Just got a Marlin 1895 45/70 Cowboy 26"

[startrek1761d]

I plan to sell my NIB NEF Buffalo Classic and keep the Marlin Cowboy with 26" barrel, question is can I expect 1 moa out of this rifle, I plan to shoot IMR 3031 or 4198 with 300 gr HP jacketed bullets, I know this question depends on a lot of variables, just want to know if the cowboys have that much accuracy potential, if you know a better accuracy load please let me know.

[salvo]

Congrats on the Cowboy!
I think the potential is there for 1MOA. Will you be scoping it?
I have a 1895G Guide gun with ghost sights, it prefers the 300 gr. bullets and will shoot them around 5/8" at 50 yds. Out at 100 yds with open sights I am happy with 1.5" to 2" groups, it's about the best my eyes will allow I'm sure a scope would cut the groups considerably, but I prefer open sights on my levers.

[startrek1761d]

I really don't want to ruin the look of the rifle with a scope but since my hunting is usually low light I may have to go with a 1.5 x 5 Leupold or something small.

[EsoxLucius]

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,3140.html

This would cost almost as much as a good scope but would be more in character with the rifle.

[timothy]

With the stocks sites moa is a pretty tall order, I'd say probably not. But thats not a deal breaker, I hunt small game with my guide gun and factory sites. So medium to big game should be a breeze with that 26'' cowboy. Good luck

[Hank08]

I usually change to buckhorn sights on all my levers but have left my Marlin 45/70 Cowboy with it's original sights.  It averages about 2" benched at 100 yds.  It seems to like the Hornady 350 FP and RE7.  Plenty accurate for anything I plan to shoot with it.
H08

[Antietamgw]

I really don't want to ruin the look of the rifle with a scope but since my hunting is usually low light I may have to go with a 1.5 x 5 Leupold or something small.

+1 on optics and lowlight. I need optics to hunt - when I have to chase the front sight and put it where I want to hit, I start to second guess my sight picture. My old sporting Rolling Block now has a Leupold 1X4 during hunting season, back to the tang site the rest of the year. I was able to handle one of those 1895 CB - wow, it just carries and comes up nice! If one comes along with extra nice wood I doubt I'll be able to resist!

[brianscott12]

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,3140.html

This would cost almost as much as a good scope but would be more in character with the rifle.

Wish I had seen this before I bought my scope.

[uncledub]

Hey Brian-
They also have one made for the BC.  It uses the tapped holes on the receiver.  Brownells list it as Wesson & Harrington.

[Bowhunter57]

startrek1761d,
Congradulations on a fine rifle purchase!

I'm struggling with the choice of purchasing one myself. I keep trying to talk myself into or out of one. Here in Ohio, the only use it would get is for varmints. However, if I ever went out of state to hunt big game, I'd have one heck of a rifle that would get the job done.

I just looked at one in a local gun shop, yesterday and nearly cried when I handed it back to the sales clerk.

Good hunting, Bowhunter57

[swordfish]

I have had no better satisfaction out of any other weapon I have purchased than my Marlin 45-70 CB. It has become my weapon of choice on my Hog and White tail hunts. I now reload for it and with good results, as good as my eyes are with iron sights. I have chosen to keep the stock sights for now, but if I do change them, it won’t be to any type of scope, it will always have iron sights. I have plenty of scoped guns. I also have the guide version with the 18 ½” barrel but prefer the Cowboy version.

This is what I have found to work for my 1895CB 45-70.
Go with what is published by those who know not by what I use, but it will give you some ideas. That's my disclamer.

For big game. I really like this one, because I like a good heavy kick.
Elmer Keith's classic load of 53 grains of IMR 3031 with the 405 grain bullet.

Or for smaller game:
From website
http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp
300 GR. SIE HP  IMR 4198  .458"  2.525"  54.0(min)-58.5(max)


The Elmer Keith’s load goes clean through Hogs and White tail, so the lighter HP may be a better choice for them. Both will do the job just fine.

[brianscott12]

Hey Brian-
They also have one made for the BC.  It uses the tapped holes on the receiver.  Brownells list it as Wesson & Harrington.

Thanks.

[Belt driven]

the williams fp peep goes nice on the reciever and fits the pre-tapped holes if you decide to steer away from glass.  Williams makes two models, the FP has click adjustments.  The other does not.  It's aluminum chassis and I stripped screws on tne non-click model.  Dead-nutz makes a one piece scope mount that lines right up to and looks nice.  I put a Marbels tang sight on it before really shooting it but took it off as it doesn't give you much to hold onto when you touch off a 405 loaded to moden pressures.  For re-loads, looke real carefull at the tables.  One is for balck powder pressures, one for modern lever actions, one for Ruger #1 actions.  If you put smokeless powder other than trailboss in for BP pressures bring a ramrod as firing down hill will put that dab of powder very far away from the primer and move the slug just into the barrel.  Enough-to-chamber-another-round-far-enough which can be very bad if you don't pay attention to the warning signs (lots of smoke pouring out of the action and a non-mule kick recoil).  I read some folks put a wadd of dacron over the top to keep the powder back towards the primer but I'm not interested in starting a backwoods fire I can't put out so I have not tried.  They say it doesn't burn but I don't want something stuck to it that does.   For the rest of that hand loaded lot, elevating the muzzle before shooting it level or slightly inclined did the trick.