Home Forums Lever Action Central Cowboy Levers QUESTION ABOUT THE MARLIN COWBOY IN 45-70

Wimps I shoot my 1895 CB with my handloads a 405 Grn cast GC bullet at 1700 FPS yes it will out shoot a 30-30 recoil is not as bad as a 12 Ga with 3" and i also shoot a lot of them every year to. Yes it weighs close to nine lbs loaded but it balances so nice you really do not notice.

I have been useing a 1895 CB since about 01 or 02 Had to wait a year to get mine becuase of supply. I handload all my ammo and don't really have any problems with a 300 grn JHP loaded to 1850 or my 405's loaded to 1600 they are stout but no worse than a 12 Ga pump, with slugs. I am fixin to scope mine as well my eyes just ain't what they were forty years ago. Think I will try a smith enterprise ladder sight first though. BTW 600 Yards or better, can be got with practice out of the 45-70. But not with the factory sights. you need 4 or 5 degrees inclination to get past three hundred consistantly

Might try a fiber optic front sight with a Williams guide peep on the back. Dat's what I put on my 1895. Works GREAT for my 56 year old eyes!
Virgil B.

I had a 22 inch barrel 1895, now I have a guide gun. Like the looks and feel of the cowboy. Curious why people think it kicks so much. More than a guide gun? The cowboy does not have a pad? Is the the whole reason or is there stock geometry?

I put a limbaaver on my guide gun and with factory Remington ammo, is is very mild. The hot reloads...well a couple shots is fine.

Eric

The Marlin 45-70 is an awesome saddle gun, a great big bore caliber and shoots really well. The action is smooth and the 26" barrel is not really to long to carry well. The recoil is an issue, but if you want a big bore it is part of the price you pay.

A similar rifle,the Browning 1886 reproduction.I hunted with for a few years.At 13 lbs fully loaded it was a tad too heavy to tote around the elk hills. I did kill two elk with it and the loads were 405 gr bullets.

The recoil was stiff, and I finally a carved a new stock for it that fit me better and put a good recoil pad on it,but a stated I eventually a gave it up as too heavy. I did put a Williams peep sight on it that worked dandy for my old eyes.
I beive you can also get them chambered for 38-55 and 45 colt. These both would be more than adequate for whitetail and cut there coil down considerably.

Another option would be the 44 mag,marlin 94, It is D&Ted

And I thought I was a wooze regarding recoil of my 1895 cowboy. No more after reading all these threads.

I did add a limbsaver pre fit, then sipped a kick eze leather pad over that. It increases surface area of buttplate area helping also. I then added a DRC( David R Clay) large lever loop. That helped the battered hand issue. With some heavier 405 gr loads you still know you have some serious power, especially off a bench. O yes, I aalso added a set of Skinner aperature sights.

I honestly wish Marlin had made a slightly larger conture barrel, maybe adding 8-10 oz of weight.

I think I am going to drop back to about a 300 -325 gr cast bullet so I can enjoy it more.

I finally shot my new to me 1895 LTD III this weekend. It is basically a CB in guide gun length 18" barrel and full length mag tube. At about 6# it is mighty light and I loaded up some Missouri Bullet Co Buffalo bullets that are 405 gr over what I thought was a mediocre loading of IMR 4198 and all I can say is WOW...

The rifle has been fitted with a kickease pad (I think the brand) and with the light weight it still seems to have more backthrust than my previous 1895 based CoPilot with a 16" barrel. I have 250 Barnes through 350 Hornady jacketed bullets and will be using those for deer this coming year.

I tried one of my patented "snotflinger" 350gr Hornady RNFP's and also a 300gr Hornady that was in my kit and both shot higher as one would expect however even the 350 at a very near max loading was tolerable and the 300 was not bad at all.

Them 405's really have some oomph and I am going back to trapdoor loading's for them (at least a 25% drop in charge weight) for the cast boolits. When those are eventually gone I will look for some 325-350 or so cast bullets.

I am likely going to swap the XS sights off of it and re install the original sights on it but have no plans to scope it. It will see use as a woods rifle...

The linky below is to a write up I did elsewhere. Also contained in it is a blurb agout a 5% discount off the already great prices from Missouri Bullet Co...

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php/topic,44956.0.html

Be safe and shoot big honking rifles

Patty

I watched a guy shoot one on Saturday. He had a scope on it and a big fat recoil pad.
We were shooting pop cans full of water and some bowling pins.
This guy demolished everything he could see!
He was shooting a flat nose 405 gr jacketed bullet @2200 fps!
The muzzle was almost straight up after the shot.
Very awesome display of shooting!
whelennut

My grandson shoots mine a box of 20 shells at a time with 300 grain loads at 1900 fps. My 1895 rifle has a Sims Limbsaver recoil pad though which is a good investment if you are going to shoot heavier loads with it, especially from the bench.

I want one of these guns bad!! Yes, the loop is too skinny, but shooting them holding the outside of the loop takes the knuckle banging away. I love the straight grip and no checkering. I have an H&R Buffalo Classic in 45/70 and love it. It has a 32 inch barrel, so I know the 26 inch barrel wont bother me. As far as the kick, that is what makes them so much fun along with a 405 grain bullet!! Honetly though, I shoot mine 99% of the time at Trapdoor loadings-1250 FPS.

Now for you Boys complaining about the small loop on the 1895 Cowboy, no big deal just install a Big Loop! Now for the KICKING part, just get yourself a PAST RECOIL PAD for $38 dollars (magnum pad) and this rifle will feel like a 270 Winchester with 150 grain loads, when you shoot 405 cast bullets.

Sorry, I can't help you one bit ifin your eye sight has gone SOUTH on you......Just get proper mounts and good Leupold or Bushnnell 2 x 7 power and you can go fetch home the elk steaks.