Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Welcome to the Leverguns.Com Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here ... politely.

Moderators: AmBraCol, Hobie

Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.

Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Post Reply
WickedWillie
Levergunner
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2019 4:01 pm

Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by WickedWillie »

I've had to admit that my eyesight is changing...gettin' old ain't for sissies.

Seeking experienced based opinions on the use of Skinner, Weaver rail, red dot and scopes for an 1894 lever action in .357. (Remlin) Would prefer something that is fairly "drop in" and wouldn't require a lot of modification.

Thanks in advance for any replies.
44shooter
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 810
Joined: Wed May 13, 2009 11:55 pm

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by 44shooter »

I have a Marlin 1894 and I have looked at options but I have put anything on other than a tang peep. You have a lot of options for the Marlins and they are just about all bolt on. I'm sure other members will be along shortly with their experiences.
piller
Posting leader...
Posts: 15188
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:49 pm
Location: South of Dallas

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by piller »

The Skinner sights are great. If you just want a good peep sight, you can't go wrong with them. Marlin is simple to put a picatinny rail on. That way you can put on a scope with Weaver rings and set it for yourself with ease. If you are planning to use a scope, just put the rail on and you can easily fit whatever you want to it. Yes, Weaver rings fit a Picatinny rail perfectly and stay put on it. Weaver bases are slightly different from Picatinny, but not so much that the Weaver rings give the slightest trouble on a Picatinny base. I put Skinner sights on my Guide Gun, and they work perfectly for it. I rarely shoot longer than 100 yards with it, and I carry the smaller diameter insert with me wrapped in kleenex and placed in a ZipLoc sandwich bag for those times I need a more precision shot. I can get it out and use it if needed. At about 100 yards it is not needed unless target shooting at the range. The larger aperture is good enough for my eyes. When it sort of disappears all the way around, I am lined up. It is good enough for about 3 to 4 inches in a hurry at 100 yards. It lines up faster than any normal sight ever did for me.
D. Brian Casady
Quid Llatine Dictum Sit, Altum Viditur.
Advanced is being able to do the basics while your leg is on fire---Bill Jeans
Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up---Robert Frost
User avatar
AJMD429
Posting leader...
Posts: 31933
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:03 am
Location: Hoosierland
Contact:

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by AJMD429 »

I've tried lots of things and if you look on the forum you can probably find much stuff.

I've used the XS Scout rail and the Skinner, and several other less expensive 'generic' setups, as you can see.

Here's some of the threads and they usually link to others:

This introduces three different setups - two are on Marlin 1894's:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=46640#p583183

Then here is commentary I posted as I went through the 'finding a good aperture sight setup' issue myself:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31831#p390174
Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws
"first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.


Want REAL change? . . . . . "Boortz/Nugent in 2012 . . . ! "
User avatar
2ndovc
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 9302
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:59 am
Location: OH, South Shore of Lake Erie

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by 2ndovc »

I'm in the same boat. With the diabetes, some days I can see fine and others its very difficult to see the target.

XS mounts are great. I have three Marlins set up as Scouts with Leupold scopes. I'm done with dot and holo scopes. I had my Sig MPX w/ a Vortex Spitfire out at a range in FL a couple years ago and couldn't hit snot at 50 yds in the bright sun. Took it off and went open sights and was spot on. I've been putting Leupold scopes on my ARs and other working guns. I like the 30 mm tubes, brighter and a better field of view.

Image

jb 8)
jasonB " Another Dirty Yankee"


" Tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
User avatar
AJMD429
Posting leader...
Posts: 31933
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:03 am
Location: Hoosierland
Contact:

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by AJMD429 »

I should add that I've simplified things with my 1894CST, by just using a Weaver Rail I got off Amazon for $8.00...

Here are pics:
Screenshot_2020-02-10-05-08-29-1.png
Screenshot_2020-02-10-05-08-16-1.png
They make longer rails that would work for longer optical scopes; they stick out an inch or so forward of the receiver. Easy-peasy.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws
"first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.


Want REAL change? . . . . . "Boortz/Nugent in 2012 . . . ! "
WickedWillie
Levergunner
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2019 4:01 pm

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by WickedWillie »

Thanks for all for the replies thus far. This is good information.
User avatar
AJMD429
Posting leader...
Posts: 31933
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:03 am
Location: Hoosierland
Contact:

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by AJMD429 »

Image
https://www.ebay.com/itm/264588216842

Image
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1477189486/

Dunno how long the pictures or links will be valid - top one is off EBay, and not where I actually got mine, bit I thought I'd post them so you could see a better photo than of mine on the gun. Bottom is off MidwayUSA site.

One with more grooves.....
Image
https://www.amazon.com/NcStar-Marlin-Ac ... B001COP1PC

All sorts of lengths are available, and some are flatter than others. The "Weaver" ones are usually going to just have a few grooves cut for the horizontal screws of the scope mount/ring to rest in, and ones called "Picatinny" will have a groove every centimeter or whatever the 'standard' spacing is. Either will work, and it is easy enough to use a chainsaw file or similar file to cut another screw-clearance groove if needed.
Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws
"first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.


Want REAL change? . . . . . "Boortz/Nugent in 2012 . . . ! "
User avatar
fordwannabe
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3369
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:52 am
Location: Womelsdorf PA

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by fordwannabe »

As a diabetic with iffy eyes and a love of leverguns my favorite setup may be more expensive but it has never failed me. I use EGW bases, Warne rings and leupold 2-7 power scopes. I have other setups but this is my favorite. It doesn’t matter how quickly you can get the shot off if ya can’t see what your shooting at! Does it change the handiness of the rifle? yes it does, but at this point I need magnification. All a bolt on affair and simple to do. My opinion only. Good luck with whatever you choose.
a Pennsylvanian who has been accused of clinging to my religion and my guns......Good assessment skills.
Jay Bird

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by Jay Bird »

The picatinny rail has made it where you can scope ANY gun that has a either a dovetail or two screw holes drilled centrally on the receiver or the barrel. A few months ago I bought a dozen rails of various lengths and some flat on the bottom, some rounded. These rails I bought were in a gunshops junk box of which I paid $5 for all of them

I don't care about the screw holes as I can drill my own to match the holes on the rifle. No alternations as to originality of the gun.

Here I used the screw holes from this 1898 Krag's rear sight.

Image

Here I used the dovetail on this Model 14 Remington.

Image
User avatar
marlinman93
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6432
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:40 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by marlinman93 »

The modern 1894's like yours all are D&T for a scope rail, so those AJMD429 posted will all easily bolt on and ready for optics in minutes. As for optics it's really a choice of what you do with the gun. Red Dots are nice, and work well for hunting, but not as good as a simple scope with crosshairs for very accurate shooting. A 3x9 scope makes a great all around choice, and tons of them available in many price ranges to suit any budget.
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
User avatar
FWiedner
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8862
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:50 pm
Location: North Texas

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by FWiedner »

I put a weaver rail and a Burris Fastfire on my 1894CS.

It's perfect for me.

:)
Government office attracts the power-mad, yet it's people who just want to be left alone to live life on their own terms who are considered dangerous.

History teaches that it's a small window in which people can fight back before it is too dangerous to fight back.
mos
Levergunner
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 1:27 pm
Location: Beautiful North Carolina

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by mos »

Best bases I have found are the Warne M864/864M 2-piece. They are trim, solid and don’t spoil the lines of the receiver. With a compact scope mounted, the 1894c I have them on looks like a well-proportioned miniature 336T... just as it ought to.

I find that the 1-piece solid bases change the aesthetic of the carbine too much for my taste, and I’ve tried to love two scout mounts but can’t because the balance is all off for me. Plus, the Warnes work great with pretty much any weaver or rail-mount / crossbar type of ring.

I would definitely steer you towards a compact scope, though, a full-size ruins the balance as well as the proportions. I ended up putting a Leupold M8 Compact 4x built in ‘83 on my scoped 1894, which itself was an ‘80. I like to keep it all consistent. Represents a slice of time and a place. Like, I wouldn’t put a NV unit built in 2016 on my ‘37 Borsigwalde K98, even if it did get captured by the Russians and shellacked. I just wouldn’t do it wrong like that. Respect.

Sorry... collecting-philosophy soapbox/tangent... best not discussed in public...


mos
WickedWillie
Levergunner
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2019 4:01 pm

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by WickedWillie »

Thank you all for your recommendations thus far. Have pretty much nixed the red dot idea, since I am in Florida and the sun can be very bright. Am considering Skinner and Ranger Point Precision for peep styled sight...don't know if I need a scope just yet. Time will tell. Friendly, polite group here that actually responds to the question...unusual on other boards I've frequented.
User avatar
2ndovc
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 9302
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:59 am
Location: OH, South Shore of Lake Erie

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by 2ndovc »

It's a pretty good bunch, but some of them can be pretty snotty if you don't agree with their point of view. Have fun with your '94!

jb 8)
jasonB " Another Dirty Yankee"


" Tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
User avatar
AJMD429
Posting leader...
Posts: 31933
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:03 am
Location: Hoosierland
Contact:

Re: Picatinny rails and optics for Marlin 1894?

Post by AJMD429 »

2ndovc wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:12 pmIt's a pretty good bunch, but some of them can be pretty snotty if you don't agree with their point of view.
Oh, shut up.....you are WRONG....!!!!!
:lol: :wink:
Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws
"first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.


Want REAL change? . . . . . "Boortz/Nugent in 2012 . . . ! "
Post Reply