redsox3624

my best friend just bought a used 30-30 from a local gun shop. it is a 336C marlin with open sights. he is not sure if he wants to put a scope on it but he dosen't like the open sights. how much do peep sights cost. what is there effective range?

James B

The range of peep sights is dependent on ones ability. They can be used at very long range with enough practice. The cost of good peep sights will run around 75-100 dollars.

ButchA

Redsox,

I have a Marlin 30-30 (model 30AS - a cheaper version of the legendary 336) and went back to plain open sights. If you scope a 30-30, just keep it simple, like a small 1.75-4 X 32 scope or a fixed 4X scope. When I bought my 30AS from a buddy at work, he had mounted a huge Simmon 4-12 X 40 scope on it! It was okay and all, but I was like, "Huh?" Major overkill for scope!

I have since removed the scope and see-thru rings and sold off the scope on eBay. But if you are wondering what a massive scope looks like on a Marlin 30-30, look at how my rifle originally looked...

Butch A.

Nomercy

Another, cheaper option, would be to buy a dovetailed full buckhorn site designed for the Marlin. The swap can be done by basically anybody. A "long range folding buckhorn" site would cost you about the same as a good peep, but you get two sights, the buckhorn (a notch at the bottom with NEARLY a ghost ring around it) sight for out to 100yrds, then the flip up ladder sight which can have anything from a sliding peep sight to a simple V-notched slider.

A folding buckhorn long range site would would cost about the same, and in my opinion is much more accurate and easier to use than a fixed peep sight if you're keeping the factory front sight. If you buy one with a peep ladder, you get both a peep and the buckhorn, and don't have to pay the installation fee.

A good peep sight will likely cost ~$100, give or take a bit. Having it installed will also likely cost you $50 or so, unless your gunsmith is dirty, it might cost $100 just to get it installed. The range depends on your ability and the peep diameter. I personally HATE peep sights with front post sights or bead sights. If you're going to install a peep sight and want supreme accuracy and ease of use, install a globe front sight and use a circle insert. It's much easier to allign two circles concentrically than to try to allign a post or bead into the middle of a circle repeatedly with long range (small MOA) sights.

Hold up your hands, one close to you with an "OK sign" and the other farther away with one finger pointing up (like a peep with post), then switch to two "OK signs". It's a lot easier to allign the circles than fitting a square peg in a round hole.

Slamfire

There is an outfit, that makes a replacement for the verticle portion of ordinary open sights, that has a hole rather than a notch. This idea was used by the Marine Corps with the old '03 Springfield between the wars, and the Japanese on the Type 99 and Type 38s made in Manchuria. I have one of the latter and find that it is more conducive to accuracy than the peeps closer to the eye, but is much slower and requires nearly full daylight to use. This new sight part is being sold for Winchesters, Marlins and Rugers at around $35. Williams makes receiver sights that aren't as expensive as the Redfield or Lyman target models but are more difficult to adjust. They don't cost nearly as much as the $150 models.

Virginia7

For a scope I'd suggest you take a look at a Weaver 1-3x. It's not too pricey, going for
about $150 - 175 last time I looked. I had one on a Marlin 30-30 (before I traded the
rifle), and it worked great for a 30-30. (traded the rifle - kept the scope).

For a peep sight, take a look at the Williams Foolproof. Get the large "twilight" aparture,
and a white bead replacement front sight. Very fast & effective combo - had it on an
old Marlin 45-70. Very accurate also (2" groups @ 100yds.).

Here's some links that may help:

Scopes: http://www.riflescopes.com/store/default.asp

Peep: http://www.williamsgunsight.com/

Bonedoc

To the guy with the large scope on the 30-30....I'm more worried about the pink carpet in his house. . Seriously though...where do you put your face while shooting that thing. Seems like you could have only had an inch or two of eye relief. Good thing you took the scope off.

Briman

The last peep I bought was a Williams for a winchester 94, they also make them for marlins. They are very easy to install (they are made for each specific model of rifle to use existing screws or tapped holes in the receivers). It cost about $50 and worked well. Williams also has a fiber optic front sight also for another $30 or so which is also a very nice upgrade.

HarleyJohn

I have the Model 336A probably 30+ years old and the accuracy of this gun is unreal. I use Iron sight scope mounts for over under shooting with the original sights and the only problem I have with it is that if you snag a branch you will lose the little rear sight ramp so keep that in mind. Know your gun and your loads because the diffrence in 150 or 180 grain bullets is amazing. 150 is all I use and I am dead on out to 200 yds. I figure I have 15 deer and probably 20 coyotes never more than 1 shot to kill.

RustyOlRanger4x4

The gun on the bottom is my 336w and its topped with weaver see through scope mounts and a simmons 3x9x40 scope and ive never had a single problem with that set up