It's not a bolt gun....

[Andy the Aussie]

....but a lever gun though this is the best location to post about it.

A some months ago I was talking with my best mate, he lives up in the country, and he was telling me that another close friend of both of our was getting out of guns. We all went to High School together and did all those things teenagers in the country do, hunting, camping, fishing, women folk etc. Anyways he said our mate's guns were in storage at a dealer's and wanted to know if there were any I wanted, long story short of the six there was a Marlin 45/70 I last remembered seeing/firing in the 80s and my mate was not interested in it. I said that I would be happy to pay the storage and transfer fees for all six and just take the Marlin. That was all good and about six weeks ago my mate went to collect them. Now our other mate had beat him there and pre-paid all the storage and transfer fees so that all six were delivered at no cost (we gave him a bit of a blast for this but he was insistent).

So last weekend I made the trip up country (about 7hrs round trip) and caught up with my mate and his kids (my Godkids) and came home with the Marlin.

Upon arrival home...



....I didn't know it came with the old school Weaver and mounts either.

So I decided to give it a clean up, the action seemed stiff to me and the scope did nothing for the handling.

I pulled it apart as far as I was comfortable with and it's clear in a few places I was cleaning out factory applied lubricants/protection that had dried out and glazed. Pulled the scope and wood off (got all the tape residue off the wood) and cleaned, de-greased and re-oiled it all up. That made a HUGE difference and the action is lovely now. Also realised that I MUCH preferred the general handling of the rifle without the optics. The rifle is 1983 production and I believe my mate or his father bought it new around then.

Unfortunately somewhere along the line he removed and lost the whole front sight assembly after the optic went on. But it was certainly looking cleaner and nicer than at the start....



..... started reading about sights for this and was going to use a Williams or Lyman rear and chase an original front sight but then found Skinner Sights...

http://www.skinnersights.com/

... and whipped out the credit card. I have an "Alaskan" rear and "Bear Buster" front sight on the way now (they have departed San Francisco so I hope they are landing here in Sydney this week)....

Already bought brass, dies and projectiles. I just need to settle on a powder (probably AR2207) and start stuffing rounds together...

[hokey45]

Very nice. Old Marlins are a thing of beauty. All my lever guns have Williams receiver sights. Don't like the buckhorn rear sights on Marlins.

[yovinny]

Very nice Andy,,,Im sure you'll enjoy the hell out of it.....
Ive a very soft spot for 45-70 lever guns,,,especially half mag rifles, myself.

[moonbat60]

Andy, I own since 2009 a Marlin Guide Gun. They are fun to shoot and a real blast.

[Texgunner]

Man, that is cool! Andy, I think you'll get a lot of enjoyment out of that lever gun. Good on ya mate.

And wait until the pigs find out you've got it.

[CG&L]

That's one fine rifle you have there

The Marlin lever gun is one of the most under rated firearms out there

[Randall]

She's a beauty. Post new pics when you get the sights on.

[Andy the Aussie]

Thanks all Tracking says the sights passed through the main airport here in Sydney today and are off to the international mail centre. I expect them Wednesday or Thursday.....

[Timber Wolf]

I have one just like it and the last two deer I killed fell to it. One shot each (of course) DRT (dead right there). I have a similar rifle in .444 and one in .35 Rem. Oh and an old 39A that is my favorite of the bunch. I don’t have the Skinner’s, but have lusted after them on occasion.

[Andy the Aussie]

Some more reloading gear arrived tonight and the Skinners are scheduled for delivery to me tomorrow...!

[Gazz]

Be aware that if the barrel is marked Micro-Groove it will most likely not shoot cast bullets very well. When the 1895 was reintroduced - I think in the 70's - the first ones came with Ballard type rifling but Marlin soon changed to Micro-groove rifling and have since changed back to Ballard style (I think - I'm not sure how Remington is making them). I have a 70's vintage 1895 and although it is not marked Micro-Groove, it does not shoot hard cast bullets very well but shines with jacketed. I recently acquired an 1894 Marlin in .44 Magnum with Micro-Groove rifling and it will spit a lead bullet sideways somewhere on the paper at 50 yards but will shoot a nice 1" group with jacketed bullets. The micro-Groove seems to work well with .22rf lead bullets but can't grip the heavier caliber lead bullets well enough to stabilize them. I have shot several deer with my 1895 and like previously stated, DRT.

[Andy the Aussie]

Yes it is a Micro-Groove barrel, I will probably never shoot a cast bullet in it so I am OK with it

[yovinny]

+1 on the micro groove and lead bullets,,,,its a lesson in futility.
It may be sacrilege for many, but my 1895 Remlin has real rifeling and shoots better than any marlin I ever owned,,,,including some cast and checked ranch dogs at full boat loadings.....
Though they'll wear your ass out pretty quick too,,,,,

[Andy the Aussie]

Added some new sights...

[ftierson]

Nice rifle...

I have a similar one bought new in 1996. It has the machine cut checkering (well done) on the forend and pistol grip and also has the microgroove barrel (which is not a problem for me either since I only shoot jacketed bullets but, if I had the choice, I would opt for the Ballard type rifling).

It is quite pleasant to shoot with the Remington Factory 405gr JSP ammo (which does about 1250 fps out of this rifle). Boosting the same Rem. 405gr JSP bullet to 1750 fps (using 54gr H335 (but older, slower stuff than today, so that might be a little over the edge with current production H335)) makes it a somewhat different animal and much less pleasant to shoot, if you catch my drift...

Enjoy the rifle...

Forrest

[RG Coburn]

Its nice that it has the pistol grip butt stock and lever. That should knock a hog over..

[gew98]

Have been shooting Marlin 95's for 40 years. I have a 25 year old Guide Gun. Was in a bad fire couple years ago and found a smithy that can work miracles on "burnt guns". I have shot it with cast 405 , 500grainers often.It's not terribly fond of the single loaded 500's but what a blast when you do hit something with that hunk of lead.
Literally just got my 94 marlin in 357 mag back from that smithy yesterday. Spectacular work ...and he even case hardened the receivers so on top of the phoenix aspect they are both gorgeous as well.

[Texgunner]

Originally Posted by RG Coburn

That should knock a hog over..

[Andy the Aussie]

Thanks all, over my short Christmas break I am going to strip and oil finish the stock. I need to roll up some ammunition for it yet. Sights increase the NEED to shoot it greatly now !!

Originally Posted by RG Coburn

That should knock a hog over..

...it will in the new year I am sure...

[MACV]

I have three of those 95s, various length barrels. I've had good luck with IMR 3031 and Hornady 350 grn bullets. I don't have my reload data handy but I believe 56 grn of 3031 with a 350 grn bullet will get you about 1950 fps. A little stout but accurate in my rifles. You can load a lot hotter with that 95 action.

[yovinny]

Originally Posted by MACV

I have three of those 95s, various length barrels. I've had good luck with IMR 3031 and Hornady 350 grn bullets. I don't have my reload data handy but I believe 56 grn of 3031 with a 350 grn bullet will get you about 1950 fps. A little stout but accurate in my rifles. You can load a lot hotter with that 95 action.

Just stay away from the 325gr. ftx,,,, had a couple of those loose their jacket and go to pieces on deer ribs,,,,,

[Randall]

Awesome!!!!