Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Which Marlin 1895?

On the 45-70 thread ,I got to wondering if the 1895 ,or the 1895 Guide would suite me better.I shot an 1895 many years ago,one that belonged to a friend.I shot it at a Crisco can set up at about 30 giant steps in a dumping area, and rolled the can about 5 times.It was my buddy's one and only deer rifle,and he'd been tearing deer's azzs up with it in Alabama.He could do very well with it as far as I could tell at 100 yard + distances with only the factory open sights.With all the threads about the 45-70,I'm about ready to break down and find one.Guide Gun,or plain old 1895?That is the question.I have 2 Marlin .444s,my Son in Law has the 1971 model,and I kept the 1978 model.

I am thinking around buying a 45-70, in a toss up between an 1895 and a Ruger No 1. If I do buy a Marlin, it will be the standard 1895 with the 22" barrel. I really cant see myself enjoying the 18.5 inch ported barrel. Buddy of mine had one and that SOB was LOUD!

I sorta figured that ported model would ring your ears pretty good.I was looking at the unported model in the Guide,but I'm leaning real strong towards the 22" barrel,as you are.The one I shot ,had the straight grip stock like the Guide,but had a 22" barrel.If I ran across one of those at a good price ,I'd try for it.

I think either the pistol grip and 22 inch barrel, or if you want a straight grip, go with the Cowboy with the 26 inch barrel. I have the Cowboy, and it is a very light rifle by my standards, 26 inch barrel not withstanding. The longer barrel gives you more sight radius which translates into a better sight picture with iron sights, and also gives you NINE rounds at hand. Eight in the magazine and one up the pipe.

Either rifle is a great set up. If you shoot irons, be sure to change out the standard barrel sights for a rear ladder and a blade.

Might also want to consider the 1895 GBL, and 1895 SBL. 18.5" bbl, full length 6-round magazine, pistol grip, lami stock, big loop, and decelerator pad. GBL is blue, brown stock, open sights. SBL is stainless, grey stock, XS rail/sights.

I picked up a GBL recently, still learning the ropes with cast bullets.

GBL out of the box,


GBL modded to my whim,

Well,since they don't make the ported Guide Gun anymore,that leaves you with the un-ported Guide Gun or the standard 22" unless you want the 24" LTD or 26" Cowboy.

My personal preference is the Guide Gun, and I have both the Guide Gun and the standard SS and a BFR in 7.5".The Guide Gun is a handy little compact firearm getting you into bad places better than the 22" version.in my opinion..

But you can't go wrong with either unless an average velocity drop of 26.66 fps per barrel inch bothers you.

Good luck with your choice..

Jayco

Where do you find the ladder sight?

I am going to be brave here and disagree with Sharpsguy.If you can't see the target you can't hit it and when we age our eyeballs don't work right.How many people can hit an Elk in the vitals at 400 yards with open sights?Hell,the sights cover up alot of it...

I much prefer a scope over open sights especially shooting over 100 yards with any caliber.Unless you have zoom lenses in your eyeballs,your asking for a less than deadly first shot unless your of the elite in open sighted targeting which most of us are not.

Just an opinion..

Jayco

if i was buying new i would prolly go with the new GBL....basically its a guide gun with a pistol grip, 2 extra rounds in the mag, no ports and a bigger lever which would be nice for gloves......i like the easy packing of the 18-1/2 inch barrel to much to go with a longer one....if im gonna pack that much barrel and weight ill get a Sharps.........

I suggest you handle the different versions of the Marlin before making the jump. To some, like me, the pistol grip is a non-starter, preferring the open-grip on the cowboy series. For me the open grip offers quicker target acquisition. But that's just me...obviously not the case with others. Which is why you should snap different models to your shoulder.

The lever loop on that GBL looks good, but one can get an after market one and put it on the Marlin of choice easily, so don't let that sway you.

I mentioned earlier that I had a couple of .444s,and I really like the way they handle.They both have pistol grip stocks and 22" barrels.It's been a long time since I fired that .45-70,is there that much difference between the two in handling?I think I like 'em all,I guess I need to shoot 'em to find out.I need to track down somebody who has them that'll let me try them out.I know for a fact,those .444's can do a number on a deer.

I have a standard model 1895 with a leupold 1X4.
It is an excelent rifle. Shoots better than many a bolt gun at 100.
I love #1s to but I can see no advantage over my Marlin, you can load a Ruger a little hotter, but to ballance that with quick follow up shots and I will stick with the lever gun.
I like that GBL version. The mag extension is good.I may end up with one of those and put a good ghost ring with a tritum front on her... ...tj3006

All right now,you gonna get me in heat for a Ruger #1 as well,and that won't take a lot of doin'.I've been eyeballin those for a mighty long time.

With an aperture and blade or double apertures, the bulls eye is never covered with a proper sight picture. Never thought I'd have days where I would shoot MOA 3-shot groups with iron sights. With my recently purchased 45-90 Sharps, it happens quite regularly, and I'm still working my way through virgin brass and have not really started tuning a load yet. Those iron sights have finer adjustments than any scope I've ever owned.

I have a XLR & like it a lot. It will shoot 1" groups and the 24" barrel works fine as long as you aren't in really close cover. I'd pass on the guid gun, shot 1 & really didn't like the way it handled.

I've also got an 1895 XLR, but I had the barrel cut back to 17".

I added a Williams "guide" peep and a fiber optic front sight.

This combo really works great for short range brush hunting here in western Oregon.

It's my own "trapper" virsion.

Virgil B.

I had a first-year-production Marlin 1895 (modern, 1972) with the Ballard-rifled Douglas barrel and B00nnnn serial number. It had a straight lever and the crescent-shaped hard buttplate. It was a beast to shoot with anything but popper loads, so I sold it (to a campfire member). It was about the ideal configuration except for the buttplate. It was in such nice shape, and a bit more valuable than commonly-available 1895s, that I could not bring myself to cut it and install a soft pad.

The next best thing IME is the 1895G. I agree that the first ones with the ported barrels were LOUD. I traded mine for a newer, non-ported one. It's action is super smooth, it shoots really well, and it is extremely handy. Velocity gains in longer barrels are minimal with this caliber.

I once killed a deer at 30 yards, then cycled the action real slowly so as not to spook the second deer standing beside the first one. The second deer didn't hear it so I shot it too - a two-fer. Both deer were shot with 350 grain Hornady RNs at moderate velocity. The first one was hit at the base of the neck at the front of the shoulder. It travelled two feet - DOWN! The hooves were still in the tracks it made when it was standing. Off like a light switch, DRT, and all that good stuff. I know some of you appreciate that kind of performance, and some don't. I do.

The second deer took one in the ribs and ran 50 yards. Plenty of blood though. A second shot to the head finished the deed.

45-70s are fun.

I like it when the deer falls right down between it's front legs,you know,just BUMP..straight down.

The "Talo" 1895G is one of my all-time favorites.......especially once I added some XS Ghost-ring sights!!

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,231.html