Why bolts and scopes.

ALBERTA BOY

ALBERTA BOY

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Edmonton, AB
I don't understand the fixation today with bolts and scopes.

Well, I do. I own many. I think it's only because I didn't know any better. Today at the range, a gentleman there allowed me to shoot his lever action rifle with a williams peep sight (marlin 336).

The rifle is only $460 and $85 for the sight. that's a pretty cheap package.

let me tell you something, though. The gun handles 20x better than any bolt action and the aperture sight shoots so well and naturally. There's really nothing to be knocked loose and no large awkward scope to throw off the balance or lose zero or lenses to have to keep clean.

I never considered an option like this because I always thought lever guns 'weren't accurate' and that a scope was needed for accurate shooting.

Now, I admit that I'm not so accurate with buckhorn sights but an aperture is such a pleasure to shoot. I put a 5 shot group at the centre and one shot at the top left target at 100 yards and couldn't believe how reasonable the accuracy was. Definitely suitable for hunting.

I thought that old 30-30 would be utterly unsuitable for 200 yards but when I fired it at that range, it only had a drop of 8". At that range, you simply put the bead over the desired point of impact instead of below it and you will hit dead on.

Why have I been using giant, heavy bolt guns with unweildly scopes? Why are they necessary in average hunting situations? In fact, I'm beginning to think they are actually undesirable.

I'm about to sell some bolt guns for some good lever-lovin'!

 
Try aperature sights on bolt rifles - if you have the eyes still, you will be amazed at how durable and easy it is to shoot to good hunting ranges.

You also find that you are not aiming at a critter to the point of "I need to hit it just below the right aorta...". You aim and shoot, and a critter topples over. It is a good sense of accomplishment.

(BTW I am not slagging levers in any way ..)
 
While I like my bolt guns with scopes, I own and shoot two lever action rifles with aperture sights.
Now, my eyes are getting up there, but I can still shoot those apertures quite well.
Open sights of other designs are not for me.
But I shot my second largest Whitetail a couple of years ago with my 38-55 and aperture sights.
Do not underestimate apertures.
I personally think they belong on a lever action carbine, rather than a scope.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
well i think its that bolt guns are just really simple and reliabable. not very many moving parts. i was thinking about picking up a lever gun in 30-30 but they guy didnt know if it was pre rem or not and if its not pre rem i want to take a good look at the gun and not just pictures. if i ever find a nice little 16 inch lever gun with a full sized stock and not youth for a good price she'll be in my safe for sure!
 
I bought a savage 99 and it showed up when I was working out of town for three weeks. I then found a receiver site for a savage 99 and bought that as well. When I got home and started to put the pieces together they didn't work. Need an old lever safety 99, haven got a rifle yet.

I can't shoot irons that well but agree that levers are a handy and that scopes can be use full tools on levers as well
 
I agree. Personally I prefer open irons than an aperture because I find the 'circle' blocks too much of your view, but that's just personal taste.
I'd take a lever or a pump over a bolt any day of the week, both for hunting and most target shooting(bench rest being the exception). The difference in accuracy is marginal, but the cycle time is a world of difference.:)
 
I like the old 30-30 lever guns, grew up with them and have had more than few. Theycan be fun and even look pretty good at ranges where you don't even need smokeless powder never mind a scope.

Come shooting with me and you'll stand it in the garbage barrel and never look back. There's horses for courses.
 
If your eyes can handle iron sights and your target distances are suitable, go for it. It is a personal choice.

If you want the best accuracy you get that from a bolt action.

If your eyes are not suited to iron sights and you want fine target acquisition you get that from a scope. (especially at longer ranges)

It's a personal choice.
 
guntech said:
If your eyes can handle iron sights and your target distances are suitable, go for it. It is a personal choice.

If you want the best accuracy you get that from a bolt action.

If your eyes are not suited to iron sights and you want fine target acquisition you get that from a scope. (especially at longer ranges)

It's a personal choice.
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Well put !!
 
Scopes in my opinion are for light use, tree stands, or open field type stuff.

If I am in the bush on the quad and need something quick and handy and reliable I like my Sporter Mauser with irons, or even the 12 guage pump with Ghost rings.

There is something to be said for the Lever guns though. With practice you can get extremely fast at cycling them without ever taking your eyes or sights off of the target.

Some days I do regret selling my 336. :(
 
Irons are great for durability, target acquisition, and usable light when it's overcast or dusk. With the peep sights you need very good light or a huge rear aperture to make it user friendly. Shooting paper I absolutely love them but for hunting a set of fine cross hairs to ME lines up on an animal much better. There aren't too many spots on a deer/moose/elk that are round and fit the sight to my liking. Like others said, personal preference
 
ALBERTA BOY said:
I don't understand the fixation today with bolts and scopes.

Why have I been using giant, heavy bolt guns with unweildly scopes? Why are they necessary in average hunting situations? In fact, I'm beginning to think they are actually undesirable.

I'm about to sell some bolt guns for some good lever-lovin'!

Click to expand...

Let me know what kinda bolt guns you want to sell.
 
Mount Sweetness said:
I actually prefer buckhorn over peep...anyone else?
Click to expand...

First off, do you actually mean "buckhorn" or "open" or "sporting" sights? True buckhorns have not been popular since about 1899 or so. They come together at the top like the horns of a pronghorn, and I don't care for them much; they obscure too much target. As for semi-buckhorn and flat-top sights, I still prefer the peep sight. In my opinion, it centres and lines up faster, and since it obscures less of the target, I feel I have a much better view.
The most accurate rifle I ever owned was a Savage 99 in .250-3000. With the issued open sights, I could shoot 5-shot groups of about 3.5 inches at 100 yards. With my Marbles Tang Peep I could handily make 2" groups at that distance.
With a scope, group size dropped to under an inch.
 
lister said:
I agree. Personally I prefer open irons than an aperture because I find the 'circle' blocks too much of your view, but that's just personal taste.
Click to expand...

Shoot with both eyes open...this should fix that problem.
Yes I'm a big fan of apature/peep sights over scopes.
 
Shot irons and peeps proficiently for years, now I prefer glass.

Most levers don't fit me, they're too short.
 
I have a growing collection of leverguns and love to shoot them. I still like scopes though. I have a Leupold Vari-X II 1 x 4, Vari-X III 1.5 x 5, Vari-X III 1.75 x 6 and really like them. The leverguns are nice to walk with during the day but in the morning or evening, in low light, I much prefer a good quality low powered scope.
 
Levers don't excite me, I view them kind of like a pump shotgun. Only suitable for reasonable ranges, never will be as accurate as a good bolt gun.

Irons are fun to play with, but I prefer a scope, with practice I can get two shots off from my scopes bolt guns just as fast and on target as I can with a lever.
 
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