Experiences with Marlin 1895?

[FrankenMauser]

For those who say the problems were overblown, there were a LOT of reported problems across the different gun boards at the time, and some pretty bad customer service reports too.

Yep.
I've had myself neck deep in the Marlin world since before the buyout. The issues that Remington created by trying to recreate Marlin's products on CNC machines, with unskilled laborers, without gauging and inspection steps, and cutting as many corners as possible lead to a very, very bad product.
Some were okay. Some were pretty good. Most were terrible.
For several years, they were shipping 336s and 1895s where dangerously excessive head space was the norm (we're talking 0.040" excessive - sometimes worse) and some critical internal parts were completely unhardened (often wearing to the point of failure within less than 100 rounds).
And, of course, there's always ongoing brittle screw debacle*.

Marlin's management has been able to fight for better quality*, better quality control*, and more oversight of their own operation*, rather than having to request everything from the board of directors; so things are much better now than just a few years ago.
But the initial Remington production was very bad - possibly even worse than the internet says - and Marlin's management team does still have to fight Remington in order to make changes to their own operations if the change will impact the profit margin (even if only a couple cents).
For example, I've been told that a correction for the "sharp lever" issue has been a constant request by Marlin management for coming up on four YEARS, now. As of May, I had still not heard of it being approved.


*Before DPris passed away, we were working with a Marlin project manager to get numbers on the actual frequency of screw breakage - not just reports on the internet, reposted by the same guy to 27 different forums; and by other random people to 150 more. They had just revamped the tempering process for better control and higher quality, and were curious to see how the reporting rate would change "in the wild" rather than just through the repair center(s). I had an entire lot of rear barrel band screws and half a bushel of tip cap screws shipped directly to me, to mete out to victims of earlier brittle screws that had helped us compile reports on how, when, and under what conditions the screws broke. (Impacts with rests/benches, usually after recoil, turned out to be the primary suspect ... but that still doesn't mean that such failure is acceptable in any way.)

 

[44 AMP]

Thank you FrankenMauser for the information on the .444, I had no idea it had been put in so many different guns.

As for this,

.45-70 is for the guy that wants the classic 'cannon', but can't be bothered to reload, ...

I know there are people like that. I am the other guy, I don't think I've shot a whole box of factory .45-70 in 30 years. It's all handloads, mostly cast 400gr or something similar, but I do have some jacketed loads for really serious stuff. Like teaching people what real recoil feels like.
(you do it with a Ruger No.3 and a 350gr Hornady RN at 2200fps! )

I'm pretty sure the 1895 I had was an 80s gun. It worked well, and at the time all I needed was minute of deer accuracy and it did that handily. I will admit there is something waaay cool about seeing those huge long empties coming out of the action, the .444 is that way, too.

Overall, I liked the 1895 I had, it wasn't excessively heavy, the fit and finish were good, accuracy was more than adequate for me, and if you kept the loads below the "stupid" level, recoil wasn't horrible.

I eventually sold it as excess to needs after about a decade, and looking back now, I shouldn't have.
I was saddened by what happened to the rifle after Remington took over. Glad to hear they have come at least part of the way back to where they should be. For a lever .45-70 that didn't weigh six metric tons and didn't cost an arm and a leg /Winchester collector prices, the Marlin was a good gun. I hope they will be again.

 

[BusGunner007]

OP has 2 posts and an earfull after that!

I'm 'one of those people' that won't be reloading because I can't.
So, thanks for the beat down.

I just spent a lot of thought, money and enthusiasm on my 1895 to come back here and read snotty comments on the gun, cartridge and ammo?

C'mon, guys.
I respect the lot of you with so much more experience, but keep the new enthusiasts in mind whilst pontificating, will ya?

 

[Blue Duck]

I have owned several 45/70's and one Marlin 444, many years ago. The 444 had the micro groove rifling and shot the 240gr factory loads pretty good, but would not stabilize the heavier 265gr handloads. I must say the 240gr factory loads were explosive at close range.

One of my most memorable kills with the 444, was at a running buck at about 30 yards, with my receiver sighted 444 way back in the early 80's. It was tough shooting, but deer were a lot more scarce back then and I didn't pass up any shots I thought I could make, because back then, I knew if I blew a chance at a deer, it usually meant that I blew my year. Any way the deer was running to beat heck and I finally connected on the 4th shot, hitting it in the top of the back, at which point it did a somersault with the horns stuck in the ground, and I was shooting so fast, I put the 5th round through that white belly while the deer was still in the middle of the air, and the slug came out in the top of the back where the first hit had been.

I described this in detail because as far as I am concerned situations like this is where the 444 Marlin really shined. It had the power and the speed of fire for this kind of shooting. And the deer tasted just as good. This particular deer turned out to be possibly one of the biggest bodied deer I ever bagged, but I did loose a substantial portion of backstrap as the 240gr factory loads actually blew up when they hit. I recovered the first round where the bullet hit the spine, just behind the shoulder, and then slid down a rib, with the lead core separating from the jacket, and I recovered both core and jacket.

I eventually traded it off, because it would not stabilize heavier bullets.

I have owned several 45/70's and think I like them better, unless I could get a .444 with regular Ballard type rifling that would stabilize a little heavier bullet. But personally, for the hunting I do, I am quite happy with the 300 gr factory loads in the 45/70 and I have killed several deer and quite a few hogs with that load, at 20 to 100yds and always found it to work great, almost always resulting with drop dead right there results with any solid hit.

I currently, own a new Remington made 45/70 guide gun type Marlin with a Micro- Aim point on it. And workmanship is pretty good, but the loading gate is sharp as a knife, one has to be careful when pushing rounds into it, to not get a finger caught between the front end of the loading gate and the frame, as it likes to trap your thumb, and take a piece of hide off in the process. The action was a little rough when I got it but is smoothing out with use. So far I have only killed a few hogs with it, and it preformed decisively as expected.

The one thing I do like about the new Marlin is it does not have the Micro-groove rifling and is actually more accurate then any Marlin I every owned. I hesitate to say this because you won't believe me and I wouldn't either until I experienced it. But that Marlin 45/70 with just the Aimpoint shooing at a black bullseye at 100 yds will group into an inch with 3 careful shots, using 300gr factory ammo. I would have been just as happy if it had done 2.5" groups and expected those size groups.

 

[44 AMP]

And workmanship is pretty good, but the loading gate is sharp as a knife, one has to be careful when pushing rounds into it, to not get a finger caught between the front end of the loading gate and the frame, as it likes to trap your thumb, and take a piece of hide off in the process.

Here's a simple trick I learned a long time ago, which works with ALL loading gate tube magazine rifles.

DO NOT use your hand (thumb or fingers) to push the cartridge all the way through the loading gate. Use the bullet of another cartridge. Start the first round through the gate about halfway, then finish pushing it all the way in with the next cartridge.

When the magazine is full, the last round (the one you are pushing with) will be about half way sticking out of the gate, simply pull it out and put it back in your ammo carrier. Gun loaded, no pinched or cut fingers!!

 

[tango1niner]

If you are concerned about the Remlin QC horror stories it might help to focus on Marlins that were made in New Haven or North Haven. Marlin made firearms had issues as well and I would still scrutinize thoroughly whatever I was about to buy wherever it was made.

I think both the .45-70 and .444 Marlin to be good calibers. It appears that the .444's are not as common as the .45-70. Good luck in your hunt.

 

[an Old Shooter]

Thanks gentlemen for a particularly informative and lucid thread. I have a 1972 first year 1895 45-70 and a 2017 1895GBL. The GBL quality is very close to the 1972 Marlin and I love them both. I have hunted Virginia white tail since the early 1960s and most were taken with the 45-70. As a hunting round if find it unexcelled for the Virginia woodlands. I have taken many deer with .284 and .30 caliber rifles, many antelope with .25 and .27 caliber rifles and elk with a .33 caliber in mountains, open range and fields. Within the 45-70 ballistic limitations, I find that bullet perfect on the medium and up sized deer. The older Hunters in our group laughed when I first showed up with this rifle. Then just smiled with respect after witnessing numerous one shot kills and short tracking. The bullets go in one side and out the other with two bleed holes. A careful heart/lung shot puts them down every time with no lost deer. My grand son in law just got his GBL and saw a one shot kill with no tracking. Meat loss was zero. What a great rifle and cartridge.

 

[Blue Duck]

Yes, the loading gate trick of using the following round to push the one in front home. I have used that trick for 40yrs, however, I never thought about using another round to push the last round through the loading gate. I will have to remember that. Actually, it was never much of a problem for me, until I got this last gun, and I have owned a lot of leveractions. However, I think I am going to try a stone or file to dull that edge a little. The older ones were not that sharp. Personally, I think Marlin still suffers a little bit of quality control there on the end of the loading gate.

 

[44 AMP]

Learned that trick by accident long ago. Was talking to a buddy while loading up and wasn't counting how many shells, and when I couldn't get the last one in, I figured, ok, its full now....

then I realized I didn't get my finger pinched...and the light bulb lit up..duh.. why didn't I think of this before??

sometimes, its the simplest things that make such a difference..

 

[stagpanther]

Any particular reason not to consider a Henry Big Boy? I have one and it's a great gun and is very accurate. I opted for the 22" octagonal barrel but you pay a price with the brass butt-plate, but looked at another way it forces good technique on you. They make a blackened one with 18" barrel which I assume is to be competitive with marlin's 1895 but has a rubber buttpad like the 1895.

 

[Blue Duck]

Nothing wrong with the Henry, that I know of, just different.

 

[armednfree]

I'm seriously considering a Marlin 1895 45-70, but have read some horror stories about quality and reliability. Can anyone here give me some input?

Thank you!

When you check it out hold it by the butt and lay the front on the table. Make sure the rear sight is parallel with the top of the receiver and the front sight is perpendicular. You can't shoulder it and see that well. You want to be back from it so you can take in the whole picture.

 

[zeke]

Excellent advice for all open sights, especially levers and revolvers. Suprising how many "accuracy" problems directly contribute to this.

 

[GeauxTide]

I bought a new 1895 3 years ago and the quality was fine. I bought it for close encounters with hogs, but a 405 LFN at 1300 was more than I could comfortably control. It shot and functioned very well and can recommend it. I ended up getting a 450 Bushmaster, which has similar performance and kicks like a 20ga shotgun.

 

[Ben Dover]

I had a Marlin 95, .45-70. Shot it quite a bit at first, but eventually sold it.
Now have an 1886 Winchester in .45-90. It's a keeper.

 

[m&p45acp10+1]

I love mine. So does my wife. I load my own, and a 405 grain hollow base with a load of Trail Boss is pleasant to shoot. I have never fired a single factor round out if it yet. Brass life is decent for a round that has to be expanded and crimped. Star Line brass is reasonable for the price. Accuracy is good, it shoots true. Cost per round fired is low for me, as I reload, and cast my own lead. I do not load the African big game stopper loads, as I shoot this one just for run.

 

[Drm50]

I've got a 70 model 1895. Had it for 40yrs. The only reason I still have it is that it's a cherry shooter. I shot targets with it for years with cast bullets. It's upgraded to 300gr JHPs for Ohio deer now that rifles are legal. As others have said the new Marlins by Rem are a crapshoot. For some reason they are the popular rifle here for deer. I must have scoped and sighted in 20 of them since rifle law. Every one I've done has been one of the short barreled models. I had them shoot as good as my old one and had some that had to be sent back.
If I was looking for one I would get one marked JM Marlin. All these guys are shooting factory Flex Tip ammo. I don't know what they would do with cast. I shot 330gr cast for years at targets with good results.