Marlin '95 45-70

[Angel_Eyes]

Hi guys, just obtained this big levergun.

Anyone else got one of these and know of any pit-falls?

I shall only be using it for side-shoots, ( they sort of frown on using one of these for rabbits in England!!)

I've read all sorts of internet blogs and no-one seems to find anything bad to say about them,,are they really that good???

Any (light-medium) load info and expected range distances would be appreciated

AE ( Getting a little excited now, got to get to the range!)

[Jamie]

I've never owned one, have shot several and yes they are as good or better than you've heard in my opinion.  Someday one will wind up in my safe.  I've never shot one that didn't shoot like mad, though most have been fired with jacketed bullets.  I'm not sure whether they ever made them with the micro-groove type rifling, but anything new has the standard "Ballard" rifling at this point.  The last one did well with moderate loads of 3031 under a 400 grain lead bullet.  The only difficulty of which I'm aware is that you have to watch cartridge length like a hawk.  A little too long and you'll have to figure out how to disassemble it in order to get the cartridge back out.  On the other hand, it's no great feat to take apart, and as easy as it is, you ought to be cleaning from the breach anyway.  It's just that they get a little sticky at times.  And by-the-by, light loads of 2400 under a .457 roundball would make an excellent rabbit load.  You'd need to load them one at a time, through the ejection port rather than into the magazine, but at short range (20-25 yards MAX!) my Shilo Sharps shoots them with squirrel accuracy.  Beyond that they turn into shotgun patterns, and I do mean fast!  20 yards - 1" groups, 30 yards, not all of them impacted on an 8.5X11" piece of paper.  There's GOOD reason the 45/70 is still around...
Jamie

[Dirty Brass]

I picked one up a few years ago and have shot it quite a bit, but mostly smokeless jacketed loads. I do carry it alternately when deer hunting. The only really bad thing I've found is that with heavier loads it recoils a lot more than a '76 45/75 or an '86 45/70. Even still, I'll never let it go...

[Advertising]

[Pit Mule]

Here's a load I use in my '86' lever gun.

 Lasercast 300 grn RNFP with 15 grains of Trail Boss. You can dial it in out to 250+ yards and be effective. The best part is you can shoot this round all day long and not be punnished by recoil. With the rifle on a pair of sticks I've had 8-9 year olds shoot this load a lot, and really enjoy it. Just my 2cents.

Pit Mule 

[Angel_Eyes]

Thanks Pards, sounds like I got a good buy, and possibly something fun to shoot.

Now the tricky bit between loading bench and the range, 'cos I do like accuracy!
Some misguided fools at my club seem to think I am a little fixated on it!

Is it wrong to try to be the best? Is it, is it ?

Thanks again,,AE

[Jamie]

The hazard, as I see it, is in trying to beat someone else, because no matter how good or alternatively how bad you are, you are always measuring yourself against someone else, which is rarely a realistic way to look at yourself.  Working diligently to make yourself the best you can be, or working/experimenting to get the very most out of your tools - accuracy, speed, longevity, smoothness, etc., are always GOOD pursuits on the other hand.  If your best is better than someone else's in one area, fine and dandy, as long as you can live with being LESS good in some other area, because that's REALITY.  When the goal becomes beating someone else, in particular, you've started down a slippery slope, because fun potentially goes out the window, and satisfaction becomes impossible.  Is this answering your question (my answer exclusively) or are you like my kids "Yeah, I got it in the first sentence, yeesh!" 
When it stops being fun, well, it stops being fun.  On the other hand, I'd love to have enough time to wear out a few barrels experimenting. Or was that a rhetorical question?
Jamie

[Silver Creek Slim]

Here is mine. It has a micro-groove barrel. It shoots cast boolits and BP just fine. 500 gr Spitzer BP loads are a bit much. They have to be single loaded and will not eject unshot. But, 405gr BP loads are a joy to shoot.

Slim

[Trailrider]

Hi guys, just obtained this big levergun.

Anyone else got one of these and know of any pit-falls?

I shall only be using it for side-shoots, ( they sort of frown on using one of these for rabbits in England!!)

I've read all sorts of internet blogs and no-one seems to find anything bad to say about them,,are they really that good???

Any (light-medium) load info and expected range distances would be appreciated

AE ( Getting a little excited now, got to get to the range!)

Never fired one of these.  The side ejection makes it easy to mount a scope, if you are so-inclined.  As is pointed out, 500 gr. bullets are a bit on the long side for the action length...if that's a problem.  Otherwise, the biggest thing I have ag'in it is...it ain't a M1886 Winchester.    Nothing quite matches one of those...IMHO. 

[Angel_Eyes]

Silver Creek Slim, that is a fine looking rifle and the woodwork looks in better condition than my new aquisition, but that just means I can have fun re-finishing it! Mine also has the microgroove rifling.

Took it down to my (indoor) club last night, 375gr cast bullet with 19gr Alliant 2400 behind it,,,,superb accuracy, 5 shots,,,1" raggy hole at 25 yards, but the trigger is a bitch,,,shall have to investigate that!

Can't wait to get it outside at a better distance! Recoil was well within my comfort zone.

Jamie, thanks for the comments, but you will find that a lot of my observations are a bit tongue in cheek and not to be taken too seriously!
Still,  as long as I promote myself as the best shot in my club, I'm always gonna get some fierce competition!!!
I love it!!!
It also has the advantage of improving the general accuracy of the other club members as a whole, surely that can't be a bad thing?

AE

[Silver Creek Slim]

Forget to say. I replaced the factory rear sight with a ladder sight for the 200+ yard shots.

Slim

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy Pards
The Marlins are Excellent AMERICAN made rifle's . I had one converted to 40-65  and it is a real sweetheart . The other is still in 45-70 it was a limited run from Davidson's it has a 24 inch half Octagonal / half Round barrel . I love my Marlins . 

[Angel_Eyes]

SCS, just found out that the tang sight that I was gonna fit, won't!

The distance that the bolt comes back means that the sight would be too far back on the stock to make it useful.

Looks like I will have to find me a ladder sight, as you did.

AE

[litl rooster]

SCS, just found out that the tang sight that I was gonna fit, won't!

The distance that the bolt comes back means that the sight would be too far back on the stock to make it useful.

Looks like I will have to find me a ladder sight, as you did.

AE

Try a Williams Peep Sight  made to fit on the reciever that is already drilled and tapped for your convience.  I use mine for squirrel hunt'n

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Try a Williams Peep Sight  made to fit on the reciever that is already drilled and tapped for your convience.  I use mine for squirrel hunt'n

  What the rooster said, I had one on my 94, 25/35, and it proved to be unbelievably accurate.

[Jamie]

Put that way... I like the way you think!   
Jamie

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
I have a Williams tang sight that I installed on my Marlin it works great .And they are truly an excellent sight .

[Angel_Eyes]

Lil' Rooster,,,,could you give me an idea of where you live?

If you need a 45-70 to take down the squirrels in your neighborhood,,,I ain't going there!!

AE ( who prefers things to be approximately the right size!!)

[litl rooster]

Lil' Rooster,,,,could you give me an idea of where you live?

If you need a 45-70 to take down the squirrels in your neighborhood,,,I ain't going there!!

AE ( who prefers things to be approximately the right size!!)

squirrels here are smalll compared to the rabbits

[pony express]

I've got one thatis a twin to Silver Creek's. It can shoot as good as I can, but now that I'm reminded ofit.....it's been in the safe too long! Well, I was planning to work with my trapdoor some, for a GAF shoot, so as long as I'm casting and loading 45/70s.......might just play with both. I'm considering a williams reciever sight, since barrel mounted sights seem to have become blurry in the last few years.(don't understand what's wrong with those SIGHTS! they used to not be so fuzzy looking....) They're not SASS approved, but I don't use it for anything CAS anyway.

[Blackpowder Burn]

I just bought an 1895 Cowboy with a Lyman tang sight already installed.  Clearances are tight with the bolt, but it works fine.  I'm just now ready to start load development and can't wait to get some range time with it.

BL bullet, 20:1 alloy, black powder.................and lots of smoke!