just still like the clean lines of a 20mm straight tube on a lever gun.....

about 6 months ago, i was at a small local gun show & a guy had that weaver on his table....with a $60 sticker on it, which was scratched out, and he wrote "make offer"...it came home with me for $50. Scope looked pretty much new, dont think it had ever been mounted. To my eyes, very decent optics...

Good little scope that Weaver. Have one on my Henry .357.

Hey rem141r,

Don't suppose you have a picture you could share? Was going to call Talley up tomorrow to order a set for my 336SS Ltd 35Rem and Leupold FXII 2.5x20 but I would like to see how low a 20mm scope will sit in them if possible.

Thanks!

Stump

Stump,

I use tally extra low rings with Leopold 1.5X5 scopes on my Marlins. Perfect eye alignment every time.

Thanks Doc!

ETA: Ordered 'em up. I'll try to remember to post pics when I get the scope installed.

I got rem141r's photos a couple of days ago and my Talley's today, so timing to post up pics is perfect.

Here are rem141r's pics...

1895G with Talley LOWS and a 4x32 Bushnell


336SDT with Talley SUPER LOWS and a 1.5-4.5x20 Nikon


336SSLTD with Talley SUPER LOWS and another 1.5-4.5x20 Nikon


and

My 336SSLTD with Talley SUPER LOWS and a fixed power Leupold 2.5x20




Thanks Again for the pictures rem141r and I hope these help another forum member out!

Stump

robinhedd,

At 72YO, I don't see open/peep sights well at all & have all my longarms except the shotguns scoped.

My LA Marlin 336T in .35REM wears an "old-school" 2.5X REDFIELD in REDFIELD low mounts & I cannot see the front sight through the scope. - WORKS FINE for me in the brush. Your mileage may however vary.

TRY it & see for yourself is my advice.

yours, tex

Nothing uglier than a scoped lever gun - imo. Larding a carbine with a scope ruins it's fast handing and packability - the very traits that make the lever gun desirable.
And a 30-30 isn't a 300yd cartridge.
I can understand an RDS, as they are pretty small. And a receiver sight is the best all-around for ruggedness and precision
IMHO of course.

Yeah, I kind of feel that way too, but my eyes cant focus with any kind of irons anymore.

I went with a Prostaff 2-7 but this year think I'll up it to a Leupold 2-7, which I think better of, or mebbe a 1-4

A good quality low powered (1-4X or similar) illuminated scope is better than any iron sight under any condition (IMHO), If you try this setup you will never go back to iron sights.

That being said, setting up a 336 is a little tricky. The mounting holes are too far back (compared to most bolt guns) so you may need an extension base of some kind. This is especially true with many of the newer scopes, which have long eye reliefs (3-1/2 - 4 inches) for use with heavier recoiling rifles. Also, the stock has a very low comb (it's of course set up for the iron sights) so you really want the scope as low as possible to get a good cheek weld.

I just acquired the Warne 997, it;s an extension base but is also very low (unlike some of the other alloy bases). There is a steel 2 piece equivalent if you don't like alloy.

As far as scope choices I prefer anything without a front bell (ie, straight tube at the front). This will eliminate interference with the rear sight.

I just did this with my 336 35 Remington. I used an EGW rail and TPS low rings to mount a FX-2 4x. The scope was way too high. Fortunately I had a nice looking leather stock pack that put me where I needed to be to get a decent cheek weld. If after load development I decided to keep the scope on it I’m going to try to find rings low enough to get rid of the leather. I don’t like the looks of a scope on a lever either and the stock pack just compounds my issues with it. Unfortunately like you my eyes no longer like open sights.

Update...

Swapped out the fixed scope for a Freedom w/ Pig Plex reticle (also added an XS sight up front).

Is that a 1-4 x 32? It doesn't look like Bushnell's fixed scopes. I have a Bushnell Banner 1.5-4.5 x 32 on my BLR .358 Win that looks just like it. Not the best optics but good enough and has held up so far. Wish Bushnell would offer a similar config a little higher up in their scope line. They reduce eye relief in the higher lines, but the Banner with 4" eye relief and small footprint could be mo better with a little bit better glass and their rainguard. Wouldn't mind having the firefly option as well.

I have that scope on my 5.56 AR and really like it. So much so, I’m considering mounting one on my Marlin 336 .30-30.

Expat