Marlin Guide or H&R in 45-70

Alex_Zues

Alex_Zues

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Sasquatchewan, the flat part
H&R/NEF Handi Rifles seem to go for $270-300 in stores. Most of what I read is good. A lot of folks claim to be very accurate with them. Marlin Guide Guns got for around $500 on sale at stores or on EE. Is it worth an additional $200 for the ability to have quick follow up shots?

My concern is that Marlin-of-Remmington's been getting a bad reputation of late. Is it just internet whiners, or would it really be a mistake?

I'd like something to be accurate to 200m, with the idea of perhaps taking it hunting to see how a rifle above 30cal works. Anybody use both of these and have some perspective to share? Is it worth waiting for a levergun to go on sale/EE, or is a Handi Rifle a safer bet?
Thanks, Al
 
My Marlin was made in 1996, but I say wait for the lever gun, they are just good rifles. I put about 50 rounds through mine today with everything from 405's at ~1100 with trailboss to 53gr of 3031 behind a 350. Some of those were poking holes in my NR reg certificates that I am going to frame.

45-70 is not perfect with it's catapult trajectory but it will do just fine at open sight ranges at making what you shoot stop doing what it's doing.
 
I would have no problem buying a new Marlin, but it would have
to be in person. Go to Marlinowners.com to educate yourself
about the problems they have had. Barrel droop, canted sights,
partially rifled barrels, there are several problems out there.

There are also a whole bunch of new, good Marlin leverguns,
but nobody talks about them. That doesn't earn you much
internet cred ;)

The H&R is a very inexpensive, simple, plain gun. Nothing fancy,
and not much to go wrong. Maybe not the most refined bit of
equipment out there, but gets the job done.
 
I found the GG to be far more brutal in recoil

as for follow up shots, never needed one with the 45/70

anything I hit with my Handi has not needed a second shot.

oh... and they can load pretty stout, so 200m range is not so rainbowed, if using something like 325-375gr Check out the RanchDog, or a Lyman 457483, or 457191

Talk to Ben, he might have some so you can try.
 
Maybe I'm wrong but doesn't marlin now own hnr/nef? I like having lotsa ammo in the gun but personally I love hunting with a single shot. Both guns will need an update to there sights for a 200 yard shots unless its a big target. I have shot an hnr buffalo gun with the long barrel and straight stock. It was nice and very accurate considering the cheap plastic peep sight. For most hunting if the first shot is placed well there is no need for a follow up shot. It is nice to know its there though

Try to handle each gun before you make the decision
 
brybenn said:
Maybe I'm wrong but doesn't marlin now own hnr/nef? I like having lotsa ammo in the gun but personally I love hunting with a single shot. Both guns will need an update to there sights for a 200 yard shots unless its a big target. I have shot an hnr buffalo gun with the long barrel and straight stock. It was nice and very accurate considering the cheap plastic peep sight. For most hunting if the first shot is placed well there is no need for a follow up shot. It is nice to know its there though

Try to handle each gun before you make the decision
Click to expand...

Marlin did purchase H&R/NEF. However, they are significantly more simple (less to go wrong) then a lever action rifle.
 
I have an H&R in 22-250 and HATE IT!! It only has about 120 rounds through it and with 2/3 of those the damn thing would unlock! It's only 1.5 years old and I regret ever wasting money on it. I fixed the lock myself by grinding the bevel on the locking lug. After around 80 rounds a crack in the stock right behind the receiver started. A couple more shots and it became a missing chunk! It turns out that the wrist of the stocks are milled much larger than the reciever, and where they meet is kind of like a ball and socket joint. The problem is that the rounded 'ball' of the wood is a larger parabola than the smaller 'cup' of the metal tang and with the big recoil of the 22-250, the receiver basically chisels its way into the wood and any excess wood that doesn't fit into the 'cup' shape of the receiver, gets broken off! That's with 22-250, imagine the headaches with 45-70!!!
 
Camp Cook said:
Get the H&R then save up and get the Marlin...

CC
Click to expand...

This might be my course of action. Most folks are saying the H&R are a good bet, though there's always duds in the batch as others have pointed out. I think I'll keep my eyes on EE/local gun store sales, and whichever one shows up first as a great deal I'll buy. No-one I know has either, so it'll be difficult trying either out:(. If not, H&R will have to be my inexpensive introductory to 45/70.

Thanks for all the feedback, I appreciated the personal experiences.
Cheers, Al
 
My H&R 45-70 has been more reliable than any Browning, Remington, Winchester that I've owned. I upgraded the iron sights, but I've had no problem with jamming or accuracy. I take it on my first hunt of the season to keep from getting buck fever.
 
I've owned 4 Marlins in 45-70, an NEF (22", syn stock, irons) and an H&R (22", syn "thumbhole stock", no sights -- I put a scope on it).

One Marlin was the "original" ported version... DON'T, I repeat, DON'T get one of those!!! ...unless you want a real headache with busted ear drums!

All the others were good. I shot my first trophy bl. bear with my first 1895 Marlin at 100 yds. Others were shot with other Marlins, including the GG!.

One trophy quality bl. bear was shot at 70 yards with the NEF, 465gr semi-hardcast (Ben Hunchak's), a frontal hit and the bear dropped so fast in the 3-foot tall grass I lost sight of him as the rifle came down from recoil. That bullet was leaving my 22" barrel of the NEF at 1900 fps and would shoot MOA consistently. In the single-shots you can seat the bullets out beyond what the Marlin will allow, plus you can use bullets like the TTSX and TSX, and other premium pointed ones.

But, truth be told, that cast bullet worked as well as, or better, than the so-called "premiums".

Go to my blog and you can read about these matters: "Premium", when do you need 'em?

Bob

www.bigbores.ca
 
i have an nef .50 muzzle loader, great little gun, but its pre-rem. look around for an older used lever or h&r.
 
Rory McCanuck said:
The H&R is a very inexpensive, simple, plain gun. Nothing fancy,
and not much to go wrong. Maybe not the most refined bit of
equipment out there, but gets the job done.
Click to expand...

H&R rifles may be mechanically simple... but they don't have to be PLAIN... all of mine are fine shooting rifles, but I have a soft spot for single shots...;

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handofzeus said:
I have an H&R in 22-250 and HATE IT!! ... The problem is that the rounded 'ball' of the wood is a larger parabola than the smaller 'cup' of the metal tang and with the big recoil of the 22-250, the receiver basically chisels its way into the wood and any excess wood that doesn't fit into the 'cup' shape of the receiver, gets broken off! That's with 22-250, imagine the headaches with 45-70!!!
Click to expand...

I have never heard of this problem... including on GBO, the best H&R forum... I have hundreds of shots through my .223, .243, .308 H&R Ultra rifles and NO sign of stock problems.
 
Older Marlin 1895 buffalo classic, love it and its a never sell gun.
H&R buffalo Classic love it also and again a never sell.
Both have rung gongs out to 500 yards with original sites and tall trees behind!! Aiming 44 feet above target with a 1200 fps 500 grain bullet. Fun times.
 
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