Ruger Guide Gun vs Marlin 1895 Guide Gun

bearkilr said:
McMillan on that Ruger? Lipstick on a pig! For $500 bear defense, I'll choose a used Marlin Guide Gun over a fiberglass club. :)
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If the goal is cheap bear defense, a pump shotgun is even less than $500. If you only can afford to spend $500 on a rifle, then get whatever suits you best in your budget. If I was in that financial position, I'd prefer to save until I could afford something better.

Is this a bear defense thread now?
 
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the marlin will freeze up just the same as a bolt will going from wet to freezing....the big problem is with the bolt you can clear it up simple with the tubular mag it is not simple. It is very hard to single load a marlin that has frozen stuck cartridges in the tubular mag and you have to cycle the action or unload through the port single and when the mag slide and spring is frozen it is immpossible....Bolt gun you dump the floor plate and even if the mag is frozen you will usually pick up the first round or can hand feed at least.
I have actually had the marlin froze shut...can't even force it open.
Basic the marlin has more parts to freeze and bind then a mauser type.

I will tell you another instance...I ended up getting a little or maybe a little more then a handfull of powder snow in the open action...I cleaned it out best I can in cicumstance it sure wasn't much but when I closed the action on a loaded round later in the day it bound...would not close ..could not force and when I tried to eject the round it stuck in the chamber.... pretty hard now to cycle the action to try to grab the shell again cause that marlin will feed another round and you can't hold it down....you now have to unload backwards through the port and then try to close the bolt on the stuck round....which is what I did and was still not able to extract it until I fired the round on my third try.....bear would have ate me!!!!

oh and one more.....it is pretty important after getting the action dirty to deassemble and clean especially a lever....bolt is relitevly simple even in the field but a marlin not so much is it???

I have shot cougar bear deer and wolf with mine...I love it cause it points well and is easy to carry..but I leave it at home when I am guiding.
 
The 375 Ruger is very capable for bear defense tool, probably why the Alaskans have sold so incredibly well in places like Alaska! :)

Almost all the guides I know that carry rifles carry bolt actions. I did know one guide that traded in his Marin 45/70 for M70 338 because he wanted a more versatile rifle than his Marlin Guide Gun. Most of the Marlins seem to be more safe queens than actually get hunted with, although I know there are some exceptions. ;)
 
Of all the guides I have ever known or worked with, only one did not carry a bolt, he carried a model 99 Savage for 40 years in BC and Alberta. He owned many beautiful quality bolt action rifles, but never found one he liked as much as his 99. I prefer a shorter than normal rifle for brush, but still a bolt. Every so often I will carry the 44 carbine, but that is mainly for nostalgia and personal enjoyment. Plus it is sooooo fun to shoot and seems almost impossible to miss anything under 100 yards.

Out of the choices offered by the OP, I would take the Ruger. Yes, even in 375 Ruger Gatehouse! Lol
 
horshur said:
the marlin will freeze up just the same as a bolt will going from wet to freezing....the big problem is with the bolt you can clear it up simple with the tubular mag it is not simple. It is very hard to single load a marlin that has frozen stuck cartridges in the tubular mag and you have to cycle the action or unload through the port single and when the mag slide and spring is frozen it is immpossible....Bolt gun you dump the floor plate and even if the mag is frozen you will usually pick up the first round or can hand feed at least.
I have actually had the marlin froze shut...can't even force it open.
Basic the marlin has more parts to freeze and bind then a mauser type.

I will tell you another instance...I ended up getting a little or maybe a little more then a handfull of powder snow in the open action...I cleaned it out best I can in cicumstance it sure wasn't much but when I closed the action on a loaded round later in the day it bound...would not close ..could not force and when I tried to eject the round it stuck in the chamber.... pretty hard now to cycle the action to try to grab the shell again cause that marlin will feed another round and you can't hold it down....you now have to unload backwards through the port and then try to close the bolt on the stuck round....which is what I did and was still not able to extract it until I fired the round on my third try.....bear would have ate me!!!!

oh and one more.....it is pretty important after getting the action dirty to deassemble and clean especially a lever....bolt is relitevly simple even in the field but a marlin not so much is it???

I have shot cougar bear deer and wolf with mine...I love it cause it points well and is easy to carry..but I leave it at home when I am guiding.
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First hand reality. Bolt guns are as popular as they are, in many demanding situations, for very good reasons.
 
crazy_davey said:
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LMAO ! Thats the funnist thing i have seen on here ! RJ
 
Kevan said:
I certainly hope you are referring to your own personal 375 Gatehouse, because I can assure you my Ruger 375 is THE LAST rifle I would want in my hands in the event of a Grizzly charge... it does not feed well enough to be trusted for anything but a slowly cycled round.
On the other hand, my 602 / 375 H&H, my CZ550 / 9.3, my 404, and especially my 458 would be my choice for a life saver.
Hell, even a 45-70 Marlin and I'm not a Marlin fan...
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Kevan - I mentioned this once and all the 375 Ruger guys assured me theres all feed just as GOOD as a 375 H&H Does ! BULLS*IT i say ! I want my Rem 375 H&H or my Marly 45-70 anyday over a Ruger 375 ! JMHO RJ
 
remington jim said:
Kevan - I mentioned this once and all the 375 Ruger guys assured me theres all feed just as GOOD as a 375 H&H Does ! BULLS*IT i say ! I want my Rem 375 H&H or my Marly 45-70 anyday over a Ruger 375 ! JMHO RJ
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Have to admit, as a particularly "ardent" fan of the .375 H&H, I would take a Ruger Alaskan .375 Ruger for real work over a Remington in .375 H&H, or a Marlin.
 
Ardent said:
Have to admit, as a particularly "ardent" fan of the .375 H&H, I would take a Ruger Alaskan .375 Ruger for real work over a Remington in .375 H&H, or a Marlin.
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This is all well and good, but for myself I'd rather depend on a push feed rifle that functions properly than a CRF rifle that is not reliable.
My 458 is a push feed and has never let me down when needed.
I wouldn't dare allow myself to be in a risky position if carrying my 375 Alaskan, no doubt there are many who favor controlled feed rifles, but with the exception of my BRNO 375 H&H which feeds flawlessly, I've played with several CRF rifles one of which was a pre-64 Mod. 70 which was very fussy.... just my 2 cents...
 
PF's are easy to get to work correctly. No doubt that a poorly set up CRF can give you feeding fits, but that goes the same for a PF that's not working correctly.
 
While I am a CRF guy as well I have to admit that my rental Ruger African jammed when I shot my buff. Of course, the New King killed the buff with a single shot through the heart, but I'd rather have had the shot immediately available rather than having to clear a round with the bullet jammed on the feed ramp and the bullet stuffed back in the case.

That round later killed an impala...wobbly bullet and all. Guess I am a dangerous sort after all!
 
kman300 said:
What is the supposed feeding problem with the alaskan? I can eject 3 ronds before the first one hits the ground with mine.
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I'd give my left testicle ( useless as it is ) to have mine feed half that good !
Out of the box the first round would bind on the way up the ramp and any cartridge case entering the chamber would have a full length scratch from shoulder to extractor groove. I polished lightly on the feed ramp and that seemed to help, but then the bolt would never strip the second round from the mag. After a trip to Snapshots ( warranty depot ) it will still miss the second cartridge about twice out of six trys, this after replacing the mag spring and carrier.
It will not feed any cartridge with a round or blunt nose unless cycled very slowly and unfortunately those are my preference especially with the heavier bullets, 300 + gr.
As for ejecting 3 rounds quickly, my BRNO will do that with 5 regardless of bullet shape, over and over again...
 
Snapshots are horrible to deal with to begin with, but I'm surprised they couldn't get it to feed. I'd take it to a real gunsmith, if you want to invest some $$ into it.
 
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