Is that thunder I hear or just the ever changing Indiana weather? I spent the last few days working with my 45/70 Guide Gun. This review is on my latest Marlin 1895GBL. Model 1895GBL | Marlin Firearms. For this last 2 day workout the weather was warm but a mix of rain and wind. Now typically I am at one range or another most everyday. Even in rain, snow, cold, ice etc. but I do not like the wind. It plays havoc with targets, holding a bead offhand, and just not fun to be out in it.
This is my third GBL. I really like the configuration of the GBL so I bought my first JM GBL years ago to companion with my other 45/70’s. My first GBL was a Walnut stock and was nice enough looking as the factory spent a little more time on polishing before bluing the gun. But that is where it stopped. I had to send it in as the lever was not fit correctly and it would spring open at rest. Marlin fixed it under warranty of course, but this rifle printed three inches to the right at 75 yards and I had to put the elevator several steps high to get this thing to hit a 9 inch plate paper plate. Not good. My second was a GBL built during the Marlin/Remington transition and it was as bad as my JM guns. The rifling was only part way down the barrel, carrier was misfit, and sights would fall out of their dovetails with finger pressure. Not Good.
This 2018 model, like all my current post 2018 Marlins is perfect. It shoots extremely accurate and the action is flawless, interior tooling marks are cleaner, smoother and the trigger breaks clean at around 4Lbs. Just right for the field. Upon closeup, the post 2018 Marlins are not polished to custom levels before bluing, but I can live with that for a production grade field gun. The 4x4 white target at 50 yards (too windy to try 75) shows 5 rounds right on for windage and elevation. You will see in the pictures that I adjust my Marbles Semi-buckhorn sight Sporting Rear Sights (marblearms.com) to be down on the lower level and right smack in the middle of the barrel. This sight comes standard on Marlins Cowboy models but I put them on all my Marlins/Winchesters for a consistent sight picture across the board. This sight comes with a reversable notch piece and screw set. I can get good yardage of elevation out of this sight with the 45/70. Farther if I want to elevate the notch piece. I have found nothing to come up as fast as these sights. Levers are made to be quick mounting guns and the Fudd in me likes the speed and picture of these sights on a right now basis.
One complaint I have on most lever guns, is that for some reason, someone thought that a hooded front sight is how they should be built. Not for me. If one tries to remove the hood, as I find it obscures the light from the front sight, then the cheesy front blade is too fragile for field work. Go Figure. The Marlin Cowboy gets it right by just putting on a strong steel dovetail post sight and not look back. So, I had ZRTS Home — ZR Tactical Solutions mill in a window on my hood so that I can see my sight and protect it as well.
In working this gun through it’s paces the last few days I used Winchester Factory 300Grain cartridges. X4570H | Winchester Ammunition. This round has been around forever and is my stock product for this caliber. I shoot it in my Sharps and my 26 inch Cowboy as well. I have handloads that duplicate this factory fodder with all Winchester components. For a softer plinking load I have a 350 Berry’s plated bullet moving at about 1336 FPS. It is very sweet to shoot. Once in awhile I will run some blackpowder/lead rounds through it for a smoky fun time as well.
This gun came with a nutmeg laminate stock which handles very well. I was slow to warm up to the properties of laminate but enjoy how it functions. And to me, it looks so much better than painted wood or plastic. At first, I never cared for the forend on some Marlins as they are fat towards the receiver end. But in actual shooting stout loads, I am glad to have the extra material and weight on my hand.
Back in the JM days, Marlin owners were disappointed in the added crossblock safety. Well, in reality, it’s perfect. I find it to be unobtrusive, functional, and does not lend itself to be accidentally engaged when laying the rifle down. Something that suedo Winchesters do with their version of the crossbolt safety. I think that is why the Winchester licensees went to the tang safety, that and the rebounding gunsmith proof trigger assemblies. I will admit, that I do not use the safety in the field but find it very useful for dryfiring or emptying the magazine.
This is important for my break in policy of each new Marlin . First, I load it all the way up with dummy rounds (no powder or primer) and let it set for the weekend. Then I cycle thru all the rounds with the safety on. Then I load the magazine full again and empty in a safe area with the safety on. I do this 5 or 6 times. I never have cut my fingers off while loading the gate doing this with over 75 American made Levers spanning 50 years. My Grandad taught me this method and it still works today for setting the springs and learning the right way to load lever guns. Winchester and Marlin makes this loading gate stiff for a reason for the last 150 years.. I find it better to learn how to use it than loose it.
Many will soon begin to understand that I am not a huge player for what some consider the new lever gun. You will not find Casper the Ghost sights, picatinny rails, lights, lasers and switches on my Levers. Not being judgemental mind you, just stating fact. To me a levergun represents a fast handling, quick sight acquisition, powerful repeater that balances well and carries good on a tractor or a horse or in the field after game. It is also a good trunk gun for the urban highway.
I love the fact that Marlin has a solid flat top and is drilled and tapped for the occasional glass I might want to add someday. The buttpad that comes with this gun is a Pachmayr decelerator D750B Decelerator Field Style | Pachmayr Field Pads (lymanproducts.com) and works very well for this caliber.
Brian Pierce, contributing author to Wolf Publishing, Wolfe Publishing Products - Wolfe Pub (wolfeoutdoorsports.com) has reviewed these newer Marlins and has had Hands On experience with lots of lever guns in real applications. Quite simply, you can believe what he writes. Like me, he does not have to massage the manufacturer or please anyone but himself by giving real write ups and telling it like he sees it. I subscribe to Handloader and Rifle magazines because of this kind of writing. I know some publications have to please advertisers and produce cookie cutter reviews but the team at Wolf does not sugarcoat it.
I am glad to be part of INGO and think this review thing is a great opportunity for those that have field experience with products to share them. The proof in the product is how it holds up to hard use by those in the field and I am happy to report that it was not thunder I heard today, but the sound of the 45/70 going off and the big ol bullet thumping the backstop as the ½ inch brass tubing clinks on the ground. And yes, at the end of shooting a string, I open the action and blow out the smoke.
Good Shooting!
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This is my third GBL. I really like the configuration of the GBL so I bought my first JM GBL years ago to companion with my other 45/70’s. My first GBL was a Walnut stock and was nice enough looking as the factory spent a little more time on polishing before bluing the gun. But that is where it stopped. I had to send it in as the lever was not fit correctly and it would spring open at rest. Marlin fixed it under warranty of course, but this rifle printed three inches to the right at 75 yards and I had to put the elevator several steps high to get this thing to hit a 9 inch plate paper plate. Not good. My second was a GBL built during the Marlin/Remington transition and it was as bad as my JM guns. The rifling was only part way down the barrel, carrier was misfit, and sights would fall out of their dovetails with finger pressure. Not Good.
This 2018 model, like all my current post 2018 Marlins is perfect. It shoots extremely accurate and the action is flawless, interior tooling marks are cleaner, smoother and the trigger breaks clean at around 4Lbs. Just right for the field. Upon closeup, the post 2018 Marlins are not polished to custom levels before bluing, but I can live with that for a production grade field gun. The 4x4 white target at 50 yards (too windy to try 75) shows 5 rounds right on for windage and elevation. You will see in the pictures that I adjust my Marbles Semi-buckhorn sight Sporting Rear Sights (marblearms.com) to be down on the lower level and right smack in the middle of the barrel. This sight comes standard on Marlins Cowboy models but I put them on all my Marlins/Winchesters for a consistent sight picture across the board. This sight comes with a reversable notch piece and screw set. I can get good yardage of elevation out of this sight with the 45/70. Farther if I want to elevate the notch piece. I have found nothing to come up as fast as these sights. Levers are made to be quick mounting guns and the Fudd in me likes the speed and picture of these sights on a right now basis.
One complaint I have on most lever guns, is that for some reason, someone thought that a hooded front sight is how they should be built. Not for me. If one tries to remove the hood, as I find it obscures the light from the front sight, then the cheesy front blade is too fragile for field work. Go Figure. The Marlin Cowboy gets it right by just putting on a strong steel dovetail post sight and not look back. So, I had ZRTS Home — ZR Tactical Solutions mill in a window on my hood so that I can see my sight and protect it as well.
In working this gun through it’s paces the last few days I used Winchester Factory 300Grain cartridges. X4570H | Winchester Ammunition. This round has been around forever and is my stock product for this caliber. I shoot it in my Sharps and my 26 inch Cowboy as well. I have handloads that duplicate this factory fodder with all Winchester components. For a softer plinking load I have a 350 Berry’s plated bullet moving at about 1336 FPS. It is very sweet to shoot. Once in awhile I will run some blackpowder/lead rounds through it for a smoky fun time as well.
This gun came with a nutmeg laminate stock which handles very well. I was slow to warm up to the properties of laminate but enjoy how it functions. And to me, it looks so much better than painted wood or plastic. At first, I never cared for the forend on some Marlins as they are fat towards the receiver end. But in actual shooting stout loads, I am glad to have the extra material and weight on my hand.
Back in the JM days, Marlin owners were disappointed in the added crossblock safety. Well, in reality, it’s perfect. I find it to be unobtrusive, functional, and does not lend itself to be accidentally engaged when laying the rifle down. Something that suedo Winchesters do with their version of the crossbolt safety. I think that is why the Winchester licensees went to the tang safety, that and the rebounding gunsmith proof trigger assemblies. I will admit, that I do not use the safety in the field but find it very useful for dryfiring or emptying the magazine.
This is important for my break in policy of each new Marlin . First, I load it all the way up with dummy rounds (no powder or primer) and let it set for the weekend. Then I cycle thru all the rounds with the safety on. Then I load the magazine full again and empty in a safe area with the safety on. I do this 5 or 6 times. I never have cut my fingers off while loading the gate doing this with over 75 American made Levers spanning 50 years. My Grandad taught me this method and it still works today for setting the springs and learning the right way to load lever guns. Winchester and Marlin makes this loading gate stiff for a reason for the last 150 years.. I find it better to learn how to use it than loose it.
Many will soon begin to understand that I am not a huge player for what some consider the new lever gun. You will not find Casper the Ghost sights, picatinny rails, lights, lasers and switches on my Levers. Not being judgemental mind you, just stating fact. To me a levergun represents a fast handling, quick sight acquisition, powerful repeater that balances well and carries good on a tractor or a horse or in the field after game. It is also a good trunk gun for the urban highway.
I love the fact that Marlin has a solid flat top and is drilled and tapped for the occasional glass I might want to add someday. The buttpad that comes with this gun is a Pachmayr decelerator D750B Decelerator Field Style | Pachmayr Field Pads (lymanproducts.com) and works very well for this caliber.
Brian Pierce, contributing author to Wolf Publishing, Wolfe Publishing Products - Wolfe Pub (wolfeoutdoorsports.com) has reviewed these newer Marlins and has had Hands On experience with lots of lever guns in real applications. Quite simply, you can believe what he writes. Like me, he does not have to massage the manufacturer or please anyone but himself by giving real write ups and telling it like he sees it. I subscribe to Handloader and Rifle magazines because of this kind of writing. I know some publications have to please advertisers and produce cookie cutter reviews but the team at Wolf does not sugarcoat it.
I am glad to be part of INGO and think this review thing is a great opportunity for those that have field experience with products to share them. The proof in the product is how it holds up to hard use by those in the field and I am happy to report that it was not thunder I heard today, but the sound of the 45/70 going off and the big ol bullet thumping the backstop as the ½ inch brass tubing clinks on the ground. And yes, at the end of shooting a string, I open the action and blow out the smoke.
Good Shooting!
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Original Thread Here
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long-guns/489753-marlin-45-70-gbl-review.html#post8530068
Original Thread Here
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long-guns/489753-marlin-45-70-gbl-review.html#post8530068
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