Okay, I'm in a bit of a fix. I just sold a Ruger Mini-14 for $470 and now want to spend that money on a new rifle. I'm looking at either the 1895 Rifle or the 1895G. I like the longer barrel of the 1895 but how does the price compare to the Guide Rifle? I think I can find the Guide gun for about $450, but I haven't seen anything about the 1895 Rifle.

I hunt mostly with a .308 but would like to use a 45-70 to play around with. I live and hunt here in Texas, so it will mainly be used on hogs and white tails.

Thanks,

Jake

They are about the same price. I like the longer barrel as I like it that way. The shortys boom a bit much with the porting.

I too like the longer barrel, but, I like the straight stocks. I have the 1895, and figure if I ever REALLY have to have straight stocks, I will change the lower tang and anything else that needs it, and get a set of synthetic stocks. If I don't like, I can always go back, but it's tough to add inches to the end of a barrel!

I just picked up 1895 because I wanted longer barrel too. The guide gun is sweet, but i was a little concerned about recoil (if no ports) or NOISE (if ported). Pricing around here was $30-50 difference. If you want LONG, go with the Cowboy 26" barrel.

Think it over, I have had an 1895G since they came out in 1998. I always wanted a carbine in 45-70. Wouldnt even think about trading it for the 1895. It handles just fine, recoil is no worse out of my 1895G than it is out of my friends 1895. As far as the porting I have never seen what the big grip is about it. I dont care if it is ported, non-ported, long or short barrel it is a 45-70 and it is gonna make noise. It aint no 25-20! I wear hearing protection no matter what I shoot, except when out hunting and then it never bothers me. I never really hear the gun go off or feel the recoil when hunting. Never had to fire it twice at any deer either ;) Too me the advantage is the short easy to handle rifle and accuracy is no problem. Last year for Ranch Dogs postal match I shot a .711 inch group at 100 yards with that rifle, had I not pulled the last shot it would have been better than that. So you will not lack accuracy with the shorter barrel. No matter which one you get I think you will be happy but dont sell the 1895G short no pun intended :) Let us know what ya get.

Big Med, Your right about the Guide Gun. I think it's more of being "one of those things". You cant go wrong either way.
And that Stainless GS looks SWEEEET!

just like longer barrels. lol As for the ports? I dont like them.

You know something, I had the same problem so I went a little pigish and bought both. :D

I use the 1895SS for moose with Jae Boks hardcast 420's and the 1895G for deer and bear with Hornady 350 FNSP.

Makes the decision making process a lot easier!!

Rick

How do the Hornady 350 FNSP work for you on bear? I'm assuming that this is the over the counter ammo they sell? I was looking at Bufflo Bore 45-70 ammo at Cabbelas but the thought of the recoil of those has me a bit concerned. I have the same gun with ports.

You know, buying both guns right now would make the decision making process oh so much easier........yeah right! Maybe I can pick up the other model at a later date. As of now, I'm seriously thinking of the 1895 model. I dunno, I just like the long barrel a bit more.

I do most of my hog hunting with my .308, it does a great job with 180 grain core-lokts. I can't wait to lay down the wammy with a 45-70!!!

Jake

Like the original poster, I had a tough time making up my mind, and finally ended up going with the 1895 (long tube)
as I favored the longer barrel, and felt that it wasn't so much longer as to make it akward in the woods/brush. I think that
the longer barrel will help make off hand aiming a little more
steady, and the extra ~150 fps I estimate fromthe longer
tube won't hurt either. I've heard from several folks that the
shorter barrel of the 1895G model is still very accurate.

My new 1895 just showed up last week and I haven't had a
chance to take it to the range yet, but it has some beautiful
wood (wasn't expecting such good grain on a "standard" model Marlin) with excellent fit/no gaps. If it shoots as
well as it looks, I am going to have alot of fun with this @
the range and in the woods.

If you like the straight grip and squared lever but want a 22" barrel you could get a Marlin 1895G and send it into Marlin to have it rebarreled with the 22" barrel for a nominal charge. Of course you would have to replace that brick for a real recoil pad as well.

I certainly like my 22" 1895 an awful lot. I can see the appeal of the Guide Gun but it's not like the 'regular' version is too long to walk through the woods with.

Like oldyankee2, mine has a beautiful walnut stock.

Enjoy!

I went through the same decision making process last year. I was trying to decide between the 1895GS and the Cowboy. Well, I went with the GS and now I am looking for a cowboy! With a bit of patience and a lot of overtime you can have both!

Jay

I think all of us go through this. I settled on the 22 inch and have not regretted it at all. My problem is that I like to shoot a lot of cast bullets and occasionally also jacketed. Having to clean between the two of them is making me think real hard about another one. I prefer the advantage the extra inches provides in velocity. Playing with loads is part of the great fun of this caliber. This helps it bring it to its full potential.

The main thing is just settle on one and get it and start having fun!

I bought an 1895 GS and just love it. It seems to have the perfect balance and feel. It is extremely accurate and seems to like everything I feed it. It isn't ported and I like that just fine. I have had it probably 6 months now and can't leave it at home when I go hunting or to the range. There is always another load combination I have to try and I can't make up my mind which I like the best. I just came back from the range today shooting a light load of 30 grs of IMR 4227 behind the 330 gr lead bullet and am real happy with the combination. I will try the HP version next, without the gas check and see if it does as well next time. Took two large hogs with it with one bullet the first time out using open sights and a 460 cast lead bullet at 1550 fps, awsome power. I have an 1895 in 444 also, it has the 22" barrel and I like it almost as well.

My vote goes to the Guide Gun.

http://img23.photobucket.com/albums/v69/GuideGun/5_Shot_Group_100_Yards.jpg

Hey Flash,
If you haven't entered Ranch Dogs Postal match yet, you should!
Nice group, what's the load?
Regards,
Bryan

Hey Flash,
If you haven't entered Ranch Dogs Postal match yet, you should!
Nice group, what's the load?
Regards,
Bryan

These holes are courtesy of my hand loads. This particular laod is:

Powder - 58.0 grains Hodgdon Varget
Bullet - Hornady 350 grain RN
Primer - Winchester Large Rifle Magnum Primer
Case - Federal and R-P

I have a 6" point blank range out to 170 yards with this load in the 45-70 Guide Gun. I think it's a kick butt combination. The really nice thing is I do this every time I exercise the gun.

I shoot better groups with my Sauer 202 7mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag at 200 yards but I just don't get the same satisfaction as I do with the 45-70.

Hmmm,
Just about every 45-70 shooter on the Forum shoots the Hornady Roundnose...and loves em!
Funny about those bolt guns, I've got a rack full of hot rod magnums, the rifle I enjoy shooting most is my Guide Gun! :)
Thanks for your response, I always find it interesting to know the loads that shoot real well for others.
Regards,
Bryan

Yeah, but you missed that quarter EVERY shot... and besides, it's illegal to deface money.... :D

Just kidding.... some real fine shooting there!

Yeah, but you missed that quarter EVERY shot... and besides, it's illegal to deface money.... :D

Just kidding.... some real fine shooting there!

It was a dime. I never miss quarters.

Don't forget to look at used 1895's. I bought a like new, pre safety '95 for a little less that $325 or $350, I don't remember which.

My quandry is that I want the 1895 stainless guide gun in the 450 Marlin belted cartridge. The ballestics of the 450 is much more impressive than the 45-70 for off the shelf ammo. (unless I read the ballistics chart incorrectly) I beleive it is around 300 fps faster and with 900 ft/lbs more energy. I have been waiting for a few years and Marlin hasn't made the stainless version available in the 450. It seems that would not be a problem for the Mfgr to "walk" one through and make a stainless 450 but a customer service representative told me on the phone it wasn't possible. The only stainless options are the 45-70 and the 336 model in 30-30 cal. I'm sure you could bump up the performance of the 45-70 to that of the 450 or better if you hand loaded but I don't shoot enough to warrant that. Oh well, maybe one day.

When loaded to the same pressures the 45-70 and the 450 are identical.
Buffallo Bore, Cor Bon, Garrett and PMC all make high performance 45-70 ammunition. (PMC is definitely the cheapest!)

Handloading the 45-70 is not difficult and can be accomplished with a minimum outlay of money. (I'd bet you could get everything you need from Lee for under $100)

Get the 45-70. You can practice with the "soft" ammo, hunt with the high performance stuff and save brass until you are ready to start loading your own. I really don't think you'll be disappointed.

I shoot a fair amount of high power ammo to prepare for hunting and in load developement but the majority of my shooting is done with black powder velocity ammo. (405gr lead bullet at 1200 fps) It's very pleasant to shoot, accurate and plenty powerful.

I load for my 1895G in 45-70 and wouldn't trade it for anything!

I recently purchased a 1895GS and was looking for one that was ported, but when I couldn't locate one NIB in my area I called Marlin. I was told that they have discontinued the ported barrels, and when we checked with the parts dept to see if there were any left I was told that there were none left.
So if you want a ported gun you will have to have it done yourself according to the folks at Marlin.

I'm looking forward to breaking in mine (unported) in the next few weeks.

[QUOTE=Jaeger]When loaded to the same pressures the 45-70 and the 450 are identical.
Buffallo Bore, Cor Bon, Garrett and PMC all make high performance 45-70 ammunition. (PMC is definitely the cheapest!)

Handloading the 45-70 is not difficult and can be accomplished with a minimum outlay of money. (I'd bet you could get everything you need from Lee for under $100)

I figured it could be done. I have never reloaded and don't really consider myself an enthusiast so I don't forsee doing any reloading. I would buy over the counter ammo if I could find it, I will start looking in earnest for it. Thank you for the information. I have a 336 CS in 35 and wouldn't part with it for any reason except to pass on to maybe a grandchild one day. I love the way the stainless guidegun looks and want one bad. I may go ahead and get one if the high performance ammo is readily available. Again, thanks.

Buffalo Bore and Garret ammunition is pretty expensive. I haven't priced the Cor Bon. The PMC isn't too bad. I just bought a box of 20 for $18 at a local shop.

The PMC box states that it launches a 350gr FNJSP (Hornady) at a bit over 2000fps. The brass is marked +P+. It is only to be fired in post 1975 Marlin 1895's , Shilo Sharps and Ruger #1 rifles.

Low pressure ammo is very common and runs about $10 to $20 per box.

Handloading is definitely the way to go. If you go with the 45-70 and really enjoy it (as if you wouldn't!) you may well come around to handloading for economical reasons. It's not difficult and does not need to be expensive to get started. You don't need to be an enthusiast, just attentive to what you are doing.

I may reconsider and start looking into handloading. I have heard from several people, including you, that it isn't bad to do. I never thought it was too difficult to do properly, I just didn't want to have to get the materials, books with the "recipes", pick up my brass, and then have to store the stuff some place out of the way. Thanks again for the info.

http://www.garrettcartridges.com/products.asp

http://mysite.elixirlabs.com/index.php?uid=12665&page=1628


http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/photos.htm

http://www.pmcammo.com/rifle_ballistics.php

the point to the guide gun is for bear guides or hunting around dangerous animals in tight spots its shorter so you can bring it up and aim quicker

The ports are GREAT. They're one of the main reasons I bought my 1895G.

I may eventually get one of the 1895CBs. I like the long octagon barrel - the weight doesn't bother me.

Guys, I've got both of them an original straight stocked 22" barreled rifle and a ported guide gun and the guide is the one I grab first every time. I hunted with the 22" incher for a couple of years but when I got the guide gun, it just felt better to me. I like them both but the guide just handles faster to me and the ports make it no louder than the unported 22" rifle, THEY ARE BOTH LOUD! :D CEJ..

My quandry is that I want the 1895 stainless guide gun in the 450 Marlin belted cartridge. The ballestics of the 450 is much more impressive than the 45-70 for off the shelf ammo. (unless I read the ballistics chart incorrectly) I beleive it is around 300 fps faster and with 900 ft/lbs more energy. I have been waiting for a few years and Marlin hasn't made the stainless version available in the 450. It seems that would not be a problem for the Mfgr to "walk" one through and make a stainless 450 but a customer service representative told me on the phone it wasn't possible. The only stainless options are the 45-70 and the 336 model in 30-30 cal. I'm sure you could bump up the performance of the 45-70 to that of the 450 or better if you hand loaded but I don't shoot enough to warrant that. Oh well, maybe one day.

I'm with Jaeger on this. I never considered the 450 because it just seemed to limit what I could fire. I don't handload either, but I can buy ammo for a 45-70 that makes the 450 over the counter stuff look weak. Compare the Hornady 450 to the Buffalo Bore 45-70 ammo. Of course, Buffalo Bore makes 450, but what's the point, you'll still have to pay the same price.

450 ammo is not cheep, PMC 45-70 however is about $10-$15 cheeper per box than the Hornady 450, and it has comparable in power.

You might also consider what I call the Meeker Colorado Test. You've got your gun. Your in a small town in the middle of nowhere that has amazing elk hunting, and you have no ammo (Maybe you got redneck drunk and shot it all at beer cans the night before). Anyway, you walk into a store you hope has ammo, and your going to have a much better chance of scorring 45-70. It might be over the counter stuff, which will still do the job at 100yds, but its a lot better than having to throw spitballs - which is what you'd do with a 450 in that scenario.
I live next to Cabelas, and havn't seen any "over the counter" 450 in stock.

Oh yeah, it much funner (I know its not a real word) to plink with over the counter 45-70 ammo. I know this is a relative thing, but I can shoot a lot more without having to worry about the flinches.

Just a few things to think about.
Take care man,
JH

How do the Hornady 350 FNSP work for you on bear? I'm assuming that this is the over the counter ammo they sell? I was looking at Bufflo Bore 45-70 ammo at Cabbelas but the thought of the recoil of those has me a bit concerned. I have the same gun with ports.


They work perfect. I'm looking at a classic mushroomed bullet retrieved from a black bear last year.

A go to load! ANd better if handloaded.

Note regards the different configurations of the '1895s. I have had half dozen 22" guns, from micro-groove to ballard. All shot great! Have 2 guide guns, one stainless, one blued, both un-ported. The stainless, is my all time favorite. Also have a cowboy. I wanted to mention here, as I have heard it no where else, that with heavy loads and a full magazine, the cowboy gun will self-destruct where the magazine is attached to the barrel with the dove-tailed stud. The recoil will twist the two apart. Shorter is better, or more reliable for dangerous game. I religate my cowboy for lighter loads only because of this. Good shootin'

My preference is the Guide Gun.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/SMattila/Shooting/DSCN14430001_1.jpg

A typical 110 yard group.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/SMattila/Hunting/DSCN06800001.jpg

Even though it's a 3yr old thread I gotta say I still prefer the guide gun after all these years.