Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Marlin 45/70 shooting way high....any suggestions as to why?

My first Marlin...first 45/70...refinished a 1974 vintage 1895 and took her out today to see how she shot. I tried her at my 75 yard target and was astounded at the fine accuracy but she was about ten inches high...with the rear sight completely lowered. Factory sights...405 grain lead factory ammo.

I'm just wondering what's going on here and possible explanations for the extremely high zero on this rifle with no way to lower the p.o.i.

I suppose I could install a higher front sight but want to keep it original if possible.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

You need a taller front sight

Taller front sight or faster bullets

Lyman, tallest front site they make, should fix ya up.

Skinner Sights sells them.

try a different weight bullet ,like a 300 gr,they should shoot closer to Point of aim.

Are you a very tall person, long neck?

Try scrunching down on the stock more with the heel of the butt stock well into your shoulder.

Or, if there is metal available, one could reshape (lower) the rear sight.

The one's I've been around to date are amazing shooters.

Are you using a "six-o-clock hold"?

What does it do at 100 yards?

sounds crazy but try one more factory loading.--cranky72

Not unusual for a Marlin rifle in the 336 as well to come with a factory front sight which is too short. I've encountered it on several rifles. Brownells has a front sight calculator in their catalog and I assume it's online as well that will tell you how much higher you need. I'm thinking there would be other calculators available online.

Marlin has often installed front sights of improper height on their rifles. I have owned 2 so far that could not be sighted in until the front sight was changed. Since your rifle has been refinished, it is not original any more, so just install a higher front sight and enjoy it.

Remove the rear elevation ladder/wedge completely and see how it shoots.

nice job

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If it were me, I'd try some modern 300 - 325 grain loads leaving the muzzle between 1850 and 2000 fps before I did anything to the rifle.

If you are dead set on firing the old 405 gr. loads at 1330 fps, I suspect you will need, as others have said, to install a higher front sight.

Any factory sights on a modern 45-70 are at a serious disadvantage. There is a HUGE selection of bullet weights and velocities for the old warhorse, and their POIs will vary accordingly. The factory has no idea of what the owner will want to shoot and, accordingly, has no idea of what height sights to put on it. That is just the hand the owner is dealt in this case. If what you want to shoot in your rifle doesn't shoot to the sights, then you have to change them. It may be that Marlin will replace the sight with a taller one if they are in a good mood....wouldn't hurt to try.