im 16 and looking at the marlin 1895g and the marlin 1895gs im not sure which one i want to buy i plan on hunting all over with this gun hopfully even africa one day i need your opinions on whitch is beter i live in alaska right now and during hunting season it can be cold and wet here but you also probly dont want the glare from the stainless and i would also like to know some of the bigest rounds you guys have shot with these guns specificaly the 520gr. garret hammerheads and if they cycled through them well and if you guys know any othe good big loads any info is usefull.


thanks.

I am getting ready to buy an 1895 in 45-70, so I haven't used the Garrett cartridges. But I have only read GREAT things about them. There should be no problem cycling them in your Marlin. Go to www.garrettcartridges.com and read the Commentaries section and Lupos Safari.

Good luck, and enjoy!

Griz,

I can't comment on Garrett loads as I don't generally buy commercial unless I'm out, don't have time to load 'em, and they're cheap...

Regarding blued vs stainless, there have been a couple yards of print on the topic, but I have my opinion. Blued is more traditional and fits better with certain guns but I believe that stainless is more functional, esp in the climate you're talking about. I live in Colorado, you know, where it's hot and dry? Well, a few years ago during an archery season it rained a lot. Being as we were hunting in a black bear country my buddy and I both packed our hoglegs...his blued, mine stainless. At the end of the day his was covered with rust, mine...not a speck. BTW, I own the GS from that very experience.

If I lived in that humid part of AK, which may be most of it for all I know, I'd opt for SS whenever I could. The piece of mind alone is worth it...

Very cool that you are able to experience AK at your age and have the desire that you do for the some of the things that make AK the desirable locale that it is...at least for some of us.

Good luck...once you've got that big bore check back here for something to feed it... Handloading is the way to go if you can.

thanks alot guys that helped alot last day of school im going down to ancorage to buy the 1895gs three months after i am going on a moose and grizzly bear hunt. also bart i do handload if you have any ideas on loads that will work well on moose and grizzlys please post them i should be able to get within 100 yds of both and i need a very hard hiting load it took far to many shots on my last and first moose, 5 shots out of a 30-06 anything will be helpful... thanks.

Grizzly- For a good all purpose load try 54grs. IMR3031 with the hornady 350gr. rnsp, this should get you about 1800fps,but is not a maximum load. This hornady bullet is heavily constructed,and provides good penetration. It is also a easy to find bullet here in Ak.,so you can stay well stocked up and in practice.

thanks do you live in alaska

Grizzly- Yes,I have been in various parts of AK. for the last 35yrs.,and am currently in anch.

Griz,

Since I don't have any real experience loading for moose or grizzly I can't suggest anything from personal experience. Festus makes suggestions from experience so listen to him. If I were loading for grizzly I'd also be looking at some of the big meplated, hard cast bullets that are available from Beartooth, CastPerformance, and several others. The heaviest 45-70 bullets I've loaded were only 405gr at 1975fps. While these would likely handle anything that walks they aren't max. But loading something that you can shoot accurately will make more sense than pulverizing your shoulder until you can't shoot without flinching.

Good luck and let us know how it goes with the new rifle when you get it. Wish I were going along on that hunt...

Bartmasterson- I agree, the ultimate loads in the .45/70 should be built around one of the big lead bullets,and the companies you mentioned make some of the best.