Marlin 45-70 stainless 18 inch ,need help.

[jr4521]

I have everything I need , now looking at a big bore rifle, I have about 600-1000 to spend, I'm looking for a big bore SHTF weapon. I don't have any experience with the Marlin 45-70 but like how it looks and not sure if the stainless is any better than the blue one, I was under the impression the shiny stainless would not be good for hunting.

 

[Eric F]

no but you can spray paint it. the benifits of stainless are plenty. as far as a shtf gun big bore? not too sure about that choice your getting a bit more range than a shot gun slug. Why not but a repro sharps in 45-70? I had to toss that in as I love a good sharps. But if the marlin is what you want you will not be disapointed ........well execpt for the recoil.

 

[tcrocker]

http://[URL=http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2425879120103526723OwqsBc][/URL]I have taken many deer and some at very close range with my 1895gs. The deer didn,t seem to mind that my gun was not a blued verson But the stainless is not the crome type. The recoil is not bad as you would think. If you reload you can get it up to low end 458 win mag levels. This are not for the weak of heart!!!! I say get one and have fun.

 

[Catherine]

My husband loves his lever action 45-70 Marlin rifles. He has a stainless steel/walnut one now. He had a longer barreled blued/walnut one too.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/bigbore/1895.aspx
He had one of these for many, many years.


He has THIS one now and loves it too. He got it for Alaska even though we have not been up there yet.
http://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/bigbore/1895GS.aspx

Model 1895GS

The lever action 45/70 carbine that can take on any kind of game can also take on any kind of weather. Our best-selling Model 1895G Guide Gun is available in stainless steel. The receiver, barrel and all major metal parts are machined from stainless steel, and most other metal parts are nickel-plated. It features an 18.5" stainless steel barrel with Ballard-type cut rifling, a 4-shot tubular magazine, an adjustable semi-buckhorn folding rear sight and ramp front sight with brass bead and Wide-Scan™ hood. The stock is American black walnut with cut checkering and a ventilated recoil pad.
Order Online!


Caliber 45/70 Gov't.
Capacity 4-shot tubular magazine
Action Lever action; side ejection; stainless steel receiver, barrel, lever, trigger guard plate, magazine tube and loading gate. Hammer block safety.
Stock American black walnut straight-grip stock; cut checkering; ventilated recoil pad; tough Mar-Shield® finish; swivel studs.
Barrel 18.5" with deep-cut Ballard-type rifling (6 grooves).
Twist Rate 1:20" r.h.
Sights Adjustable semi-buckhorn folding rear, ramp front sight with brass bead and Wide-Scan™ hood. Solid top receiver tapped for scope mount; offset hammer spur (right or left hand) for scope use.
Overall Length 37"
Weight 7 lbs.
Owner's Manual Download Owner's Manual

BOTH of them shoot like tack drivers! He is a GREAT shot anyway. I am proud of him. He loves Marlins as he loves his other brands/styles of firearms too.

I think that if you take care of your gun in a blued version or in a SS version... you will be just fine! He did want SS for Alaska though.

Best wishes!

Catherine

 

[Zedicus]

Partial to the 1895 Cowboy myself

 

[Big Boomer]

I just bought a 1895 Cowboy...TODAY!!! Whoot! But I can't afford the ammo

So got the dies, going to order the brass, pick up some powder and bullets later.

Until then it just gets oiled a bit...and fondled...oooooo lots of fondling

Ok now for WHY I chose the cowboy over the stainless.

Well don't get me wrong I LOVE stainless, BUT, I had to think about what the practical use of this weapon was going to be. The answer was brush gun. Hogs, deer, bear? and more...It will be carried long distances most likely banged up etc.


While the stainless is pretty, it would get the crap scratched out of it.

So, the cowboy has:

Longer barrel=more velocity=longer sight radius=more power

Much more capacity 9 in the tube vs 4

Lighter to pack, at least it felt like that, but I imagine would kick harder

Easier to fix blemishes from the wear and tear of a hunt

(I liked the sights better on the stainless I have to admit)

But one of the biggest reasons for the cowboy was the action seemed soooo much more smooth than the stainless. The stainless ones I tried were just "gritty" feeling and did not have a smooth action. I know this could most likely be fixed with time or a smith but hey, ammo is expensive to feed this beast, and I don't know a good smith.

I also have always like the nostalgia of old western lever actions. This being a caliber dating over 100 years old I thought deserved the true blue with the octagon barrel. Makes me want to throw on my colt 45 and do some cowboy action shooting!

Many love both, but I could only choose one and this was it. I'll give everyone a range report oh in a few months after I get some ammo loaded up for it.

 

[goon]

Stainless does handle harsh conditions better than blued. It is shiney but you can have it bead blasted to dull the finish a little.
But that does add more to the cost.

 

[dmftoy1]

I just bought a 1895 Cowboy...TODAY!!! Whoot! But I can't afford the ammo

I hear that! I bought mine after shooting my buddies 1895GS (I like longer barrels) and then got the the shock of ammo prices. Even buying a box of cast bullets for the thing was alot more expensive than I'd though. (405 grains a pop uses alot of lead. ) It was enough to drive me into casting.

If you're going to reload I'd look to see if you can find yourself a local caster who'll trade you used wheel weight for 45-70 bullets . .makes it dirt cheap to shoot. (I like trailboss for my plinking loads . .fills up the case alot more than anything else I've found)

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[JustsayMo]

I started with the standard 22" version, picked up a Guide Gun in Stainless which is about the most perfect hunting implement ever devised, picked up another Guide Gun, blued and ported this time because it was too good of a deal, then I discovered the Cowboy which is aesthetically perfect and fun at the range but I found the barrel longer than I liked for hunting so I found the PERFECT Marlin in the form of an 1895 LTD III which is a guide gun length octagon barrel with a full length magazine... basically the best parts of the Cowboy and the Guide Gun.

Moral of the story, Big Bore shooting is addictive.

 

[jr4521]

OK, Im ready to purchase, im going stainless, thank you all for your help! now I will let you know in a few weeks how broke I am from ammo!

 

[Colt46]

Might you consider a 1892?

For SHTF it sure makes sense. It doesn't have quite the range as the .45-70 but put to 150 yards it ought to make sense for most anything you'd expect for that type of rifle with double the tube capacity than the .45-70.
The 1892's are light, handy and easy to stow/carry.

 

[32winspl]

I have 2 1895's in .450 Marlin... one M and an MR. Both are amazingly accurate. Whichever model you buy in either caliber, you'll be thrilled with. Well, except for the original M or G with the ported bbls. They're kinda loud.