Marlin Guide Gun

oddione

oddione

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Ottawa, ON
Hello All. I decided I need a "stopper". At first I went to the extreme and I was looking at .458 lott... but this is for north american thick winter brush bear defence, and .458 lott is just excessive. Plus I want a repeater.

So I settled on a Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70. From what I understand, with different loads (I'm a reloader), it can handle anything in North America at close range.

So I was browsing the Elwood Epps site and I noticed that it's 648$ for a blued walnut model, and 950$ for a laminate stainless model. I really want the stainless but I don't see how it's worth 50% more than the normal blued walnut model.

Anyone know of a good boxing day deal on these gun with any of the sponsoring dealers?

Thanks
 
im no expert but i was looking for one a couple months ago. went to my local wholesale and they told me all about the recent purchase of the marlin company by Remington. they bought the company and since then 37 out of 37 of the marlin lever actions bought at the store were returned with malfunctions and an overall lack of quality control. apparently they fired the old employees and now no one knows what they are doing at all. just my two cents but ive talked to a few people and everyone is in the same page. on the other hand if you can find a used one pre Remington you'll have to pay a few bucks more to get it but they are a pretty good bush gun.
 
Epps has the stainless guide gun on for $739,not $950, and the stainless guide gun does not have laminate stocks. Obviously you were looking at a different model, likely one with a rail, or other accessories, as well as the laminate stocks. I have seen the stainless guide gun for under $700 lately, one was at Bashaw Sports Center. The 2009/2010 models had a lot of issues with quality control, but the very recent models seem to be much better made. I just purchased an 1895 SDT myself, which is a shorter barreled special edition guide gun with laminate stocks, but they are selling for $900 or more, if you can find one.
 
Just got a new Remington made Marlin 336BL. No issues at all. Fit and finish is great and functions as it should. 2nd Marlin this month, both are good.
 
I have a Marlin 1895GS.

Marlin1895GS45-70.jpg


With hot loads and heavy bullets, the straight stock design can be a little hard on the fingers. Nonetheless, it's a keeper.
 
I haven't had any problems with my 1895G purchased in summer of 2011. The fit and finish was so-so (stock could be better fitted to the tang), but what can I expect from a $450 rifle?. The factory sights put me about 8" down at 50 yards ... so the front sight was too tall. No biggee, I ended up purchasing skinner sights for it anyway, just got to grind down the new front sight. I replaced the recoil pad with something a little bit more functional.

To be honest, the trigger could use some work ... but it's still fun to shoot. Not for you if you're recoil shy. Mine lifts the snow right off the roof of the shooting range shelter :)

I won't go camping in BC without it, just too many bears & cougars around. Being so small, it's easy to hide in a vehicle and I keep mine in the trailer at night. Call me old fashioned but I prefer a blued rifle to a stainless one ... seems to me it's not as likely to reflect light and give you away.

Do you reload? If not, it can be very expensive to shoot. In case you buy used, avoid the ported version, it's way too loud for the shooting range.

If you're hunting with gloves, the new version with the large loop would be worth it.
 
If it was 950 you were probably looking at a SBL.
I checked out a few Remingtons- to be honest I don't know when they were made- and put beside a Marlin there were obvious differences.
Shop the EE, they come up now and again.
I paid 650 for one and 700 for the other- both are in (what I consider) excellent shape so they are out there.
And this gun rocks!!!
I love the big bore- I'm hooked:)
 
I have an original G.G. blued with muzzle brake from factory I have personaly loaded this to 2 full grains over max. not .2 but 2 ,I won't give recipes but I can tell you I had no signs of psi. gun functioned perfectly.405 gr. bullet barn hits the backstop & sounds like a sledge-hammer.If you reload a 45/70 is an entirley different beast.
 
Just to clarify, I would pay extra for an SBL. (pistol style stock, stainless, full lenght tubular magazine, laminate stock (This would be a rough use gun so laminate won't show wear as much.))

I just think the 300$ difference is a little steep.

And yes I reload.
 
marcham said:
To be honest, the trigger could use some work ... but it's still fun to shoot. Not for you if you're recoil shy. Mine lifts the snow right off the roof of the shooting range shelter :)
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If you can source one, a Wild West Guns Happy Trigger will greatly improve your trigger pull. I put one into my 1895GS and it is so light and crisp that I have to warn people shooting it for the first time.
 
geologist said:
If you can source one, a Wild West Guns Happy Trigger will greatly improve your trigger pull. I put one into my 1895GS and it is so light and crisp that I have to warn people shooting it for the first time.
Click to expand...

One of the guys I guide with has a full custom WWG, that's the way a lever gun should feel. I find the marlin way to chunky with the stocks they put on them.
 
My old Marlin 1895 was the Original Guide Gun, blued with the ported muzzle. It was a no BS stopper, not some glittery "ooh look at me" gun. I used a Lee factory crimp die with 405gr hardcast bullets and stuffed enough Reloder 7 into the Federal cases to remove the hide from yer lever knuckles, headaches pound and shoulder feel like mush. LOL. Good times, watching the unprepared fire the little beast :) I installed a Williams rear peep (target apeture removed) and Firesite front bead to make fast shots in low light. Great little gun. But nowadays for an out of big game season "defence gun", I carry a 12ga 870 Tactical slug gun. Peep sites + pump action + lottsa slugs = safe no matter what the threat.
 
I've named mine 'Gungnir' Odin's spear that 'Always hit it's target'.

I LOVE MY MARLIN 45-70 GUIDE GUN.

It breathes 24" fireballs (I have to find out if I am allowed to shoot my 405gr hard cast hot-loads at the indoor range - lol) - and yes, when the bullet hits the backstop it sounds like someone is swinging a 5 pound sledge against the metal plates - haha.

Here is a picture of my buddy firing mine for the first time. Everyone else on the range stopped shooting (2 x AR-15's and a shotgun) and walked over to ask what the hell it was - LOUD LOUD LOUD. I love it.
smugshot_9890316-L.jpg
 
just got a new guide gun a few weeks ago, looks good, shoots straight, wood fits well with no gaps. check out marlinowners.com for some great info on these guns. I polished mine up and did the hammer mod and its butter smooth.
 
Matt308 said:
just got a new guide gun a few weeks ago, looks good, shoots straight, wood fits well with no gaps. check out marlinowners.com for some great info on these guns. I polished mine up and did the hammer mod and its butter smooth.
Click to expand...

What is this hammer mod you speak of?
 
you file off some of the hammer, puts less resistance on the bolt as it travels over the hammer. not somthing just anyone should dive into.If you remove too much from the hammer it wont move far enough to lock. its file test fit file some more kinda thing. I have also polished all the internals. Smoothing out the working surfaces of the locking lug made a big difference during lock up, and polishing the lever also make a big difference
 
Oh ok, yes I did that also. Much smoother. I'm sure it would have got there with a few years of use but I'm not one for waiting things out lol.
 
You will have a lot of fun with a guide gun or SBL...
You can reload fluffy loads right up to shoulder breakers and the rifle will take it!
As mentioned earlier, if you can find a Wild West Guns 'Happy Trigger', it is a huge improvement. I have two of them, and they are an easy drop in installation. I had ordered mine from Brownells, but that was a few years ago.
Keep the bolt lightly lubed and it will get nice and smooth after a few hundred rounds.
I have shot a couple thousand rounds...mostly hot 405 gr hard cast, and have never had an issue or done any mods outside of the trigger. This may become an addiction for you, as they are great little guns and shoot very well for what they are.
 
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