Remlin 45-70

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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As the OP on this thread, I have now handled both the Henery's and Marlin's. They both obviously have advantages and disadvantages. And all the input on this thread has been helpful. At my LGS i was able to evaluate a couple henery's and marlins side by side.

I though the fit and finish on the henery's was a bit better. I wasn't evaluating Henery's premium line, just the basic blued model on par with the marlin. They had the marlin stainless version the henery all weather versions too and those were both flat out nice!

I thought the actions of both felt pretty much the same, as did the triggers....at least not enough of a difference to remark on.

One key factor though is the way the marlin loads vs a henery. I very much like the marlin over the henery in this respect. It is a big factor to me. So much so that I would overlook finish issues because I can correct some of them, but cannot change the way a henery loads vs the marlin.

So in the end, I got a Marlin GBL with the big loop, 6 round mag, and 18" barrel. I will change the sights and probably sand the stock a bit. But otherwise I think I like it so far. The truth will be revealed later when I begin putting her through her paces with lead down range, but so far so good.

Thanks again.
 
A friend had a first generation Marlin .45-70 back in the 1970s.
"Conventional rifling for cast and jacketed bullets."
I would be hard to please with anything much later. Not later than a "Modified Microgroove for cast and Jacketed bullets."
"Ballard style rifling" is an advertising gimmick. They wouldn't recognize a Ballard barrel if you hit them over the head with it.
 
Congrats on the new purchase!! Hopefully you like your as much as I've liked mine. Nothing wrong with either one (Henry vs. Marlin), but that's why Baskin Robbins makes 31 flavors. One of these days I may even try a Henry (as I'm guessing most folks here don't have just one rifle [or handgun, shotgun, etc.]).

Hopefully you're a handloader too, as the 45-70 is a super easy (and economical) cartridge to load, and loads can be had from mouse fart loads to giant killers.

Now all we need are some pics and a range report.
 
Congrats on the new purchase!! Hopefully you like your as much as I've liked mine. Nothing wrong with either one (Henry vs. Marlin), but that's why Baskin Robbins makes 31 flavors. One of these days I may even try a Henry (as I'm guessing most folks here don't have just one rifle [or handgun, shotgun, etc.]).

Hopefully you're a handloader too, as the 45-70 is a super easy (and economical) cartridge to load, and loads can be had from mouse fart loads to giant killers.

Now all we need are some pics and a range report.
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Yes, I am a hand loader. In Mississippi we have what is loosely called a "primitive weapons season" for deer.....exposed hammer, single shot falling block, break action, or trap door, and must be larger than .35 cal. (So yes, the .35 whelen qualifies ;)

Anyway, I have a H&R Handi in 45-70 that i already am loading for and going to use for this season. I haven't had the rifle long, but I already have the dies and have been reloading for well over a decade.

I intend to use 400 grain speer deep bullets in the lever gun for hunting, and 405 gr hard cast for plinking....with a stout load of 4198.

I will give a range report to this thread once I have something to report.
 
The 1895 Marlin survived break-in well. I had fun just plinking around with a couple boxes of win 300 gr and Remington 405 gr bullets. I will start load workup soon.


However, I am not a fan of the buckhorn sights. I am going to go with a ghost ring setup instead. I plan to order them soon.

Any recommendations on which ones to get? Don't worry about price, but I don't need a lot of vertical adjustment as I'm only planning this to be a 200 yard gun. I'm mostly concerned with fast acquisition, accuracy to 200 yards or less, and durability. Oh and no need to adjust the stock for proper cheek weld.
 
I have no recommendation for ghost rings. I'm not a fan.

For aperture sights (if you're lumping multiple categories together) - particularly guarded/anti-snag sights - I'm a fan of the Skinner Winged Sights.
Stout. Solid. Good sight picture.

The only 'cons' I could list would be coarse windage adjustment (loosen screws, move rear sight, re-tighten), and the need for most people to file the front post to get elevation in the right ballpark.

But once dialed, they're awesome.

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Sold!!!

Bought me a Skinner with the extra aperture slot. Going with a 0.070", 0.125", and if I remove the apertures altogether I have a 0.200 " aperture.


Good looking out.

I didn't like the way the winged ones looked as much. The Alaska ones look great but this is going to be a hunting rifle in the brush so I don't need the most beautiful. And the handy extra aperture will be great.

Hopefully it will work with my front sight. But if not I'll replace it.
 
Look up Brockman's Custom in Idaho.
Does a lotta stuff with Marlin leverguns.
I have his sights on a .44 Mag he built for me.
Denis
 
I prefer a light bullet in my 45-70 rifles, 300-350 gr flat-round nose. less recoil than the heavier bullets at the same speed and they expand well on hogs-deer-bear at less than magnum speeds. I load at 1500-1800 fps and try to keep my shooting ranges to less than 125 yard on game. eastbank.
 
For many cartridges, I often find myself leaning toward heavy-for-caliber, as well.
I chased velocity when I was younger. Buying the first .444 Marlin changed that. Since then, nearly everything .277" or larger has been creeping up in bullet weight, and most new-to-me cartridges have been 'big and slow'.

Thumpers work 95% of the time, and don't beat you up as much as most people think.

I didn't like the way the winged ones looked as much. The Alaska ones look great but this is going to be a hunting rifle in the brush so I don't need the most beautiful. And the handy extra aperture will be great.
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Sounds like it'll work.

I understand not liking the look of the winged sights, too. Mot people don't like it. I wasn't really a fan, but I bought them for the simplicity and ruggedness ... and they grew on me.
(When I bought them, Skinner was still only calling them "Tactical" sights. ...Didn't help with sales for use with a classic rifle design.)
 
Re heavy .45-70:
When I was working up loads for accuracy in a Ruger International single-shot, the hardest beating that rifle gave me was with Sierra 300-grain bullets.
I'd go home with a headache, and one shot killed my watch.

The heavier bullets, not so much.
In the Marlin Guide Gun for desert & mountains, Garrett heavy weights.
I have a load for my Sharps, a 500-grainer.
Denis
 
if you shoot the lighter bullets at the top end 2000-2300-fps you will feel it.and if you shoot heavy bullets at 2000-2300-fps(ruger #1-browning 85- win high wall) you will feel it a lot more. eastbank.
 
And here she is with Skinner rear sight. I didn't take the name literally until I lacerated my thumb pushing the sight dove tail out to tighten the mounting screw underneath the sight.... that edge is sharp. I didn't even feel it.

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And

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I'm waiting on my safety delete and dovetail blank to come in the mail, and I'm not sure about keeping the front sight hood. But I like the rear sight.


PS, I shot that sheep that was wearing that skin the gun is sitting on in West Texas
 
I like the front hood.
Although mildly annoying for target acquisition/identification under certain circumstances, it does offer some protection to the sight at other times. Plus... I think it looks better.


How sharp are the edges of your lever?
Most are pretty bad. Mine (Remlin 336W) has actually cut me.
 
How sharp are the edges of your lever?
Most are pretty bad. Mine (Remlin 336W) has actually cut me
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The lever on my GBL (big loop) is not sharp at all. I handled one with the small retangle shaped lever and it felt sharp. But the GBL lever I have is not.

Also, I find the fit and finish to be excellent. Everything is tight and right.

I knocked the rear dovetail out with a plastic punch I made from a broken kids toy. I have a blank on order to fill the gap.

I am hopeful that I do not need a new front sight, I haven't tried the Skinner sight yet so I don't know if it is too short. But the Skinner doesn't appear to be much taller than the factory rear.
 
I ended up filing the new Skinner front sights, probably down to the original's, for both the 1895 45-70 and 336SS. Although I didn't take actual measurements.
 
So far so good with the Skinner sight.

I screwed it as far down as possible while keeping the aperture open and fired 2 rounds at 25 yards with some factory Federal 300 gr ammo I got in a trade......1.5" low and perfectly centered.

I backed up to 50 and fired 2 more,.... about 2.5" low, still mostly centered left and right.

Adjusted the sight up 2 turns...two more shots and about 1" high at 50 yards.

Using the small aperture, I fired 3 from 100 yards, 2 inch group from a seated position (didn't feel like getting the bags and rests out). About 1/4" low and 1/2" right.


So I am pleased. No need to monkey with the factory front sight. Plenty of available adjustment up or down.

Time will tell on the durability, and I'm no lever action expert, but this gun appears well made and shoots well. Looks like the newer remlins are far better than the initial production if all the bad reviews and rumors are true.

But like anything else, things are not usually as bad as the internet would lead you to believe. (Or as good for that matter)
 
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You think or do you know?

The Henry's tube magazine has tremendous advantages against a gate. It can be unloaded more safely and easily, and can be loaded with speedloaders. It is what the original Henry 1860 had and that I why Henry still makes them that way, just as they've always done.

And the quality is supposedly better than the Remlins.

Much better.
 
You think or do you know?
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I AM familiar with the Henery rifles. My dad has 2, a 30/30 octagon with brass receiver and a 44 mag with a full stainless finish and polymer forearm/ stock. My brother has a 30/30 with the silver reciever.

I have shot them all, they are nice....I prefer the loading gate. I wanted an 1895 guide gun, not a Henery. If I want a Henery, I will buy a Henry. They are fine rifles. But a lever action 45-70 short barrel rifle needs to be a Marlin
 
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