Among those rifles was the Marlin Model 1895, which was designed to handle large, big-bore black-powder cartridges such as the .45-70, which was the most powerful black-powder cartridge of its time. With a long octagonal barrel and shockingly good wood, my Marlin 1895 is a lever-action from another era. The Cerakote finishing on both stock and metal are perfect, but this facelift is more than skin deep. All of these firearms featured a solid-top receiver made of forged steel and incorporated side ejection of fired cartridges. However, sales began to level off, and in 1980 Marlin offered a Sporter version of the 1895. The laminated stock has been finished with a desert camouflage Cerakote finish; the metalwork has a flat Cerakote finish in desert tan. Now it was my turn, but wind and heat came up quickly and we saw no more pigs. Mag. Appropriately, today’s factory loads focus on field performance and maximum velocity at pressures low enough to be safe for use in Trapdoor Springfields. The metal is as new and I find just a couple handing marks on the wood. Shooting drills using paper plates as targets may suggest that a tubular-magazine lever-action is not capable of fine accuracy, but the author found otherwise when he slowed down between shots as shown on both plates (4). This changed the nomenclature of the 1895 Sporter to the Model 1895SS. Let’s put the cards on the table: I love lever-actions, but not equally. Sell your 1895 Marlin 45-70 for FREE today on GunsAmerica! Well, it might have been if he’d used it for 40-odd years, because it sure felt a lot slicker than I expected! The first Marlin Model 1895 debuted in 1895 and was virtually identical to the company’s 1893 model, except the newer model was scaled up to better handle larger cartridges. The Model 1895G—or 1895GS in stainless steel—is often referred to as the Guide Gun. Per American Rifleman protocol, I fired five five-shot groups. by Dave Campbell -
In .45-70, I’m not sure you’d want it a lot lighter, especially if you intend to shoot heavy loads. While you probably will not be seeing a Marlin 1895 making a two-mile sniper shot or tipping over a pronghorn at a quarter mile, there is no doubt that this rifle is one that has successfully filled a need for many American hunters. Marlin 1895 - 45-70 Government - 22 Barrel - This gun has a buckhorn rear sight, fiber optic front sight, and a peep sight. They were all about the same size, maybe 150 lbs., no monsters, but no piglets—all were perfect “eatin’-size” porkers. in terms of velocity—and consequently recoil—that pad helps to take the sting out shooting those loads in a 7 lb. The Great Ammo Shortage of 2020: When Will It End? There, custom rifles are the order of the day, and the Custom Shop is turning out some of the finest lever-actions I’ve ever seen. Modern loads include (above, l. to r.): Hornady’s 325-gr. However, this set up was expensive to make with several costly machining operations needed to make the rifle. They are still being made, and that’s a good thing.Additional Reading:Marlin Model 1895: The Ultimate Guide Gun Turnbull Releases Color Casehardened Finish Marlin 1895, E-mail your comments/questions about this site to:EmediaRifleman@nrahq.org For questions/comments about American Rifleman magazine, please e-mail:Publications@nrahq.org You can contact the NRA via phone at: NRA Member Programs1-800-672-3888, To advertise on American Rifleman, visit nramediakit.com for more information. Firearm serial numbers were date coded by a prefix within the s/n, as signified below. Anticipating the famed Model 39, which would appear few decades later, the firm came out with a .22 and .30 Model 1891 lever gun, which the firm manufactured for six years, turning out almost 19,000 of the rifles in several variations. Short, handy and powerful, the guide gun really is excellent for close-range defense and for digging a wounded bear out of a thick alder patch. marlin 1895/336/444 bear-proof ejector. The Sporter, deemed the Model 1895S, has a pistol grip stock with a cap set off by a white-line spacer and a flat, hard-rubber buttplate, also with the white-line spacer. it cuts one ragged hole with every load I’ve tried. The trigger pull is superb, and loading and unloading were smooth and easy. the Model 1895 was and remains the woods hunter’s dream gun. It’s pretty much ready to go (anywhere) right out of the box, but folks, that ain’t all! Our pigs are down after the long drought, but they’re coming back fast. This rifle clearly wanted to shoot, so to give it the best chance to strut its stuff from the bench I mounted a much larger scope than I would normally put on a .45-70. The receiver was drilled and tapped for scope mounting, and the top was bead blasted to reduce glare. The worst was a very mediocre 1.781"—maybe shooter error. In 1936, with only minor changes to the stock, forearm, and sights, the Model 1893 was redesignated the Model 1936 (soon renamed the Model 36). Who doesn’t love a Marlin 1895 in 45-70? The barrel and magazine are pinned together by a fore-end cap. While it didn’t necessarily set the world afire with sales records, the new Model 1895 enjoyed a brisk acceptance. In bolt-action terms that is not exceptional, but might be acceptable. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items! It is a major upgrade, and also extremely modern. I do know the .45-70 Gov’t produces a bit of recoil, and firing five five-shot groups “for score” was a challenge. Hepburn secured some 20 patents during his 30-year career at Marlin.The Model 1895 was chambered in a variety of large-bore black powder cartridges of the day, including the .38-56, .40-65, .40-82 and the .45-70. Fast forward to the year 1936. Immediately I felt as though I was facing a dilemma: I don’t need another .45-70, and really can’t afford this one. Carbine versions of this early 1895 are very rare. And while I do have a soft spot for the, With a long octagonal barrel and shockingly good wood, my, Marlin currently offers eight versions of its. It is the G model or Guide gun with 18.5in barrel. With a 26" barrel, the overall length of the Model 1895 was 35 1/2". In fact, this rifle ships with an XS Lever Rail topped by ghost rings so you can easily put an optic on it. The Model 36—as it became known—retained the square-like bolt of the Model 1889 and 1893 models. Perhaps the introduction of bolt-action rifles and their high-velocity bottlenecked cartridges overshadowed the Marlin lever-gun. The first Marlin Model 1895 debuted in 1895 and was virtually identical to the company’s 1893 model, except the newer model was scaled up to better handle larger cartridges. The light was fading, and I was thinking it was going to be another short night and early morning when we came around a corner and saw four pigs rooting at 70 yds. the dot starts to subtend to a size that obscures a bit of the target, but I shot multiple 2" groups. 22 caliber bolt action and semi-autos were not serial numbered prior to 1969 (when the 1968 Gun Control Act was implemented). )—Hornady’s LEVERevolution line also includes the soft-tipped 250-gr. I suppose I should have anticipated as much after remembering back to the, Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Ambassadors, NRA Outstanding Achievement Youth Award Presented by Brownells, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, Marlin Centerfire Rifles Coming Later in 2021. So I started with paper plate drills. The evening was cooling fast, good, but the wind was still strong, not so good. The 1893 model was brought about by Lewis Lobdon (L.L.) I also did one of the first stories on the awesome .338 Marlin Express, using it for both elk and moose. FRONTIER LEGEND. This rifle was named the Model 1895 (not to be confused with the old Model 1895, which was a unique variant of the 1893 action, and was also chambered for … The major improvements made to the Model 60 over the 99 were the transition from steel inner tubes to brass inner tubes in the tubular magazine in order to prevent rusting. Finally, there is an 1895SBL made in stainless with an 18 1/2" barrel, full-length, 6-shot magazine, a laminated stock and the Wild West Guns Big Loop lever. During firing the barrel heats (and expands), but the tubular magazine does not. We’re not sure how Marlin came up with the modern Model 1895’s name. Hepburn was employed by Marlin after his previous employer, Remington, was forced into receivership. From the factory they come in several stock options: straight or pistol grip; wood, laminate or synthetic. Marlin stocks are available in many finishes and patterns to best suit your firearm. Constructed of stainless steel, it is a handy companion if you are bouncing around bear country. Below it is an 1895 Custom Shop gun that has proven to be exceptionally accurate and even more adaptable. As I said, my 1895 Marlin with 26" barrel is shockingly accurate: At 50 yds. wild west guns (in stock) 3.0 (16) top mount bases - #68-#604. Groups were measured at extreme spread with a micrometer, then 0.458" subtracted for bullet diameter. It’s still on my bucket list to go hunting with it—Chub would like that—but I’m reluctant because I can no longer properly resolve the open sights much beyond 50 yds.—and an optical sight would just look weird on this traditional rifle. Although it featured a standard loading gate, the Model 1895 Custom Shop gun’s parts had been individually polished, and many surfaces had been finished in Cerakote. Based on the patents of L.L. NOT GRANDAD’S MARLINMarlin currently offers eight versions of its Model 1895 Big Bore in .45-70 Gov’t: one with a 22" round barrel and half-magazine; a full-magazine rifle with a 26" octagon barrel like my 1895; and six versions with 18.5" barrels. I took it slow, allowing the barrel to cool between shots in April temperatures that were in the low 70s. Hepburn, the Model 1893 incorporated a new locking bolt system and a two-piece firing pin. Privacy Policy • Contact Us • Warnings • FAQs • © 2021 National Rifle Association of America. I know a couple of guys who just returned from Africa using 1895s, and they seemed quite satisfied. It was probably manufactured until 1915, with a lightweight version catalogued through 1917. Quickly finding blood where the pig had stood, we took the line. At 100 yds. I picked the one that looked the largest, waited until it turned broadside, and put the red dot on the center of the shoulder. Even today, the 112-year-old .30-06 is among the top chamberings for hunting rifles. Sights were a folding Rocky Mountain buckhorn rear and a gold-bead post front. That level of accuracy is all anybody needs from a .45-70—and a whole lot more! Get the best deals for marlin 1895 at eBay.com. The trigger pull is superb, and loading and unloading were smooth and easy. I suppose I should have anticipated as much after remembering back to the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Atlanta where several Marlin Custom Shop lever-actions were on display. Marlin’s modern Model 1895 has been chambered in.45-70 Gov’t since its introduction in 1972. Later it would also be chambered in .45-90 and .33 Winchester Center Fire (WCF) cartridges. The Marlin Custom Shop can install XS Sights’ one-piece steel front post (l.) and ghost-ring aperture rear (ctr. With an 18.5" barrel the rifle has a 37" overall length, making it quite handy. Using Leupold’s Tactical mount, I clamped a Minox ZA5 2.5-10X onto the rail. The original Model 1895 is essentially the same action as the M1893, but upsized for larger cartridges. But if the OP's gun was made in the 30s with a 4 digit … History of the Marlin 60 . Leading the modern-day lever-action renaissance, Marlin advances the legend in 2020 with a line of time-tested platforms newly engineered and advanced for the next generation. Using a .458-inch-diameter lead bullet, the .45-70 became one of the most popular big-game hunting cartridges of that era. Especially when you consider that there are no “match loads” for the .45-70. There were Model 1895s, 1894s and 336s, and when I picked one off the rack and worked the action, I knew that this was not my grandad’s Marlin. Accuracy was indistinguishable, and out to 100 yds. Marling 45-70 History. Marlin believed—correctly—that there were plenty of hunters who still bought into the big-bore-is-better concept. Some specifics about the 1895. This time, however, the big rifle was based entirely within the Model 336 family of receivers. Marlin Model 1894 Lever-Action Rifle (Antique Production Pre-1898) Marlin Model 1894 Lever-Action Rifle (Modern Production 1899-1935) Marlin Model 1895 Lever-Action Rifle Marlin Model 1895M Guide Gun Marlin Model 1895MR Marlin Model 1895 Century Limited Marlin Model 1897 Lever-Action Rifle Marlin Model 18 Slide-Action Rifle The newer Model 1895 is a different design that simply honors the earlier model designation. The triggers are crisp and clean, and the example I was sent for this article broke at 3 lbs., 8 ozs. E-mail your comments/questions about this site to:EmediaRifleman@nrahq.org For questions/comments about American Rifleman magazine, please e-mail:Publications@nrahq.org You can contact the NRA via phone at: NRA Member Programs1-800-672-3888, To advertise on American Rifleman, visit nramediakit.com for more information. JHP; and Garrett’s 400-gr. Atop the rifle is an XS LeverRail with Ghost ring rear sight and front sight post. There was no noticeable reaction, but the other three pigs ran left and that pig ran straight away, lost behind a tree before I could work the lever. Just 18,000 rifles were made during its 22-year run. Improvements in the Model 336 include a bolt made from round stock, an improved extractor made from spring steel, a window in the right side of the receiver for ejection and single-cartridge loading and a corresponding round hole in the rear of the receiver to accommodate bolt travel. The rail mount on the Custom Shop guide gun offered a whole world of alternatives. Hornady’s 325-gr. I’ll take it. These stocks are crafted of quality wood or durable synthetics. Marlin’s modern Model 1895 has been chambered in .45-70 Gov’t since its introduction in 1972. Marlin Lever Action Rifle Serial Numbers 1883 to 1906 (Including Models 1881, 1888, 1889, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895 and 1897.) The Marlin brand is synonymous with lever-action rifles. Marlin Model 1895 Rifles Quick pointing, fast-handling and classic styling chambered for big bore rounds of .45-70 Government. Malin 22 Tube Magazines, Marlin Butt Plates, Marlin Rifle Butt Plates, Marlin Pump Shotgun Parts. The Marlin 1895 rifle is very famous because of its incredible accuracy and powerful performance in the medium-range shooting that makes it a great rifle for deer hunting. It wears standard “buckhorn” irons and seems amazingly accurate, as far as I can see the sights. Obviously the short, handy guide gun concept trades off some velocity, but the bullet is still of large diameter and hits hard. The 1895 Marlin system was identical to the 1893 rifle invented by L. L. Hepburn, and was also an updated successor to the 1881 and 1889 Marlin rifles. company (in stock) - 5.0 (2) marlin 1895 drc winged sight set. Marlin Model 1895 Lever Action Rifle - The venerable big-game-dropping performance of the 45-70 Gov´,t. Up close it hits like a freight train, and the Marlin action is strong enough to use either handloads or “specialty loads” that take the old warhorse up into a different power class. I noted that there was some velocity loss from the short barrel. Shown at top is an octagon-barrel model owned by the author’s late friend and firearm industry notable Chub Eastman. The rifle’s big-loop lever and smooth action made rapid shooting a cinch even off sticks, with which the author has vast experience (3). It’s known and lamented that there have been delays getting Marlin back up to full production. there was no appreciable difference in point of impact. This collection of Marlin .45-70 … On the other hand, I’m not a bear guide. In the 18.5" barrel, actual velocity was 1745 f.p.s. This hasn’t been without notice at Marlin. Barrel lengths on the original Winchester 1895 ranged from 22 inches up to 28 inches, and the modern 1895 comes with a 24-incher—a length that made its debut in 1903 with the introduction of the.303 Brit and.33 (possibly) and.35 WCF chamberings. Chad and I looked high and low all afternoon, seeing zero pigs, which is pretty unusual in this area. It brought out a Model 1936 rifle that retained solid-top, side-ejection features debuted by Marlin 53 years earlier. At that time, each part had to be moved from one milling operation to the next, taking a lot more time and, thusly, more costly. Accuracy was indistinguishable, and out to 100 yds. The front sight was changed to a ramp type with a Wide-Scan hood. Marlin Model 1895. The latter offer good bases for the guide gun concept. A 16 1/2" barreled Trapper model has upgraded features like a 5-shot magazine, Wild West Guns Big Loop lever, synthetic stock and a Skinner peep sight. With aperture sights there’s a compromise to be made. With the scope at 10X, shooting Hornady’s 325-gr. It traces its roots to 1948 when the Model 36 was updated with a round bolt and became the Model 336. I’m left-handed. But as soon as I did I took it to the range. A lot of work goes into these guns, and while the outside is one thing, the inside is another. Availability is limited, so it took some time before I was able to get my hands on one. So in 1972 it sort of reintroduced the Model 1895 rifle. The rail allows for a quick-detachable scope mount. Monoflex load, a homogenous alloy bullet. This also has nothing to do with raw accuracy, but everything to do with getting a comfortable and consistent cheek-weld for shooting groups. Winchester lever-actions get most of the Hollywood glory, but I well recall several appearances of Marlin rifles: Glenn Ford carried one in “Cimarron,” and a Marlin saved Brad Pitt’s bacon in “Legends of the Fall.” Marlin lever guns are cool, and I have long admired the current “guide gun” concept: short barrel, sling swivels, weatherproof finish and some type of updated sighting equipment—maybe a ghost-ring reticle, red-dot sight or low-powered scope. Shooting Garrett’s cartridges, which start pushing the lower end of .458 Win. It will anchor big bucks without excessive meat damage, is equally good for elk and moose in close cover, and is perfect for the biggest black bears over bait or with hounds. Big-bore lever actions are enjoying a bit of a renaissance today, and several manufacturers are attempting to muscle away a portion of Marlin’s rather steady market for .45-70 rifles. This newer Model 1895 came with a 22" barrel, a four-shot half-magazine, a straight stock with a slightly curved hard rubber buttplate and Marlin’s squared finger lever.