New 45/70, Looking for a scope now

Well, the Marlin Guide Gun is gone.  In it's place is Ruger #1 Stainless in also in 45/70.  I had the Marlin rigged with a scout scope.  It shot well enough on the ranage, but didn't handle the way I'd hoped in the field.

Now I need to scope the Ruger.  In the safe at home I have a 4X32 Tasco, a 2X7X32 Kassnar, and a 3X9X40 Leupold.  There's also a 4.5X14X40 Leupold Mildot w/turrets, but I figure that's a bit of overkill.

Two questions, which of these three should I use for now, and then a recommendation for a new one, more for style than manufacturer.  I'm a Leupold fan.

Thanks, 788

 

I doubt I'll bring the Ruger into battery for this season as I only have four weeks left and range time is kinda short.  It'll be rung out for Deer 2010.

 

Laugh all you want!!

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It gives all the Eye relief you "NEED" and the glass is good. I have shot my 1895 1000's of times with it. The first one I got had a defect in side but they sent me a new one at there expense. The yardage is right on for the LE shells but if you reload hot they aren't but I use then .

A cheap scope on a heavy kicker is bad.  No Tascos, no Kassnars, no Pine ridge, no Simmons.

Leupolds best (Bushnell second on low end),

For close stuff or dangerous stuff, I like the Leupold VX-2 1-4x have close to 1000 rounds of 416 with it, still perfect.

A 3-9x Leupold or the VX-3 3.5-10 is great.

The last thing you can afford is to have your scope mechanicals 'bouncing around' on a heavy cartridge hunting rifle.

788;

Of the one's you listed, my first choice would certainly be the Leupold.  For the future, one of the low-range Loopy's would be on the gun, if t'were in my safe.

900F

The Leupold thing is 100% correct, but if you can't go that route because of monetary restrictions, I invite your attention to gun shows where you can pick up the old steel tube El Paso Weavers for a song. They are good scopes, and for the .45/70, I should think that a 4X would be fine.................................Kingpin

I have a marlin 45/70.

    It's not the guide gun though. It has a leupold VX2   1X4. It's a good combination, but The 20 MM tube may have cost me a bull elk once.

   It was real early and I just could not see the rack tilll the bull jumped off the narrow trail in front to of me.

     Although it,s noat available yet, they are do out in january of 2010, the new redfield 2X7 might be a great choice.

      They look real good and are owned and built by leupold right here in the good old USA.

    Bear basin will be selling them for 120.00.  Over on 24 HR campfire john barnsess will soon be doing a review, on the 3X9.

    he has already mad a couple of comments on it. Mostly positive , but he does ponit out it is not a VX3.

    One big advantage with your ruger is that you can use pointed bullets.

    I think barnes makes some. I like #1s and if I got the right real on a 45/70 #1 It might follow me home one day , but my marlin is really fun and sqirts a 350 grain hornady flat point in 1.10 at 2000 FPS.

    one thing about #1s in general, is that they are a bit of a pain to scope as the rings are a little to far forward and spaced a little wide.

    Another good choice might be the leupold FX 2.5 ultra light...tj3006

    ...tj3006

    

Edited by tj3006

With My Cheep crappy scope,$99 at the time.

 A 5 shot group at 100 yards out of my Marlin CB.I have shot 1000ish shot s with the new scope and am still happy and with the 5" eye relief I still have an eye...

a scope in the 2.5x or 3x or 4x or 1.5-5x variable would be best for the 45-70 cartridge even in a #1......and I agree that the old El Paso made weavers would be a good choice......low power lots of field of view......

D, what scope is on your lever gun?  788

d45-70......Well, I shoot up to 600yds at our range with my 45-70 BPCR and use a tang sight with a globe front w/inserts.....535gr Postell bullets & BP so I know you can shoot "far" with a 45-70 & hit but around here in northern WI you can't hardly see 50yds in most deer woods and 300 is almost non-available either...low power gives more field of view and that is needed in heavy woods.....so I guess my use and yours are different for the caliber and how we load....and yes almost all deer hunters here have scopes and mostly 3x9's I'd guess on all kinds of far shooting rifles....I have 2x7's on my "deer" rifles & keep them on 2x unless I get a very rare standing shot in the open...I guess I think of the 45-70 as short range ie less-then 100yds compared to your thoughts and experiances.....anyway that was my reasoning even if a bit flawed by your experiances....