Check out http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/45-70-govt/ and read the experiences that the some Marlin owners are finding with their Remlins.
I purchased an 1895g last month. The front sight was not mounted properly and was crooked. I took them off and replaced with an XS Rail with front and rear sights. Also put a scope on.
I have to say that I really like the rifle. Put a box of 20 300 grain rounds through the rifle when I got it. There wasn't as much recoil as I thought there would be.
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I would highly suggest any of the numerous Miroku offerings, either the former Brownings or the newer Winchesters. You stated you were interested in quality, well neither option you presented even comes close in quality to the Mirokus. And I believe the Henry isn't priced a whole lot less. I have a Miroku 92 and the quality is as good and possibly even better than the dozen original Win 92s I have. I have also handled several of the 86s made for Win and Browning by Miroku and the quality is second to none, it is in my opinion the finest quality levergun made today. There are several models out there in 45-70 and I think Win is even offering a 45-90, or were. If I wanted to hunt with an 86 clone I would buy the 45-90 and use 45-70 brass. The cartridge OAL is a tad longer for the 45-90 and this allows you to seat your bullets out to the second cannelure and improve the 45-70 ballistics significantly. The bullets must seat way to deep in the 45-90 case and in my original 86s I can't use even the forward cannelure on the Rem 405 gn I have to use the forward driving band to crimp over. This is solved using 45-70 cases and allows more powder than the 45-70 chamber and longer COAL but a better crimp situation than the 45-90.
That pretty much sums up my opinion of the Miroku rifles too. Just excellent! But $I would highly suggest any of the numerous Miroku offerings, either the former Brownings or the newer Winchesters. You stated you were interested in quality, well neither option you presented even comes close in quality to the Mirokus. And I believe the Henry isn't priced a whole lot less. I have a Miroku 92 and the quality is as good and possibly even better than the dozen original Win 92s I have. I have also handled several of the 86s made for Win and Browning by Miroku and the quality is second to none, it is in my opinion the finest quality levergun made today. There are several models out there in 45-70 and I think Win is even offering a 45-90, or were. If I wanted to hunt with an 86 clone I would buy the 45-90 and use 45-70 brass. The cartridge OAL is a tad longer for the 45-90 and this allows you to seat your bullets out to the second cannelure and improve the 45-70 ballistics significantly. The bullets must seat way to deep in the 45-90 case and in my original 86s I can't use even the forward cannelure on the Rem 405 gn I have to use the forward driving band to crimp over. This is solved using 45-70 cases and allows more powder than the 45-70 chamber and longer COAL but a better crimp situation than the 45-90.
I've read about the front sight problems.
Did you do anything to the action to make it smoother? Did you do anything to the feed gate to remove the pinching?


Nice rifle.
If you chronied your factory 300 grain loads you might see why the recoil was less than expected. I chronied a box of 300 grain Winchester this summer and it was shooting 1625 - 1635 fps from a stainless guide gun. Five years ago I chronied some Winchester Silver Box 300 grain ammo and it was consistently at 1800 fps. At 1800 fps for a 300 grainer, it's fairly respectable, but 1630 is downright wimpy. Guys with 45 Colt carbines can do that with hot handloads, and a .454 Casull will do 1900 - 2000 fps.
You'll need to handload your 45-70 if you want loads that really get your attention.
To get the kind of performance the gun is capable of, you really need to handload.
Thissun's mine.
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