I bought the GBL (Guide Gun) today. I found one, by luck, marked well below MSRP. It had just been set on the shelf and tagged. I may have been the first to handle it. I looked it over closely and could find nothing really to pick on. The satin blue finish of the receiver contrasted attractively with the polished blue barrel and mag tube. Just like my SBL the thread protector was nearly invisible, take it or leave it. The forearm stock is nicely slimmed down compared to older Marlin rifles. The action was smooth, perhaps not as smooth as either of my two SBLs but plenty smooth for a new rifle. The non-fluted/spiral cut bolt might play into that, perhaps? Inside and out the rifle was finished cleanly. The hammer does seem to want to drag on the bottom of the bolt unlike most of my other Marlins but this is not a high hurdle to render correct. A look down the barrel revealed very clean rifling. The stock to metal fit is very good and I am betting that when Marlin gets a walnut stocked model out it will be even better. I think the fit up is better than typical for rifles with the laminated furniture, if not exceptional.
Accuracy testing, well, I just got the rifle, bought at a brick and mortar dealer I have been doing business with for most of my life. But I am on the road, not at home. I do not plan to scope this rifle as I have my SBLs and a few others scoped. I may need to do a peep type sight however as my eyes are simply not good enough anymore, especially in low light, for the buckhorns.That said, the rifle points and sights intuitively, well, if you are a Marlin guy/gal, the way all Marlins do, about perfect. And yes, the trigger flops about in the most nostalgic and traditional manner begging for a HT or RPP trigger.
I did not want to buy this rifle, I mean, like, how many .45-70 Government Marlin lever guns does one fellow need! I guess the answer for me turns out to be at least three, one for each of my crow spirits
.
3C