What Marlin 1895 barrel length looks best in your opinion? (photo inside)

[MCMXI]

I have three Marlin 1895s chambered in .45-70 Govt., a SBL, GG and XLR ... all are stainless steel. A friend is buying the Guide Gun so I'm going to put the XLR back to it's original form and cut the barrel down to 22" or 20". The XLR is shown below with the furniture, trigger plate and lever from the Guide Gun. The Guide Gun below was set up before the SBL was created and available. Any thoughts on which looks best? The 24" (top and factory XLR length), 22" (second from top), 20" (third from top) or 18-1/2" (standard Guide Gun length)? Marlin offers a 22" 1895 with a pistol grip but it's blued rather than stainless. I plan to set it up with iron sights so the 22" barrel may be the best choice to increase the sight radius. Based on some reloads, the 24" barrel is about 70 fps faster than the 18-1/2" barrel so cutting it down will make it "handier" without giving up much in the way of velocity.

 

[kis2]

I love the look of the short barrel lever action. It just seems... rougher I guess. More rugged.

18.5 gets my vote

 

[firearmnut]

I like the 22 or 20 inch ones my self.

 

[Walkalong]

22", but I much prefer a full length mag tube look.

 

[MCMXI]

kis2, I know what you mean but I want the XLR to be different so that it's not redundant. I'm selling the Guide Gun because I have the SBL.

firearmnut, the '94s come in 20" but not the '95s as far as I know. I'm leaning towards 20" but may compromise at 21". A "virtual" chop sure beats trying to add inches back to the barrel!

 

[MCMXI]

22", but I much prefer a full length mag tube look.

Me too, but I'm not prepared to pay to have all that custom work done when I have one of these.

 

[Ironclad]

I think as far as leverguns go, the shorter the better. 16 inches! But I guess 18.5 would do...

 

[jobu07]

A friend of mine has one that is finished blue with walnut. He had a smith turn down the barrel to 16.5". The recoil is very easy to handle and the rifle is a great brush gun. It looks GREAT.

 

[wild willy]

For short barrels 20" and under I like straight grip full tube. Long barrels half tube and pistol grip

 

[kis2]

...so many gorgeous levers...

well, in that case, I really like the proportion of tube to barrel in the 22". just like you said, 21 might be a good compromise though.

 

[iamkris]

I like the shorter barrels. These are mine.

 

[chas08]

I have an 1895G in 45/70 with the 18.5" barrel and I really like it. But I do wish they made it in a 20" full length Mag Tube Like my 336CS In .35 REM. I just like the 20" barrel better for some reason.

 

[BigBore]

Really depends on the situation you are in..Are you hunting the plains or in heavy brush..Here the shorter the bbl is better due to moving through the heavy brush..I tend to lean towards the guide guns offered by Marlin.So 18.5 inchers..Wild West cuts them down a bit to 16 inches and ad a few nice little features..I have shot a wild west version and I was tempted to get one till I saw their price..YIKES!

 

[TonyAngel]

I like the shorter barrel models. Since I got my 16" .357 lever gun, my AR15 sits at home when I go humpin' through the woods. My next is definitely going to be a big bore trapper.

 

[Badlander]

16" I like the shortys

 

[Seagoing]

I like the 18.5.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I like the 20 inch as well but I also like the pistol grip for heavier rounds.

Now to get a flush mag for a 20 inch barrel.

 

[Craigman]

I cant post a pic right now..... But I'm partial to my 16.25" SDT/trapper

 

[CraigC]

Short barrelled levers are neat but through the course of much trial and error, I don't find a longer barrel to be a detriment in the woods and thus, have come to prefer them. My preference would be the 22" SS model or the 24" XLR. Have the SS hard chromed if you need corrosion resistance. Although my favorite of all is the 26" Cowboy model.

 

[tazbigdog]

Looks does not matter to me. What is important is the function of the gun, how many rounds it carries and what I will be using it for. I like the 1895GBL for hunting in brushy environs!

 

[dprice3844444]

my 16.25 stainless 1895

 

[Smaug]

I like the look of the 22" barrel, but I also vastly prefer the semi pistol grip stock to the straight one.

I also agree that if they had full length guide tubes and shorter forearms, a shorter barrel would look good.

 

[blackops]

The Marlins levers are the classic "cowboy sling shooters." Meaning shoulder and fire. The longer barrel is the more it just doesn't look right to me. I have to say 18.5. Beautiful rifles 1858.

 

[Morrell]

Just have to say... nice photoshop job there! Those top 3 rifles are one and the same.. the grain on the stock, pattern of the grass...

But to answer the question, I seem to like the 22" the most.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Just have to say... nice photoshop job there! Those top 3 rifles are one and the same.. the grain on the stock, pattern of the grass...

Even though 1858 does not come right out and say it, he is not representing them as being different rifles. In the OP he says he only owns 3 and one is an SBL which is not pictured.