Marlin 45/70 choice/advise

[telewinz]

I had a Marlin 45/70 about 15 years ago and liked it except for the micro-groove rifling and lead bullets, I got rid of it. Now of course Marlin came out with "deep cut" ballard rifling to address this shortcoming. I can get from a local dealer for cash only either a new blued 1895 model or a new blued 1895 Guide Gun for $414 plus tax or about $440 out the door.

I have two questions, that is a VERY good price isn't it? and of the two rifles which would have the best resale value? Due to the slump in the economy I probably have a few days before someone buys them. Thanks

 

[Doc]

I have the guide gun. Like it just fine, I prefer short barrels, and the porting seems to help recoil

 

[tetchaje1]

The stainless guide gun is SWEEEEEET.

Gotta get me one of those...

 

[HarryB]

I sold my Guide Gun because I felt the ports were unnecessary and served to create unwanted muzzle blast.

 

[Preacherman]

I went from a Guide Gun to the 26"-barrel Cowboy Model, partly to get away from the blast of the ports, partly to up the velocity. Had the (octagonal, heavy) barrel shortened to 22" and re-crowned, with a full-length magazine tube, and put a Kick-Eez recoil pad and Ashley sights on it. Great gun!

 

[Jaeger]

I love my Guide Gun. Most of my practice with it is done with black powder velocity loads so muzzle blast is not an issue. (405 hard cast with 16gr of Unique= 1250 fps)

Out in the field I don't notice the blast when taking shots on game. For me it is a non issue.

It is also very accurate. My hunting loads hover between 1 and 1.25 moa. I have several loads that go under an inch.

 

[BusMaster007]

That IS a very good price.
I got my 1895 in .45-70 for $452.00 out the door.
Close enough!

I liked the idea of the pistol grip stock and the blue&wood, so that's what I got.
It was more comfortable in my hands that way.
I had no need for porting or short bbl./straight grip.
Just a Big Ol' .45-70 RIFLE that can shoot all kinds of cool stuff in in it, from blackpowder loads to shoulder ripping Hammer of Thor loads.
That's a very versatile firearm.
Have fun with yours.

 

[slabsides]

Depends on what your primary use for the gun will be. Cowboy shooting, or banging bigbore at the range? Get the long rifle. It's unwieldy length is no disadvantage there. As a car, boat or airplane gun, the stainless Guide seems to be the best choice.
If I could get a ported or microgroove gun at a discount off the price of a newer 'Ballard' or non-ported, I'd go for it.
My older blued 1895s (pistol grip) has microgroove rifling and shoots lead reloads fine...you just have to know what bullets/loads to use.
I am a northeastern woods hunter. I like my standard rifle just fine, with a barrel long enough to get blast away from the ears and a bit of extra oomph out of the loads I use. I must admit the Guide Gun is 'sexier' looking, though.

 

[cratz2]

(405 hard cast with 16gr of Unique= 1250 fps)

You can get 1250 fps out of 16 gr of powder with a 405 gr bullet and that short barrel?

Man, I would have guessed much lower.

I had an 1895CB with the long heavy octagonal barrel. Pussycat to shoot with standard weak Winchester and Remington loads. If it were to be a hunting rifle, I'd really rather avoid the ports. Unless your hunting Kodiak or wanting a load that will cut all the way through a quartering shot on a record sized moose, you don't need the very hotest loads and personally, I'd much prefer to have an unported gun and a load that shot 200 fps slower than the extra hot over-the-top loads that required a ported barrel.

 

[COHIBA]

buy the long gun and have it cut and recrowned to 18". then you have a GG w/o ports.
www.drccustomgunsights.com
is the best in the biz.

 

[Wildalaska]

Hi we have found that ports dont measurably make more noise and do affect muzzle jump appreciately in the shorter barrels. Also the pistol grip style guns are reported to us as being "easier" to shoot with heavy loads (up to 2200 fps with 350 grain bullets)..

The above reasonsa re why we use pistol grip 1895s and ports on very short barrled Marlins (12-14)

Last year I personally shot about 100 custom Marlins in various configurations, all ported and it makes a difference. So does a recoil pad.

Wildlovemy50AlaskanAlaska