Author Topic: Marlin 1895 (pics added) (Read 4588 times)

Swampman · « **on:** September 04, 2009, 05:04:15 PM »

I bought me a new one today. Blued & walnut.

Cheesehead · « **Reply #1 on:** September 04, 2009, 05:59:04 PM »

You will enjoy it. They are so accurate.

Cheese

john keyes · « **Reply #2 on:** September 05, 2009, 09:33:09 AM »

its too fast for deer

Swampman · « **Reply #3 on:** September 05, 2009, 01:33:17 PM »

I'll only be shooting 405 grainers at Trapdoor velocities.

calling4life · « **Reply #4 on:** September 06, 2009, 01:37:03 PM »

What size bore snake do these guns need?

And what solvents/cleaners are best to use???

Congrats on the new gun, I plan on picking up the exact same gun here soon, so, don't mean to hijack, just a couple easy questions.

Please post up how she shoots.

Swampman · « **Reply #5 on:** September 06, 2009, 02:00:10 PM »

All I ever use is Hoppes #9. I need to get a bore snake.

bishopgrandpa · « **Reply #6 on:** September 08, 2009, 02:54:46 AM »

Bore snakes are so handi to use-especially at the range.

wganz · « **Reply #7 on:** September 08, 2009, 09:58:54 AM »

They're great guns. Got one of the first ones in north Louisiana and have yet to lose a deer.

Shot my cousin's this weekend with the Hornady LeveRevolution rounds. My teeth still hurt from it!!

Stick with the standard 405 grain loads or the Federal 300 grain loads, and its like a 12 gauge with low brass shells.

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #8 on:** September 08, 2009, 10:41:28 AM »

To clean from the breech, all you need is a flathead screwdriver and your cleaning rod. Cock the lever as shown in the owners manual about half way, unscrew the lever, remove, and the bolt slides out. Be careful to of the ejector spring, and put it back before puting the bolt back in, then the lever and put the screw back in.

Old Fart · « **Reply #9 on:** September 10, 2009, 04:16:28 PM »

I picked up one about three months ago.
I have to admit it is one sweet little lever gun.

First handloads were with some 500gr cast I made for my son-in-law.
He wimped out when he saw how huge they were.

I'm thinking I need to try something down in the 300gr or less range.......

swordfish · « **Reply #10 on:** September 11, 2009, 01:30:15 AM »

You didn't go wrong.
I got the CB and a month later a sweet deal on a Guide presented it's self, so I have two now. I like the CB best, it just feels good. They are the most fun of all my rifles. I have a good time reloading for them, hot to lite. They will roll anything I can find down here in Florida.

Too much Enjoy!

calling4life · « **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2009, 05:29:59 PM »

I got one, the classic 1895 22" barrel, blued and walnut. After wanting a longer barrel, then thinking about how well the 18" guide gun would handle, I went in between.

Way to short on the pull of the butt stock for me, my cheek was always forward of the cheek rise on the stock, so I got the slip on limbsaver pad, which almost makes me sick having that thing on the back of such a classic looking gun. But it really isn't a bad look back there, that black goes well with the blued look, and it did exactly what I needed it to do for pull.

It's been to long since I bought a bore snake

Just buy the one that says 45 70 on it

I didn't think It'd be that easy.

Not hard to get apart, with all that recoil pad, there are no worries when it comes to recoil at all. I'm aching to kill something with it, seasons tell me to kill some Yotes as nothing else is legal.

Now to start looking at peep style sights for it, and to think about whether I want to replace the front sight as well, I want it as accurate as possible.

Swampman · « **Reply #12 on:** September 13, 2009, 11:48:02 PM »

I put a Nikon 2-7X32 Prostaff and a Montana sling on mine.

calling4life · « **Reply #13 on:** September 14, 2009, 04:48:18 PM »

I've shot a box of the leverrevolution ammo through it, best grouping I got at about 50 yards is like 4" which is scaring me. I'm shooting off sticks, but it is still a solid rest, actually was impressed with how steady these are. The first 2 shots usually sat about 1"- 1.5" apart, then the 3rd was always up and to the right destroying the group, and they weren't pulled as far as I know.

The Federal 300 gr. ammo will be my main ammo through this, however, the Hornady is what I have for now and groups tonight weren't impressing me.

Any advice? Is it just the barrel breaking in, or do I need to learn how to shoot

Swampman · « **Reply #14 on:** September 14, 2009, 11:40:13 PM »

Get the Remington 405 grain loading.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #15 on:** September 16, 2009, 03:55:08 AM »

Quote from: Swampman on September 14, 2009, 11:40:13 PM

Get the Remington 405 grain loading.

I fired a box of those when I first got my Marlin 1895 in 2002. Haven't touched them since and probably never will again. The Remington loads are OK for trapdoor rifles and low recoil plinking, and they are just as effective in the Marlin as they are in a Trapdoor, but there are much better options available for the person that wants to take full advantage of the Marlin 1895 platform. Buffalo Bore,and Garrett come to mind as do Hornady and Corbon, and there are others.

As a handloader, I’ve developed more loads for the .45-70 than any other rifle I own – 18 or 19. These loads range from low-recoil plinkers (300-350g hardcast running ~1100fps with a small does of HS-6) that cost under $3.00 per box to build to mid-power deer and elk loads (350g @ 2100-2200fps) to what I call my “Rhino Blaster” loads – 460g hardcast running 1812fps.

My hunting load is a 350g North Fork running 2183fps. So far I’ve only taken two animals with it, a forkhorn mulie at 197 lasered yards and a 6x6 bull elk at 213 lasered yards. I’ve never seen so much blood on the ground as I did with the buck – there were a couple inches of fresh snow and the buck was quartering away. It looked like someone had sloshed blood from a 5 gallon bucket. I’d easily reach out to 300 yards with this load, 5 inch groups and only down 22” with plenty of oomph left for elk.

I had the .45-70 down to the NRA Whittington Center once, shooting on the steel silhouette range. The 500 meter rams didn’t stand a chance, even with a very strong and gusty crosswind that required about 15 feet of correction. The loads that day were Speer and Hornady 350g running a nominal 2150fps.

swordfish · « **Reply #16 on:** September 16, 2009, 06:35:04 AM »

Quote from: Coyote Hunter on September 16, 2009, 03:55:08 AM

Quote from: Swampman on September 14, 2009, 11:40:13 PM
Get the Remington 405 grain loading.

I’d easily reach out to 300 yards with this load, 5 inch groups and only down 22” with plenty of oomph left for elk.

I had the .45-70 down to the NRA Whittington Center once, shooting on the steel silhouette range. The 500 meter rams didn’t stand a chance, even with a very strong and gusty crosswind that required about 15 feet of correction. The loads that day were Speer and Hornady 350g running a nominal 2150fps.

I've never heard of someone shooting a 45-70 at those distances. 300 yards and 500 meters!

I would love to see your load data for your 45-70's. Would you PLEASE PLEASE PM them to me. I have found that the load manuals are very lacking/limited compaired to the bullets now available. I use the Elmer Keith load with the 405 for hunting, but find they blast clean through, even big hogs. I was thinking of using a 300gr hollowpoint.

Swampman · « **Reply #17 on:** September 16, 2009, 07:28:27 AM »

Many a large beast has fallen to the Trapdoor at ranges well beyond 500 yards. The heavy loads put a lot of used .45-70s back on the market & I'm very glad for them. These guns only kick when you exceed SAMMI specs. Since I'm not compensating I just avoid heavy loads.

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #18 on:** September 16, 2009, 09:02:41 AM »

Swampman, you obviously don't reload. I reload to the midrange of the specs for the Marlin in the Lyman reloading manual. It DOES NOT exceed SAMII specs. However, my reloads do kick harder than the trapdoor levels.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #19 on:** September 16, 2009, 09:07:36 AM »

Quote from: Swampman on September 16, 2009, 07:28:27 AM

Many a large beast has fallen to the Trapdoor at ranges well beyond 500 yards. The heavy loads put a lot of used .45-70s back on the market & I'm very glad for them. These guns only kick when you exceed SAMMI specs. Since I'm not compensating I just avoid heavy loads.

"Compensating" has nothing to do with my decision to produce a variety of loads. My plinkers are well below SAAMI pressure standards but the .45-70 in the Marlin 1895 is capable of more - which is one reason I got it in the first place. Typical load data for the Marlin runs to 40,000 CUP, well above SAAMI standards for the .45-70, but the SAAMI standards are designed for weak Trapdoor actions. Load data for Ruger #1 and other "Strong Actions" goes significantly higher yet. My North Fork hunting load has been pressure tested and ran under 40,000 CUP in the test barrel.

If I had been planning on using only Trapdoor loads in my .45-70 I could have saved the money and continued using my .44 Mag carbine instead.

john keyes · « **Reply #20 on:** September 16, 2009, 10:09:34 AM »

The price of the factory ammo is like $30 a box even for the docile remingtons.
I would encourage anyone who shoots to get into reloading now, and i can promise them that their investment will pay for itself very quickly.
Back in 2003 I bought 500 rem 405's from Midway for about sixty bucks and a bunch of brass.

Swampman · « **Reply #21 on:** September 16, 2009, 10:56:09 AM »

I reload but not over 1300fps and I have no use for the lighter bullets.

I'm not aware of any .44 Mag loads that will push a 405 grain bullet 1300 fps.

Davemuzz · « **Reply #22 on:** September 16, 2009, 12:06:40 PM »

Swampman,

Here's a pic of my reloading of the Hornady 325ftx. I'm loading this over IMR-3031. Now, Hornady doesn't list a load using 3031, but I've shot over 100 rounds from my XLR with no signs of pressure and with excellent accuracy. The load shoots the bullet at 1700fps with little deviation. This is a 4 shot group at 200 yards. It shoots almost as tight at 300 yards.

swordfish · « **Reply #23 on:** September 16, 2009, 12:15:22 PM »

Dave,
Outa what model?

Davemuzz · « **Reply #24 on:** September 16, 2009, 02:03:58 PM »

1895XLR. Williams Peep sight. Damn accurate rifle. It's the one pictured in my avitar.

Dave

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/xlr/1895XLR.asp

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #25 on:** September 16, 2009, 05:12:23 PM »

Quote from: Swampman on September 16, 2009, 10:56:09 AM

I reload but not over 1300fps and I have no use for the lighter bullets.

You don't have any use for a lot of good things so your response doesn’t surprise me.

There are some excellent .458” bullets that are lighter than 405g, and heavier ones, too. Here are just a few of the lighter ones suitable for the .45-70:

250g Barnes TSX
300g Oregon Trail Laser Cast (Or most other hardcast)
300g Barnes TSX
300g Speer UC FNHP
325g Hornady FTX
350g Oregon Trail Laser Cast (Or most other hardcast)
350g Speer MT SP
350g Hornady FP
350g Swift A-Frame
350g North Fork
400g Speer FNSP

The only ones I have not used are the 250/300g Barnes TSX, 325g FTX, 350g A-Frame and the 400g Speer.

Oh, yeah – let’s not forget the Remington 300g – easy on the shoulder, flatter shooting than the 405g, and more than enough for deer, antelope, even elk.

Quote

I'm not aware of any .44 Mag loads that will push a 405 grain bullet 1300 fps.

Nor am I – but they can push a 300g to 1600fps, delivering MORE energy than the Remington 405g load at the muzzle...

On the other hand, my 350g North Fork and Speer .45-70 loads have more energy at 250 yards than the Remington 405g loads have at the muzzle.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #26 on:** September 16, 2009, 05:29:49 PM »

Quote from: Swampman on September 16, 2009, 07:28:27 AM

Many a large beast has fallen to the Trapdoor at ranges well beyond 500 yards. The heavy loads put a lot of used .45-70s back on the market & I'm very glad for them. ...

Mine was made in 2000, I got it in 2002 for $249.95. Had been looking for a good used one for two eyars when I got it and hadn't been able to find one for under $400. Went back the next day and asked the dealer what was wrong with it.

Turns out not a damn thing. It's the one at the top, followed by a .375 Win, .30-30 and Browning B92 in .44 Mag.

calling4life · « **Reply #27 on:** September 16, 2009, 07:19:58 PM »

Quote from: Davemuzz on September 16, 2009, 12:06:40 PM

Swampman,

Here's a pic of my reloading of the Hornady 325ftx. I'm loading this over IMR-3031. Now, Hornady doesn't list a load using 3031, but I've shot over 100 rounds from my XLR with no signs of pressure and with excellent accuracy. The load shoots the bullet at 1700fps with little deviation. This is a 4 shot group at 200 yards. It shoots almost as tight at 300 yards.

Do you guys think a good peep style sight would help with accuracy??? This is extremely impressive and all I could ever ask of the gun. Although I don't and wont reload, just not something I can get into right now.

Also, do you replace your front sight when you throw a peep sight on??? I'd like a sight that I can adjust easy by hand, not something I have to try and tap with a hammer to adjust. Perhaps some of these different peeps are just what I'm looking for

Swampman · « **Reply #28 on:** September 16, 2009, 11:51:24 PM »

The Remington Trapdoor level load harvest anything in North America and it's fun to shoot. If I need a .458 Winchester, I'll buy one.

I've broke the wrist of a Marlin stock shooting warm loads so I won't be doing that again. I just don't need that kind of power and in fact a .30-30 is plenty for what I do. I've owned an 1886, an original Trapdoor, an H&R Officers Model, a T/C Contender, quite a few Marlins, quite a few Handi Rifles, and a Ruger #3 in .45-70. I was shooting those hot loads back in 1977. Been there done that.

Davemuzz · « **Reply #29 on:** September 16, 2009, 11:57:23 PM »

Quote from: calling4life on September 16, 2009, 07:19:58 PM

Do you guys think a good peep style sight would help with accuracy???

C4L,

I don't know if you've shot with a peep sight or not, but some folks like 'em and some don't. Of course, I do. You may want to try someone's if you've never shot one before.

As far as the front sight, I left it stock. But I did take off the front hood as that let's more light on the front bead. My eyes are over 50 so.....I need help here 'n there.

Dave