How do you sight in your lever guns?

[220yotekiller]

Hey guys, so I bought a Winchester 94 in 30-30 and a Winchester 95 in 30-06. Both guns are in good good shape and should shoot well. I know how to zero my scoped rifles but I have a question. Do you group it at 50 yards and then if it is grouping well you move it out to 100 yards or do you try to group it at 100 yards.
I am planning on zeroing these guns at 175 to 200 yards so that I can hunt the timber for whitetail deer and baited black bear.
I seen the local sporting goods store had some Hornady American Whitetail ammo for sale in 30-06. Any body have any experience with this ammo as far as accuracy?

 

[grizzly63]

all mine are scoped. Eyes are not as young as they used to be. I would think 50, then 100 then try farther. Shooting with open sights to 200 is no easy feat. Only thing I have learned for sure is that the forearms put pressure on the barrel and if you put your hand between it and whatever you are shooting off of, you will get better results. My experience is with Marlins, yours may vary.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

depends on how good you are with iron sights. Typically with shooters who are relatively unfamiliar with those, I would start them at 50 yards until they can group consistently, then move back to 100. 200 yards is a very long shot for irons for many folks. I’ll be curious to see what sort of accuracy you can get at 100 and 200 yards with those guns.

 

[jejack26]

I "sight" my lever guns at 50 then get a feel how they shoot to 150. My goal hunting with those guns is 100 and less. Honady whitetail ammo has shot well out of my daughter's gun, that's all can say about that

 

[GlockZ]

I sighted my Marlin in at 100yds., and have shot it out to 150, use a scope on it now, as others have stated, the eyes aren't what they used to be. As for the Hornady Whitetail ammo, it has shot well and delivered good results for a couple of my friends, I've never personally used it, but that's because I handload all my hunting ammunition.

 

[D4570]

All mine are scoped.

 

[WestKyHunt]

Took the scope off my Marlin last year after buying a 7RemMag, but 98% of my shots are under 75 yards.
If I'm hunting a area that could require further distance, I bring the bolt action.

Lever guns just feel and look better without a scope, imo

 

[greaseywater]

Hornady white tail shoots well in my 270.

 

[noharleyyet]

I'm ok with the 30-30 336's blade out to around 80 yards...but 1x6 scoped the 45-70 for feral swine. Agree on the unscoped aesthetics...the 30mm Trijicon is a bit Jurassic...but it sure works.

https://flic.kr/p/2jZf9iX

 

[Shangobango]

I am still using my Model 94 with open sights, but without glasses or contacts those days are coming to an end.

I personally zero my .30/30 at 50 yards and keep shots to 150 yards or less. Has worked well for me.

 

[220yotekiller]

I sighted my Marlin in at 100yds., and have shot it out to 150, use a scope on it now, as others have stated, the eyes aren't what they used to be. As for the Hornady Whitetail ammo, it has shot well and delivered good results for a couple of my friends, I've never personally used it, but that's because I handload all my hunting ammunition.

Haha I handload everything for my guns to I just don't have dies, bullets, or brass brass yet!

 

[winmag]

I am planning on zeroing these guns at 175 to 200 yards so that I can hunt the timber for whitetail deer and baited black bear.

My only questions are what timber allows you to see 200 yards and why are you hunting so far away from the bait.

 

[220yotekiller]

There are quite a few clear cuts and canyons that the deer like to hang out in but it is thick up to there. I wouldn't be that far from bait just giving my max range that I would be comfortable shooting with iron sights.

 

[Panda Bear]

For us it depends on the caliber, and the intended purpose

i.e. the 45/70 and 348 are at 100, the 250 Savage, 7mmwsm and 325wsm are at 200.

I dont think there is a one size fits all, ----- scope or open , caliber, bullet weight

 

[Michael Case]

Hey guys, so I bought a Winchester 94 in 30-30 and a Winchester 95 in 30-06. Both guns are in good good shape and should shoot well. I know how to zero my scoped rifles but I have a question. Do you group it at 50 yards and then if it is grouping well you move it out to 100 yards or do you try to group it at 100 yards.
I am planning on zeroing these guns at 175 to 200 yards so that I can hunt the timber for whitetail deer and baited black bear.
I seen the local sporting goods store had some Hornady American Whitetail ammo for sale in 30-06. Any body have any experience with this ammo as far as accuracy?

Sight mine for 150 yards scoped, but I use 1" high open mounts and "Fire sights" for my open sight, so I can cover close up set to 50 yards

 

[MarvB]

I’m baseball minus grouped at 50 with my 30-30, opening up to softball plus at 100. That’s my max acceptable range with old eyes unless you’re a coyote. Only other open sites I have is my muzzleloader, I’ll push it out to 150yds if suitable rest is present.

 

[JohnCushman]

There's a mystique abound lever actions and iron sights. I keep my 30-30 iron and shots under 100 yards. It's the rifle i bring to back up my back up for if it's foggy or rainy or a scope wouldn't be useful.

 

[BrentD]

Most of the time, I keep the tang sight for 200 or 180 and the barrel sights for 100. Sometimes I set it up a little differently. Works for me.

Of course, for a .22 rimfire, I do it quite a bit differently.

 

[tzone]

Dial the 30-30 in at 50 yds and you'll be good at any reasonable range you can shoot to with open sights, most likely.

Dial the 30-06 in at 50 yards and you'll be good to go to 250 without a hiccup.

 

[HSi-ESi]

It can depend a little on the rifle - I don't know if I'd do this with an older / historic piece. But when I found my .444 Marlin I wanted to keep it open sighted. I put a Williams peep-sight on it and can adjust elevation a bit. Front post was a little too low after I put the peep on it, so I got one of Williams 'Fire-sight' (I believe that is the name). They make it in a lot of different heights. I did a little calculation based on my original front blade and ordered one accordingly. It'll group around 1.5 at 100 with factory Hornady lever-loution ammo.

In general, if it's got a dove-tail on the front sight - then you can tap it left / right as needed for windage and the elevation is on the back sight.