30-30 Marlin open sights or not

[Gunhacker]

I've replaced all of the semi-buckhorn rear sights on my Marlin's and Henry with Marbles "bullseye" peep sights. Less expensive than Skinners and others, and they work fine for my 67 year old eyes out to 100yd work.

And they look like they belong on a lever gun.

Rifle Adjustable Peep Long Bullseye Rear Sight Black : MARBLE ARMS RIFLE LONG BULLSEYE REAR SIGHT | Brownells

 

[smoothshooter]

Transition lenses can be a godsend.
Find an optician that will allow you to bring in an unloaded, cased rifle with iron sights, aim it, and discuss the focal planes of the front sight, rear sight, and target.
A surprising number of them ( at least in my area ) are very receptive to the idea.
with transition lenses, a sweet spot can often be found by a slight movement of your head that will bring a sharper image to the sights.
For pistol shooting, I only have a narrow band ( less than a half inch) at the top of my lenses ground for distance viewing, driving, etc, with the lower portion for close-up and arm's length focus. That way I don't have to tilt my head so far back to see the sights on a pistol clearly.
I do not understand why more shooters don't try this and instead put up with bad choices in prescriptions.

 

[pennzy]

I've replaced all of the semi-buckhorn rear sights on my Marlin's and Henry with Marbles "bullseye" peep sights. Less expensive that Skinners, and they work fine for my 67 year old eyes for 100yd work.

And they look like they belong on a lever gun.

Rifle Adjustable Peep Long Bullseye Rear Sight Black : MARBLE ARMS RIFLE LONG BULLSEYE REAR SIGHT | Brownells

So that rear site change is all thats needed with a Marlin 336? No front sight change needed? Is it for fast or precise shooting?

 

[38SPL HV]

I trained with open sights years ago 1960s...first deer rifle had those nice buckhorn sights and hooded front (Marlin 336 New Haven manufacture). Nice buck came along while hunting in the beautiful Northeast woods - still within legal shooting hours - ...couldn’t pickup the sights in the dimming light and had to pass on the shot.

Installed fixed 4x Weaver K4, and didn’t miss again. Never shoot at a running Whitetail (slow trot or walk is ok), and take note that your rifle will not drill straight through brush. Take good clean shots with a scoped rifle of adequate power and you’ll be rewarded with venison through the off season.

 

[THREEDFLYER]

I prefer open sights on lever guns but when possible I install a receiver mounted peep sight which give me quicker acquisition and more accuracy in my opinion.

The stock rear sight mounted ahead of the receiver are tough to focus on for these aging eyes.....

 

[pennzy]

I trained with open sights years ago 1960s...first deer rifle had those nice buckhorn sights and hooded front (Marlin 336 New Haven manufacture). Nice buck came along while hunting in the beautiful Northeast woods - still within legal shooting hours - ...couldn’t pickup the sights in the dimming light and had to pass on the shot.

Installed fixed 4x Weaver K4, and didn’t miss again. Never shoot at a running Whitetail (slow trot or walk is ok), and take note that your rifle will not drill straight through brush. Take good clean shots with a scoped rifle of adequate power and you’ll be rewarded with venison through the off season.

That is why my Marlin had a scope. Missed a slammer on opening day. Had the scope on it the next day.

 

[brucev]

I have a old "Waffle Top" Marlin 336 in .30-30 Winchester that was gifted to me by a church member in 2015. It had a nail holding the forearm on to the gun. The buttstock had a bad crack. The trigger was a bit funky. Perhaps 20% finish left. Got everything straightened out, stock tightened up, etc. At 75 long steps that thing will keep three shots inside of 1.25 inches shooting from the kneeling position using some ammo that is perhaps only 30 years old. Have fitted a nice Lyman aperture rear sight. My cow! That thing is fast! My much loved church member is now beyond hunting. But, overtime I pick that old rifle up and work the action ... I remember that afternoon. One time he saw me at the altar in the church ... I had taped my shoes up and he saw the holes. He gave me a nice pair of Dan Post cowboy boots. Said he didn't need them any more since he could no longer walk. Wore them this past weekend w/ my family. The rifle ... shoots like a laser ... equal to any current lever action I could buy at a shop. Sincerely. bruce.

 

[Steve912]

So that rear site change is all thats needed with a Marlin 336? No front sight change needed? Is it for fast or precise shooting?

Yes, yes, and actually, both.

Peep is fast because you look thru (and ignore) the
rear sight, and only pay attention to target & front sight.

It's more precise than the stock sights, because you add
another 8-10" (guessing here) of sight radius, between
front and rear sights.

Try it, you'll like it.

 

[Gene L]

I've got Marble tang peeps on my Savage 99s because the first one I shot was set up like that and I thought it looked "periodic" and wanted the rifles to match. I took an old Weaver scope off one to do so. They do shoot more accurately than opens and being mounted far back, do indeed give a longer aiming plane. And they don't interfere with the carry. I've got pretty good eyes for a 75 year old and don't hunt, so my shooting is done in good light at a paper target. I like the challenge of no-scope aiming, but also like the challenge of making small groups with scoped rifles. The bolt rifles I have with scopes have no irons on them, my lever guns have no glass. Well, there is one bolt rifle I have with a Lyman long slide aperture on it, an Oberndorf Mauser from 1909. It came from Oberndorf that way, a claw mount on front. A guild rifle, high quality 8mmJ. I'm sure a scope would make it more accurate, but would be impossible to mount without drilling and ruining collector value.

The OP said he didn't intend to hunt and implied he might not shoot it, so I see no value to adding a peep. Certainly no reason for leaving the scope on when he wants to take it off, which has been suggested by some here for a reason I don't understand.

I

 

[Gunhacker]

So that rear site change is all thats needed with a Marlin 336? No front sight change needed? Is it for fast or precise shooting?

For the most part, just replacing the rear sight works.

I have them on a Henry Golden Boy, Marlin 39A, 336 .30-30's, and a Marlin 1894 .44 Mag.

I have a Lyman receiver peep sight on my 444 with the original front sight, albeit the Lyman has a wider adjustable range in elevation and windage.

If you really want an easy sight picture, the front sight can be replaced with a fiber optic blade.

It's fast and I would have to say it's more precise than what I'd shoot with the tiny buckhorn style rear sight blade.

And, if after installing one and not liking it, you're not out a lot of money.

Not pictured on the brownell's website, the replacement sight uses rear sight elevator that's on your gun now.

 

[Frank46]

All of my 1894's in 30-30, 444 marlin,375 Win, have peep sights. The barrel mounted sights as they come from the factory as far as I'm concerned are useless. haven't had to change out the front sight when I added the rear reciever sight. Frank

 

[pennzy]

All good comments. Good knowledge base here. Thanks.

 

[GyMac]

Thanks for the help guys. I took off the scope. Here's a picture

Much better!

 

[pennzy]

Williams WGRS-336 Guide Receiver Site - anyone have an opinion of the Williams peep site?

 

[rockquarry]

I prefer the Lyman aperture sights, but I've used Williams aperture sights for years on several rifles. They work well but are bit harder to trial-and-error adjust than the Lymans. However, once set, that's it.

 

[Sistema1927]

My Marlin 336 .30-30 wears a set of XS Ghost Ring sights. They work for my old eyes.

It is next to the bottom in this picture. The bottom rifle is a 39A, wearing the same sights.

 

[fishcreekrim]

I trained with open sights years ago 1960s...first deer rifle had those nice buckhorn sights and hooded front (Marlin 336 New Haven manufacture). Nice buck came along while hunting in the beautiful Northeast woods - still within legal shooting hours - ...couldn’t pickup the sights in the dimming light and had to pass on the shot.

Installed fixed 4x Weaver K4, and didn’t miss again. Never shoot at a running Whitetail (slow trot or walk is ok), and take note that your rifle will not drill straight through brush. Take good clean shots with a scoped rifle of adequate power and you’ll be rewarded with venison through the off season.

Don’t take my previous post wrong, I consider scopes to be awesome tools. But when I decide a scope is warranted I also up the game by going with a cartridge that shoots a spitzer bullet at 2800 FPS plus. JMHO/YMMV

 

[Farmer17]

I have a Weaver 1-3X scope on my Marlin and it's a true 1x scope so you can aim at running game just like open sights or use the 3x for 150 yard shots with Leverevolution ammo. My Rossi M92 .357 Mag 20" wears open sights and I had Lasic surgery where my right eye is for distance and the left is for reading so the rear sight is just a blur to me but the gun fits me so well I just put the bead on the target and get a hit. A gallon can at 75 yards is a breeze but an aperture sight probably would be better but they cost about as much as a decent scope and just don't seem appropriate on that cowboy gun.