Marlin 1895 .45/70

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AethelstanAegen

AethelstanAegen

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Hey gents,
I recently decided to not buy an AK model rifle and so I've freed up some gun budget money. So some of that is going to reloading equipment and I've been thinking about buying a .45/70 chambered rifle for a while so it seems like a good time to go for it. While a Winchester 1886 and a Springfield Trapdoor are on my wish list, they're not in the budget at the moment. I've been intrigued by the Marlin 1895.

I'm most interested in the "Guide Gun" (1895G) which has an 18.5" barrel, checkered straight stock and 4 shot magazine or the "GBL" (1895GBL) which also has an 18.5" barrel but a 6 shot magazine, "pistol grip" laminate stock, and large loop lever. They're pretty much the same price and I've heard great things about the guide gun but not alot is out there about the GBL (there seems to be more interest in the stainless stell GBL version). The guide gun has a nicer look to it with the straight checkered walnut stock but I've heard it's easier to work the lever on the GBL and there is an additional 2 rounds (though if you haven't killed whatever it is with 4 rds of .45/70 you're in trouble already). I liked the looks of the Marlin 1895 Cowboy alot as well but it seems like it might be a bit longer than I'm looking for and no one seems to have them in stock anyways.

Anways, long story short I'm trying to decide between the two (Guide Gun and GBL) but wondered if anyone had any experience with either. Any tips, observations or first hand experience would be much appreciated. Thanks!
 
Buster

I have the 1895G. I named him Buster, I carry it while hunting elk in the timber hellholes. I love it. When I hunt in the open, Buster is tied onto my
day-pack. Hardly know he is there.
 
Thanks for the link tazbigdog, I'd run into it earlier and have been poking around there as well, just thought I'd see what people here on THR think as well.

Oathkeeper1775, that sounds like the perfect name for your 1895G. Your response has been on par with what I've heard...everyone seems to love their 1895G.

Does anyone own an 1895GBL, any thoughts? I'm of course always willing to hear more about the 1895G as well to maybe push me over the fence on it.
Many thanks!
 
The cowboy model is very heavy, fine if you have a horse to lug it around.

I like the looks of the large lever model, though I'm not a fan of the laminate stock.
 
I have each style of stock.
I like the looks of the straight, but the pistol grip feels much better to my right wrist.

My 45-70 is their standard one with the 22" barrel.
I had it shortened to 18" and couldn't be happier.
A genuine pleasure to shoot.
 
I used an Marlin 1895 when I had my deer lease back in east Texas. I shot a 175 lb buck (good size for that area) and a feral pig about the same weight with it. Was using 405 grain solids. Both critters dropped like lightning hit them.

Recoil is less than a 20 gauge shotgun with target loads. I love the gun and would not be afraid to face anything in the lower 48 with it.
 
I had an 1895 .45-70. Good gun, just didn't have a lot of use for it. Handloads of 400 grain Speer's over Varget can give near .458 Win Mag performance and are Marlin legal.

Also had a straight stock Ruger Red Label 20 gauge. Straight stock looks great but aren't as comfortable or easy to shoot as a pistol grip IMO.

Recoil with factory level loads is quite acceptable.
 
I use my G for Elk hunting and love it. I have a Weaver K4 scope on it and have found the 4x to be perfect for the rifle. My hunting loads push a 405gr hard cast lead bullet at about 2000 fps. You will feel it but it is not terrible. The GBL looks neat but in most areas 6 rounds is too many for hunting so I have taken little interest in it.

That being said though, if I had my choice I'd get the 1895 Cowboy and they have a few inches cut off the barrel to lighten the load while still giving me better velocity. That and I just love the octagon barrel. Though with a 9 shot mag I'd have to plug the tube to use it for hunting.
 
Love my GBL. Shoots like a dream from Trailboss powder puff loads all the way up to full house.

And, a guy doesn't HAVE to put all 6 rounds in if he doesn't want to ;)

--Duck911

cooper-marlin.jpg

cooper-marlin2.jpg
 
And, a guy doesn't HAVE to put all 6 rounds in if he doesn't want to
Click to expand...
Very true, but the DOW get touchy about such things and since I already had my G I didn't feel the need to get a GBL. However, they are really cool rifles and if I did not already have my G I'd be all over a GBL. Maybe I am just showing my laziness at having to plug the mag tube :D
 
I bought an original GG when they first came out. I just fell in love with the look and feel of this rifle. I still have it and it is one of my favorites. I shoot 350's @ about 2100 FPS and they have hammered all critters that they were fired at. I like the straight stock and have them on my other Marlins as well. I am not sure about the speed advantage of the PG over the SS, but I would check them both out and see which one feels best to you.

Either way, I think you will have a winner.
 
I had the Marlin 1895GBL and it is a spectacular rifle. I started reloading so it keeps the cost down
 
Thanks for the input everyone. I really appreciate the nice photo of your GBL duck911 (it's harder than you'd think to find a good picture). THe laminate stocks look very nice on yours and I'm glad to see it has checkering. Cute dog by the way!

I think I'm probably going to go with a GBL. I'm going to see if any local shops near me have an example of either first and see how it feels (but it's likely none of them will around here but I'll give it a whirl).

Where do you reloaders get your brass and bullets? This is the first time I've bought a new caliber gun after getting into reloading so I've been using the brass I'd saved from factory loads to this point and been buying bullets from midwayusa but wondered if there was a better source. I'd ideally like to find a nice lead 405gr to use. Many thanks!
 
For my hunting loads I use only Starline brass.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=941110085
Of course it is on backorder...

For bullets I use Mount Baldy bullets. They make a 405gr flat nose gas checked bullet that you can really drive hard.
http://www.mtbaldybullets.com/asp/products.asp
Go down to smokeless and look for the 45/405 FPGC bullet.

Now that is what I use for my hunting loads. For light loads you could use cheaper brass and bullets. I push my 405gr bullets near 2000fps for hunting so I use the best brass I can with a good hunting bullet. Heck of a thumper.

For reloading I highly recommend the Lee Factory Crimp Die. It puts a man size crimp on the 45-70 to keep the bullet from moving under recoil.
 
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Thanks for the tips, Gus. I've heard good things about Starline before and I'll look into the Mount Baldy bullets.
 
I have GBL, got frustrated and annoyed trying to find a stainless so I settled for the blued. Absolutely love it and would not trade it for the world. Accurate as can be expected (shoots better than I do) and with reloading it is affordable to shoot. Buy it and you will not be dissapointed.
 
I had a stainless Guide Gun which was a great rifle but I sold it to a friend because I have two other 1895s that I like even more. I find the straight grip to be fine on both of my '94s but I much prefer the pistol grip on the '95s. I'll be shooting the SBL today (Sunday) at the range. I'm working up a pig hunting load using a 405gr Oregon Trail hardcast bullet and H322. The 405gr JSP Remington bullets are very accurate too, but supposedly the jackets come off much over 1,600 fps and I'm around 1,500 fps faster than that. Here are my two, an XLR and SBL and these are staying with me until the end.

xlr_sbl.jpg
 
These later Marlin 95s are about the best looking rifles they've ever made. The photos posted in this thread are awesome. My 95 is from back in the early to mid 1970s and is rather plain by comparison. Still, this is a fine rifle suitable for anything in North America.

My favorite load is a Speer 400grn sp and enough 3031 to get 1800fps. This load has taken several deer. Just curious but what powder do some of you use to get near 2000fps.
PICT0487-2.jpg
Being a very early one mine came with a crescent butt plate which was murder on the shoulder with anything heavier that wimpy factory loads. I was forced to commit the sin of slicing off the curve and installing the shotgun pad.
 
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