Which caliber of 1895 Marlin

manbearpig said:
you mentioned ammo cost is a concern: why not get something like a Browning BLR in .30-06 or even .308?

.45-70 will cost over twice as much.
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Yes I have had that thought.... but I much prefer the feel and look of the marlin levers over the BLR and also am looking for a little more punch than .308 or .30-06 as I have rifles chambered in those cals already.
 
From one ex-stubble jumper to another, the 1895G or GS is tough to beat. I have owned upwards of three, and now down to one. Saying that, they have beaucoup add ons for it, and I am slowly adding onto mine. DRC large loop lever, WWG Happy Trigger and Bear proof extractor, and a Pachmayer Decelerator recoil pad, and finally a Eagle ammo stock pack from Darren at One Shot Tactical. I put a Leupold VX III in 1.5-5 on same companies base, but am contemplating a swap off to a set of Warne bases I have and switch to Leupolds QRW low rings. Then I could toss on a set of Williams Fire Sites. The combo's are endless. This is my go to late season snowshoe moose rig and push the bush set up for jumpers.
The Winchester partion gold 300 grainers are a good factory load, or get into reloading as I did. Much more flexability.

Rick
 
Without reloading and the chance to up the anti with some heavy cast flatnoses at 2000 fps or so the 45/70 loses alot of it's shine, might as well get the .35 Rem. as someone suggested or better still look for a used .356 Win.
 
Sasky_07 said:
I am more worried about accuracy that velocity..... how much accuracy will I sacrifice with the 18.5" tube?? Thanks alot for all the great help guys!!!
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The shorter 1895 G 18.5" barrels may even be more accurate that the longer barrels I for one am extremely pleased with the accuracy of mine.
 
Sasky_07 said:
also am looking for a little more punch than .308 or .30-06 as I have rifles chambered in those cals already.
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you stated you were not reloading. factory .45-70 is pretty mediocre - reloaders can squeeze a lot more out of the .45-70 in modern rifles. i should also add that while remington had 2 dozen different loads for the .30-06 they had only 2 for the .45-70.

you can also further reduce those numbers because of the 1895G's 18.5" barrel (remington tests with 24" barrels). the .30-06 would be barely affected by a reduction of 2" for the 22" BLRs.

the .45-70 load in the ballistic chart costs $37 per box. the .30-06 rounds are $23.

also note that the .45-70 has the trajectory of a hand-thrown potato :)
 
i should add that i am by no means putting down the .45-70. an 1895G is the next gun i intend to purchase - the only reason i didnt buy one last week is because i actually need a new varmint gun for the looming groundhog season and i dont really need an 1895G, just really want one.

just dont go expecting miracles from factory .45-70. i fully intend to reload when i get my 1895G.
 
Check out these guys
http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php

They will be able to answer all your Questions.
I have an 1895gs and love it. Bought in jan. Have not hunted with it yet and I tried the open sites and a peep site but I want to be able to shoot out to 200+yrds so now ive ordered a shot gun muzzle loader leopold vx1 2x7x33. Don't let anyone tell you you can't shoot to 200yrds with a 45-70. You may have to hand load or find the stronger(hotter) ammo but they are definatly good to 200+yrds and that is with an 18.5" barrel. If its your so called bush gun than why the 22" when with a scope you can get 2-3" groups at 200yrds. Im shooting a 425gr hard cast bullet with gas check at about high 1700 to 1800fps. It has a good kick but it also has good trajectory at these speeds. The Factory remington ammo with the 405gr bullets only fly around 1300fps. Fun to shoot because they don't have nearly as bad of recoil but hard to be accurate at 200yrds with something going that slow. On the bull at 100yrds, 1.5'-2'(feet) low at 200yrds, were as the 425gr at 1800fps are about 6" high a 50yrds, 1-1.5" at 100yrds, and about 6" low at 200yrds. So if you know your trajectory it can be a lot of fun and a great hunting rifle. Go with the 18.5" barrel if you buy a 45-70 you won't regret it.
 
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Tron 28 how do you plan to mount that scope?

On my 1895GS I used Warne 2 piece nickle bases and Leupold QRW scope rings when I remove the 2X - 7X Leupold Compact scope I put a XS Sights Backup Ghost ring sight on.

I am very happy with this set up.
 
303carbine said:
Any velocity loss between 22 and 18.5 inch barrels is insignificant and probably less than 50 fps for the whole difference in length.
I wish the wanna be graduates from the "School of Velocity" would stop quoting Chuck Hawks.
You should have said,"go with the 45-70" and left it at that.
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*** I have proven this in .450 Marlin. 18.5" ported barrel. 350 grain RNFP Hornady ammo is published @ 2100 fps out of 24" barrel. I chrono'd these rounds @ 1960 fps from the 18.5" ported barrel. Not too bad at all.
 
"Hi I am going to purchase a new marlin lever... this will be my bush gun for moose, elk, anything else I decide to hunt in the bush!!"

You didn't metion it, but all tests I've seen over 30 years show that higher velocity smaller calibers like the 30s are actually better bush guns if one is taking about getting through leaves and stuff. They tend to have higher stability. The real takeaway message though is nothing shoots through veggies worth a darn, so don't even try. Presumably you just mean bush gun as in short, handy, repeater though.

"I am going to go with open sights,"

So what are you figuring your max range and accuraccy requirement will be anyway, more is always better, if not necesarilly by much.
"I also am not a reloader. Should I go with the 45/70 or one of the marlin calibers. Ammo cost is a concern as I shoot all of my rifles frequently."

45-70 ammo is expensive and really low powered, it least what I have been getting. It really begs for handloading. The excitement, except amoung BP guys, for the 45-70 is all reloading related. You could shoot the hornady ammo in any Marlin though, so you would pick a little up there performance wise.

"Also what is the range and long distance accuracy like with the 18.5" barrel."

Accuracy on the Guide Gun always gets top marks. But realistically it isn't a long range proposiion, except maybe with a laser range finder. :) For a gun I was going to shoot a fair bit, I wouldn't have a short barrel. For a self-defence only bear gun possibly, since the blast hurts him more than me.

Odly enough, given you don't reload, you might even look into the Legacy/Puma 92 in 454 Cassul. Neat little gun good price. Stronger action, longer or shorter barrel and overall length, small package. Good pricing in stainless, good accuracy.

Thanks for your help all !!!!! Scott
 
Pepperpopper ; Oddly enough, given you don't reload, you might even look into the Legacy/Puma 92 in 454 Cassul. Neat little gun good price. Stronger action, longer or shorter barrel and overall length, small package. Good pricing in stainless, good accuracy.
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My 20" barreled LSI Puma M92 454 Casull rifle is almost exactly the same length as my 18.5" barreled Marlin 1895GS 45-70.

There is one major difference that I really like I can put 9 454 Casull's into the mag tube of the M92 but only 4 45-70's into the tube of the 1895GS.

I push 300gr XTP-Mags out of the M92 @ 2250fps whereas the 45-70 300gr factory loads give 1400fps and my heaviest bullets are 405gr in the 454 Casull whereas my 45-70 is 550gr bullets at almost the same velocity. (these are reloaded velocities)

I would recommend that if you buy a M92 454 Casull throw that rear fiber optic sight into the first garbage can that you can find and replace it with a stock Marlin 1895 rear sight or an XS Sights ghost ring sight.

Reliable Gun & Tackle had the XS sights in stock a few weeks ago when I was there.

I personally used my rear sight from my 1895GS on my M92 because I didn't need it on the Marlin anymore I am using an XS ghost ring sight instead.
 
For Pepper ..... I will expect and hope that most of my shots will be below that 150yd range maybe even closer to 100 but I still may want to reach out and touch something at 250! Also thanks for the great post... I will look into that Puma M92.

Also thanks again to everyone for all the great stuff!!!
 
Just thought I would add if you ever plan on getting into reloading the 454 Casull cartridge in a rifle is like a 45-70 lite...

It is good but just can't compete...

Example I am pushing 405 gr JFP's in the 45-70 at close to 2000fps whereas my 405gr WLNGC 454's are about 1600fps tops in the M92.

400fps slower in the 454 Casull with equal weight bullets but that isn't were it ends I also load 550gr Crater's in my 45-70 @ 1600fps which is the same velocity as the 405gr 454's in the rifle but they are almost 150grs lighter.
 
You absolutely can go higher in the 45-70, which is why you need both. :)

CC What's the load info for the 454 405, and what bullet did you use, if one can ask?

"I still may want to reach out and touch something at 250"

What's the original military requirement for the 45-70 - A horse at 2000 yards. Still 250 would be pusing it unless you shot the leverlution ammo, or whatever it is called, given off the shelf needs. I used to have one of the those laser range finders for archery practice, and I'd shoot 250 with it. As long as you know where to hold, practice the shot, and so forth.
 
Every factory loaded 45-70 except 405 gr. soft point should do the job on North American big games.
 
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45/70

I've just joined the 45/70 fraternity with my family's retirement gift of a new 1895 GS. I've been hunting moose and deer since 1967 in the central B.C. region with many different calibers of bolt and lever action rifles from 30-30 to 338 win mag, and can honestly say that this new marlin takes no back seat in hunting accuracy. I live in Kamloops and can buy Hornady 325grain Leverevolution ammo for $27.00 a box. My rifle shoots minute of angle with it and is'nt punishing for recoil. It also does as well with the Remington 405's although point of aim is quite different as is to be expected. If range is around 100 -150 yards, I think moose class animals will be meat on the table with either bullet. As always shot placement is important but you know that. I can look back over the years at the shots I have taken on game and realistically say that 30-100yd shots account for over 80 percent. Sure I have taken game at much longer ranges, but I try to get close because that's what I like. If you want a Marlin, I think that a 45/70 or 444 will do you just fine, cost is not prohibitive and ammo is available. If neccessary, you could order your ammo from S.I.R. or similar. Most important, know that the 18.5" barrel is not an impediment to accuracy, and muzzle blast is'nt any more of a factor than with magnum rifles in numerous calibers. Mine is certainly no louder or rowdier than my Ruger #1 in 7mm mag. Have fun no matter what you get!
 
The 450 Marlin is the lawyer's answer to a hot loaded 45-70. Since the 450 is belted, it won't fit a 45-70.

You can handload the 45-70 to the same pressure as the 450 Marlin, SAAMI spec of 43,500 psi. The 45-70 has a SAAMI spec of 28,00 psi
 
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