Preface: This post may be viewed as arrogant, volitile or otherwise antagonistic. I wrote it with the intention that it should be looked at as a one-sided opinion begging for convincing testimony to the contrary.

So I have this nice Marlin 1895 levergun in 45/70. I bought it when I was first starting to collect rifles thinking that it was a nice black bear and deer gun for the thick woods here in the northeast. In fact it is. The platform is strong enough to push some handloads and the bullet selection (read cast & Barnes) makes the gun even more fitting for larger bears and even Africa, some would argue. But in whatever light you want to view it, it means work and pain.

My view is becoming clowdy because lately, I find it almost bland. It seems that it no longer has a place in my collection because of the many marvelous rifles that I've acquired since then. Or, maybe because I am once again leaning a blind eye into the hype associated with manufacurer's marketing technique and magnumitis. Naturally, we all know a .243 win will no longer take down a whitetail deer.

Boredom takes my imagination to new levels, and the cold weather as of late is really wreaking havoc with my thoughts. If I was to follow an alien into an adler patch, I could probably shoot from the hip much faster, and with greater accuracy with a pump action 12 Ga slug gun than a leveraction with the same recoil properties. If not, what about a Browning BAR in .338 to be sure of quick hits on a beast that is ready to step on me?

Another fact worth mentioning is that the gun is not comfortable to shoot. It's not very balanced, it has a titanuim spiked recoil pad with teeth and the stock design is certainly not made with the contour necessary to handle heavy recoil comfortably.

What we have in fact, is a heavy, unbalanced repeater built with blocky modern design for a cartridge shackeled by SAAMI safety specs that is at best a sub-par hunting gun and an annoyance and painful encounter an the range. There isn't even any historical or remminiscent qualities in the rifle as you have in the Uberti replica's. What was I thinking when I bought it?

I was going to put it on the block to help pay for a new autoloading shotgun, say a Browning Gold Hunter or a Baretta AL-391 or maybe even a S&W 1000.

So what so you think? It's a piece of antiquated crap that has no real place in the rifle collection of the hunter and shooter right? I should dump it right? C'Mon, I dare you to convince me otherwise....;-)

Anyone that has a rifle they can't appreciate or have no real use for should dump it for one they do. Not improtant that others see it differently; if you have no use for it then using the $ from it's sale for soemthingelse makes sense.

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Man...are you talking bout the S&W 1000 they made years ago? HAd the waterfowling version (kind of a satin dull metal finish and a dark unbuffed oil finished stock)...the early ones with the barrel swollen at the end to take choke tubes. Certainy (1) funstioned with multi-opower level shells (2) was one of the best duck guns I've used and (3) was darned near useless for anything but ducks or turkey.

Like your 45-70, was less than thrilled by it's limited use, and sold the beast to help finace a trim light O/U I could appreciate.

[QUOTE=ribbonstone]Anyone that has a rifle they can't appreciate or have no real use for should dump it for one they do. Not improtant that others see it differently; if you have no use for it then using the $ from it's sale for soemthingelse makes sense.QUOTE]
+1

Someone's trash is anothers treasure. I treasure my two.

Someone's trash is anothers treasure. I treasure my two.


Same philosphy....pretty much explains why divorced men or women can have a social life.

Same philosphy....pretty much explains why divorced men or women can have a social life.
Knew there was hope for me :D

There's about a 4 or 5 page thread about a different cartridge in the Rifles and Rifles Cartridges Forum started by someone else. Different strokes for different folks. No problem with that. I guess that is one thing that makes the shooting sports interesting. We all like something different. Keeps the guns and ammo companies in business, too.

If your interests lie in other firearms or in other cartridges, I'd say you should rid yourself of it and get what you want. You might be happier with a 243 Winchester or a 300 RUM. Don't keep it just because someone else thinks you should. I know the 45/70 is very popular on this board, but I don't own one. I don't own a 308 Winchester or a 30/06 either. I did own a 30/06, but wanted something else, so it went away and I've never looked back. If you aren't happy with the 45/70, I'd suggest you do the same.

So what so you think? It's a piece of antiquated crap that has no real place in the rifle collection of the hunter and shooter right? I should dump it right?

Right.

I'll give you a hundred bucks for that piece of antiquated crap. Where would like me to send the check?

Regards,

Grizz

. . . The platform is strong enough to push some handloads and the bullet selection (read cast & Barnes). . . shackeled by SAAMI safety specs. . .

O.K. I, give up. Which one is it? ;)

I think this is a use-driven choice. If you find the lever action's speed at all valuable, as Cooper did the Savage 99, and train with it, complaints like the butt plate can be fixed. The nice thing is, you're not operating on, as you say, a replica or an antique, so fiddling with it can be pretty uninhibited. A simple slip-on rubber shotgun pad may well solve your range comfort issue? Drilling a hole and adding lead shot to the stock under the butt plate will change the balance rearward and also reduce recoil, though at the expense of portability and handling speed.

Personally, I find light plinker loads fun in this rifle, and am enjoying the cleanliness of Trail Boss powder for them. There are lots of accessory options available, too, from sights to trigger group replacement.

Nope; I can't understand your complaint, personally, but like the others implied, this isn't something to invest effort ranting or lamenting over. Just sell it and get something you can enjoy. Life's too short to bother with the rest.

So what so you think? It's a piece of antiquated crap that has no real place in the rifle collection of the hunter and shooter right? I should dump it right? C'Mon, I dare you to convince me otherwise....;-)

It's the only rifle/cartridge I have that can be used in construction. Well placed shots can reduce large rocks and concrete blocks to gravel and great clouds of dust.

If you don't find that useful, then you're hopeless!

Between Griz and levertite I think I busted a gut laughing. I appreciate that.

You're all right. I need to get over it. My problem is that whenever I let a gun go, I have sellers remorse.

I think I'll get a bigger safe and just leave it there, oil it once a year and maybe one day I can plink with it, or clear a debris field.

Regarding the strength vs weakness parody, everything is up to me as a handloader. The marketability fails when a major ammunition manufacturing blitz is steimied by the Sprinfield Trapdoor's everlasting existence.

I'm glad no-one took offense 'cause there was none intended.

Now, about this dang useless Mod 71 that I never shoot ;)

EMC2

Want to be happy?...then use that rifle with Trapdoor approved loads and cast (plain based) bullets...somthing relaxing about lobbing 400-500gr. of lead down range at .22LR speeds. Even if you miss your target, it's fun watching those big slugs arc through the air on their way to the 200yard back stop.

ribbonstone, good advice. I enjoy 300 grain cast at about 1700 fps. Very mild, lot of fun, still shoot through a whitetail at 150 yards. Who needs a magnum? And EMC2, bigger safe sounds good. It's not like you have to feed it. This has been a good post.

EMC2 go to http://www.westernbullet.com On the side bar click on cast bullets & scroll down to the 45-70 collarbutton a 145gr cast bullet for plinking. Load data is supplied for Lyman mold #457130.Those loads will give you a lot less recoil and comfortable practice shooting.

personally, i absolutely adore my .45-70 guide gun. i find the balance suberb, the accuracy is outstanding (seriously, putting three 405 grain slugs into a football sized rock at 130 yards in about 15 seconds with a peep sight is accurate enough for this cowboy), and it just looks good. i'm a bit of a sucker for any iron sighted levergun, but the marlin is about as functional as you get. the fact that i could load up some .45-70 ammo and go anywhere i want, and hunt pretty much whatever i want is a plus to the marlin 1895 .45-70 in my book.

~thebuckheadkid

thebuckheadkid,

Seriously, I can't even SEE a football at 130 yards, and I have 20/20 vision. You must be something else behind that lever!

How about as a back woods hog gun?

I think it's working....I'm starting to turn. I'll browse Brownells for some grind to fit Pachymere (sp?) pads and use up some Trailboss and plan a trip to my cousins farm in GA for a hog hunt.
It can be saved!

Thanks all.

thebuckheadkid,

Seriously, I can't even SEE a football at 130 yards, and I have 20/20 vision. You must be something else behind that lever!

How about as a back woods hog gun?

I think it's working....I'm starting to turn. I'll browse Brownells for some grind to fit Pachymere (sp?) pads and use up some Trailboss and plan a trip to my cousins farm in GA for a hog hunt.
It can be saved!

Thanks all.

Friend had a Ruger #3 in 45-70...lite little rifle (carbine?), hard plastic curved butt plate, lever curled to wack your knuckles. All was well with light cast bullet loads...thumped a bit, was a bit loud with the muzzle so close to your face, but would lob those big cast bullets into the target.

He has to load up some extra warm loads..safe as to pressure in that strong action, but it's not a good platform for super-loads.

He was disheartened...wanted that rifle to shoot 400gr. bullets at 2000fps....which it would do, but he just couldn't seem to hit anything by closing his eyes, yanking the trigger, and scrunching up in expectation fo the recoil. I darned near developed a flinch just watching him.

Which was all well and good for me....bought that rifle from him right there, when we left the range it went into my car's tturnk and not his.

i wouldn't say i'm somthin' else, prolly just all the okie' blood in me. my ma and pa taught me well. back woods hog gun? you betcha. it'd knock the sap out of a hog with the right loads. i live in the willamette valley over in oregon. the brush is thick, somtimes when i'm out lookin' fer whitetails i got ferny bushes up to my waist or more, and where i live you can't see too far in the woods due to the vegetation. the way i hunt, a fast handlin' iron sighted carbine is perfect. before i got my guide gun i hunted with a remington pump action .30-06 with a williams peep sight. did the trick just fine. i think if you took it with you on the trail, you would love it as much as i do. which model of 1895 is you gun? mine is the guide gun model, 18 and a half inch barrel, and a straight grip stock. it packs wonderfully. i wouldn't take anything else with me on a hog hunt. mean little devils from what i hear.

~thebuckheadkid

Personally I love mine. I picked it up in Alaska and used it as a brush gun when I was going to college up in Maine. Mine is the 336 model(I'm partial to that bent stock, it just feels more alive in my hands) and I find it feels nicely balanced and fits my needs. I just love how you can trick this thing out and it never gives me a reason to not trust it. I just picked up one of those stocks on the new XLRs and put it on mine and it looks and feels sweet! I got the stock for a good price at $55. I couldn't get that stock on quick enough.

thebuckheadkid,

Seriously, I can't even SEE a football at 130 yards, and I have 20/20 vision. You must be something else behind that lever!

How about as a back woods hog gun?

I think it's working....I'm starting to turn. I'll browse Brownells for some grind to fit Pachymere (sp?) pads and use up some Trailboss and plan a trip to my cousins farm in GA for a hog hunt.
It can be saved!

Thanks all.
ECM2 those big Marlins are just plain fun, some will out group many bolt action rifles and can be loaded down for fun shooting and loaded up for business. I have a load which is just plain fun and superbly accurate almost no recoil.

I can't convince you of anything on the the 45/70, but its cousin, the triple 4, is just plain fun. Mine got its nickname of rice slinger from the 1st time I shot it. Told everyone in the house I was going out the back door to shoot, and they all still jumped when I lit the 1st round. My wife was getting ready to taste some rice she was cooking, and she did make a mess in the kitchen at that 1st round.

I can't convince you of anything on the the 45/70, but its cousin, the triple 4, is just plain fun. Mine got its nickname of rice slinger from the 1st time I shot it. Told everyone in the house I was going out the back door to shoot, and they all still jumped when I lit the 1st round. My wife was getting ready to taste some rice she was cooking, and she did make a mess in the kitchen at that 1st round.

Rimrock, I have the best of both worlds .444XLR and 1895G 45-70 :D But we aint gonna use any of that new red tipped stuff in em... I have to much common sence for reloading for that.

You need to convert it to .454 Casull, and get all your advice from L.F.Combs on guns!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No but I would play aorund with the loads. The cartridge is very versatile. The .45/70 is one of the best rounds ever to be invented, but it needs a big platform in a levergun. I am a fan of the 92 in .454 smaller not as bulky. With a great deal of punch. I just wish the manufactureer and importer would get their heads out a certain orifice.