Lever Action Rifle

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

ahamburg

Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2018
Messages
16
I’ve been doing research for a long time and have decided on the 45/70.

I want the Custom Wild West Guns Marlin 45/70.

Is there something else avaiable that will perform just as well, if not better, than that gun in 45/70 for cheaper or a little bit more expensive? (Trying not to go over the WWG price)

Reason I especially like that one is because of the ghost ring sights and custom trigger work. However, I don’t like the tactical rail.

Would I be better off ordering a custom gun from marlin?

Any advice will be gratefully accepted.

Btw I will be using this gun for hunting, hiking, homedefense, and recreation.

I want this end all do all gun to be worth every penny.
 
I wouldn't order anything from Marlin right now. They're owned by Remington, which just declared bankruptcy.

Just my opinion, but I don't think a.45-70 lever action would make a good home defense gun.
 
45-70 Is going to be a whopper in the overkill dept for home defense. It will overpenetrate everything shy of a solid log wall, so if there are going to be other people in the home, or neighbors nearby then I would strongly suggest reconsidering, but if its just you in the middle of nowhere then have at it. Its going to do the job if it connects. Seems your power factor is coming from hunting, what critters are you tryig to anchor?

And WWG if I recall right had some interesting legal troubles.
 
ahamburg said:
I’ve been doing research for a long time and have decided on the 45/70.

I want the Custom Wild West Guns Marlin 45/70.

Is there something else avaiable that will perform just as well, if not better, than that gun in 45/70 for cheaper or a little bit more expensive? (Trying not to go over the WWG price)

Reason I especially like that one is because of the ghost ring sights and custom trigger work. However, I don’t like the tactical rail.

Would I be better off ordering a custom gun from marlin?

Any advice will be gratefully accepted.

Btw I will be using this gun for hunting, hiking, homedefense, and recreation.

I want this end all do all gun to be worth every penny.
Click to expand...

To each his own, I guess, but home defense with a 45-70?
 
Forget the home defense part. I was listing and think I put that in my accident. We have a 12 gauge for that.
 
Yeah but I was just wondering if there was a better gate loading option out there
 
I've got three Remlins. They aren't THAT bad.
One is a still NIB 1895 in .45/70. Second is a 1895 in .45/70. Got both at Walmart in Sept '16 on close-out. After $50 rebates, I've got $264 in each.

The one I put into service is excellent. I did a trigger job on it. It now has a 4lb crisp trigger. It's a tack driver for accuracy. I've shot 1.5" 5-shot 100yd groups from it with Remington 300gr HP. Shot a 1-hole group at 50yds with Lee 340gr FN over 21.5gr #2400.

I've also got a '17 mfg. 1894 in .44mag. It took a bit more tweaking than the 1895 but after aggressively lapping the bore twice, it's now a 2moa shooter with Nosler 240gr over 23.5gr H110.
The 1894 is a nice looking gun!

I've also got a ~2003 1895 GuideGun. It wears a Williams Guide reciever sight ($55 with fiber optic front sight), and has had a trigger job, 2.5lb crisp! . It too is ~1.5moa.

I suggest you go ahead and get the 1895 GuideGun and if it doesn't suit you, send it to RangerPointPrecision. For about $200, he'll "finish" your Marlin for you.
As far as I'm concerned, WWG is a bunch of charletons. Their prices are exorbitant, as I can make a Marlin trigger "happy" in about 15minutes. Including disassembly and reassembled gun.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0015.JPG
    IMG_0015.JPG
    87.4 KB · Views: 19
Last edited:
Chiappa Kodiak is another 45/70 side loader. I have no experience with them however. Henrys 45/70 All weather is very nice too. If you can get past the tube load.
 
Yeah I would have the Henry by now if not for the tube load. Also thanks for the information goose! Much appreciated!
 
Just get an older JM Marlin and put a ghost ring sight on it. I don’t know what kind of accuracy WWG gets, but my JM 1895 shoots MOA or better with handloads of 350gr Hornady RN, H-4198, Starline brass and WLR primers. Trigger is a touch heavy @ around 5-6lbs but breaks very clean.https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?attachments/img_8173-png.233168/
The cloverleaf shot is my 444. The shot above it is my first shot with the 45-70 with the load above. Then I adjusted my scope and the next two in the Black were the next two shots. All shots at 100 yards. You’d be very hard pressed to find a 444 or 45-70 that shoots better than that.
 
45-70? Seems a bit on the expensive/heavy side for hunting/hiking/recreation. Like someone else asked- what kind of critter are you planning to ventilate with that thing?
 
I'd do what I did and look for a Winchester (Miroku repo) Model 1886 "Extra Light Weight" rifle, chambered in .45-70 and put a Williams "FoolProof" receiver sight on it. With a 22" barrel and weighing about 7.25 pounds, this Winchester makes for a very good handling and hard hitting rifle.
 
45-70 will leave you with an empty wallet and a sore shoulder, BUT the grin on your face won't wash off easily. I sold mine and regret it, but I did it to get the 44 mag levergun... Who ever invented steel buttplates on big bore guns like this....
 
I absolutely love love love love love love my Marlin 1895 guide gun with Williams peep sights. However it did take a trip back to remington to fix the canted front sight, and I did a trigger job on it myself to bring it down to 3 lbs. Personally I would just save the money and buy a guide gun, get the WWG happy trigger kit for it, and add a Williams fire sight peep sight set on it. It will be about half the cost. If I had $1350 burning in my pocket I would get a Winchester 1886 with a 20" barrel and put peep sights on it.
 
SwampWolf said:
I'd do what I did and look for a Winchester (Miroku repo) Model 1886 "Extra Light Weight" rifle, chambered in .45-70 and put a Williams "FoolProof" receiver sight on it. With a 22" barrel and weighing about 7.25 pounds, this Winchester makes for a very good handling and hard hitting rifle.
Click to expand...

On both ends. But I don't disagree with your recommendation.
 
I had a JM branded 45-70 and killed one deer with it. I got tired of the recoil and used a reduce load with a 300gr bullet at 1600fps. Then it dawned on me that this was close to my 44 mag loads in my Marlin rifle. So I sold the 45-70 and never missed it. I hand loaded my ammo so cost wasn't too bad. And that was before the ammo component shortage where everything climbed in price and stayed there.

The first 3 shots I fired with my 45-70 were touching at 100 yards. Just like it came out of the box except for the cheap scope I put on it. It took the scope apart and I just shot it open sights after that. It was a really nice gun but more than what I needed for where I hunt. I would just buy the gun and add your own sights and upgrades to the trigger and action. And you may not need to do anything to the trigger. Save your money for ammo.
 
Oh and if you're a hand loader try a 350 grain lead flat nose on top of 17 grains of trail boss. Add some steel plates and a set of peep sights and it's the most fun you can have out of bed.
 
cp1969 said:
I wouldn't order anything from Marlin right now. They're owned by Remington, which just declared bankruptcy.

Just my opinion, but I don't think a.45-70 lever action would make a good home defense gun.
Click to expand...

Remington, and by association Marlin, aren’t going anywhere.
 
I just purchased a Marlin 1894 in 44 Mag/44 Special and I love it. I was aware of the QC issues with the new Marlins and did a complete Inspection of the gun including the bore before I purchased. Functions fine and looks great. I need to get a low power scope on it and get out to the range for some sighting in.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

A
  • Locked
  • Poll
Custom 45-70 Marlin
Replies
22
Views
2K
Hanshi
Hanshi
T
  • Locked
Marlin 1895SBL 45-70
Replies
4
Views
479
Old Stumpy
Old Stumpy
C
  • Locked
Help me find pic/link of this 45/70...
Replies
1
Views
282
gscrasher
G
R
  • Locked
45-70 hunting loads.
Replies
2
Views
637
Ruger44mag
R
A
  • Locked
45-70 lever-show me yours!
2
Replies
37
Views
3K
jeepnik
jeepnik
Back
Top