Marlin 1895G vs. 1895SS?

C

cartman308

New member
I have read a lot about the Marlin 1895G in magazines and on the internet. But in a long and frustrating search i have not been able to locate one :(. I have, however, located several 1895SS's. I have few questions about the differances. Aside form the longer barrel on the SS (22" SS vs. 18 1/2" ported G) the different rifling and stock configuration, what are the differences.
Will the 1895G shoot jacketed bullets as well as the SS's micro-grooved barrel?
Will the extra couple of inches gain a subsantial amount of velosity (100 fps+)?
Does the SS recoil more than the G because of the absence of porting?
What is your opinions as to what the better of the two guns.
I will use it prmarily brush hunting whitetail in central West Virginia. I like the handling char. that the short G would have but the only way im gonna get one is to put 1/2 down and add my name to a list.
HELP!!!!!
Thanx for all the information :)
cartman308

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.308 WIN: The ONLY cartridge you will EVER need!
 
Welcome to the Firing Line cartman308

Just ordered an '85 SG, delivered sometime next ten days. Perhaps all three of them wound up in Argentina :)

My own reasons for the 'Guide Gun' over the SS were the Ballard rifling vs Microgroove, leading in cast bullets (ok, they can be made to work but after more trouble than i care for); the shorter length in bush.

Main purposes experimenting with 45/70, also perhaps pig hunting (anyway, in these parts 300 yards is the next mountain. Not yet got around to getting social with wild hogs with a knife (that cartman, refers to a post sometime past by one of our TFL'ers here - Hi Rob ;) )

Just as interested in forthcoming replies though. The porting does seem an odd gimmick.
 
thanx elchimango for your thoughts :)

i too am leanin for the 1895G. but i cannot find one locally.

anyone else with any thoughts?
Should I wait for the 1895G?
 
Howdy ho!

I got the SS, but it's one of the new ones without the micro-grooved bbl so I won't have any problems with the cast bullets. The longer bbl seemed to balance better for me, just weird personal fitting, I guess.

Since the .45/70 can use all the velocity you can eke out of it, I was happy to get the longer bbl anyway. I'm sure the recoil would be tamed by the porting, but (I've heard one go off) at the expense of your eardrums. Hey, you're young, it's probably nothing you wouldn't hear at a rock concert. I wonder whether the slightly faster second shot (from the reduced recoil of the Guide Gun) wouldn't be offset by the fact you'll be more stunned by the noise of the blast coming up in your face. Something to think about, I guess.

I really think the deciding factor, though, should be which one you feel better with.

cheers,
erich
P.S. "I'm not fat; I'm big-boned."
 
I wouldn't worry about the difference in bbl length between the two. Shortly after the first 95's came out, I had one truncated to 18-1/4 inches. Asked friends at the NRA about comparative ballistics and the concensus was that it just didn't make that much difference at the velocity in question. (Note also that Cooper maintains the truncated Marlin "Co-Pilot" he evaluated actually chrono'd faster than the 22 inch bbl.) Besides, there's often so much difference between fit and finish of individual pieces it's probably a toss up either way. I've never chronographed mine though.

I used my original for a canoe gun and it worked great. Unless you are trying to make your Marlin into a mini-458 the recoil is not a factor with anything approaching even the best factory or semi-factory loads--especially with a good pad.

Recently replaced the original which was stolen years ago with another and did the same modifications. Truncated bbl, used a tang sight instead of the original's Williams FP tho I considered the Ashley Express. Installed a wide sourdough type foresight. Swivels & Decelerator pad. Really don't believe you need to burn holes in your bbl for 45/70 level recoil.

What may be more impt than bbl length (it is to me, at least), is to avoid that infernal push button safety which can be done with a little effort in searching for one of the earlier guns.

Hope this is useful input. Good shooting.
 
Eh? Whazzat? What did you say? :)

Alas, among all the hums and buzzes I got over many decades of finding out that not all ear protectors are equal, couldn't hear a rock concert even if I wanted to.

Like the idea of a tang sight.

On reflection - the Ashley sight sounds even better - neater in any case, more suitable for the bush. Truncating the SS and avoiding the ports all together? All other things being equal, could be the way to go. Ports on a 45/70 still seem gimmicky to me - not a .50 BMG after all.

Keep us posted on how youre doing cartman308!

Hasta pronto - Peter Knight

[This message has been edited by Elchimango (edited August 31, 1999).]
 
any other thoughts?
Will the '95G shoot jacketed bullets as well as the '95SS?

[This message has been edited by cartman308 (edited September 01, 1999).]
 
Elchimango. cast lead in a micro-groove 45-70 is not that big a deal. Just have a mold that casts a bullet .460 in diameter in a reasonably hard alloy. Size to .459 with one of the hard lubes and there you are. I have one of the first micro-groove model 95s. You know, the one with the curves butt, straight grip, and is a masochists delight? I getgroups of 2 to 2.5 inches using cast lead. Alloy is 10 lbs. wheelweights and one lb. linotype. Comes out about BHN 12 to 14. It will heat treat to a level of 21 to sometimes 24 BHN. They're just like solids.
Just remember, with micro-groove barrels, cast lead should be about .002 over bore diameter.
The SSG and Guide gun should shoot jacketed bullets equally well.
Paul B.
 
Cartman308,
I've recently seen the Guide Gun at 4 local shops in VA. Green Top Sporting Goods, Blue Ridge Arsenal (got mine there), Clark Brothers, and some other place that really gouges the prices, ergo, I'm not even gonna mention their name. Should be several shops carrying them in the PA area also. I'll be out and about this weekend, so if you're still in need of finding one, let me know via email and I'll scout NoVA for you.

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Mykl
~~~~~
"If you really want to know what's going on;
then, you have to follow the money trail."
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$



[This message has been edited by Mykl (edited September 01, 1999).]
 
I personally I'll the 1895SS myself for one reason, the stock. I don't care for the straight back stock on the Guide Gun. Gosh, I wished they would of put the Guide Gun came with the SS stock. I would have one, well okay I would own but 2 but can you blame me, LOL.

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No King is saved by the size of his army, No warrior excapes by his great strength alone.
 
Mal,

Think - Bowling Pin Sawdust!!

------------------
Mykl
~~~~~
"If you really want to know what's going on;
then, you have to follow the money trail."
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
 
I have an 1895G and I love it! It's a great handling little carbine and the recoil is relatively mild with factory ammo. Certain reloads can make this little gun do damage on both ends. My rifle seems to fire jacketed and cast bullets with no apparent difficulties. I like the handling of this little carbine so well that it has replaced my old model 94 as my truck gun. Although the 1895G holds a few rounds less than my model 94, I figure that if you can't get the job done with 5 rounds of .45-70 you should've taken cover and called in an air strike.
 
Funny reading the replies. I wand the Guide stock on the SS! Yeah..I'm an old Winchester man but they ain't got a 45-70 yet and I want one yesterday. Here in PA the new Marlin is everywhere..Wallmart,Dicks,little gun shops..I feel for yous. See my new post.
 
Well, actually seen my 95SG at my Purveyor of Weapons - have to wait for the papers to be processed (yep, we got full registration) to take it away... next week sometime. At least I know it exists :)
The Ballard rifling should work ok at normal carbine ranges - though as Paul B has shown, you can use cast bullets with microgroove. the trick i'd missed (in my thurty-thurty) was probably the sizing to .310 - it shares rack-space with a Winchester 94 and I really think the Marlin's fit and finish is better (but also there's about 25 years between them, the Win the newer, guess that can explain a lot)
 
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