New Marlin 1895SBL

[Ryan J]

I got a new 1895SBL in .45-70 as a gift last week. Have not been able to shoot it yet, probably later this week sometime.
This is my first lever action and my first .45-70. What can I expect out of both this particular cartridge and rifle?
The thing looks great, can't wait to put some lead downrange with it.

[ADfields]

I got a new 1895SBL in .45-70 as a gift last week. Have not been able to shoot it yet, probably later this week sometime.
This is my first lever action and my first .45-70. What can I expect out of both this particular cartridge and rifle?
The thing looks great, can't wait to put some lead downrange with it.

A sore shoulder and dead critters. It’s a good rifle and good caliber best with 405g hard cast inside 100 yards but is capable of reaching out if you are. There is 45-70 ammo and there is 45-70 ammo, the old guns can’t take the new hotter loadings. So to get the most out of it look for Corbon/Buffalo Bore and the like or reload for it. With proper ammo it will kill anything on the planet.

[pinehavensredrocket]

the classic 405gr is excellent on most game from deer on up...and will "upset" at lower velocities and still penetrate adequately on larger game. i like a hardcast 350gr gas check at about 2050 as an excellent killer, but there are lots of bullets to choose from which is the fun of this rifle.this is a group at two hundred yards with a lyman sight. the low shot was taken at the 100yd setting, the next three at the 200 yd setting. marlin rifles are capable of great accuracy and are suitable for most any kind of hunting. good luck with your rifle!

[ADfields]

Pine that is a good looking rifle, love that color case hardening . . . did it come that way or you have it done?

[pinehavensredrocket]

Pine that is a good looking rifle, love that color case hardening . . . did it come that way or you have it done?

thanks for the complement! the color case was done by tom ivanoff of cody wyoming ( who did the factory case work for winchester ),stock work by slim wells of center city mn, the trigger & ejector are from wild west guns anchorage ak, and the sight by lyman.

it is a great shooter, and seems to like most of the loads i put through it.

[Vance in AK]

You are goping to LOVE your new toy Ryan!
I have a Marlin Guide Gun in 450 Marlin (just a hot loaded 45-70) & as far as I am concerned they are the perfect all around Alaska gun for everything from deer to brownies. I like 420gr hardcast at about 1850fps in mine.

If you don't already have this sight bookmarked you should (or maybe not...)
http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php

[nbh40]

It won't be your last/only lever gun and that's a guarantee! They are great fun, hugely capable and adaptable. As someone else said and IMHO, probably the best all round AK gun. A lot of people say that they are for 100yds and less - all depends on the shooter. A 405Gr leaving the muzzle at around 1900fps is still gonna be going around 1150 at 300yds. Not lightening fast, but still putting down around 1130ftlbs of energy. Not too shabby, it's just that the bullet drops like a brick and you need to be able to deal with that holdover.

Enjoy, they are a blast to shoot.

[lakeside]

Cycle some Hornady Leverevolution ammo through it and see if it sticks / jams or feels like anything but butter. They are notoriously "sticky" out of the box. Both a buddy of mine and I got them at the same time and were very disappointed with how they fed. Took them to WWG (authorized factory servicer) and they did an action job on each at no cost to us.... turn around time was a day or two and they are both smooth as butter now. LOVE the gun. Its a ton of fun and will kill anything in Alaska at the appropriate range (presumably of course).

[.338 mag.]

You will like it. I have 2 of them and have owned 4 over the years. I am very sorry I did not keep my first one as it had beautiful wood on it and no stupid cross bolt safety. A gun smith removed the darn things on the ones I now have. I had the barrel cut to 20" on one and the big octagon barreled one is 24". They are a hoot to shoot and I carry the shorter one more then any other rifle when I am taking a walk in the woods. I load 405 grain Kodiak bullets and a full charge of H322 for mine. Yup, it does recoil and both my Marlins have good recoil pads on them and receiver sights and I feel well armed with them.

[boliep]

Yup, it does recoil and both my Marlins have good recoil pads on them and receiver sights and I feel well armed with them.

338 is right about the recoil and a helpful reduction. The 45/70 does have a good bit of recoil with hot loads. I changed mine to a Limbsaver recoil pad and it was a noticeable improvement.

[BrownBear]

What can I expect out of both this particular cartridge and rifle?

I have to say that for every hot round I put through my 45-70's, I shoot about 100 in the power class of the original version, call it "cowboy action" loads or 1100-1300fps and you wouldn't be far wrong. They're really easy on the shoulder, devastating on non-dangerous game and a sincere hoot to shoot. They're also really easy on brass. The up side of all that shooting is getting really familiar with the gun because it's hard to stop shooting it. I think nothing of shooting 100 rounds in an afternoon all summer long, and I'm yet to meet anyone that does that with hot loads. Sure, get acquainted with the hot loads. But it's a lot more fun to shoot something else, and shoot it lots.

For frame of reference on game, those are the ballistics most guys can manage with modern muzzleloaders if they shoot bullets as heavy as 400 grains. And guys rave about what great game thumpers they are.

[MyTime]

I got a new 1895SBL in .45-70 as a gift last week.

Congrats on the new rifle Ryan J. My 1895SBL has been on order for 3+ months and my wait continues. Hopefully since you received one that may mean that they released another production batch. You gave me some hope that I may be getting a call soon. Thanks!

[Ryan J]

Sounds good everyone. I did notice the action is a bit "chunky" cycling some rounds through it the other day. It is lightly shaving the brass somewhere along the way as well. I may have to go see WWG with it.

MyTime, not sure where you are, but they are on the store shelves here in Anchorage. I saw one at the FM on Abbott just the other day.

Ryan

[MyTime]

Ryan J, I'm in TN. I'll call my gun shop tomorrow after work. The 45-70 is not as popular here as up north so there are less carried by distributors. My gun shop's distributors had none a few months ago. I was told I have to wait for another production run, so I called Marlin. They said they were going to start another production run of the 1895SBL in Feb and release them to distributors March/April. Yep, gonna call tomorrow. Thanks! MyTime

MyTime, not sure where you are, but they are on the store shelves here in Anchorage. I saw one at the FM on Abbott just the other day.

Ryan

[nbh40]

They can become almost as addictive as ARs in terms of mods and improvements. My AK Hiking, hunting, fishing gun:



Barrel cut to 16" and a bit, fully parkerized, ebonized wood, Stock (LOP) reduced by 1" and Pachmayer Decelerator pad, WWG lever, mag follower and ejector, XS scout mount, Trijicon RMR sight, iron sights removed, side sling swivels and military 3 point sling. It is just about where I want it now (need to get a QR magnifier for hunting), is accurate, reliable and very convenient (and quick) to carry and shoot.