Please to opine on which .45-70:

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Buckskinner

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I'm getting myself an early Christmas present. I want a .44-.45 caliber rifle for "dangerous game". I don't have any plans to shoot any of that kinda animule, but the black bear we saw this year were a bit on the large size.

So, single shot's OK, but I'd rather have at least one quick follow up. Can you load decent ammo for a lever gun, or do I need the Ruger #1 for any "hot" loads?

I think I like the Marlin 1895 GS, guide gun stainless, with AO sights and forward Scout mount with QD rings and Leupold Scout 1.5-5x36...If I could do this for under $550, I think that's a good little number..

How 'bout y'all?

DT
 
Buffalo Bore sells a 405 at 2000 fps rated ok for modern Marlins.
You might could do more in a Ruger, but why?

You will not get that outfit for $550.
 
Probably can't get a new one for that price, but I love my Ruger #1 in 45-70. Short and handy, accurate, eligant and can be loaded to a plinker or a thumper.
 
45/70

I have a 45/70 built on a siamese Mauser action. Holds 4 rounds that can be made to really walk and talk.
 
A Marlin guidegun would fill the bill nicely. You can load some pretty hot ammo in them and have no problems. Short, handy and accurate. I would suggest putting something like a Lyman 66 receiver (peep) sight on it, it will improve your accuracy tremendously. I love mine.
 
How 'bout a Marlin 1895 full-size 22" bbl.?

I put on the buttcuff/sling/slip-over recoil pad for this trip to the gravel pit.
I lost the front sight hood somewhere ( Pumpkinheaver was supposed to send me his old one...but, I couldn't wait and ordered one from Brownells ;) )

I will be ordering the larger loop DRC lever and call it good for now.

The scope is a Redfield Widefield Lo-Pro 2-7 in bottom-screw JR rings.
I switched the scope to the 1.5-5x20 version a couple of weeks ago.
Now, it's time to get more ammo and check it out!
I'm anxious to try the NUKE loads in this gun. :D
 

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Busmaster, I'll see your 22" 1895 and raise you a Marlin 1895 Cowboy model! It's a lovely shooter - 26" octagonal barrel, full-length magazine tube (holds 9 + 1 - great for angry things with teeth who are out to get you! :D ), and is as strong as the Guide Gun (same action, of course), which means you can use anything up to and including Garrett Hammerheads in it. I traded my Guide Gun against it, and I'm happy to have made the switch. Long sight radius, extra weight up front with the longer and thicker barrel, extra magazine capacity - hey, what's not to like?

For more information, see here.


1895CB.jpg



(Edited to add: If you're going to shoot Hammerheads or the equivalent Buffalo Bore loads through it, please fit a good recoil pad! Don't ask me how I learned this... :what: )
 
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Since when did Leupold make a variable IER scout scope? :confused:

Also the cost should be:

Stainless Guide Gun: Around $450-500
Ashley Scout Mount: $50
Ashley Sights: $90
Warne QD Rings: $35
Leupold 2.75x IER scout: $270

Grand total: $895 w/o tax or shipping
 
The Marlin GG is "IT" in Alaska.

I really like the short-barreled (Guide Gun) version, but whatever...

The only downside are the sights. They're complete junk that become totally invisible in marginal light - and not very fast in good light...

So, buy a good aperture sight from Ashley or Wild West and a Firesight front. Do NOT get talked into one of those old fashioned side-mounted receiver aperture sights! Who makes those - Lyman, Williams? They might look OK to dress up a period rifle, but they are just hanging out there awkwardly and are easily broken or knocked out of alignment.

Keith
 
Thats funny, my old fashioned side mounted apeture sight has never moved since the day it was sighted in, that was 3.5 years ago!!
 
Come on up and knock around Alaska for a while, it'll move! You'll spend more time ripping alder branches out of it than hunting!

And even if it doesn't, it's just poorly designed, overly large and awkward compared to the modern sights.

Don't get me wrong - if I had a 1930 or 1940 era gun (or a modern reproduction of such) that I wanted to look right, I'd certainly mount that traditional sight on it. But not on a gun that's going to get rough use as a fishing companion, I don't think so!

Keith
 
I have a Marlin GG, one of the first ones with the ported barrel as I understand the newer models are no longer ported and I like it a lot as it is very handy and fast. I have a Williams receiver sight on it right now but will soon change to an Ashley as I also think the Williams or Lyman, while good sights, don't look good or are as functional on the carbine.

Another 45/70 option out there is the Gibbs Rifle company www.gibbsrifle.com sells a British Enfield receivered bolt gun in that caliber. I have seen one and thought it was kind of nice except the barrel is rather long which makes the rifle quite heavy.

It is a great cartridge and has lots of potential in strong actions as a serious dangerous game cartridge.
 
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OOh! NOw I get to go shopping...

Thanks folks..I was looking today at a gunstore's inventory...No dice...

I want to heft the GG and the 26" bbl and see what makes more sense...I spend about equal time buckin' brush and sitting under trees...
 
Buckskinner, the 26" barrel on the Cowboy model adds about 250 fps over the short barrel of the Guide Gun, if that's of interest to you. I found it to give a significant boost in velocity with the hotter loads, and a moderate boost with the lighter loads - but always a boost.

The Guide Gun is certainly easier to carry and manoever through thick brush, no question about it. However, the longer barrel is not really hard to manoever - just a bit awkward if you have it slung on your back and there are low branches around! :D

I'm glad I made the switch to the longer gun.
 
I'll tell you right now, you dont want to shoot a Ruger #3 in 45/70! OUCH!
Its a 45/70 with a mini 14 stock.
 
barrel length...

The 26" barrel is longer than my current '06, but not as long as my first hunting rifle. That was a Dixie Poor Boy, percussion .50 cal. with a 41" barrell! When I was first deer hunting, that thing was almost as tall as I was! Then I went to my gramp's Win '94 Made in 1906 30-30. That's probably got the 26" or so barrel too...So maybe that's a better idea....hmmm....

Thanks for the input!
 
I've got a blued Marlin Guide Gun, but if I had it to do over again, I'd probably get a stainless steel version. For black bears, it's way overkill. That's what I wanted. Don't like them at all.
 
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