Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles See Marlin 1895SBL in American Hunter?

I'm late at looking through my latest AH mag. Sat down tonight and noticed the review on the Marlin Big Bore 1895SBL. Did you guys see the tested accuracy? Three factory loads tested for multiple 3-shot groups at 100 yards. Worst individual tested group was 0.890"! Plain Jane Remington green box Express shot groups as small as 0.410"!!

All I can say is I'm impressed with that Marlin. That's getting into Sako/Tikka accuracy with multiple bullet weights including 300-grain, 325-grain, and 450-grain. Compare this to the high dollar Kimber Talkeetna reviewed in the same issue. The Kimber averaged 1 1/2 MOA w/ the most accurate ammo being the most erratic spreading out from 0.666" one group to 2.178" the next.

The only thing that threw me off with the Marlin was its weight. They listed the carbine length rifle w/ fixed sights at 8-pounds! That's as much weight as the full sized magnum 375H&H Kimber. I didn't realize the Big bore lever was that heavy. I had a Winchester .450 Timber and I thought that thing was a tad under 6-pounds.

Best:)

Well, Remngton owns Marlin now, so they should be accurate.

Readyyyyy. GO!

I picked up a Guide Gun (45-70) a couple of years ago, and am amazed at its accurcy. With some slightly better optics, or target configured for the 2.5 x Scout Scope it's wearing, I'm sure it's a MOA shooter.

Eight pounds with a 45/70 might be a good thing if you are not hiking all over a mountain or swamp for your shot. I'll admit up front I have a recoil aversion.

An 18 1/2-inch barrel 37-inch carbine just seems on the heavy side to me at 8-pounds. I see that the Marlin 1895GBL comes in a full pound lighter at 7-pounds. That's a pound heavier than the old Winchester Timber, but that 1895SBL is 2-pounds heavier than the old 450 Timber. Regardles, if that review is an indication of how well they shoot, they can shoot!

I have a "regular" 1895, whichever model that is, and it is heavy and very accurate just like the newer models tested in AH. I was convinced to get one after I installed the ghost ring sights on my bosses guide gun and was amazed how it shot at the range. These are all very accurate rifles. If you load them up to their potential, you will be glad they are heavy.

Not surprised by the accuracy here either. I bought my 1895 from the original owner who gave me his load recipe. First group I shot with it went 0.47" at 100 yards. It consistently shoots well under moa.
I talked to an old Marlin rep at a convention about 20 years ago and he said he had people come up to him all the time and brag about the accuracy of their 1895's.

My 1895 is very accurate, even with ghost-ring sights and adding a SS big-loop lever would be the cat's azz IMO.....

Not too surprised... my brother shoots an 1895 Stainless Guide and it is a MOA rifle with almost anything we've tried through it. I grabbed a 1985GBL a few months back and thus far with only one load tried is hovering around 1" groups.

Great little rifles-

Nice guns but hard to find at the moment.