Marlin 1895G...advice?

[lowerunit411]

I am going to "build" a Marlin 1895 guide gun. Dont need it, but want it, so here is my question, i have found a factory ported gun that is in unfired condition with paper work but missing the box. It is a blued gun. I had planed on starting with a stainless gun with walnut furniture and going from there but when this blued gun was made available i had second thoughts. i can buy this gun for 500.00, a new stainless will be at least 175.00 more. the blued gun is factory ported and the new stainless would not be ported. i am not a big fan of ported guns but was wondering if the fact that Marlin is no longer producing a ported 1895 it would be a more desirable gun in the long run due to scaricty? so what say you?

 

[KodiakBeer]

Personally, I like the porting, but most people don't. The noise (especially with the hot rounds the GG can use) is incredible. I carried mine for bears rather than as a hunting rifle, so I didn't worry about it. I only shot it once in the field to scare off a young bear and my ears rang for an hour.
They did away with the porting because of hunters complaints, so in this case, scarcity or not, I'd guess the unported would be more popular in a resale situation.

 

[jmr40]

In my experience the stainless alone is well worth the extra $175. Not getting the ported barrel is a bonus as well. Buy the stainless rifle.

 

[Dr T]

In re: Porting and resale: Non-ported is preferable Especially if you value your hearing...It is when your ears are ringing constantly that it really gets annoying.

 

[stiletto raggio]

I wear hearing protection whenever I shoot (to include hunting) outside emergency situations. I have a Guide Gun just like you describe and I think it is great. I put on a new recoil pad, XS scout mount, Williams Peep Sight and Weaver 2.5-8x32 pistol scope (mounted way forward). The gun handles well and doesn't kick too bad at all. I have ener fired this gun without ear pro and doubt I ever will, but the porting definitely works.

I say go for it.

 

[Captain]

stiletto,

What height rings did you use? I have an XS rail on mine and have a scope for it. I was wondering what would be the best height for it.

Thanks!

 

[stiletto raggio]

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=320006

These. They work great for the 32mm pistol scopes.

 

[lowerunit411]

Thanks everyone.... stainless it is!! I appretiate your input. ill post some pics when i finally get it done, a few paydays from now!

 

[Badlander]

Look here!!
http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=523100

 

[lowerunit411]

Thanks Badlander!!

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Mine is an older ported one and I wouldn't trade it for a non-ported one. I shoot it for fun wearing ear protection. I deer hunt with it and no ear protection then.

During hunting situations, I perceive it to be no louder than my .300 Win mag or my .35 Whelen. Of course I usually shoot one time then field dress the deer and go home.

If I didn't have one I would buy another one today...ported or non-ported would make no difference.

I replaced the pictured 2-7X Leupold and Warne rings with a Weaver 1-3X and lower standard Weaver rings. I like the gun even better now. I shoot hand loaded 405's in it.

 

[JustsayMo]

About as perfect a hunting rifle as I can imagine. I used an 1895GS on several Elk and Bear hunts. Awesome performance and great to pack around all day. Would have kept it forever but I found an 1895 LTD III

All the handiness of the Guide Gun with the great looks of the Cowboy.

 

[JNewell]

I agree with KB and C&L, but stainless will resell faster/higher. BTW, back when it was in print, there were some articles in The Accurate Rifle on hot loads for the 1895 Marlins that made a point of mentioning that the stainless rifles should not be loaded as hot as the carbon steel rifles due to metallurgical differences.

 

[KodiakBeer]

During hunting situations, I perceive it to be no louder than my .300 Win mag or my .35 Whelen. Of course I usually shoot one time then field dress the deer and go home.

Try that with a hot Buffalo Bore load and you might change your mind.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

The short barrel alone is louder...even without the ports. And with the ports it is an ear splitter...

I figure some will say they don't notice the short barrel being any louder...well you may not notice it, but it is.

900 psi worth of louder (per QuickLoad and the pressure when the bullet exits the barrel)

I don't have the data in front of me because my laptop died last week and I'm on a new one...I do have the data at home though. I can't remember the exact muzzle pressure between the two...but I do know there was a 900 psi difference with my load.

 

[lowerunit411]

Thanks to everyone. i just picked up an 1895 in stainless!! has a decent stick of wood on it so i am well pleased. now for the fun..ghost ring sites , big loop scout rail and scope. i want to have the lever wrapped in leather to match a sling i have in mind. anything else i need to add to this list?

 

[KodiakBeer]

De-oil it with a solvent and work the lever until your arms are tired, then re-oil. It will be much slicker after that.

Around here, many people (including me) deactivate the little button safety because its entirely redundant. It's quite safe to carry hammer down and since they're used for bear protection, you don't really need or want the aggravation of thumbing back the hammer AND snicking off the safety when 1200 pounds of bear is running at you. The darned thing is located in a bad place and it's very easy to snick on or off just by carrying it and brushing against your hands or clothing, so you never know when the safety is on or off anyway.

The easiest way to to do that is to just drill a hole in the button and put a pin in it to keep it from recessing back into the action. Simply removing the pin restores the safety to normal factory ops.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Ohhh that LTD 2 is sweet! I had no idea there was such a beast.

I don't care for the ported barrel, but you don't notice it much while hunting.

 

[Badlander]

Look here. Do not drool on your keyboard!

http://levergunleather.com/p_buttstock_covers.htm

 

[Ridgerunner665]

The easiest way to to do that is to just drill a hole in the button and put a pin in it to keep it from recessing back into the action. Simply removing the pin restores the safety to normal factory ops.

I just remove the stock, put the safety in the "off" position, remove the set screw for the safety plunger, dab a little blue Loctite on it, tighten the set screw back down good and snug, and put the stock back on...

Safety deactivated...and can be easily undone if need be. (no drilling required)

Just another way of doing it...

 

[lowerunit411]

Good advice from everyone, thanks. Badlander , you must read minds. this is the precise buttstock cover/sling i am ordering, im not going for anything fancy on the leather, no initials etc but just a classic ox blood cover and sling with matching leather loop wrap. i have some of Levers products on other pieces i own and have nothing but praise for everything he does!!

 

[inherentical]

I just remove the stock, put the safety in the "off" position, remove the set crew for the safety plunger, dab a little blue Loctite on it, tighten the set screw back down good and snug, and put the stock back on...

Safety deactivated...and can be easily undone if need be. (no drilling required)

Just another way of doing it...

I put a rubber o-ring on the safety so it can't accidentally engage. I've never had it engage when carried like this, but some of the other suggestions are really good.

I also have a buttstock cover on order from Lever, along with a holster for my S&W 500. Just plain leather with a matching sling in the Decker distressed leather. I have yet to hear of anything bad about his work and that speaks volumes.

 

[KodiakBeer]

I just remove the stock, put the safety in the "off" position, remove the set screw for the safety plunger, dab a little blue Loctite on it, tighten the set screw back down good and snug, and put the stock back on...

Even better! Thanks!

 

[JNewell]

Ohhh that LTD 2 is sweet! I had no idea there was such a beast.

I don't care for the ported barrel, but you don't notice it much while hunting.

FWIW, that is my experience. In the open, I have not noticed a difference. Try it at the range under a covered firing line or, worse, at an indoor range, and you will notice it, however.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Yeah under a tin roof its particularly LOUD. Like I said, not my first choice but the ported, stainless gun belongs to my dad, not me. I've handled and shot it a lot, enough to know I prefer the unported versions.