[RIKA]

I'm really thinking about the Marlin 1895 Guide Gun for this fall's hunting season. Guess its because I have a soft spot for large caliber rifles. Noticed that they come in 2 barrel lengths - 18.5 and 22in. I can see the shorter barrel being handier but wonder which is really better since I don't have any experience with the 45-70 caliber. BTW, I want the blued one, not stainless.
May try to buy one at the next gun show.

Thanks for your thoughts.

RIKA

 

[Magnum88C]

The Guide gun is the 18.5" one. The 22" is just the 1895.
The newer guide guns without ports are nice. I prefer the 22" though.
[Soap Box]I really don't see how people are unable to walk through the woods with anything but the shortest rifle available (not ripping on you RIKA, just a general peeve of mine). To me it's a case of bad woodsmanship, not a too-long rifle.[/Soap Box]

Put it this way, the Guide Gun and its 18.5" barrel is a good 150 yard gun, MAX, unless you have a tang sight mounted, at which point you'll want the extra barrel length. The 1895 and its 22" barrel is a good 200 yard gun, MAX, again unless you have a tang sight mounted. Considering you're in Texas, I'd go with the longer barrel.
But in the end, get what you want, it'll be your gun (and either way I think you'll fall in love with the .45-70).

 

[41mag]

Wildwestguns.com has some REALLY neat variants on the Marlin lever gun.Non-factory calibers,takedown versions(waaay kool!),custom sights,& finishes.

I'm saving my nickels for a takedown version in 500S&W.

 

[DJetAce]

Erika,

I have a 1895 45/70 Marlin. Let me tell you, with full 400gr sp at 1800 fps it does KICK! Mine has the 22 inch barrel, but I've shot the real Guide Gun, and it kicks MORE.

If you get one, either style, load it down. The 45/70 was not ment to be a .458, and the Marlin was not ment for elephants either. Oh the gun will hold up, it's little old ME that might not!

I have a yen for the Marlin in 35 Reminton. More than a 30/30 but less than the good old 45/70. I think they once made a 'Maruader' carbine in 35 Remington. Nice thing is, the 35 Rem can use .357 slugs like the 180s and 158s loaded to 30/30 velocity.

 

[Magnum88C]

DJet has a good point on the ammo.
The real heavy stuff like Buff Bore and Cor-Bon can really pound the shoulder. The commercial fodder from Federal, Winchester and Remington are loaded to pressure levels that a Trapdoor Springfield can handle. My favorite is the 405-gr. Remington load. Bonded-core soft point. The 300-gr. hollowpoints are real popular, but tend to destroy too much meat on deer, and I don't trust their penetration on heavier game like big hogs. People like to take the lighest bullet possible and drive it as fast as possible to get a flatter trajectory.

IMHO, this is a mistake in the .45-70. Just as it wasn't meant to be a .458 Win Mag, it also was never meant to be a flat-shooting beanfield rifle. It performs by crushing its way through the target, and it works very well. The bullets fly like mortars and they hit like mortars.

You can also get loaded BP cartridges for it and boy are they a hoot!

 

[Garand]

Oh, I just can't justify buying another gun! I can't believe that I said that but i'll just stick with my current collection.

 

[andy]

what's it do that a used, $200 pump 12 ga with rifle sights doesn't? ENOUGH more to make up for it not offering the buckshot-birdshot versatility of the shotgun? Not in my book, but then it also sucks WAY behind a $500, used, alloy framed 7 lb BAR, and is also inferior to a used, $350 Remington auto rifle in 308.

 

[RIKA]

Andy, the gun safe has excellent fighting and sporting rifles - some mine & some Dad's. It does not contain a LA Marlin 45-70. That is enough reason to want one.

RIKA

 

[Magnum88C]

If everything has to boil down to combat, .45-70s HAVE killed people wearing rifle armor, shotguns don't.

 

[Glenn Bartley]

what's it do that a used, $200 pump 12 ga with rifle sights doesn't? ENOUGH more to make up for it not offering the buckshot-birdshot versatility of the shotgun? Not in my book, but then it also sucks WAY behind a $500, used, alloy framed 7 lb BAR, and is also inferior to a used, $350 Remington auto rifle in 308.

You actually recommended (I think) something toher than a .223; I am truly impressed!

 

[andy]

when weight is not an issue, nor silence nor concealment, why not? The thing is nobody NEEDS to hunt these days, and a good ccw pistol would suffice just fine for the hunting guys "think' that they want to do with a 45-70, or the 'defense against bears" bs, given an adequate load and user.

 

[Glenn Bartley]

Oh, I have a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington. They certainly make good rifles. It is a fine deer or black bear gun.

 

[DJetAce]

Stup*kid, people take the 45/70 cause they WANT to. It's better than the trash you advocate. Unlike the shotgun you advocate, the 45/70 can reach MUCH farther if need be. While the other rifles are fine, they are not UNIQUE! Anybody, except and ex-con like you, can pick up a good auto rifle like a Remington or Browning with ease. But those guns aren't unique.

Stup*kid, you might be piss poor and not own much, but most of us can own far more, and do. You are like the monkey that asked, 'what happend', with others here make things happen. Keep up your good old SHTF dream, cause I think that's all you have in your life.