The Best 45-70 lever action rifle??

Mount Sweetness

Mount Sweetness

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
182   0   0
Location
Southern Ontario
What’s your favourite lever action 45-70 and why?

For the Marlin fans, what’s your favourite configuration new or old and why?

I’m after something somewhat classy, walnut and blue, the end all be all, maybe even something not as common.
 
I have a Marlin 1895 BL (big loop,new) and love it. It handles great with the short 18.5 inch barrel and believe it or not but my best 100 yard group was a cloverleaf. No I don't always do that . ;)

Plus I love the look of the laminate stock. :cool:
 
AlbertaJohn said:
I have a Marlin 1895 BL (big loop,new) and love it. It handles great with the short 18.5 inch barrel and believe it or not but my best 100 yard group was a cloverleaf. No I don't always do that . ;)

Plus I love the look of the laminate stock. :cool:
Click to expand...

I 'had' a Marlin 1895GS. Never could quite get used to the straight stock & lever, with the hotter loads the modern Marlin is capable of handling. 'Especially' when using some of the heavier bullets available today, it can be a little hard on the fingers. My Son ;) couldn't live without it, and has it now. I replaced it with a Marlin 1895GBL, ;) and a Magnum Research BFR to keep it company:d.
 
Marlin 1895 CB with a 26" barrel. I lucked out when I ordered one on-line, but you can get a fine one by shopping in person.
 
I quite enjoy my Marlin 1895 CB with the hex barrel. Nice classics looking gun, I personally find the small square loop to be a little cramped especially under recoil. Hard to argue with 9, 45-70 rounds fully loaded though.
 
I did the Marlin thing...really cool, but moved up to the Browning BLR takedown in .450 Marlin. The new 45-70 :) With a removable magazine, far superior quality and very portable. This one is clearly not walnut and blued.

GHnv8rm.jpg
 
Mount Sweetness said:
Here’s what I would like, does it exist?
Big loop lever
All blued, not matte
Walnut, not laminate
Pistol grip

What would you recommend?
Click to expand...

Turnbull Restorations makes some very pretty guns, to order and some of their prices are actually pretty good for what you get.
Myself, to meet all your criteria, I'd get a new (or better yet, a decent working but maybe rough/worn wood stocked used one) 1895 GBL in blued finish, order a WWG Happy Trigger kit, spring kit and Bear-Proof extractor from Brownells, and then depending on the gun and finish condition, either refinish the stock or order up a nice walnut one from Boyd's and finish it how I want it, and depending on the bluing either polish everything or send it to a good hot bluing outfit. Overall you may spend what you would through Turnbull, maybe less, but you'll get exactly what you want- and if you like tinkering with rifles have some fun while you're at it.
 
I have a BLR in 450 marlin and a Marlin 1895 XLR in 45-70 the Browning feeds much smoother and the removable clip is better
 
Different models fit different usages better than others. If you want a "hunter, saddle gun, or truck gun" a guide model will prob. be your "butter cup" but if your going into any of the Cowboy Silhouette or long range gong games the 26" Cowboy model has fit my bill quite well.

Another thing to consider before making a purchase is "are you going to shoot mostly jacketed or cast bullets". If "cast" then I think one with the "Ballard rifling" rather than micro-groove would be my recommendation.
 
Loved my Marlin 1895sbl. The wood was great, the feed was great and the recoil was minimal. I loved blasting that thing, except the cost to feed it lol. It didn't have the straight stock either. The pistol grip made it way better than any of the cowboy straight stock versions I handled. Better geometry.

Only issue I had with mine was a stiff as hell and sharp
loading gate. Shaved the top of my thumb with it twice. Stiff enough to shave the brass while I was loading. Sold it with that disclosure but if I'd kept it, I'd have needed to shave that spring or work it like a dog.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom