Is anyone running a red dot on a lever action, specifically a top eject ?

[roadglide1]

I recently picked up a new Winchester 1885 saddle ring carbine 45-70. I was struggling with the iron sights and my aging eyes, so I applied a bit of orange paint to the rear edge of the front sight blade. It helped quite a bit, for sure, but wasn’t totally satisfied.
Since the ‘86 is drilled and tapped on the receiver, I searched out a mount that would accommodate a red dot, and then a small footprint optic to use.
I am pleased with the result, and am considering having my Winchester 1892 ( 357 mag. ) saddle ring carbine receiver drilled and tapped .
Has anyone else here done this, or are you a “lever action “ purist with really good eyes??

I would post a pic, but not sure how to attach it …

T.

 

[new210/22]

No one with a soul is!
I’m kidding, kind of. Personally I would look at a skinner sight as they can be quite an improvement over a buckhorn and blade. These are your rifles and if a red dot keeps you shooting them, that’s great. That said if it were me I would have a hard time mixing tradition and technology in this way.

 

[fingers284]

No one with a soul is!
I’m kidding, kind of. Personally I would look at a skinner sight as they can be quite an improvement over a buckhorn and blade. These are your rifles and if a red dot keeps you shooting them, that’s great. That said if it were me I would have a hard time mixing tradition and technology in this way.

Not me man I'm with Roadglide all the way. I mount scopes on every lever gun I own from 1879's-to modern ( mostly 1890's models)...Aint no sense in wasting primers if you cant see what your shooting at.

 

[rascal1]

I am running a Bushnell Lil P 1x prism sight on my BLR .358. Nice and compact with illumination if I want it. The etched reticle works great for my astigmatism. So far no issues handling recoil.

 

[9.3mauser]

Well, there's this:




Turnbull Restorations sells them, but they won't ship to Canada.

I wish they'd been available in the '80's & 90's. My brother always had trouble with his shooting when he was still hunting, whether it was eyesight, or excitability, I'm not sure. I think something like that would have been just the ticket.

 

[roadglide1]

Yes, that is the mount style I have… I contacted Turnbull, and you are right, they won’t ship to Canada. Gun-Guides is where I ordered one from, as they shipped from the USA.
A low powered scope would be great too, but more challenging to mount, in this instance.

 

[alpining]

... am considering having my Winchester 1892 ( 357 mag. ) saddle ring carbine receiver drilled and tapped ...

I think you can get a mount that will fit in the rear sight dovetail on the barrel. Should be fine with a light recoiling rifle and lightweight optic.

 

[roadglide1]

I think you can get a mount that will fit in the rear sight dovetail on the barrel. Should be fine with a light recoiling rifle and lightweight optic.

Thanks for the suggestion, I didn’t know a dovetail mount existed … found one online, and ordered !! ��

 

[roadglide1]

 

[MilitaryCollectorMark]

Might try contacting PR Cook from PR Precision here on CGN to see if he could make something like that mount?

 

[Jay]

I have 2moa Romeo5 red dots from Sig Sauer on two of my levers... Works great!

44 Mag Taylors & Co stainless takedown


45-70 Pedersoli Boarbuster

 

[roadglide1]

Very nice rifles, Jay !!!

 

[Jay]

Very nice rifles, Jay !!!

Thanks, but my pride & joy is my Marlin 336 in 35Rem. It sports a Leupold 1.5-5x20 IIRC...

 

[pipeliner]

I put a rds on my mares leg in .44mag. I ordered a mount that replaced the rear sight. Wicked little camp gun for bear.

 

[roadglide1]

Here is the Winchester 1886 saddle ring 45-70…
View attachment 686785
View attachment 686786

 

[rajczak_kashka]

Chiappa 1897 Takedown with a Trijicon MRO. This particular Chiappa comes with picatinny rail and optics options are pretty much limitless.

 

[alpining]

Thanks for the suggestion, I didn’t know a dovetail mount existed … found one online, and ordered !! ��

Hope it works out for you - The dovetail mount is nowhere near as strong as the alternatives, but it should be "strong enough" if you respect its limitations.

 

[alpining]

Here is the Winchester 1886 saddle ring 45-70…

How do you find the eyebox with the optic that far back? I know they're designed to work when mounted much farther forward.

 

[blakeyboy]

yeah, best place for those reflex sights is ahead of the action, and even better if up where most rear sights dovetail into the barrel, try to mimic pistol eye relief distances, I know my '2 moa' holosun 407/507c's are more like 3.8 moa dot size when mounted on the barrel end of the action on my bolt actions and semi-auto rimfire, have a look a holosun stuff with solar, batteries become optional and just for night use, they now have the scs/ecs models that use the solar to charge a capacitor for having extra juice for nighttime work which is genius imo, more of that please holosun! so far though I'm not seeing any 'rail mount' option for those new scs/ecs or it would likely cost me some money, super lightweight on a dovetail plate on one of those levers would be one sick set up

 

[blakeyboy]

Thanks for the suggestion, I didn’t know a dovetail mount existed … found one online, and ordered !! ��

good call, post pics when its done