Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers Marlin Guide Gun advice, please.

Never owned a Guide Gun but have been interested in them for a good while. I hear folks say the older ones are better than the new ones. Is there a serial number break or what do I look for so that I know whether a rifle is one of the older Marlins or the newer ones? Also heard the older ones have JM stamped on the barrel, where on the barrel should that be located? Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

The stamp will be on the barrel, just in front of the left side of the receiver.

I have had a Guide gun for about 10 years and have been well satisfied. It is chambered in 450 Marlin and I installed after market peep sights. I can cluster 5 at 50'yds and do 2.5" at 100 yds. I have shot many hogs and several deer. All have been DRT as the 450 makes a big hole. You will be pleased.

My advice is to buy one, mine is a JM stamp 1895G and it is one of my favorites. I think the serial #'s start with 91 could be JM or Remlin, mine is a 91XXXX JM stamp.

So far mine has liked 300's, 350's and 405's in cast and jacketed bullets and several powders. It's harder to find a load is does not shoot well than one it does shoot well.

Had a Guide Gun I killed a bear with and some deer and foolishly sold it, wish I still had it. They are great guns.

Thanks, everyone.

One has been on my "Would love to own but really don't need" list for a good while now.

What's need got to do with it? lol

Was looking for a stainless guide gun but couldn't find one locally, So I bought an XLR with a 24" barrel.

I had the XLR barrel cut to 17" and made my own guide gun, or "Trapper" out of it.

This way, I got the pistol grip and a little shorter mag tube.

Put a Williams "guide" peep on and a fiber optic front.

It "points" quick and is a joy to pack.

Virgil B.

Sounds perfect. I had a blued one with ports. I couldn't stand the report. And it made no sense to be hunting with ear plugs in. so down the road it went.

Right. The early ones were ported from the factory - and dang - those things pumped a LOT of noise out from those ports. I owned one for a couple of years. It shot great, but my ears rang for an hour after I shot a deer with it - the only time I'd ever shot it without hearing protection. My sons wouldn't even get on the firing line with me when I went to the range with that thing. It wasn't just noise, but "stuff" that got tossed to the side by those ports according to them. I'm thinking unburned powder.

So... I traded it on a 22" .45/70 Marlin 1895 and all my objections to the big bore Marlin went away. Enjoyed that gun for several years. Great gun!

If I wanted one now, I'd look hard for a clean Guide Gun (without the ports) or a standard 1895. They're really a lot of fun to shoot. Handloading for the .45/70 is also a hoot. The cartridge can be loaded from very tame to very powerful.

Regards, Guy

i have a later model 1895GS with 18 in barrel in stainless and laminated stocks...thinking about selling it but just cant seem to totally make up my mind....killed several black bear but it still looks new...

This thread is worthless without pictures.
You need one
or two!!!

i've owned mine for several years now and is one of my favorite rifles, as bearcat said it is hard to find a load they don't like. I run a .45-70 with Reloader 7 and 405 grain cast

the 1895G was the first new centerfire rifle i bought in 30 years, 13 years ago. i put my trusty 760 270 away for a bit and used the G for several years. what a great gun. fun to carry, great to look at and shoot and knocks deer dead. i love mine and wouldn't get rid of it unless i had to eat.

My wannabe Guide Gun. 1895GBL. 18.5" bbl, 6-round mag. I put the XS sight on it.

Yeah, ain't partin' with mine either. Mine is a 16in SS/lam Davidson's limited run.

I have a GBL as well, and I love it to death.....easily my favorite rifle. I got lucky with my Remlin, it shoots and functions/cycles flawlessly.






4 shots offhand at 30 yards. 44.5 grain RL-7, and a 405 Hard Cast.

Mine was the first Marlin I ever bought. It has been a very good rifle, and has a clean barrel without ports. I'd rather deal with a little bit of muzzle climb than the noise from the ports. It has also been the least finicky rifle that I've ever reloaded for, but that is the beauty of the 45/70.

My advice would be to buy a non-ported model......

Good advise...