Remlin 45-70

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Getting the Handi 45-70 has now forced me to get another 45-70. Why? Because I wanted another lever action rifle and I'll already be buying dies, brass etc.

Anyway, I was thinking about the newer Remlin 45-70 guide gun or the Henry. I like the look of the stainless 1895's, I have never fired one though. I am familiar with the Henry as I have one in 30-30. Henrys are good rifles, but the Marlin guide gun would be an excellent addition.... provided it isn't junk like some of the reviews claim it is .

Also, I think I like the way the Marlin loads compared to the way the Henry loads....but the function, fit, and finish off the Henry is excellent.

Anyway I was just wondering if anyone had a newer Marlin 1895, an what their experience was.
 
I have the standard 1895 and would not trade or sell it. The fit and finish is that of rifles that are much more expensive and it actually came with a nice piece of wood. I took it to Briley in Houston and they polished the action and did a trigger job. It wasn't bad before but it is butter smooth now with a very crisp 2 1/2 lb trigger. The rifle seems to like hot H4198 hand loads with Hornady 350g flat point or 400g Barnes Buster bullets. It will print bug holes at 100 yards with a 1.5x5 Leupold scope. I have taken a cow elk, a red stag, several hogs and a few whitetail with it so far and have no complaints. The only thing negative, which I accept as nature of the beast, is the recoil. With factory loads, it is about like a 12 gauge. With my hand loads, it is intense...noticeably more than my 375 H&H but manageable.
 
Before buying from Remington I would do a search and look at the issues they have with Customer Service, Safety, design, quality control, etc. Also look at the recent introduction problems they have had with the R51, R1 Enhanced 1911s and the Marlin lever guns.
 
i have a 1895 made in 1973 serial number 0001920 and earier this year bought a 1895 at walmart at a super deal 299.00 with a 50.00 rebate, making it 268.00 including tax. and while the 1973 rifle is now alot smoother and has better wood, they both work as they should and i have had no trouble with either. my reloads are with a 300gr hornady with a healthy dose of H-4198 and both rifles are 1-1.5 moa at a hundred yards. as another poster posted, look the rifle over very carefully before buying(that goes for any firearm you may buy). eastbank.
 
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Before buying from Remington I would do a search and look at the issues they have with Customer Service, Safety, design, quality control, etc. Also look at the recent introduction problems they have had with the R51, R1 Enhanced 1911s and the Marlin lever guns.
Minorcan is offline Report Post
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Sure is a shame that such a storied company like Remington has went so far down the toilet. Meanwhile, Savage, Ruger, Henry etc are setting the standard for Customer service. ...and the sales numbers reflect it.

If the Henry had a better loading method, I wouldn't have even asked, I would just buy a Henry. But the ol big loop Marlin is kind of a romantic gun.

Oh well.
 
See my comments on the other current Marlin, Remington thread. I certainly do like my new Marlin side loader (actually two of them now), and the Henry I own as well.
 
I have had far more issues with Ruger quality than Remington. Most of the Remington hoopla is overblown urban legend stuff. Remington unquestionably stumbled out of the gate with Marlin. I am have owned 2 post Remington Marlins and the are almost indistinguishable from JM Marlins in appearance. Marlin just shut down a $100 rebate on 1895 rifles. I bought a Guide Gun for $315 after the rebate. This place has the best prices I know of. https://www.gunprodeals.com/catalog/rifles/lever-action-12?brand=1096&caliber=&sort=
 
I have 2 1895S Marlins in 45-70 with short tubes and 1 with full length tube, they are pre Remington and great guns. Non of them like 350 gr bullets and only so so with 300 gr. All 3 love 400 gr flat point Speer bullets or cast 405 flat points. I mostly use IMR4198 and with a good spotter can hit clay targets at 300 yds. I seen a new Marlin Guide 45-70 but it didn't have the fit or the finish my older ones have. I was tempted but passed on it.
 
My Dad started me with a tube feed Remington Fieldmaster 22RF when I was 5 yr old. I still have it over 60 years later.

That is why I don't mind the Henry loading system. The H010CC was my choice mainly because it has a 22" barrel.
 
I've been keeping tabs on the Marlingtons/Remlins since the takeover/buyout, because my secondary firearms hobby is restoring, repairing, customizing, and generally just screwing around with Marlin lever guns, and I always need new project rifles.

Current quality, fit, and finish are better than they were back in 2012, but they're still not good rifles.
After many years of basing my opinion on gun rack samples, used parts, parts rifles, word of mouth, gun shop owner horror stories, and forum posts (mostly, "Help!" or "Going back to Remington again" posts), I put my money where my mouth was and bought a brand-spankin'-new 336.

It is an average example and fairly representative of 1895s and 336s overall, I believe.
Fit and finish are fairly good. But the blackened bolt is ugly, the lever has sharp edges that range from uncomfortable to capable of cutting a person, and the tang inletting gap, though functional (and arguably better than Marlin's), is a bit of an eyesore.
Quality sucks, though. Half of the screws on the rifle were loose, right out of the box. The trigger is terrible. The action is rough and stiff. The ejection and loading ports are sharp. The barrel won't shoot worth a crap. And the scope, rings, and base that came with the rifle are all garbage.
Internals are not well finished, with far too many rough surfaces, burs, and sharp edges. (Though this rifle hasn't had any issues with it yet, there have been many other owners that encountered extremely premature wear due to lack of proper hardening of action parts. -Like, 100 rounds and it's worn out, premature.)

Sadly, that's about average.

The only outlier with my particular Remlin 336 is the barrel. Most shoot well, if the owner can get them to function without jamming, wearing prematurely, or falling apart. But this one shoots roughly 18" groups at 100 yards - sometimes at 50 yards - and then randomly decides to spit out a little 2-4" group.


If you want an 1895, I suggest browsing the used racks and classifieds, and going 2008 or older.
Until Remington stops trying to squeeze every possible penny out of Marlin, they're going to keep kicking out crap rifles.
 
Anyone here know the serial number codes for years of manufacture for Remington? If quality is improving, for those so inclined to look for a modern Marlin, they ought to at least seek out a 2016 or 2017 made one. I recall maybe three or four years ago (maybe 5 or 6?), going into a tiny gun shop, in the back of a hardware store. Owner just started selling guns, and he was loaded with 336's - literally dozens. I passed through there earlier this year and most were still on the rack, so a buyer would be getting a early Remlin. However, we have Grice's nearby, which is the largest gun shop in PA, with a very high turnover of retail, wholesale and web-sold guns. Chances are if you buy there, you get a recently made rifle.

Hence my interest in S/N info, for those inclined to buy a modern Marlin - they may as well look for a recently made one!
 
I have the standard 1895 and would not trade or sell it.
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Same here. The balance and recoil with pistol grip & 1/2 magazine is perfect.

The guide has objectionable and unnecessary porting. If they offer a guide without porting, and you like the handy then a guide looks reasonable for hunting.

Some people just flat out unwilling or unable to deal with a used gun. In that case and that case only, I would choose a remln over a henry. The same model, not a long octagon barrel or short guide - the optimal 22" bbl with pistol grip and rubber pad. If you can get that in stainless, fine, if not the go blue steel. If it needs smoothing or fixing, then do that. You cannot fix a Henry.

Buying a remlin is not a guarantee of a problem. Just check it out close, in person - dont buy off the web. Dont ever call customer service or try and return a remln. MAN UP, fix it on your own or sell it and take the loss and move on. Then buy another or rethink the fear of the used gun.
 
Anyone here know the serial number codes for years of manufacture for Remington?
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The transition to Remington-style serial numbers and the digital serial number eliminated year codes.

The best you can do is check the barrel date code ... if it's visible and legible.
That at least tells you that the rifle is no older than the barrel.

...Unless it has been rebarreled. :rolleyes:
I just traded some small parts and a lever to a guy with (among other things) a Remlin 336 that he bought in January 2013. It's been back to Marlington six times for repair, and has a 2016 dated barrel.
I also have a couple hybrids, myself. One is a 2002 "JM" 336W that now wears an REP 2011 barrel. Confuses the hell out of people smart enough to know how to date the things, but not smart enough to realize that it I screwed a Remlin barrel into the original receiver.
 
I suppose then, without good date codes, if one is so inclined to buy a new Marlin, one should buy from a high volume dealer so as to have a number to pick from. I'm not inclined to buy a new Marlin.

Grices/Clearfield, Pa, has at least three JM 336's on the used rack, without cross bolt safety, for anyone in PA that might be interested.
 
I have a brass-framed Henry .45-70 here at the moment.
It averaged between 2 and 2.5 inches for its best groups at 100 yards with three different loads.
That's passable.

Normally take the older Marlin Guide Gun along on ATV outings, but it's been so long since I shot for groups I can't recall how well it did.
Well enough to carry, at least. :)
Denis
 
I'll answer the OP's question. I own a 22" 1895 that I picked up new in Nov. of 2015. I fondled it at Cabela's before purchasing and it cycled smoothly, didn't have any buggered up screws, had good wood to metal fit, sights were on straight, etc. After bringing it home and taking it apart, cleaning and lubing I found no surprises. Since then, I have put around 300 rounds through it, mostly 1100 - 1300 fps 300 gr. RNFP handloads and one box of Rem. 405gr. factory rounds (I use it as a range toy, not a hunting rifle). It groups around 1.5" at 100 yds., and is a hoot to ding steel with at 200 yds.!

Although my sample of one is anecdotal, I couldn't be more pleased with mine. My comparison is my .357 1894C that was made in the 2006 time frame and is no better or worse put together. I would happily consider another newly made Marlin based on this purchase (a 336 BL perhaps...). Good luck!

p.s. I did make one modification, adding a grind to fit Limbsaver recoil pad to take the place of the thin rubber butt pad it came with.
 
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Fourbore, why can't you fix a Henry?
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I was making a point, with a crude exaggeration. I prefer the Marlin over a Henry and was only meaning to say that you could rework a Marlin but a you cannot make a Henry into a Marlin. To be more respectful, there is nothing wrong with a Henry. Not as far as I know. I am a little put off with some of the styling and front loading. Chunky styling in general but more on some than others. I would say the same about some of the gaudy Winchester 94 commemorates in the 1970s.

Being serious for a minute. Henry makes a steel frame 19" round barrel carbine with a pistol grip and rubber recoil pad. No brake or barrel holes. That looks about right for features and in good taste. Better than a ported guide gun.
 
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