which 45-70? marlin or browning?

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xcaribooer

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contemplating getting a 45-70 :D. two models that have my interest are the blr and the marlin 1895, I see the browning is a fair bit more money than the marlin and was wondering if someone can comment on the difference in quality between the two? also if you can suggest any other brands/models I should consider?
 
It seems Remington has got the quality control issue under control so if you are looking at a new one you should be fine. I had a chance to shoot one of the new ones with a peep sight last weekend and I was impressed. There definitely were a few dark years though.
 
xcaribooer said:
I did a bit of online reading and see that there are some quality issues with remlin, so how do I identify one of these?
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Handle the gun in the gun shop. My friend picked his from about a half dozen they had on hand. The Marlin shoots very well. If you get the right one, it's great.
That being said, if it was my money I would save for the BLR....
 
xcaribooer said:
contemplating getting a 45-70 :D. two models that have my interest are the blr and the marlin 1895, I see the browning is a fair bit more money than the marlin and was wondering if someone can comment on the difference in quality between the two? also if you can suggest any other brands/models I should consider?
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Browning doesn't make their BLR in 45-70 but they do make a BLR in 450 Marlin.
I know. I own one.
Mine is a '81 BLR (take down) in 450 Marlin with the legacy style barrel band that I like.
It is a slick and accurate gun and can be taken down to 2 parts in seconds.
I also own a Winchester model 94 Trails End in 450 Marlin which is also take down capable and very smooth and accurate.
Both guns are made by Miroku of Japan but the 94 is 300 dollars more money than the BLR.
Not because it's a better gun than the BLR but just because the prices of the new Japanese built Winchesters are jacked-up for whatever reason.
I got my 94TE cheap for a cool $grand from a friend who needed a bundle of cash fast and had to sell 2 guns and a bush bike to get it.
The bank was getting ready to foreclose on his home and his wife was getting on his case cause they have a new kid to think about.
The workmanship, w/m fitting and finishing, the furniture and bluing on both Miroku built guns are above reproach.
Only 1 brand of factory ammo in 450 Marlin. Hornady makes a 450 round with a 350 grain FP and another featuring the 325 grain FTX bullet.
I buy mostly the 350 grain Hornady rounds because the cases are full length but the cases Hornady loads the 325 grain FTX bullets into have been shortened.
The Hornady factory ammo is good accurate stuff and I intend to reload the cases with cast bullets.

I also own a Marlin model 1895GS (stainless Guide Gun) in 45-70 that I shoot cast lead bullets from.
This is a good gun but not in the same class as the Miroku built guns discussed above.
That's understandable because the Guide Gun is 1/2 the price of the 94 and 2/3 the price of the BLR.
But it gets the job done and has never let me down or failed to kill what I aimed it at.
 
Between the BLR and the 1895 I would take the 1895. Between the 1895 and 1886 I'd take the 1886. FWIW I have a Marlin 1895CB (26" octagon barrel) and it's a great rifle, but it's not an 1886, which is what I really wanted all along.
 
BigUglyMan said:
Between the BLR and the 1895 I would take the 1895. Between the 1895 and 1886 I'd take the 1886. FWIW I have a Marlin 1895CB (26" octagon barrel) and it's a great rifle, but it's not an 1886, which is what I really wanted all along.
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1895Cb with 26" octagon bbl?
full size 1886 rifle?
9 -10 pound guns.
If I want to weight lift I'll buy a bar bell.
If I want to hunt I'd rather have a 18 1/2" bbl Guide Gun or 20" bbl carbines like the BLR or a 94TE slung over my shoulder.
But different strokes for different folks.
 
86 1st, 95 2nd, marlin 3. I own a marlin, a Ruger #3, a H&R Springfield trap door, and a Simese Mauser w/ a very heavy barrel. I would still like a Browning 86. (if any one wants to trade all but the #3 are up) :)
 
You didn't mention the Winchester 1886 Extra Light or 1886 Short Rifle, but I think they are worth mentioning too. The price will be a bit higher than the Marlin or Browning.

For compactness though I doubt you could beat the Uberti 1871 Hunting Carbine. At 4.5lbs a 450gr cast lead load should be just the ticket... :)
 
I have a Browning 1886 hi grade carbine and it is as slick as snot.It weighs around 8 pounds and carries with ease.If you can locate one buy it and you won t be sorry.You could also get a Winchester 86 extra light, they are made by the same company that makes the Browning 86.The only problem is they hac
ve a rebounding hammer and a tang safety which purists dislike but otherwise they are good guns.
 
Used to be a purist but my latest lever action acquisition broke the mold.
It is a Winchester (Miroku) model 94 Trails End (take down) carbine (20" bbl) in 450 Marlin and is a beautifully accurate and slick rifle.
It weighs in at 6 3/4 pounds and has a tang safety and rebounding hammer.
Mounted a nice little Leupold "Rifleman" 2-7x33mm scope on it.
The tang safety is handy and silent and I use it when I test cycle my hunting ammo thru the gun after reloading which I do with all my hunting ammo before I take it in the field.
The gun was a little stiff NIB but after 500 dry cycles while watching TV it loosened up so that I can now cycle ammo thru it with my baby finger.
 
Gunoholic said:


1895Cb with 26" octagon bbl?
full size 1886 rifle?
9 -10 pound guns.
If I want to weight lift I'll buy a bar bell.
If I want to hunt I'd rather have a 18 1/2" bbl Guide Gun or 20" bbl carbines like the BLR or a 94TE slung over my shoulder.
But different strokes for different folks.
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Like I told a guy one time...depends on the man.
 
BLR all the way for me in .450, but there's nothing wrong with a '95 Marlin in 45-70, as long as it's
a fresh one. I roll my own ammo, so I can taylor the load to the situation.
It would be nice to see Browning do up long action BLR's in .458 magnum. Reloaders could
easily make loads to suit their game and comfort levels.:)
 
I have an 1895 and it has functioned flawlessly from day one. It's plenty accurate for hunting at the ranges I do, and, much to the surprise of some with scoped rifles; including another with a scoped 1895, I am able to ring the 200 yard gong with ease using my preferred hunting hand load and the XS ghost ring and post sight set up I have on it. Having said that, though, I understand that there were some bad rifles that came off the line. Nevertheless, I don't think you can go wrong with a good 1895, and for a good deal less money, too.
 
I wasn't aware Browning offered the BLR in 45-70......However between the several variations of the Miroku 1886s offered by Browning previous, and Winchester currently, there just is no comparison to any vintage of Marlin. The quality of the Miroku is far superior to any other lever gun on the market, it is and has been offered in many different weights and forms from full rifle full magazine to the current ELR. I have owned several of the Marlins over the years and several 86s including several originals now and a new Win/Miroku mod 92 and Marlin only wishes they could build a rifle of this quality.
The new Win/Miroku is far and away the finest quality lever 45-70 on the market and rivals the original 86s I have for smoothness and no doubt are better than the originals in metallurgy.
The design of the 86 also handles recoil much better than the Marlin, I found, and the Marlin bites my fingers in the lever under recoil, which the 86 design does not. I have fairly oversize mitts so this may be a malady unique to me or those of us with big hands and fingers. Stoutly loaded there just isn't anything nice about the Marlin..........the same loads in the 86 I find much more pleasant and less painful, maybe just my build, but this has been my experience with quite a few of both. In fact I disliked shooting the Marlin so much that I just sold my last one, an 1895 CB, loved the looks but hated shooting it. I still have 4 original 86s in 45-70 and they are all shooters and my choice any day over the Marlin.
The extra you pay for the 86 design Miroku is money very well spent IMHO.
 
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