I just bought a Marlin 1895 Guide Gun with the 18.5 inch barrel, and the 6 round tube. It has the laminant stock. Mine came at a reduced price I will not disclose. Though I would have paid the full $575 they wanted for without complaint.
I put the cartridges on a dollar bill to show scale of size. It has shot the 350 grain cast bullets very well. It shoots better than I can milk it for, though at 25 yards with a sand bag the 10 ring of a B-27 target was gone without a problem.
I should mention that the loads I shot were target loads. The velocity was around 1050 to 1100 FPS. Some would call them "Cowboy" loads. Recoil was a non factor. My 30-30's has more felt recoil than the guide gun with those loads.