Marlin 1895 45-70 good and bad

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Bartojc

Bartojc

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I have an opportunity to purchase a Marlin 1895. It is brand new in the box. Nothing wrong with it, no marks or anything. Never been shot. Sling studs are there, tapped for scope bases, your run of the mill Marlin lever gun.

What I'm wondering is what is the quality of a Marlin these days ? I assume it's a decent rifle, but is that wrong ? Can someone tell me the good and the bad. It is 45-70 obviously a big bore. Advantages, disadvantages ? I do reload so ammo cost isn't a huge concern.

I do not need another lever gun, but need is a harsh word. My experience with levers are with a Winchester 94 as well as a Henry that I own. The rifle is ~$600 list, and Gander just had them on sale for $525 after you send in the $50 rebate. I can get this one for substantially under that.

-Jeff
 
I'm by no means a big Marlin expert. But, I have 1st hand experience. I looked around at new Marlins and the fit and finish was gross. The couple I looked at had some sort of flat finish on the metal, not the deep blue you see on the older guns.

You're going to hear all sorts of horror stories in reply here about the QA of the new guns. I didn't even have to look for any of that stuff. I took one look at the metal finish and it was all I needed to know. It reminded me of my 870 Express shotgun.

I stuck with my 336 that's a very early production gun. It's so much nicer it's not even a contest. .45-70 is a great round. You reload so you're set. Find a good used gun instead.
 
Check local Walmarts, they have had 45/70 rifles on closeout for $299. Plus Marlin has a $50 rebate, gets it down to $250 for a new rifle
 
I just bought one of the Wal Mart Closeout rifles. I suspect that's the origin of yours. Mine looks pretty darned good. I haven't shot it yet. It's smoother than the pre Remington 1895 I had. Quality dropped off after the Remington acquisition but has rebounded by most accounts. If you go to the Marlin Owners Forum, you can read for days on end. My assessment is that substantial complaints have tapered way off in the past 2 years.
 
As long as you remember it's a lever gun,and load within it's safe limits,I would say it's a very good choice for your state.I'm assuming Michigan has the straight wall rule like Ohio.I live just right across the river from Meigs County Ohio,and the 45-70 is really popular over there..
 
Yes, the origin of this rifle is Wal-Mart. My friend bought 4 of them :)

MI has a straight wall cartridge rule similar to Ohio. My hunting is usually north of the center fire rifle line so I'm not familiar with the specifics. I was told 45-70 falls outside the rule and would not be allowed in Southern MI, but I have not checked. If I could not use it in Southern MI it would be a reason to pass IMHO.

I've always said my next lever action would be a 45 Colt which I already load for in pistol. The 45 Colt is legal in southern lower MI.

-Jeff
 
The new Marlins are good guns. When Marlin was acquired by Remington, QC went south. Fit/finish were absolutely horrible in some instances. As a result, accuracy suffered. Remington has since updated/upgraded their practice and the guns are about 98%. The 45-70 is a fantastic round and you'll love it.

Since you reload (as do I) you will save a ton of money on ammo. I recommend some new Starline brass, MBC 405gr, moly coated, #1 Buffalos. Loaded with 15gr of Unique, a kid who can handle the rifle can handle that cartridge's recoil. Step up to H4895 and you can load 60% off max for some more "uumph". And load near max for some shoulder pain exercises. 3031 is also a great powder for the 45-70. Actually there's a ton of great powders for that round. Those are just the 3 I use for mine. Accuracy is 1.5-2.5 MOA. However I have printed 3 round clover leafing before. But I believe the stars were just aligned that day.

If you can get one south of $550, I'd pull the trigger (if I didn't already have one).

If it's not legal in MI, might consider an 1894 in 44 mag. 10+1 with 180-300gr bullets is no slouch. The rifles are fairly light, accurate, and fast handling.
 
I got one of the early guide guns and the barrel is not clocked perfectly. Hard to see until you put a receiver sight on it but the peep is set far to the right of center.
A side from that it's been a fine rifle, only commenting because it seems like some believe that the pre REM guns were so much better. They were not perfect.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
Others have covered the quality situation. IMO it's spotty, but at that price I'd personally be willing to gamble. The jump up to an 1886 from any manufacturer puts you at well over twice that money.

The .45-70 is a good round for hunting within 150y and stopping bears. It can be good recreational fun too. It has the feature that it can be loaded WAY down or WAY up, depending on your needs. You need to respect the fact that you have a Marlin 336 action and not a 1886 or 1885 or #1 though - there are load recipes out there that will tear that gun apart. Also be aware that due to the low max pressure, .45-70 levers have few if any useful pressure signs. You might get sticky extraction. You might just get no signs and then a kaboom or at least a stretched action. You won't see flat primers etc. - the pressures are too low to flatten a primer that also works in a 62KPSI .30-06. Judge your pressure with a chrono - if you've reached the velocity of the max load, you're at max regardless of the charge weight.

The Hornady soft tipped FTX bullets give the .45-70 a bit of extra reach - I'd be OK with it as a 200y deer gun using the 325gr FTX. It's not a good elk/moose/big bear bullet though - expands too fast.

The 400/405gr A-Frame or Kodiak or Woodleigh are your bear and elk stompers. That gun will drive them at 2000 ft/s no problem. I think the A-frame needs shortened cases though - been a while.

If you need a true stopping solid, the 400gr Barnes Buster is good. You can even use a 405gr Punch Bullet if the thing you're stopping is grey and lives in Africa.

Remington 400gr tend to be your cheap jacketed option to duplicate hunting loads. They're good for deer too. Hard to find right now though.

There's lots of cast bullets that I would personally relegate to target and deer use. Lots of other people have different opinions, but if I need to stop a bear, I'm paying the extra $0.60 for a Barnes Buster. Not a place to economize IMO.
 
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There's lots of cast bullets that I would personally relegate to target and deer use. Lots of other people have different opinions, but if I need to stop a bear, I'm paying the extra $0.60 for a Barnes Buster. Not a place to economize IMO.
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I love cast bullets, so I want to disagree with this statement...but I can't. I might choose a different bullet (might not, I have no info on the matter) but I want something with some engineering behind it if I'm fighting Mr. Griz.
 
I've owned several Marlin 45-70's. My favorite version is the 1895CB with the 26" octagonal barrel. Beautiful rifle. I owned two of these, but in the end I stopped shooting them because they were way more rifle than I needed or could take advantage of.

I preferred to shoot 500gr hardcast bullets with a broad meplat. The Marlin ballard rifling worked good with these, but the microgroove rifled Marlins I've owned didn't do well with cast bullets. Maybe just how I loaded, but from my perspective there are too many lands/grooves, and the rifling is too shallow in the microgroove barrels to be great cast-bullet shooters. I'd love to be shown otherwise, though, because the microgroove barrels produced some the the best accuracy out of a levergun that I'd ever seen.

Totally devastating on deer and bear in Vermont, but not much good for longer-range hunting around corn-fields and large pastures where 300 yard or greater shots are possible with a flatter shooting cartridge. Longest shot I ever took at a deer was 275 yards. I was using a Remington 405gr factory load, and I gave it a 36" hold-over to account for the soft-ball trajectory of the load. Took the 220lb deer thru the lower shoulder, and drove it to the ground like a pile-driver. The deer didn't move after the hit. DRT. Same results, but at closer ranges, with black bear in Vermont.

I wouldn't have taken the shot if I had not been practicing shots at these ranges for quite some time prior to the hunt. Great out to 100 yards under most circumstances, and out to 225 yards if you really know the gun and the load.

I say buy the Marlin. They sell well online if you don't like it, but everyone should own at least one Marlin 45-70 during their life. Totally different shooting mentality compared to the high-velocity spire-point mentality. Not better, or worse, but very different.
 
Buy it, esp as a reloader you will have fun. Like others said there are tons of loads that you can load to shoot anything from a rabbit to a buffalo. Keep a stout load of 3031 with a 405 grain slug on hand for days you really need to feel what a 45-70's.

Not sure if they changed but my marlin gg shot high so a call tommarlin and they sent me out a different blade and now works fine. I have the part number around somewhere if you happen to need it.
 
curtste said:
I'm by no means a big Marlin expert. But, I have 1st hand experience. I looked around at new Marlins and the fit and finish was gross. The couple I looked at had some sort of flat finish on the metal, not the deep blue you see on the older guns.
Click to expand...

They put a matte finish (bead-blasted?) on some guns, for example, the 336W. Others are still blued.
 
I like mine. The fit is not perfect, the lever isn't all that I would love it to be. But it is my .45-70 and whenever I feel rich it gets shot.

I bought it for a trip to WY as a griz defense weapon. I was hopeful...

Greg
 
I got one of the early Remlin made that was very bad in 2011. I have kept a close eye on the 1895s ever since. The ones I have seen over the last two years (might even be three years but it blurs) have had good solid quality and I would not hesitate to buy one today.

I got my Marlin fixed in 2012 by Grizzly Custom (out of pocket cost 300-500 to fix and another 300 to customize). Then about -8 months ago I had Wil West Guns chop the barrel to 16.5". I had LOP shortened to 12.75". It's the stainless GBL model and I'm happy with it now. At the time of the factory problems, Remington did not have the in house ability to fix it. I opted to pay out of pocket to get it fixed. I tried several times to get Rem to reimburse me for this necessary work and escalated all the way to the CEO but they wouldn't pay for it. Would have been nice if they did given they shouldn't have let it leave the factory. I am sure I could have got a refund but I wanted one and was impatient to wait so extra expense is on me. Such is life.
 
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In my experience, marlin makes a fine lever gun. I have heard that the quality is not what it once was, but I can't speak to that. The question I have for you is why a 45-70? A huge bullet with matching recoil, for what? I think for big game in the US, a 30-06 is more than sufficient, given the range of bullet weights, variety of factory ammo, reloading data, etc. a modern round like that available in any wal mart would make more sense.
 
All good points by everyone. I think the deciding factor for me is that I would not be able to use it to hunt in the limited firearm zone here in MI. I have enough rifles for northern MI, and that is where I currently hunt. The price is really good, but i really do not need a safe queen. Id rather save my cash for a nice lever in 44 mag or 45 Colt that can be used to hunt locally.

Jeff


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
In spite of my previous post, and as much as I like 45-70, I prefer an 1894 Marlin in 45colt or 44mag, or better yet - a Winchester M92 in one of those cartridges.

I have yet to try a true Winchester, but I like the Rossi M92 more than the Marlin 1894 or 1895. Just a much handier little rifle, and plenty of gun within 100 yards when loaded with appropriate ammo.

Having owned Rossi 92's in 357mag, 44mag, and 45colt, the only one I still have is the 45colt. A stainless 20" model. Butter smooth action, feeds any style bullet (as long as the overall cartridge length is correct) and more accurate than I am within 75 yo 100 yards. Since I ordinarily only used the 45-70 for short-range shots, I ended up going to the 45colt Rossi instead since it weighs a lot less, is nicer to carry by the receiver, and I use about one third less powder per reload but still launch a 300gr bullet fast enough to punch a 45cal hole thru anything within the suitable range of the little rifle.

I'd love to try a Rossi 92 in 454 casull. It the 92 will stand up to the 454 loads on a reasonably consistent basis, I think this little rifle would be superior to the 45-70 since it could match 45-70 factory loads up to 400gr, but come in the handy little 92 package.

Still love the 45-70, but use it rarely.
 
I bought a new 1895 last November. It is new manufacture, and seems to not have any of the issues Marlins had when Remington first purchased Marlin. They would seem to have gotten their machining centers and assembly cells dialed in. Mine has good wood to metal fit, no buggered up screw heads, the sights are on straight and it has cycled smoothly since I tried it in the store (yup, this is not a statistical measure, just an anecdotal instance).

This past weekend I shot it for the second time with a new scope (have around 60 rds. through it with irons). Shot at 100 yds. and it can do 1.5" four shot groups. It shot last week a 3/4" four shot group last week at 50 yds., both with a Vortex 2-8x32 Diamondback HP scope. It now has just over 100 rounds through it.

My only niggle is the trigger pull is pretty heavy (pretty clean break though). That can be found on all manner of firearms though. Nothing unique to a Marlin. Might be a WW Happy Trigger kit in my future.

Mine is used as a range toy to shoot paper and steel out to 200 yards. As a range gun, I reload for it putting together powderpuff loads of 15.0 gr. of HS-6 under a MBC 300 gr. RNFP. Around 1,100 fps. Can shoot all day. Super happy with the purchase!
 
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The one I looked at had a crack in the butt stock where it meets receiver the sling studs were installed at an angle, The action acted like there was gravel in it, And they wanted 800.00+ for it, I let the guy know that gun shouldn't even be on the rack, Let alone hand it to a customer, I couldn't believe it !!
I would look for an old one before buying a new one,
 
I bought a new 45/70 guide gun 2 years ago, an older JM 45/70 guide gun last year, and a new 45/70 rifle a couple weeks ago. There is no appreciable difference in fit and finish on any of them, the action is a bit smoother on the older one but I attribute that to having been used more. I'm sure there are bad ones out there but I'm also sure it's not every other one like the internet might lead a person to believe. Most places have more than one in stock, look at a couple before you decide.
 
QUOTE: "...The question I have for you is why a 45-70? A huge bullet with matching recoil, for what? I think for big game in the US, a 30-06 is more than sufficient, given the range of bullet weights, variety of factory ammo, reloading data, etc. a modern round like that available in any wal mart would make more sense..."

This may come as a surprise to you but many of us don't always buy a new firearm with "more sense" in mind. In this case, the 45-70 is popular for some because many rifles are chambered in it that aren't in more "sensible" cartridges, like the 30-06. Too, the 45-70 is steeped in tradition that some of us appreciate. And, in many states (or regions of some states) you must use a straight-walled case to legally hunt deer; bottle-necked cases like the 30-06 don't qualify.

45-70 ammunition is not difficult to find, is relatively inexpensive, is easy to reload, is a sure-fire killer at ranges up to 150 yards or so where most whitetails in my neck of the woods are spotted (especially when using Hornady's "LeverEvolution" bullets),and, imo, does not recoil excessively (a 30-06 rifle weighing 8 pounds, firing 180 grain bullets has a 20.3 "recoil energy" and a 12.8 "recoil velocity". A rifle chambered in 45-70, weighing 7.5 pounds and firing 405 grain bullets has a 18.7 recoil energy and a 12.7 recoil velocity).

The 45-70 has remained popular with hunters for well over a century for some very good reasons. Heck, it might even make good sense to use it to hunt with! ;)
 
FL-NC said:
In my experience, marlin makes a fine lever gun. I have heard that the quality is not what it once was, but I can't speak to that. The question I have for you is why a 45-70? A huge bullet with matching recoil, for what? I think for big game in the US, a 30-06 is more than sufficient, given the range of bullet weights, variety of factory ammo, reloading data, etc. a modern round like that available in any wal mart would make more sense.
Click to expand...
I grew up in W.V. I have seen whitetail shot with everything from .222 to 340 Weatherby I have never seen any gun better at 1 shot dropped in their tracks deer than a 45-70 with 300 gr HP at 1600-1900 F.P.S. I have killed deer @ 225 yards with one I prefer my old Handi rifle to a lever gun but with the right bullets it will take anything in North America
Roy
 
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