45-70 Guide Gun

S

six 4 sure

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I'm sure this question has been asked before, however, since the search function isn't working I'll ask it again.

I just picked one of these up last week, and I'm wondering what everyone thinks about them. How solid are they?

Does anyone have a favorite round they shoot or a reccomended one? I have a reloader, but I haven't purchased dies. Whould that be a wise decision?

I'm not sure what I'm going to use it for, but I had to have it.
 
I love mine, but until I get the action slicked up a bit I think I'll stick to solids. Really soft or HP lead bullets tend to get caught on a ridge at the top of the reciever when I throw the lever too fast. The rifle doesn't have controlled feed, so when the lever is closed, the cartridge is thrown up against the top of the reciever at the same time as it is being pushed foreward by the bolt. The surface is beveled, but sometimes the bullet will catch the edge of that bevel. That may be just my rifle though.

I heard here somewhere, of a guy who makes some really hot solid loads called "Hammerheads" in 45-70 specifically for the Guide Gun. They are supposed to give ungodly penetration. I haven't tried them though, and the gun will punish you with 405gr loads as is, so I guess load selection depends a lot on your recoil tolerance. If you're a recoil masochist, and rich enough to afford Hammerheads, let me know how they work.
 
The Hammerheads are Randy Garrett's creation, and are available from Garrett Cartridges at http://www.garrettcartridges.com. They come in both 420 and 540 gr versions. Lots of goods info about the .45-70 on the web site. The Winchester Partition Golds are nice loads as well.
 
Marlins generally are well made, easy to clean, stronger than their equivalent Browning-designed Winchester competitors, and a good value.

The GG is a hoot, though I wish they hadn't put the ports in the barrel. You can literally raise the roof on a covered firing line. :-)

The GG is also surprisingly accurate. Consider putting a Williams Fool Proof receiver sight on it.
 
When I sighted it in, I fired some rounds that led me to believe I could get close to minute of angle with her. (GA Arms 300 grain HP.) Recoil was fine. Did a number on the li'l deer I hit.
 
I love my Guide Gun. I shot some Winchester's and some Buffalo Bore through it. I really don't care for the Buffalo Bore stuff, but I really like the Winchester Partition's.
 
Oh man - I WANT one of them!
How cool is that... Small, light, big tub-thumpin rip snorting power...

I want one bad.

But I dont know about actually buying one.
The Fantasy of having it just might be better than ACTUALLY having it.
 
1895G

I love mine, but after trying to hunt in the mornings with the williams foolproof receiver w/ fiber optic front, I ordered a scope. Unless you have a good bit of light, it's hard to pick up the front sight. The williams was plenty accurate; I got under 2 MOA @ 100m. The scope is a Leupold 1-4X shotgun scope, and the rifle actually shoots MOA. This is with Rem 300 gr HP; I got some 405's for comparison but haven't fired them yet. Shooting off the bench it jumps around a bit, but from standing offhand it's a real pussycat; just don't forget the plugs and muffs.
 
Model 1895

I don't have a guide gun, (I didn't like the porting) but I do have an 1895 SS (I think it's SS). I put a Williams receiver sight on it (My eyes are still good) and it will stay just over 1.5 inches (from a rest) with the Winchester partition golds. I absolutely love mine. The combination of a wicked short/medium range round in that quick-handling package... Like someone else already said, "I don't know what I'll use it for but I just had to have it!"
 
JWR, I also changed to a fiber optic front sight -- the Williams Fire Sight -- and it doesn't really work with a hood on the ramp. Works amazingly without it, though.
 
A shooting buffy of mine owns one and it is sweet!

Check this config out - Ashley ghost ring sights and an Ashley scout rail with a Leupold 2.5x scout scope. He had a modest action and trigger job done. What a sweet and handy shooter.

I am actually thinking of buying one, it is so sweet. Don't know what I would really do with it, but boy is it sweet! (and LOUD)
 
Love the Guide Gun! I slapped a Simmons 4x32 Pro Diamond shotgun scope on mine. With Speer 400s and 50 gr. of 3031, it's MOA at 100! So far the scope is ok...When it goes, I might put some Ashley Express sights on it. Does tend to clear out a path at the range...LOUD :eek:
 
The January Guns&Ammo mag shows Marlin coming out with a Stainless/Nickel Guide Gun the 1895GS. Beautiful piece it is!:)Best, J. Parker
 
I hate to do this to you guys, as I was gonna wait until I had pictures. I cancelled my order with Wild West last year and commissioned a breakdown 45-70 from David Clay and Ashley Emerson. Features:

- Marlin Action
- 18" Octagonal barrel
- Satin Nickel Finish
- Ashley Ghost Ring Sights custom installed by the man hisself for the perfect height from cheek weld to sight line.
- Action as smooth as a Playboy Model's butt

Features not found on the Guide Gun:
- Mag Tube is locked to the barrel and reinforced to prevent it from jamming back into the action
- Locking pin to prevent over tightening of Barrel to Action
- Adjustment mechanism to compensate for wear of barrel threads
- Magazine cutoff that allows the tube to carry 5 rounds, even broken down.
- Disabled safety button....these can get you killed with a modern lever gun.

I absolutely love this rifle. Though I've only had the opportinity to blood it on running coyote, it sure did the job with Randy Garrett's ammunition. IMHO, the scope is a liability at the ranges this gun is used. The purpose of the Guide Gun concept is snap shooting, particularly at things that wish to eat you. This is no place for glass. Even with Randy's ammo, the drop from 100 yard zero to 200 yard target is extreme. If a scope gains you something within that outside kill zone of 130 or so yards, go for it....but think about it first.
Rich
 
Having seen, handled and shot Marlin's version, the Wild West breakdown version, and the Ashley/Clay version, I have to say that the Ashley/Clay rifle is so head and shoulders above the others that any comparisons between them are wholly and totally unfair.
Nevertheless, I will make the comparisons. :D

Aside from some rather snotty customer service issues reported with Wild West, their engineering of the breakdown weapon pales in light of the Ashley/Clay achievment. As Rich Noted above, the Ashley/Clay rifle embodies a lot of features that were never considered on the tooexpensiveforwhatchaget Wild West Co-Pilot gun.

The Marlin factory version has had a lot of barrel problems due to the hideously deep roll stamping on the relatively thin barrel causing bore restrictions and terrible accuracy (4-6+ moa) with the factory barrel. The actions are rather rough, and need work. The factory sights are, well... factory sights. They saved some money here for sure.
The porting is superfluos at best, and a liability in low light shooting. Guess when the big critters come out??
Definitely NOT a weapon that I would use as a bear gun right out of the box, and the mods needed to make it sufficient for the task are expensive enough that one should consider going for a full up custom like the Ashley/Clay.
Although I am not personally a big lever gun fan, i do like to see weapons designed and built correctly in whatever format the maker chooses. Marlin and Wild West both need to go back to the drawing board, and maybe shake a bit more manufacturing budget money loose from their bean counters along the way.
Ashley Emerson and David Clay have exceeded themselves.
 
4-6 MOA?

MAD DOG, My Guide Gun shoots a LOT better than 4-6 MOA. My 444P does as well. My only complaints would be that the action needs to be slicked up a bit and the triggers could be better.
 
Email Rich Lucibella for David Clay's phone number.
Trying to call Ashley is a sure way to get no results fast, as he is out shooting so much. :D
 
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