Red dot sights and Marlin .357

[Shootinshyster]

So last year, I bought a new Ruger made Marlin 1894 in .357 magnum. With 158 grain Hornady XTP bullets and a healthy charge of H110, I was getting close to 1800 fps.

But accuracy was horrible with the standard factory sights. The rifle was light and handy so I thought I would get with the times and buy my first red dot sight. I bought a Vortex Viper and I have to say that I like it a lot. Now I can hit things quickly and easily.

So encouraged by this I decided to get an Aimpoint H2. This sight arrived today and the quality is amazing. I should have spent the extra money and bought an Aimpoint instead of the Viper.

So while a Vortex Viper is a good red dot, spend the extra money and get an Aimpoint.

Comparing a Vortex Viper to an Aimpoint is like comparing South Africa's ice hockey team to Team Canada

 

[Scipio]

How exactly do you find that They differ so significantly, if I may ask?
Is the Field of view/size of tube for example, or Maybe it is the clarity of the dot or perhaps it is a less color taint to the glass ?

 

[Shootinshyster]

How exactly do you find that They differ so significantly, if I may ask?
Is the Field of view/size of tube for example, or Maybe it is the clarity of the dot or perhaps it is a less color taint to the glass ?

The Aimpoint exhibits extreme build quality. Don't get me wrong the Vortex is a decent red dot. But the Aimpoint is something that will last forever. Let me go get the Marlin to post a picture

 

[Shootinshyster]

Here's the Marlin

 

[Shootinshyster]

 

[Smellydog]

I remember when Marlin used to polish their receivers instead of just finishing with a grinder...

 

[Scipio]

I remember when Marlin used to polish their receivers instead of just finishing with a grinder...

Hey @Smellydog

Hm, i thought Ruger taking over had bettered the build quality the Marlins, or maybe that was in relation to the owners immediately preceding them, and not the marlin owners of old either?

But anywhoots, i can only applaud more of you lads shooting lever actions, and using iron sights or red dots. And besides "simply" upping your stalking and shooting levels, i reckon it is quite good fun to, isnt it?

 

[Smellydog]

Hey @Smellydog

Hm, i thought Ruger taking over had bettered the build quality the Marlins, or maybe that was in relation to the owners immediately preceding them, and not the marlin owners of old either?

But anywhoots, i can only applaud more of you lads shooting lever actions, and using iron sights or red dots. And besides "simply" upping your stalking and shooting levels, i reckon it is quite good fun to, isnt it?

Tremendous fun, lobbing 357 or other pistol rounds from a lever gun over 400 or 600yds is great fun and surprises many!
This young fella was with a 3030 and backwards bullet with just 16gn of 2400.

 

[Scipio]

Tremendous fun, lobbing 357 or other pistol rounds from a lever gun over 400 or 600yds is great fun and surprises many!
This young fella was with a 3030 and backwards bullet with just 16gn of 2400.

Very nice, and good to see him learning practical field shooting positions too!

Ps. How i'd like to be able to go out in a field and shoot like that. You're lucky in this regard

 

[Shootinshyster]

I remember when Marlin used to polish their receivers instead of just finishing with a grinder...

It looks better in real life. But at least it works reliably. I also bought the gun online and not in person.

 

[Scipio]

It looks better in real life. But at least it works reliably. I also bought the gun online and not in person.

I think it looks fine, not all guns need to look super polished look to look good imo, but each to their own, of course.

ps. in the pictures, is it mounted with the vortex then?

 

[Shootinshyster]

I think it looks fine, not all guns need to look super polished look to look good imo, but each to their own, of course.

ps. in the pictures, is it mounted with the vortex then?

Yes, the picture shows the Vortex

 

[Scipio]

Yes, the picture shows the Vortex

Yes i thought so Well, good hunting and shooting, i bet it is going to be fun!

 

[MarinePMI]

So last year, I bought a new Ruger made Marlin 1894 in .357 magnum. With 158 grain Hornady XTP bullets and a healthy charge of H110, I was getting close to 1800 fps.

But accuracy was horrible with the standard factory sights. The rifle was light and handy so I thought I would get with the times and buy my first red dot sight. I bought a Vortex Viper and I have to say that I like it a lot. Now I can hit things quickly and easily.

So encouraged by this I decided to get an Aimpoint H2. This sight arrived today and the quality is amazing. I should have spent the extra money and bought an Aimpoint instead of the Viper.

So while a Vortex Viper is a good red dot, spend the extra money and get an Aimpoint.

Comparing a Vortex Viper to an Aimpoint is like comparing South Africa's ice hockey team to Team Canada

<chuckle> Now compare an Aimpoint H2 to a Trijicon SRO.

Different animals I suppose (enclosed vs open emitter), but I like the SRO's wide field of view, especially on a pistol or pistol caliber carbine (I run one on a CZ Scorpion with a riser).

TBH, I also run an Aimpoint PRO and ACO on other carbines, and they get the job done as well.

As we age, red dots really help a lot with the normal myopia we all experience.

 

[coldboremiracle]

I have that same rifle, love it.

 

[Scipio]

<chuckle> Now compare an Aimpoint H2 to a Trijicon SRO.

Different animals I suppose (enclosed vs open emitter), but I like the SRO's wide field of view, especially on a pistol or pistol caliber carbine (I run one on a CZ Scorpion with a riser).

TBH, I also run an Aimpoint PRO and ACO on other carbines, and they get the job done as well.

As we age, red dots really help a lot with the normal myopia we all experience.

Hello MarinePMI , yep, red dots for hunting might indeed have a quite good niche, and besides their optical qualities they also allows rifles which were originally designed to be handled and shot with iron sights , such as the lever actions in this thread, but also for example some of the cool older Mausers, Mamlicher Schoenauers ,Old winchester model 70ies, to be shot in much thay manner again

I've recently bought but not yet recieved a holosun aro gold dot, (instead of red) and i am quite curious as to how that works on the eye vs green or red

 

[Bowland blades]

So last year, I bought a new Ruger made Marlin 1894 in .357 magnum. With 158 grain Hornady XTP bullets and a healthy charge of H110, I was getting close to 1800 fps.

But accuracy was horrible with the standard factory sights. The rifle was light and handy so I thought I would get with the times and buy my first red dot sight. I bought a Vortex Viper and I have to say that I like it a lot. Now I can hit things quickly and easily.

So encouraged by this I decided to get an Aimpoint H2. This sight arrived today and the quality is amazing. I should have spent the extra money and bought an Aimpoint instead of the Viper.

So while a Vortex Viper is a good red dot, spend the extra money and get an Aimpoint.

Comparing a Vortex Viper to an Aimpoint is like comparing South Africa's ice hockey team to Team Canada

is this just a fun / target gun ?

 

[Harry mac]

Was it down to an eyesight issue that the shooting improved with the red-dot?
They're not exactly famous for their precision.

 

[Shootinshyster]

Was it down to an eyesight issue that the shooting improved with the red-dot?
They're not exactly famous for their precision.

The iron sights on the rifle are terrible. And you have to keep in mind that the gun itself is a short range piece that fires a revolver cartridge. So with a red dot sight it is much more accurate than with the standard iron sights.

To put it another way, the Marlin 1894 is not a precision rifle

 

[Smellydog]

The iron sights on the rifle are terrible. And you have to keep in mind that the gun itself is a short range piece that fires a revolver cartridge. So with a red dot sight it is much more accurate than with the standard iron sights.

To put it another way, the Marlin 1894 is not a precision rifle

Thats why I had the Winchester 94 legacy. I'd shoot at varmints hundreds of yards away with that.