I was lucky enough to spend an afternoon shooting one of the new Marlins at a friends place in Montana. What a BEAUTIFUL rifle! I'm a real fan of lever guns, and have quite a few, from everyone who currently makes them. The fit & finish on it is really, Really good; no spaces, no gaps, everything is snug & tight. The wood is really nice, checkering is nice and crisp. The action is fantastic; VERY smooth, just the right resistance cycling the action. It locks up very solidly, and is aa comfortable gun to shoot, even running stout reloads. It's a softer hooting 45/70 than either my Henry or my Remington era Marlin.
45/70 is not a favourite calibre for me, and I already have two of them. But...I have one on order. I will likely sell one or both of mine when it arrives. I am now Really looking forward to their line filling out again. I'm a big fan of .357 mag, and I'll absolutely be adding a new Ruger/Marlin to my safe when it's released