Need some better iron sights for a 336, advice please

canadaman30

canadaman30

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Just got a marlin 336 and not liking the factory sights. Looking for some advice from other lever gun owners as to what your using? Gun will be used for hunting purposes if it matters. Dont want a scope for this gun, just some better sights
 
I put a receiver mounted Williams peep on mine. Easy to install , easy to zero and you can leave the factory front sight if you want.
Plus, I bought the sight right here on the EE.
 
Forcedair said:
I put a receiver mounted Williams peep on mine. Easy to install , easy to zero and you can leave the factory front sight if you want.
Plus, I bought the sight right here on the EE.
Click to expand...

^This. William's Fool Proof receiver rear peep sight.
Paired up the the William's front Firesite. (optical bead)

Nice classy touch is putting a blued steel filler blank where the factory rear sight once sat in place.

You can also purchase a front hood with a cut out to allow more ambient light into the front optical bead.

PS: You are more apt to also get more precision with this set up, then the Skinner or XS goodies IMO.
 
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Williams FP on the rear, Firesite on the front.

When I put these on my M94, 38-55, my average group size was cut exactly in half.

Even in less than ideal light, these are awesome!

Regards, Dave
 
Some kind of peep is definitely what you want.
Lyman or Williams if you want it mounted on the side of the receiver and Skinner or XS if you want it on top.

The Lyman and Williams can be had with target style adjustment knobs for elevation and windage.
I like the Lyman's a bit more then the Williams, It has a quick adjustment option if you want to "lob one out there"... :) and re-zero's easy.

The skinners are nice and streamlined as long as your gun doesn't need any gross wind age adjustment due to some poor quality control issues from Marlin.


It's common for a taller front sight to be neccessary with most peeps so plan for that as well.... I like the red fiber optics or a Brass bead best and the smaller the better.
 
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Williams Foolproof is pretty good and neat. Plus, a number 94, same as fits the later Model 94 Winchester fits.
Older Williams Foolproof were very good, much better than new ones, if you are lucky enough to find one at a gun show, or the EE.
 
My 444 has a Williams FP installed in the 70s, rock solid. It has the screw slot adjusters not the target knobs, my preference for hunting. Once sighted it is locked down solid. Theoretically the Skinner XS style is coarser on elevation adjustment due to the limit of a half turn on the peep shaft. However I've never heard a single complaint so not an issue.

I also have the simple Williams WGRS and find it ok on my 22. I wouldn't buy one for a hunting rifle that didn't have a thread guided adjustment system, not slide and tighten grub screws like the WGRS. My Lyman 66s are excellent as well. They have a push button peep slide removal system but I don't use this feature preferring sight in and forget sights. Older Lymans are steel and all mine are older ones. My aluminum Williams sights work perfectly but I have a baseless prejudice for steel gun parts so sought out the Lyman for my Winchesters.

Many Winchesters, Clones, and Marlins are drilled and tapped for side mount receiver sights. The Skinner/XS style mount with the rear scope mount holes on Marlins. Folks will scold you for drilling pre-64 Winchester 94s if needed. Mine was drilled and tapped after delivery, just fine with me.

Taller front sights have been almost always required, no big deal.

I like the looks of this Brockman sight but importing might be too much trouble. Brownells ships here I think. There is a matching front sight.

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/sights/rear-sights/gen-iii-marlin-peep-sight-prod1803.aspx

You will be very happy with peep or aperture sights. An iron sighted lever is the perfect hand carry hunting rifle ever made imo. My personal limit is 150 paces but it was once 200 or better with younger eyes. I got accustomed to using the smallest OD screw in aperture insert drilled out as large as possible. If in tight cover I would screw it out and drop it in a pocket using the threaded hole, folks call this a ghost ring today. Folks say the eye naturally centers itself in the large peep, seems to work for me. However I have a collection of inserts so sight in and load test with a medium size aperture. If it helps it isn't much.

Another option is the tang sight. I was once tempted to try one but gave my head a shake. Definitely worth researching but give me a side mounted receiver sight for rugged use. If I was younger and in the market the Brockman mounted on a Marlin would sure turn my head.
 
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I have tried the xs and williams wgrs on my lever guns.

I prefer the XS, the front post is easy to focus on with nice flat top and the xs rear aperture feels more solid and easy to adjust.
 
canadaman30 said:
Just got a marlin 336 and not liking the factory sights. Looking for some advice from other lever gun owners as to what your using? Gun will be used for hunting purposes if it matters. Dont want a scope for this gun, just some better sights
Click to expand...
I'd use a Williams FP.
 
I have the Williams FP peeps on a few of my lever guns. They work pretty well, I have no complaints. I have been eyeing up those Skinner sights, they look pretty nice and I hear they ship right to Canada. I may try one of those on my Henry .22mag that is currently scoped, but would like to put a peep on it.
 
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