This style of shooting is a part of America’s history, and still popular among today’s hunter. If you have a Marlin .45-70; then you’re going to want the best scope for the Marlin .45-70. That’s exactly what I’m bringing you; my picks on the best scope for the Marlin .45-70 guide gun.
It’s important to know what it is you need for a scope to be considered “good”. Also, it’s important to understand the type of shooting your doing with a 45-70 guide gun. I’ll give you this nice informational list you can use to help you find exactly what it is you need.
Best Marlin .45-70 gun guide scopes
nd some great contenders that could all be considered the best depending, on what you’re looking for.
I encourage you to take a look at the scopes I’ve picked out and do a little research on your own. A lot of preference also goes into choosing the “best” scope. Which is why no matter how much research I do and information I give you; ultimately you need to understand what you need. With that in mind let’s find out which is the best Marlin .45-70 guide gun scope.
Leupold VX-Freedom 1.5-4x20mm Riflescope
Leupold is a brand synonymous with outstanding performance in this industry, and the VX-Freedom is no exception to it. Crafted with aircraft quality aluminum and a sleek matte finish. The VX-Freedom find it’s way on our list as a “best” scope for the Marlin .45-70 guide gun.
This guy is lightweight and provides that clear and crisp image Leupold has come to be loved for. Tested to ensure it performs to their high standards, and it passed with flying colors. It’s highly durable, precise, and rated for all weather and terrain.
It also comes with a Duplex reticle and no inside hash marks. Giving you a field of vision completely free from unnecessary blockage. With ¼ click MOA adjustments and a Twilight light management system for low light visibility. That is also used to manage glare on bright days as well.
Also thanks to its rugged design it can hold a zero after firing hundreds of rounds. While providing the eye relief needed to do shooting with a rifle of this power. It’s an all-around fantastic scope for anyone looking to upgrade or try something newer. This scope fits into the saying that “It’s to be expected from a Leupold.”, and I hope I was able to explain why.
Pros
- Lightweight and compact
- Twilight light management system for glare
Cons
- Windage and elevation turrets aren’t marked
Primary Arms 1-6X24mm SFP Riflescope
- EXPORT CONTROLLED ITEMS: These items are controlled for export and may require an export license from the U.S. Government....
- Variable 1-6x magnification second focal plane scope features the ACSS Standard reticle for 5.56 .45.308
- ACSS reticle combines BDC, wind holds, moving target leads, and range estimation in an easy to use system
- Partial red illumination with 11 brightness settings powered by a common CR2032 battery
- IP67 waterproof and fog resistant with a 6063-aluminum scope body and matte black anodized finish
This beauty right here comes with a 1-6x magnification, low light capabilities, and a lifetime warranty. That’s not all though, it has scratch resistant optics, a CR2032 battery for red light illumination, and a knob to adjust the level of brightness.
Using the Advanced Combined Sighting System reticle this scope is very fast from 0-300 yards and very accurate from 300-800. It does this by using a second focal plane to keep the reticle the same size and in the same position regardless of the level of magnifications. While sporting many more upgrades from its predecessor.
For instance, it is 10.04in. long and 16.9 oz in weight, which is about 18mm shorter and 1.9 oz less than the Gen II. With more than 10 addition internal MOA adjustments added to give you that perfect zero. And a chevron center aim point rather than the traditional dot.
Don’t forget that it sports a partially red reticle illuminated by that battery, which also comes with a spare. It can take you all the way to daylight bright with its 11 different settings. All while having a multicoated glass for maximum light transmission.
Pros
- ACSS reticle
- Illumination system
- Spare battery included
Cons
- Eye relief is a bit lacking and unforgiving when magnified in
Vortex Optics Strike Eagle Second Focal Plane Riflescopes
- The Strike Eagle 1-6x24 is defined by speed and versatility. Adjust to six power when you need to engage targets at a...
- High quality, fully multi-coated lenses deliver a clear, crisp sight picture and optimal low light performance
- The illuminated, glass-etched BDC reticle features 11 illumination settings to accomodate for changing light conditions. An...
- The fast focus dial on the eyepiece ensures that your reticle is always sharp
- Waterproof, shockproof, and fogproof ensures reliability in all weather conditions
Vortex prides itself on the speed and accuracy in which this scope can be used. Its glass-etched BDC reticle allows for both of those things. As well as being illuminated for low light conditions.
It is a fantastic mid ranged scope that has been known to perform way above what it was paid for. With 1-6x adjustable power range and a second focal plane reticle, but includes hash marks on the inside. However, they are only truly accurate at the 6x power level.
Rigid and crafted from high-quality aluminum, fog proof, waterproof, and shockproof. All thanks to its solid construction and the fact its nitrogen purged and sealed. With a hard-anodized finish to cut down on glare that could potentially alert game to your presence.
The warranty, however, is absolutely fantastic. If you buy this scope from anywhere and break it. It will be replaced or repaired under this warranty. Vortex genuinely stands behind their product and is willing to prove it with each scope they sell. If you are worried about whether or not craftsmanship is going to be an issue; the warranty will take that worry away from you.
Pros
- VIP Warranty
- 1-6x Adjustable power with quick throw level capabilities
Cons
- 24mm objective lens
- No auto off feature for the illumination system
CenterPoint 1-4×20 MSR Rifle Scope
Don’t be fooled by the cost of this scope. The performance of it will surprise you and its inexpensive enough for you to call me out on that. This scope is perfect for your back up rifle, or if you are just beginning to find your way into the world of .45-70 shooting.
It is made from a single 1’ diameter tube that keeps everything held together and enclosed safely. Including the Quick-aim reticle which allows for fast acquisition while moving or following a target that is. And at a budget price making it easy to see why it made this list.
This scope also comes with an illumination system and batteries to use it. Making the reticle even easier to find and this scope better to use in the darker transitioning hours of the day. Offering either a red or green reticle illumination.
Don’t forget that this scope comes with a mounting system. The only scope on this list that does. Which saves you the extra step and cash of having to go out and buy one for yourself. While also including some lens covers to keep everything from getting scratched.
Pros
- Includes mounting system
- Fantastic price
Cons
- Windage/Elevation knobs are hard to turn
- Eye box at 1x is difficult to focus and fishbowls slightly
Nikon ProStaff 2-7 x 32 Riflescope
- Compact riflescope with 2 to 7x magnification and 32mm objective lens
- Fully multicoated optical system transmits up to 98 percent of available light
- Zero-reset turret with spring-loaded adjustment knob; 3.8 inches of eye relief
- Nitrogen-filled, O-ring-sealed housing for waterproof, fogproof performance
- Nikoplex reticle; quick-focus eyepiece; measures 11.5 inches
Offering 2-7x magnification and a 32mm lens this scope already sets itself apart from others on our list. Allowing it to view farther and still give a nice field of vision for us. Both of which are important in a good scope.
The lens is multicoated and able to transmit up to 98% of available light. Making this scope great in those dusk hours while you’re trying to get the last bit of legal light. Giving a clear picture even in low light environments. However, not a total illumination system, so it isn’t weighed down by additional batteries.
It has 3.8 inches of much-needed eye relief. Which as I discussed earlier is very important when shooting .45-70. The last thing you want and I’m telling you from experience, is a scope that doesn’t give generous eye relief when shooting high powered rifles.
Its perfect because of its small size, but features a lot you would find in larger scopes. Such as the magnification and eye relief already mentioned, but also has a Nikoplex reticle that utilizes Nikon’s ballistic match technology to give you an actual picture perfect Aimpoint every time you look into it.
Pros
- Nikoplex reticle
- Eye relief
Cons
- Factory defects regarding scopes outer body have been reported, but nothing significant.
First: What makes a scope “good”?
This is where we’re going to talk about things like reticle clarity, eye relief, field of vision, and glass clarity. The picture the scope provides to you is the most valuable part of it. If you can’t see you can’t shoot. Including, low light capabilities which we will discuss later.
Reticle clarity is referring to how easily and quickly the reticle can be identified when moving from an unsighted to a sighted position. This is your ability to move from having both eyes down range to having a solid bead on the target. In a scope, you’re going to want a reticle that’s clearly identifiable and easy to see.
The eye relief your scope provides depends on where it is mounted on the weapon, and how much the scope allows for. This is the distance you hold your eye from the scope to be able to get a full picture. Now, .45-70 is not a low powered rifle, so the best scope for the Marlin .45-70 guide gun is going to be generous with the eye relief.
Field of vision and glass clarity are easy to understand just by name. How much can you see and how well can you see it? Especially so when magnification is involved and you’re shooting at distance. Don’t overlook these small things that could end up biting you later. The quality of glass is going to be an indication of how clear it is. It’s important to have a high-quality glass that won’t reflect sunlight into our eyes, and blind us.
Second: What type of shooting are you doing?
This is the most important thing to understand when shooting. The .45-70 isn’t meant for shooting foul or really anything smaller than a buck in my opinion. However, that just means it is not a low powered rifle. So it requires a scope that can take the power of it repeatedly while keeping your shots accurate.
Most .45-70 shooting happens at around the 150 – 200-yard range. We don’t need anything with high magnification because we aren’t shooting that far. Also, it’s a general rule of thumb that more magnification equals less eye relief.
If you plan on hunting in the dark or harsh weathers you will want a scope for that as well. The scope has to fit the environment; things like whether or not your scope is Nitrogen purged and sealed, or if its waterproof with low light capabilities. All of this matters when picking a scope.
What if you bang into something while it’s hanging on your back? Is your scope going to be able to take damage and not need to be sighted in again before using it? Thing’s like rigidity need to be taken into account as well. Stuff happens and you aren’t going to want to shell out some cash every time your rifle touches the ground.
With the high power, the rifle shoots at not only are it important its rigid enough not to be resighted just by a bump. It also needs to take the recoil of the rifle itself and maintain its zero. Repeated performance is a necessity when hunting, or when investing in anything.
Another thing to keep in mind is how you’re going to be mounting the scope to your weapon. So when purchasing keep in mind you will need a mount and rings. Most scopes don’t come with them. Just a heads up so you aren’t stuck with a scope you can’t use as soon as you get it.
Conclusion
If you are able to find a scope that is rugged, clear, and able to fit all the needs you have for it. Then that means I have done my job. However, I can only provide you with the information and my personal recommendations based on the facts.
You will have to understand what type of shooting your doing in order to find the best scope for a Marlin .45-70 guide gun. Once you have that, it should be as easy as going through this list and picking out which one best suits those needs. I hope you found this information useful and until next time my friends. Happy Hunting!
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