moisanfan11
New member
I saw one of these and liked it, I just need some info on the rifle quality and performence
marlin 1895 guide gun
- Thread starter moisanfan11
- Start date
Since the modern Marlin 1895 is based on the Model 336, it's quality hasn't been in question for the over 50 years it's been in production, until Remington took over the Marlin production - denoted by the lack of the "JM" Marlin proofmark on Remlins.
Likewise, the .45-70 has been the Gold Standard in big bore leverguns since 1873 (YOU count the years), and with proper loads is good enough for anything on this continent and most of Africa.
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Likewise, the .45-70 has been the Gold Standard in big bore leverguns since 1873 (YOU count the years), and with proper loads is good enough for anything on this continent and most of Africa.
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reynolds357
New member
Its a typical Marlin lever action. I have the 444 and .45-70 but not in the guide configuration. I am happy with both.
I have a Marlin Guide gun. It is a great gun made in 2009. I love the 45-70 round. I saw a guy post a picture of a suppressed 45-70 on this forum a while back. That would be a sweet hog killing gun!
The JM stamped marlins as a whole are sweet guns. The (REP) stamped marlins are hit and miss.
The JM stamped marlins as a whole are sweet guns. The (REP) stamped marlins are hit and miss.
I got an 1895G, 45-70, with ported bbl not long after they came out. Installed XS ghost ring sights, and later a slip-on Limbsaver pad.
3 shot groups at 50 yards and 350gr soft point were less than 1/2". (basically 1 hole)
Full power 405gr cast averaged 2.7", while plinking load with Trail Boss ran 2.3"
Mike
3 shot groups at 50 yards and 350gr soft point were less than 1/2". (basically 1 hole)
Full power 405gr cast averaged 2.7", while plinking load with Trail Boss ran 2.3"
Mike
I have a Marlin 1895 SBL .45-70.
It has preformed flawlessly. Only one problem. My fault. I didn't pull the rail and LickTite the screws when I bought it last year. Day before yesterday at the range the rail shook loose. I pulled it, cleaned the screws and holes and LockTited them in place. Now all I need to do is go back to the range and re-zero the scope. And finish working up loads for it and my .223 and my 30-06. Oh well, my work is never done.
It has preformed flawlessly. Only one problem. My fault. I didn't pull the rail and LickTite the screws when I bought it last year. Day before yesterday at the range the rail shook loose. I pulled it, cleaned the screws and holes and LockTited them in place. Now all I need to do is go back to the range and re-zero the scope. And finish working up loads for it and my .223 and my 30-06. Oh well, my work is never done.
I call it The Beast. That tell you anything? Actually it depends on how it's loaded. Off the bench it's a "BEAST" freestanding not nearly as bad. I'm shooting 300 gr. JHP over 60 to 64 gr. of IMR 4064 (working on the best load). That's what I was doing when scope shook lose. All I can say it kicks the most out of anything I own. But it doesn't hurt like my 30-06 did when it didn't have a recoil pad.
Actually it depends on how it's loaded. Off the bench it's a "BEAST" freestanding not nearly as bad. I'm shooting 300 gr. JHP over 60 to 64 gr. of IMR 4064 (working on the best load). That's what I was doing when scope shook lose. All I can say it kicks the most out of anything I own. But it doesn't hurt like my 30-06 did when it didn't have a recoil pad.I just bought a NIB standard 1895 Friday. Fit and finish is excellent. Trigger pull is about 6# with a touch of creep. Has a much better trigger than my other two Marlins. Dies and components come in next week. I'll be using a moderate load of IMR4198 for about 1700 for deer and hog.
Super Sneaky Steve
New member
GeauxTide, if you want to do away with that 6# trigger take a look at this one. http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=1895+trigger In my gun it brakes like glass at 2#.
Guys, I checked the sight on my SBL. I don't think there was anything wrong with it but since I've been using a scope I though I may have overlooked a lean. There is none. It's straight! Scope rail came off easily and alined perfectly with the holes in the breach and the stud that is dovetailed in the barrel.There are no scratches or dents in the rifle anywhere. Screw heads are all prefect. Since I dissembled the breach to install the trigger I know what it looks like in there. While it's not polished like the outside it's not like sandpaper either. The leaver and bolt work smoothly. The rifling looks like rifling. It's been cleaned several times and it's not hard to clean. I shoot JHP and the copper comes out pretty easily.
All I can say is I feel for the guy. I've been there with other products (automobile my mother bough in the 80s) but it looks like I goat a good 1895 SBL.
I could whine about the rail shaking loose but I had a Savage bolt gun do the same thing and my 700 that "I" put the rail on shook loose. People will tell you not to use red LockTite. Well the blue shook lose. I now use red on base screws.
Guys, I checked the sight on my SBL. I don't think there was anything wrong with it but since I've been using a scope I though I may have overlooked a lean. There is none. It's straight! Scope rail came off easily and alined perfectly with the holes in the breach and the stud that is dovetailed in the barrel.There are no scratches or dents in the rifle anywhere. Screw heads are all prefect. Since I dissembled the breach to install the trigger I know what it looks like in there. While it's not polished like the outside it's not like sandpaper either. The leaver and bolt work smoothly. The rifling looks like rifling. It's been cleaned several times and it's not hard to clean. I shoot JHP and the copper comes out pretty easily.
All I can say is I feel for the guy. I've been there with other products (automobile my mother bough in the 80s) but it looks like I goat a good 1895 SBL.
I could whine about the rail shaking loose but I had a Savage bolt gun do the same thing and my 700 that "I" put the rail on shook loose.
People will tell you not to use red LockTite. Well the blue shook lose. I now use red on base screws. Take a look at my experience here:
(From MarlinOwners - 07-06-2012, 08:00 PM)
In the FWIW column: I picked up a Remlim GBL about two months ago.
- I like the laminate stock work they did (so did several of the "old guys" amongst my Range Officers)
- I like the oversize lever loop design (as compared to my 39A and `94)
- I like the absolutely flawless feeding of those big 45-70 cases.... smoothest I've ever felt... fast or slow
- I wasn't too keen on the 8½ lb trigger, so I HappyTriggered & re main-springed it to 3½
- The stock iron sights weren't too bad, but I put a WilliamsFP peep on it to establish load preferences.
- (then my mid 60's eyes finally said "...put a lo-pwr Leupold on it, stupid...."
- Finally, I like the way it puts lead (real lead) downrange:
http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/45-70-govt/92182-1895gbl-vs-guide-gun-5.html#post1065588
(From MarlinOwners - 07-06-2012, 08:00 PM)
In the FWIW column: I picked up a Remlim GBL about two months ago.
- I like the laminate stock work they did (so did several of the "old guys" amongst my Range Officers)
- I like the oversize lever loop design (as compared to my 39A and `94)
- I like the absolutely flawless feeding of those big 45-70 cases.... smoothest I've ever felt... fast or slow
- I wasn't too keen on the 8½ lb trigger, so I HappyTriggered & re main-springed it to 3½
- The stock iron sights weren't too bad, but I put a WilliamsFP peep on it to establish load preferences.
- (then my mid 60's eyes finally said "...put a lo-pwr Leupold on it, stupid...."
- Finally, I like the way it puts lead (real lead) downrange:
http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/45-70-govt/92182-1895gbl-vs-guide-gun-5.html#post1065588
This is a 2009 build Marlin 1895GBL. I was lucky to get a good one before things went south. It was been a beautiful, flawlessly assembled and accurate rifle. Anything built around that time or earlier ought to be fine.
Standard load is a 300g HP chronoed at ave 2250fps out of the short barrel.
Standard load is a 300g HP chronoed at ave 2250fps out of the short barrel.
WhitSpurzon
New member
Typically great guns. I've had two - one ported, the other not. With irons sights this is what my 1895 GS would do at 50 yards.
You don't need to push it hard to kill critters. <1400 will go lengthwise through an Idaho Black Bear (it's still going as far as we know) or zip through an Elk at black powder velocities. Put it where it goes and you won't be doing any tracking.
Fun at range too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfeAmjNmUzc
You don't need this many milk jugs with your 223...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBLdtFes8eE&list=UUNvs-eikNypaitinLHGw9tA&index=28
Our Cowboy and LTD II are great too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Oas1ApY6qo&list=UUNvs-eikNypaitinLHGw9tA&index=21
You don't need to push it hard to kill critters. <1400 will go lengthwise through an Idaho Black Bear (it's still going as far as we know) or zip through an Elk at black powder velocities. Put it where it goes and you won't be doing any tracking.
Fun at range too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfeAmjNmUzc
You don't need this many milk jugs with your 223...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBLdtFes8eE&list=UUNvs-eikNypaitinLHGw9tA&index=28
Our Cowboy and LTD II are great too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Oas1ApY6qo&list=UUNvs-eikNypaitinLHGw9tA&index=21
I'm trying to find a load that will shoot flat out to 100 -150 yards. 37 gr. of IMR 4064 under a 300 JHP was pleasant to shoot but had too much drop from 50 to 100. I'm playing now with 60 to 64 gr. Shoots flat but the scope base came loos before I got to shoot and groups. Lyman's book calls for (and this is off the top of head so not scold if I'm a little off) 35 Min. 42. Max. I found 37 nice. Went to Hodgan's site and it says (again of the top of my head) 56 gr. Min 64.5 Max. (Yah, can't figure that one out ether since both are supposed specific Marlin 1985 load data). I was shooting 60.0 and 64.0 and the gun eats it like candy. Then the scope shook loose.
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Edward429451
Moderator
I think the 1895G is my most favorite of all the rifles I've ever owned. It's big bore, compact, light, easy to dis/re-assemble, ergonomically pleasing, quick handling, and nostalgic.
It needed a few mods to suit me and make it near perfect. First off, enough good can not be said about the WWG Happy trigger for it. Breaks like a glass rod as noted and makes it much more shootable as compared to the factory trigger. A decent set of Williams peep sights to increase the sight radius and makes using the sights much faster than the barrel mounted rail sight. A big loop lever made it much more comfortable to shoot than the teeny factory lever loop, and allows the use of gloves for winter/hunting. A Blackhawk combo cheek-pad/cartridge carrier (stock 5 rounds, which I modded to hold 8 rounds). It cinches up rock solid to the stock, unlike most nylon stock mount cartridge carriers! I bought it for the cartridge carrier but love it for the cheek-pad which helps very much from your cheek getting tenderized from heavy recoil of extended range sessions with it, and permits a very good and repeatable cheek weld. Lastly, a leather GI M1A sling which works wonderful for the rifle and is as if it was made for it.
These few mods made it one of the best rifles I've ever owned. I took two Deer with it. Both with one shot, DRT. It loves 400-405 grain lead boolits. One caution, it likes fat bullets. If you try to shoot factory cowboy loads in it, you'll be cleaning lead out of it for a week. The cobow loads seem to be tyically sized to .457. Stick to .459 or .460 and you'll have no problems with leading from lead bullets.
You wont ever regret buying an 1895G.
It needed a few mods to suit me and make it near perfect. First off, enough good can not be said about the WWG Happy trigger for it. Breaks like a glass rod as noted and makes it much more shootable as compared to the factory trigger. A decent set of Williams peep sights to increase the sight radius and makes using the sights much faster than the barrel mounted rail sight. A big loop lever made it much more comfortable to shoot than the teeny factory lever loop, and allows the use of gloves for winter/hunting. A Blackhawk combo cheek-pad/cartridge carrier (stock 5 rounds, which I modded to hold 8 rounds). It cinches up rock solid to the stock, unlike most nylon stock mount cartridge carriers! I bought it for the cartridge carrier but love it for the cheek-pad which helps very much from your cheek getting tenderized from heavy recoil of extended range sessions with it, and permits a very good and repeatable cheek weld. Lastly, a leather GI M1A sling which works wonderful for the rifle and is as if it was made for it.
These few mods made it one of the best rifles I've ever owned. I took two Deer with it. Both with one shot, DRT. It loves 400-405 grain lead boolits. One caution, it likes fat bullets. If you try to shoot factory cowboy loads in it, you'll be cleaning lead out of it for a week. The cobow loads seem to be tyically sized to .457. Stick to .459 or .460 and you'll have no problems with leading from lead bullets.
You wont ever regret buying an 1895G.
Jerry for a flatter shooting round such as that which I used in the GBL in my earlier post, I can recommend H4198 (which is known as AR2207 here), 56 grains which is a lower end load in the Hodgdon 1895 data, over a 300g HP jacketed bullet. I use a standard primer.
This load chronos 2250fps in my GBL, and sighted 2.8 inches high at 100y gives you a PB range +/- 3 inches all the way out to around 190 odd yards.
You could also use H322 however will have to use the full compressed load of around 63g to get those sort of speeds.
Before anyone says it, yes it does have some recoil however it isn't that bad. I am no recoil junkie, but even I find it ok for a session of 20 shots or so over the bench during load development, and in the field it feels downright mild when shooting at game.
I have taken probably 40 pigs of all sizes with this load, the biggest around 120 kilos and it handles them easily. I am using the Sierra HP. Haven't used it on a deer yet but it would suffice for the bigger deer too I am sure. You could go for a Partition if you wanted insurance for large deer like your elk.
This load chronos 2250fps in my GBL, and sighted 2.8 inches high at 100y gives you a PB range +/- 3 inches all the way out to around 190 odd yards.
You could also use H322 however will have to use the full compressed load of around 63g to get those sort of speeds.
Before anyone says it, yes it does have some recoil however it isn't that bad. I am no recoil junkie, but even I find it ok for a session of 20 shots or so over the bench during load development, and in the field it feels downright mild when shooting at game.
I have taken probably 40 pigs of all sizes with this load, the biggest around 120 kilos and it handles them easily. I am using the Sierra HP. Haven't used it on a deer yet but it would suffice for the bigger deer too I am sure. You could go for a Partition if you wanted insurance for large deer like your elk.