Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers Wow, this is fun! Shot my new 1895SBL today!!

Puts the fun back in shooting! Wanted a quick, handy, powerful rifle and this more than qualifies. Mounted a Vortex 1.75-5x32 w/duplex reticle and this'll be perfect for the 45-70 and the 150yds or less I plan to use for. Really want to use this on a dark timber elk. Need to figure out right bullet and practice, practice, practice. Mac

Super gun. I put a Wild West trigger happy kit on mine and that is amazing

Thanks Ken, thinking about doing the same.

The WW stuff is pricey but worth it if you like to shoot your rifle. HSM cowboy loads work well to 100 yards and you can shoot it all day. I use the XS big dot on my GG but am tempted to put an Accupoint 1-4 on it because I enjoy the Trijicon on my favorite AR and think it would be the perfect DG optic.


mike r

Hey Miker, thanks for ammo info. Going to see what the Barnes 300 tsx is like...factory ammo right now until I see how well gun likes it. Likes my xs sights too but can see them well so using the scope and it is great!

Need to start reloading.

Been reloading since 1962, thanks just not set-up for this yet. Gettin there but want to try these.

Then if you reload, data right out of the Barnes manual allows loading of their 250 grain TSX bullets to about 2600 FPS out of Guide Gun length barrels. I shoot them in my 1895SBL, and they shoot lights out. Recoil is not bad, due to the lighter bullet weight, but man you know when you touch one off! The muzzleflash and noise is truly righteous. I call mine Thor............

Had not yet seen that load. Will check it out. Thanks!

give gummie tips a try. i have killed a handful of elk with them and they work well.
my favorite boolit for elk is a 420 g cast powder coated to 460-461 . best cast i've found in the micro groove barrels.
the GBL i have right now will plunk them into 1.25 at 100 meters. getting old and can't remember exact loads but they work for anything around here and even went to AK for a Moose.

Thanks! I've hunted your area a bit. Nice country. Saw some huge bear scat!

i have seen some that made me cringe!
we live in the midst of old apple orchards and in the fall there is piles of pie filling everywhere!

Walking quietly up the old logging road just south of the Canadian helo-pad is still a good spot I think and black bears are fine eating if they're not garbage bears but I really don't want to meet mr. Grizzly.

we have had those big guy's nosing our sliding glass door.

Congrats on the SBL. I've got the XLR, guide gun, and an old 1970's 1895 that's super slick. Love them and they are a good choice for your thick N. Idaho woods. With Grizzlies in your location it's also an sound choice if you happened to have an bad encounter.

If you walk along those gated logging roads with their new grass sometimes you can come across bears that are busy eating on the new growth. Good luck. I'll be out there as well trying to get one.

Thanks, it just feels right but it's gonna take abit to get it slick. Your thoughts cover almost all of my reasons for getting it. Add fairly mild recoil compared to the 338's/300's I had and the short blood trail I need. Good Luck to you. Mac