my backup squirrel rifle is....

C

customaquatics

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im using a savage 93R17GLV .17HMR with a weaver 44/40 3x9-40 cradled in leupold std mounts an i descided on a henry .22 lever as my backup. anyone know of a scope that these rifles love?
 
You can mount any scope you want on a Henry. Just get dovetail rings.

If my kids try to put a scope on any of my lever guns I will remove them from my will. Lever guns look terrible with a scope IMO. I suggest you leave it irons and practice with it. Taking tree rats without a scope is braggin rights. And a true test of marksmanship.
 
ok so i should see how it shoots with regular sights? an then if im not able to do it go with the scope i take it is what you guys are sayin.
 
At your age you shouldn't have difficulty using iron sights. I can still use them at my age even though the rear notch is fuzzy. Just "call your shot".
 
im good with the irons on my other rifles i didn't know if the use of a lower power scope as a 3-9x32 or something like that would be better for the woods or not as we would be huntin in low light in the mornings.
 
You should have no problem in morning or evening low light. Go outside this evening and draw a bead on something.
 
one of these work very well on the Henry's and they are inexpensive. this is used for 50 yds or less and does fine. wally world carries them for under $20.00......2x7x20. have finer glass on other rimfires for more critical use. here's a pic on a frontier model......

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optics selection for a 22 is not really as finicky as looking for a scope for a centerfire.

1. due to range limitations you do not need a higher power scope so a 1-4 power or 2-7 would easily serve you to the end of the predictable range of a 22.

2. unless you are going to be doing 200 yard target matches with it then you will not need a high quality scope. most 22s are not renowned for their accuracy and unless you are shooting federal automatch ammo there is going to be a 1-2 inch deviation any way just due to the high volume in which these rounds have to be manufactured to keep up with demand.

3. lever actions are not quite as accurate as similarly chambered bolt actions or semis. I don't know if this rule holds true for rimfire lever actions as well but I wouldn't plan on drilling any squirrels through the eyeball at 50 yards with it.

overall a good cheap walmart brand that I've had good experience with is barska. I had a fixed 4 power on a marlin model 60 and in my better years was able to drill empty 22 casings with it from 40 yards, prone of course, if I could do that standing off hand I would be applying to be on top shot. my brother in law also has a 6-24 power barska on his ruger 10/22(I know a bit overkill but man it looks neat :D) and it seems to handle being rattled around his truck fairly well, never looses zero.
 
On some of these trophy New Mexico Abert's squirrels, frequently the guide will hang back with a Mossberg Chuckster as a stopping rifle. That .22 mag will put them down! Usually permits a full cape.
 
That's along the same lines as I was thinking... just how tough ARE those squirrels, that you need a back-up gun... :confused:

Now, our west-Texas jackrabbits are another story...:D
 
I'm surprised no one has mentioned a red dot. An inexpensive one makes the 22 awfully fun. It's probably even more sacrilegious than a scope, but who cares? You get to focus on the target, works great on a dark background, and with no mag, there are still SOME bragging rights!

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Red dots suck for squirrel hunting, been there done that. Only possible worse choice is the stupid 3/4" tube el cheapos.

As for scope for the Henry, go over to ebay and find your self a good old Weaver. I prefer the straight, steal tube K2.5 or K3 El Paso made ones. Nice fine crosshairs, well built and look the part on a lever gun. Price should be $75 to $100 in good condition although some folks seem to think theirs is worth $150:confused: Leverguns benefit just as much from scopes as any gun but the vintage look of the old weavers helps greatly.
 
I have scopes on several of my lever actions and think they look just fine. My Marlin 39A is so friggin' accurate it is almost criminal not to have a scope on it. I cannot begin to get the grouping with open sites that I get with a scope. Plus a scope extends your hunting time and makes spotting a squirrel hidden by leaves and branches much easier.

That being said I would shoot the gun with open sights just for the fun of it. I have killed a couple hundred squirrels, most of them with open sights. I have killed them from as close as 6ft away to over 50 yards away.
 
Ok a scope on a lever gun may look a bit odd, but it is a hunting gun not a wall hanger. Go for the glass if it works for you.
 
I think they can look quite good on some guns.
Any 3-9 or 2-7 scope would work ok, just get a smaller sized one not some horrendous Tacticool monstrosity.
 
I had to put a scope on my 39a to exploit the accuracy potential. It's that good! But when I'm calling, I prefer the little "d" model with open sights, for close in rapid shooting. What a lucky boy I am. Two great Marlins, and plenty of squirrels!
 
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