Marlin Guide Gun returns from Remington fixit shop

[O.S.O.K.]

And without further adue, here it is:



Observations:
The wood matches better - it's really very close - the camera really highlights the slightest difference in hue..
Everything is strainght now - looks like a new barrel
I got another buttstock on this return even though I told them in the letter that I was already getting one from them...

After I got it, I switched out the sights, tapped-on the rear dovetail blank, installed a bear-proof ejector and Wild West aluminum mag plug in place of the plastic one.

And on another note, you'll notice leverevolution ammo there - as all of my reloading stuff is packed... and I want to shoot this, I went to Cabelas to get some ammo. And would you believe that the Hornady stuff had a lower price than standard Remchester? Lower too than any of the cowboy stuff, etc. - so I bought two boxes of them.
They'll do for whitetail anyway - assuming they shoot well in this.

Hopefully, I can sneak off to the range for a bit tomorrow....

But, anyhoo, I am impressed and pleased with Remington/Marlin's service given the initial problems. And I do hope that they get things fixed so that this isn't necessary.

[Gunreference1]

Now that's a sharp rifle!

Steve

[Schuetzenman]

Looks good, is that .45-70 chambered?

[mriddick]

I've decided to sell my 45-70 HR classic and get a 45/70 cowboy

[American Rage]

Beautiful rifle.

My guess is also 45-70.

What the hell does a round for that monster cost?


Rage

[El Laton Caliente]

I've wanted a .444 Marlin

[mriddick]

I've wanted a .444 Marlin

I passed on a like new 444 last year about this time for $365...I've been kicking my self since.

I've been paying between $27 and $35/box for 45-70

[El Laton Caliente]

IIRC, the .444 has a LOT more knock down than 45-70.

[slamfire51]

IIRC, the .444 has a LOT more knock down than 45-70.

Jac, now that's a beautiful rifle. Congrats on getting it repaired properly.

I owned a 444 Marlin years ago. If ammo production hasn't changed since then, the bullet is a 240 gr. pistol bullet. For big game, the bullet jacket is too thin for that round.

On the same note, the 444 will slam down a steel ram @ 200 yds. like you wouldn't believe.

[mriddick]

IIRC, the .444 has a LOT more knock down than 45-70.

It's not exactly like the 45/70 has a rep for lacking knock down power

[Gunreference1]

It's not exactly like the 45/70 has a rep for lacking knock down power

If you want to add some punch to a .45/70 you can try the loads listed at the link below.

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php...duct_list&c=35

Steve

[Schuetzenman]

I passed on a like new 444 last year about this time for $365...I've been kicking my self since.

I've been paying between $27 and $35/box for 45-70

Why the hell are you not reloading for it? Would be much cheaper and you could tailor the load to the weapon for best accuracy.

[O.S.O.K.]

Yes - 45-70.

And the price was $34/box of 20. I can handload these for $15 box easy.

The Marlins can handle up to 34500 psi pressure loads - that's the same pressure level that the 450 Marlin is loaded too - which is just a rimless 45-70 with a belt added.

Really though, for deer and hog and such, the standard 20000 psi loads with 300 grain hollow points going 1800+ fps are more than needed. And they are very comfy to shoot too compared to the peddle to the metal loads.

These 1895's are very light weight - 7 pounds. They don't do much to aleviate recoil when it gets "up there".

I also like loading the laser cast 405 rnfp to around 1370 fps - and that will slam steel targets to the ground - through and through a deer sized animal from any direction.

What more do you need?

This is an "inertia" penetrating type round more than a kinetic shock type...

Brian Pearce of Handloader and Rifle Mags took a Marlin 45-70 to Africa and used a Core-Bon load with 405 PEN solids going about 1800 fps and used it on various game with great success. He shot a Cape Buffalo bull at his PH's direction and the bullet went completely through the bull - AND a cow that was standing behind him! Through both of the buffs! They hadn't seen the cow prior to the shot...

He said that when he showed up there with the Marlin that they didn't want him tohunt with it - didn't think it was "enough" - but then after shooting some plains game with it, they let him try it on Buffalo After that there was no more doubt.

Great article - has loads ranging from 21,000 to 43,500 psi listed in tables. Its Handloader No. 248 - August 2007 for anybody that's interested. You can go to the Wolf publishing web site and order back issues.

And I have been fondling the Guide Gun since I got it fixed up and am really liking the way it holds, etc. - going to the range in a bit to shoot some of those Leverevolution 325 grainers...

Oh and here's a great vid by Hickock45 on Youtube - shooting his ported Guide Gun:



Those 405 Grain loads look to be about what I was talking about - 1370 fps or so.

And for anybody wanting to buy a Marlin levergun - I recommend getting a used one - that's a couple years old or more... so you don't have to deal with what I did...

[Richard Simmons]

Looks great but where/when/how did Remington come into the picture? In your other thread weren't you shipping it back to Marlin?


Never mind. Just did some looking around. Had no idea Remington now owned Marlin?

[O.S.O.K.]

Yeah, Freedom Group is the holding company that owns both Remington and Marlin - but Marlin apparently is under Remington... they also own H&R/NEF and Bushmaster.

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, got to the range and shot some rounds. Funcion was 100%. I got the XS sights zero'd for 100 yards. This will be used within that distance so it's good to go for that. ETA: just looked at the Hornady drop table and the 325 GMX load is only down 4.8" at 200 yards, so not bad. It's muzzle velocity is 2000 fps. Probably 1950 for the unported guide gun and probably 6" down at 200 yards... but still, I can hold "on" out to 150 and no worries.

The ammo did pretty good - as long as I held it well, they planted about 2" around the bull at 100 yards - but I did have some go wide - but I am sure this was shooter error and also the sights are not what you would call "target" sights - they make it very easy to put the rounds in a 6" circle at 100 yards very quickly.

The one thing that I do want to improve on this is the trigger. The trigger on my other 1895 is very good. This one is too heavy for my liking. I'm going to have to do some work on that....

[American Rage]

Hickok 45's videos are always great



Rage

[vit]

Looks good. How do you like those sights? I like them a lot myself, I went with the smaller aperture.

[O.S.O.K.]

Thanks Vit - that's a nice one too! See that it's the ported variety. Does the port add much muzzle noise? Like your sling too. I put a Montana leather sling on mine - these just beg for a good leather one.

What's your primary load? Or do you switch around a lot?

I'm most likely going to stay with 300 grain HP's with this - after I shoot up the 325 Horn FTX ammo, I'll have to sight-in with my handloads.

The sights are great and I know I can get and use a smaller aperture and that would be good for load development/range shooting but the larger aperture is plenty accurate for hunting and I like how fast it is to sight.

I went on youtube and found a decent how-to on dissasembly and worked on the trigger in addition to just polishing it up inside some. The action is smoother now and the trigger is about 1/2 as heavy - pretty good really. I would like it just a tad bit lighter but I think it'll do. It felt like about 8 lb.s before and now around 4.

Not too hard to work on - the trigger spring was the biggest PITA - had to bend it around more than I really wanted to but like I said, I got it pretty good now.

[mriddick]

I picked up an older style 444 this weekend for $321 after tax. It has the half mag tube and nonported barrel with the uncheckered walnut stocks, it is a cross bolt safety model. It has a small rust spot right where the mag and handguard meet and some honest wear marks but other then that looks to have been shot very little. I'd rather of had a 45/70 or a trapper 357 but the only 45/70 at the show was a shorty cowboy model (now $675) and a full size 357 for $525. I figured I'd better get the 444 while I can and trade up later.