Optics For Deer Rifle

[Mickey the Dragon]

I bought a Marlin 1895 for my first deer season this year and I love the rifle to death. I put on a pair of XS ghost ring sights and had great accuracy with it at the range both from the bench and shooting off-hand. Then, as you can probably guess, I took it out in the woods with me and missed the two shots I took. As it turns out, I am far less accurate with my handy little ghost rings when I've been sitting in the rain for three hours, I'm leaning up against a maple tree, and I'm using a small sapling as a foot brace to keep myself from sliding down the hill. Shocking, I know. So, long story short, I'm looking for opinions on how best to overcome my own personal shortfalls through the injudicious use of money to procure optics. As I see it, I have three options with several subcategories.

1) Iron sights.
1a) Keep the XS Ghost Rings and train more.
1b) Keep the XS Ghost Rings but get a smaller rear aperature.
1c) Get completely different set of sights

2) Red Dot
2a) Get a low mount for my Aimpoint T1 and move it from my AR to my 1895 during the lead-up to deer season.
2b) Get a new Aimpoint/Eotech/Other

3) Scope
3a) 1-4 variable to keep the clean woods gun looks and minimize bulk/weight
3b) 2-7 or 3-9 variable to give myself better low-light performance and magnification
3c) Fixed power of some sort

The more thought I put into this whole process (and I have about 300 days to think about those two missed shots), the more I am currently leaning towards a 1-4 or 3-9. However, I wanted to seek the opinions of The Intenet to see what other thoughts are out there. Hunting area is hardwood hills along the Ohio River, max shots of 100 yards. Budgeting is fairly flexible, because I have time to save up. I understand the sentiment of paying as much for the optic as you do for the rifle, but I'm also unsure of the marginal benefits a $600 scope will provide on a rifle intended for shots under 100 yards when compared to something like a Leupold 1-4 or 3-9 which costs $299 plus mounting hardware.

 

[Kman]

I think I would go big objective for more light.

Redfield makes a 3-9 x 50 (Revolution, I think). Great scopes for less money.

 

[dwsjr]

I hear a can of worms opening. I would suggest you put you hands on a lot of scopes at some stores and by the one YOU like best.

 

[Mickey the Dragon]

I hear a can of worms opening. I would suggest you put you hands on a lot of scopes at some stores and by the one YOU like best.

I'm okay with that. I'm not going to make any decisions based solely on the inputs I get here, I'd just like to hear other people's thought processes because they may bring up valid points that hadn't occured to me.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

I will simply add that a red dot on a deer hunting rifle is a bad idea. IMHO.

Most deer whacking takes place at dawn and dusk.

Having a bright light in your eye doesn't help the situation.

Buy a scope.

 

[campns]

I would look into these,

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/82...arlin-centerfire-lever-actions-aluminum-black

I have them on my 10/22 and Marlin 336, this paired with good tip off rings and a Bushnell Banner long eye relief Dusk To Dawn scope and it's winner winner chicken dinner.

http://www.basspro.com/Bushnell-Banner-Dusk-and-Dawn-Rifle-Scope/product/11780/

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/15...atinny-style-rings-matte?cm_vc=ProductFinding

I have never had any issues with zero using this setup and it gives you the best of both worlds.

 

[Mt Airy]

Just buy a Leupold very x II 3X9 they are not a lot of money and very good quality. They are American made

 

[outrider58]

Are you an experienced deer hunter? Maybe not the sights? Not casting aspersions. Just trying to cover all the bases.

 

[mopar92]

Have you tried learning how to shoot using your body and a sling as support?

 

[Mickey the Dragon]

Are you an experienced deer hunter? Maybe not the sights? Not casting aspersions. Just trying to cover all the bases.

No prior experience, this was my first year deer hunting. However, I did make sure to spend several range sessions learning the sights and rifle and how to use them. I agree that the sights aren't the problem, the sights are fine. However, even the best aperature sights in the world require more control/skill/experience than a scope. I'm looking for an alternative not because of the shortcomings in the sights, but my own shortcomings as a shooter. Option 1a is to practice more and better with the sights I have. Spending my scope money on more bullets, primers, and powder so that I can practice more with the system I have is certainly a valid recommendation, and probably the most fun to execute.

Have you tried learning how to shoot using your body and a sling as support?

I have, however I didn't have the sling pulled tight on either of my shots because of a combination of nerves, body position, and inexperience/stupidity.

 

[Mooseman]

When I used to hunt deer, I had a 3X9 on my Winchester 94.

 

[outrider58]

No prior experience, this was my first year deer hunting. However, I did make sure to spend several range sessions learning the sights and rifle and how to use them. I agree that the sights aren't the problem, the sights are fine. However, even the best aperature sights in the world require more control/skill/experience than a scope. I'm looking for an alternative not because of the shortcomings in the sights, but my own shortcomings as a shooter. Option 1a is to practice more and better with the sights I have. Spending my scope money on more bullets, primers, and powder so that I can practice more with the system I have is certainly a valid recommendation, and probably the most fun to execute.



I have, however I didn't have the sling pulled tight on either of my shots because of a combination of nerves, body position, and inexperience/stupidity.

That's damned honest introspect. You'll be fine. More practice with some good breathing techniques applied, you'll be fine. 'Choking' is part of it, and I don't mean that in a bad way. We hunters all get jammed up with adrenaline. That's why we do it. Just you wait til you get a true monster in front of you. You'll sware the deer can hear you're heart pounding. That's what it's all about!

 

[traveller]

I will simply add that a red dot on a deer hunting rifle is a bad idea. IMHO.

Most deer whacking takes place at dawn and dusk.

Having a bright light in your eye doesn't help the situation.

I have an Aimpoint Pro and the brightness control has multiple steps going down to imperceptible (the first five steps are for NVGs). As the woods at dusk dont have many red dots otherwise, you can turn the brightness pretty far down without losing the dot amongst the clutter.

 

[BradMacc82]

I'd likely go with a basic 2x7 myself. Most have decent eye-relief, and aren't going to be too excessive on that rifle (IMO).

The ones that I have, can be shot easily with both eyes open (snap shot) at the low power setting.

 

[Library Guy]

I’m an experienced aperture sight user. In just about any daylight conditions I can put my shots in 6 minute black circle set against a white background.

Now, I’m not a hunter, but if I had to shoot a brown target set against a brown background in low light conditions… SCOPE!

You owe it to the deer to make a humane kill.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Practice more from offhand , and from various field positions. Simply adding a scope will give the illusion of an easier target, but smooth handling and trigger control are the limiting factors.

Wide arupture "ghost" type sights are a matter of taste, some people like them , and do well with them, some do better with "normal" sized aruptes. But 2 minute of whitetail within 100yds is well within the capabilities of metalic sighted lever actions.

 

[dist1646]

You could pick up a used Leupold 4X fixed power scope pretty cheap. Even when I have a variable power scope on the rifle I'm using, I tend to stay with them adjusted toward the lower magnification range. It is a lot easier to pick out the deer using lower magnification. Learned that lesson the hard way.

 

[Mickey the Dragon]

Practice more from offhand , and from various field positions. Simply adding a scope will give the illusion of an easier target, but smooth handling and trigger control are the limiting factors.

Wide arupture "ghost" type sights are a matter of taste, some people like them , and do well with them, some do better with "normal" sized aruptes. But 2 minute of whitetail within 100yds is well within the capabilities of metalic sighted lever actions.

I'm getting a slightly smaller aperture for my existing sights (going from .191" to .15") to see if I like them. For $12, it's a pretty inexpensive experiment to run.

 

[Mt Airy]

I'm getting a slightly smaller aperture for my existing sights (going from .191" to .15") to see if I like them. For $12, it's a pretty inexpensive experiment to run.

A smaller aperture I think at low light you might have problems.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Buy A Scope.