I bought a brand new .45-70 Marlin and couldn't be happier. At least until the $100 rebate gets here anyway. I looked it over carefully in the shop and couldn't find a flaw on it. It's for my son who is in the North Carolina NG and graduates basic training in two weeks. He wrote me a letter saying he really wants a .45-70 so now he's got one. I had better shoot it to make sure it works.

congrats on your Son...........

hope the RemLin works out for you............

Thanks

How's the checkering ? Clean and sharp ? I've looked at several here over the past few months and the checkering has been terrible. Personally, I wish they'd just quit doing it alltogether.

I feel the checkering is satisfactory. I've seen sharper and cleaner but it's pretty decent.

Hold it upside and see if you can work action. The one I just bought seizes up and is going back to Marlin right out of the box. I'm sure they'll get it fixed and after the rebate I'm only into it for $380. The checkering on mine is serviceable but not what I would call a quality job, from the crushed wood fibers I would say it is pressed into the wood instead of being cut, Remington always did have a fetish for that hideous pressed checkering.

I bought an 1894 in 2012, that was awful. The one they replaced it with was great. Supposedly they re-did the line. There were reports of some awful rifles being made after they were bought. Hopefully they got it straightened out.

What some old timers forget, the marlin jam, was invented being Remington bought them, and it was not always roses.

I've been thinking about a GBL for awhile.

https://www.marlinfirearms.com/sites/default/files/Marlin_Rifle%20Rebates_Long%20Form.pdf

Ends July 30th.Dammit wish I would have seen this before the big Midway shipment, that got here today. Still tempted looking at Buds.

Ordered one myself. The GBL. Pistol grip stock with big loop. I probably prefer a slightly smaller loop but I want it fitted at the factory. I bought one that was supposed to be drop in, and everyone said there's was drop in. Mine required quite a bit of filing. Learn alot about the gun though.

Yes, the action works upside down.

Hope you got a good one.

I probably wouldn't buy a used one. But when you read up, Marlin Jam is not new. I told myself, I would just stick with bolts and pumps. But then read about rebate, and Buds has $100 less than they used too, I believe.

I could give a crap about checkering. Cosmetics are for chicks. I am concerned about reliability. But you got to Marlin Owners group, and they will tell you every JM was great, and all the Remlins are junk. I am gambling they retooled and it worked out.



I don't know what operating it upside down has to do with a darn thing. There are some great youtube videos showing lever action operation.

Only rifle without problem is my old 700, I wonder why bother with much else. My 760 can be funny. Savages are accurate when they work. My 1894 is pretty good. But I put another lever in it. I don't recall factory having issues. Fitted blade seems kinda of sorta to be work.

I'll work this gun alot and check it out under warranty, I hope. My first 1894, had lots of problems. Got to the point, they offered me a refund. Hopefuly it doesn't come to that. If it does, this time, I will take the money.

Yes, I'm on Marlinowners. We debate back and forth about Remlins. Many there hate them. I've had pretty good luck with them.

I am hoping after the retooled, they improved, The last one I got, was good. Remington is a big company, I realize profit driven, and quality can suffer, but they also want to sell guns and make money.

Very true.

At $380 for a 45-70 Marlin I can risk having to send back a couple times until it's right.
It's not like laying out $1100 for a bolt gun that won't shoot.....

They are fast. If you have someone at home to sign, it is easy. Also only UPS hubs ship guns, not UPS stores. Maybe some do, like hardware stores. So shipping can be a pain.

Order dies, starline, Hornady 350 jhp, leupold qrw rings, and Warne steel bases. Just need the gun and some powder.

There is a rumor that they tend to crack in the receiver between the bottom of the barrel and the hole for the magazine tube.

It has everything to do with it because it seizes up intermittently when held upright, about the half the time if held sideways, and 100% of the time when held upside down. Something is going on the action that isn't right.

Heard from them? With mine it was fast.

Picked mine up. Fit and finish looks fine to me. Wood feels dry. First laminate gun. Think they out to much effort into making the gun look like it has grain. But given that the wood should be more stable, I can live with it.

First impression, was not hitches, but not as smooth as my 1894. I think maybe more mass. After a few operations getting better. Going to grease it, and cycle it a few hundred times. Working on some dummy rounds.


Checkering, looks checkered. Dunno.

Had a few jams upside down, when going slow. Don't think that means anything, going slow can do that. No jams slow right side up or vertical. Upside down leaves the round unsupported.

But since yours is jamming rightside, obviously somethng wrong.

One Marlin owner advised marlins line 2.54, rather than 2.55. No sure what factory loads measure.

Because of the rebates, I bought two new rifles. One was a 1895G 45/70 and the other is a 1894 Limited Edition in 45 Colt -1500 made. I have seen it mentioned here to operate the levers while up side down and both mine work smoothly. Paid $345.00 for the1895G on Gun Broker and $899.00 for the 1894 at Turners. So after the rebates, I feel I got a couple of good deals. Marlin is doing another rebate for 336 models.

Once they bring back the 444 I'll buy another new one.

I had a GBL for a while. It's hard not to like shooting MOA groups with 400 grain bullets out of a lever action. Problem-free gun. I also had a later 1895 Cowboy ... same result. I would try to avoid the ones made around the time of transition, both the last 2-3 years of Marlin manufacture and the first year or two with Remington. The current ones seem as good as the old ones ever were, maybe not quite the wood-metal fit, but the accuracy and reliability. I buy guns to shoot, not drool on ... drooling only happens if they shoot well.

There seem to be a lot of people automatically enthralled with the JM guns. I'm not one of them. Some were good but some were truly awful, too. There are NO guarantees.

Tom

Well said.

I’m happy with my 45-70. I’ve killed a doe with it. It shoots really well.

Then it's really a Win Model 70 CRF...and NOT a Remington after all??? Great!!!