Can You Put a Scope on a Lever Action Rifle: Is It Possible?

Everything is a debate—pineapples on pizza, round or flat earth, and scopes mounted on lever action rifles.

Let’s discuss that last one today! Can you put a scope on a lever action rifle?

I was curious about that one myself, so I decided to try it out (but first doing my own research, of course!)

I’ll explain my results in this article and hope to achieve a little world peace by the end of this article!

So, Can You Mount Scopes on Lever Action Rifles?

It’s a matter of personal preference.

Mounting a scope on a lever action rifle is possible and isn’t exactly a crime, but there are implications, especially concerning traditional lever actions.

The original design of traditional lever action rifles doesn’t require optic scopes to be mounted.

But with its rise, some people have been doing it, while some are shaking their heads.

What Is a Lever Action Rifle?

Lever actions are repeating firearms you can easily differentiate, thanks to the metal lever behind the trigger.

You manually pull the lever down and forward to open fire. This action ejects the cartridge and loads another.

What Is a Lever-Action Rifle Good For?

There’s a reason why traditional lever guns remain a classic despite the newer bolt-action rifles.

Think about it, why do cowboys use them?

Lever action rifles have an excellent knock-down power great for hunting, especially deer, hogs, and smaller bears!

Because it’s a repeating firearm, the loading and follow-up shots are fast.

In my experience, they’re light and not a hassle to carry. Plus, the target is easy to control!

Are Lever-Action Rifles Good for Long-Range?

Unfortunately, no.

Traditional lever action rifles are NOT for long-range shooting. It has a capacity for 100-120 yards only.

You can increase the power to 125 yards with good ammunition and optics. Yes, optics as in rifle scopes!

However, even my best hunting rifle scopes can only increase the power up to 125 yards at best. It may also depend on the magnification of the scope.

What Sights Can I Mount on a Lever Action Rifle?

The most common sights used for lever guns are traditional, scout scope, reflex, and red dot sights.

They don’t have magnification but serve as a guide for better aim when mounted.

Reflex Sight

Reflex sights use reflective glasses; without going into all the technicalities, it uses the basic science of reflection.

The shooter looks into the mounted reflector sight (a transparent lens) while he aims, and the light bounces back from the reticle.

They’re also called open sights, are not compatible with filters, and don’t need housing.

In my experience, reflex sights really helped with FAST target acquisition! Plus, I can shoot with both eyes open.

Red Dot Sight

Red dot sights are essentially tube sights.

As the name suggests, they look like telescopic tubes mounted on top of rifles, and you can use them with different filters.

Red dot sights align the target and reticle in one optical plane for a better target. It’s typically used for closer ranges.

I recommend red dots for better accuracy and brighter reticles. 

Scout Scope

A scout scope is mounted forward on the barrel. It has low magnification, and the lightweight characteristic makes it handy for traveling.

Additionally, a scout scope helps with fast recoil, a primary characteristic of traditional lever guns. I like it for good eye relief!

People mount a scout scope because of its good distance from the hammer.

Other scope types interfere with the parts, which is why some people don’t prefer mounting one.

A scout scope is not as bulky as traditional ones, but it’s more on the larger eyepiece that I find to be more disturbing.

Traditional Riflescope

Traditional hunting rifle scopes are the standard ones you usually see mounted on most bolt action rifles. Their large objective lenses make them useful in low-light situations.

Although technically compatible, I advise you to be CAREFUL in mounting the scope.

It should be mounted HIGHER to avoid contact between the objective bell and barrel.

Lever Gun Scope Recommendations