Experiences with Marlin 1895? - Page 2

tango1niner · July 21, 2019, 11:23 AM

If you are concerned about the Remlin QC horror stories it might help to focus on Marlins that were made in New Haven or North Haven. Marlin made firearms had issues as well and I would still scrutinize thoroughly whatever I was about to buy wherever it was made.

I think both the .45-70 and .444 Marlin to be good calibers. It appears that the .444's are not as common as the .45-70. Good luck in your hunt.

an Old Shooter · July 21, 2019, 11:26 AM

Thanks gentlemen for a particularly informative and lucid thread. I have a 1972 first year 1895 45-70 and a 2017 1895GBL. The GBL quality is very close to the 1972 Marlin and I love them both. I have hunted Virginia white tail since the early 1960s and most were taken with the 45-70. As a hunting round if find it unexcelled for the Virginia woodlands. I have taken many deer with .284 and .30 caliber rifles, many antelope with .25 and .27 caliber rifles and elk with a .33 caliber in mountains, open range and fields. Within the 45-70 ballistic limitations, I find that bullet perfect on the medium and up sized deer. The older Hunters in our group laughed when I first showed up with this rifle. Then just smiled with respect after witnessing numerous one shot kills and short tracking. The bullets go in one side and out the other with two bleed holes. A careful heart/lung shot puts them down every time with no lost deer. My grand son in law just got his GBL and saw a one shot kill with no tracking. Meat loss was zero. What a great rifle and cartridge.

Blue Duck · July 21, 2019, 10:07 PM

Yes, the loading gate trick of using the following round to push the one in front home. I have used that trick for 40yrs, however, I never thought about using another round to push the last round through the loading gate. I will have to remember that. Actually, it was never much of a problem for me, until I got this last gun, and I have owned a lot of leveractions. However, I think I am going to try a stone or file to dull that edge a little. The older ones were not that sharp. Personally, I think Marlin still suffers a little bit of quality control there on the end of the loading gate.

**44 AMP** · July 22, 2019, 03:33 AM

Learned that trick by accident long ago. Was talking to a buddy while loading up and wasn't counting how many shells, and when I couldn't get the last one in, I figured, ok, its full now....

then I realized I didn't get my finger pinched...and the light bulb lit up..duh.. why didn't I think of this before??

sometimes, its the simplest things that make such a difference..

stagpanther · July 22, 2019, 06:46 PM

Any particular reason not to consider a Henry Big Boy? I have one and it's a great gun and is very accurate. I opted for the 22" octagonal barrel but you pay a price with the brass butt-plate, but looked at another way it forces good technique on you.

They make a blackened one with 18" barrel which I assume is to be competitive with marlin's 1895 but has a rubber buttpad like the 1895.

Blue Duck · July 22, 2019, 08:52 PM

Nothing wrong with the Henry, that I know of, just different.

armednfree · July 22, 2019, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emmett Brown

I'm seriously considering a Marlin 1895 45-70, but have read some horror stories about quality and reliability. Can anyone here give me some input?

Thank you!

When you check it out hold it by the butt and lay the front on the table. Make sure the rear sight is parallel with the top of the receiver and the front sight is perpendicular. You can't shoulder it and see that well. You want to be back from it so you can take in the whole picture.

zeke · July 23, 2019, 06:53 PM

Excellent advice for all open sights, especially levers and revolvers. Suprising how many "accuracy" problems directly contribute to this.

GeauxTide · July 23, 2019, 07:29 PM

I bought a new 1895 3 years ago and the quality was fine. I bought it for close encounters with hogs, but a 405 LFN at 1300 was more than I could comfortably control. It shot and functioned very well and can recommend it. I ended up getting a 450 Bushmaster, which has similar performance and kicks like a 20ga shotgun.

Ben Dover · July 26, 2019, 02:02 PM

I had a Marlin 95, .45-70. Shot it quite a bit at first, but eventually sold it.
Now have an 1886 Winchester in .45-90. It's a keeper.

m&p45acp10+1 · July 27, 2019, 09:35 AM

I love mine. So does my wife. I load my own, and a 405 grain hollow base with a load of Trail Boss is pleasant to shoot. I have never fired a single factor round out if it yet. Brass life is decent for a round that has to be expanded and crimped. Star Line brass is reasonable for the price. Accuracy is good, it shoots true. Cost per round fired is low for me, as I reload, and cast my own lead. I do not load the African big game stopper loads, as I shoot this one just for run.

Drm50 · July 27, 2019, 03:03 PM

I've got a 70 model 1895. Had it for 40yrs. The only reason I still have it is that it's a cherry shooter. I shot targets with it for years with cast bullets. It's upgraded to 300gr JHPs for Ohio deer now that rifles are legal. As others have said the new Marlins by Rem are a crapshoot. For some reason they are the popular rifle here for deer. I must have scoped and sighted in 20 of them since rifle law. Every one I've done has been one of the short barreled models. I had them shoot as good as my old one and had some that had to be sent back.
If I was looking for one I would get one marked JM Marlin. All these guys are shooting factory Flex Tip ammo. I don't know what they would do with cast. I shot 330gr cast for years at targets with good results.

July 22, 2019, 03:33 AM	#29
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,813	Learned that trick by accident long ago. Was talking to a buddy while loading up and wasn't counting how many shells, and when I couldn't get the last one in, I figured, ok, its full now.... then I realized I didn't get my finger pinched...and the light bulb lit up..duh.. why didn't I think of this before?? sometimes, its the simplest things that make such a difference.. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

July 26, 2019, 02:02 PM	#35
Ben Dover Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2013 Location: High up in the Rocky Moun Posts: 665	I had a Marlin 95, .45-70. Shot it quite a bit at first, but eventually sold it. Now have an 1886 Winchester in .45-90. It's a keeper. __________________ The soldier's pack is not so heavy a burden as the prisoner's chains. Dwight Eisenhower It is very important what a man stands for. But it is far more important what a man refuses to stand for.

July 27, 2019, 09:35 AM	#36
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I love mine. So does my wife. I load my own, and a 405 grain hollow base with a load of Trail Boss is pleasant to shoot. I have never fired a single factor round out if it yet. Brass life is decent for a round that has to be expanded and crimped. Star Line brass is reasonable for the price. Accuracy is good, it shoots true. Cost per round fired is low for me, as I reload, and cast my own lead. I do not load the African big game stopper loads, as I shoot this one just for run. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

July 21, 2019, 11:23 AM	#26
tango1niner Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: NY Posts: 317	If you are concerned about the Remlin QC horror stories it might help to focus on Marlins that were made in New Haven or North Haven. Marlin made firearms had issues as well and I would still scrutinize thoroughly whatever I was about to buy wherever it was made. I think both the .45-70 and .444 Marlin to be good calibers. It appears that the .444's are not as common as the .45-70. Good luck in your hunt.

July 21, 2019, 11:26 AM	#27
an Old Shooter Junior Member Join Date: June 22, 2017 Posts: 12	Thanks gentlemen for a particularly informative and lucid thread. I have a 1972 first year 1895 45-70 and a 2017 1895GBL. The GBL quality is very close to the 1972 Marlin and I love them both. I have hunted Virginia white tail since the early 1960s and most were taken with the 45-70. As a hunting round if find it unexcelled for the Virginia woodlands. I have taken many deer with .284 and .30 caliber rifles, many antelope with .25 and .27 caliber rifles and elk with a .33 caliber in mountains, open range and fields. Within the 45-70 ballistic limitations, I find that bullet perfect on the medium and up sized deer. The older Hunters in our group laughed when I first showed up with this rifle. Then just smiled with respect after witnessing numerous one shot kills and short tracking. The bullets go in one side and out the other with two bleed holes. A careful heart/lung shot puts them down every time with no lost deer. My grand son in law just got his GBL and saw a one shot kill with no tracking. Meat loss was zero. What a great rifle and cartridge.

July 21, 2019, 10:07 PM	#28
Blue Duck Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2006 Posts: 402	Yes, the loading gate trick of using the following round to push the one in front home. I have used that trick for 40yrs, however, I never thought about using another round to push the last round through the loading gate. I will have to remember that. Actually, it was never much of a problem for me, until I got this last gun, and I have owned a lot of leveractions. However, I think I am going to try a stone or file to dull that edge a little. The older ones were not that sharp. Personally, I think Marlin still suffers a little bit of quality control there on the end of the loading gate.

July 22, 2019, 08:52 PM	#31
Blue Duck Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2006 Posts: 402	Nothing wrong with the Henry, that I know of, just different.

July 23, 2019, 06:53 PM	#33
zeke Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 1999 Location: NW Wi Posts: 1,671	Excellent advice for all open sights, especially levers and revolvers. Suprising how many "accuracy" problems directly contribute to this.

July 23, 2019, 07:29 PM	#34
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,423	I bought a new 1895 3 years ago and the quality was fine. I bought it for close encounters with hogs, but a 405 LFN at 1300 was more than I could comfortably control. It shot and functioned very well and can recommend it. I ended up getting a 450 Bushmaster, which has similar performance and kicks like a 20ga shotgun.

July 27, 2019, 03:03 PM	#37
Drm50 Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2014 Posts: 1,378	I've got a 70 model 1895. Had it for 40yrs. The only reason I still have it is that it's a cherry shooter. I shot targets with it for years with cast bullets. It's upgraded to 300gr JHPs for Ohio deer now that rifles are legal. As others have said the new Marlins by Rem are a crapshoot. For some reason they are the popular rifle here for deer. I must have scoped and sighted in 20 of them since rifle law. Every one I've done has been one of the short barreled models. I had them shoot as good as my old one and had some that had to be sent back. If I was looking for one I would get one marked JM Marlin. All these guys are shooting factory Flex Tip ammo. I don't know what they would do with cast. I shot 330gr cast for years at targets with good results.