Marlin guide gun(s)

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November 07, 2002 14:46

I have the hots for a ported, stainless Marlin...wondering if anyone can cast advice on which caliber: 45/70. .444 or 450 Marlin.

Is stainless as hard a steel as a blued version.

Thanks.

"Love is grand, divorce is 100 grand"

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  cpermd

  November 07, 2002 15:02

  Any of those calibers are adequate for anything around here.
  Think long and hard about a ported hunting gun.
  They actually permanently damage the acoustic nerve with a single shot.
  I am surprised some snakebellied lawyer has not sued over this yet.
  cpermd

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  gravedigger

  November 07, 2002 15:06

  I've shot one in .45/70. It was a pussycat compared to what I was expecting. It wasn't ported, but I hear the ported ones are really loud. You really don't need a ported one if you're worried about recoil in this caliber. I'd go with the .45/70, personally. While it's by no means cheap it's less than .444 or .450 and lots easier to find. I'd like to get one, one of these days.
  
  -Marcus
  
  Tempus Fugit.

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  Iroquois Scout

  November 08, 2002 05:03

  Just my opinion,but I think that the guide guns are to short,to light in weight and with the ports way way to loud. With their short barrles they do not balance well as they are butt heavy instead of balanceing just ahead of the receiver as they should. With their lighter weight,unless you stick to light factory loads,they kick like hell and most people replace the butt plate with one of the recoil reduceing pads. The ports are very loud and also spit burning powder particles out the ports. The newest Marlin guide guns don't have the ports. I think that you would be better served with the 1895 SS or the Cowboy. By all means I would go with the .45-70 as it is far more versatile then the other two cartridges,particularly if you hand load. The .450 won't do anything that the .45-70 won't do just as well and with the 444 you have to move up to the 265 or 300 grain bullets to get the job done reliably and at 300 grains is where the .45-70 starts.

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  Short Trader

  November 08, 2002 06:19

  I would go with an UNported .45-70 in SS. Just my personal choice.
  
  Buy low, short high...

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  Sunray

  November 08, 2002 08:53

  From what I've seen on the Marlin forum, Marlin seems to have ceased making the ported model anyway.

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  jeff slater

  November 09, 2002 08:43

  I bought one of the first blued ones. Love it. Great brush gun. I use it for elk and deer up in northwest wash. st. Wish mine was stainless, I see alot of rain. I think it balances nice, handles smooth and easy to point. I put a 1-4 leupold vari-x II on it. Don't trust the stock sights they have a habit of failing. I fired a custom one cut down to 20inch years ago, the recoil was greater then my ported guide gun with the 18inch. I'am not worried to much about the noise. I hardly notice when hunting, to much adrenaline flowing, my ears don't evan ring afterwards. Go with the 45/70, you'll always fine ammo and brass for it. The 450 has no advantage with buffalo bore and corbon loading hot loads for the 45/70 that match hornady's 450 loads. And if you handload like me ammo cost is way lower. I push a 400 grn fn at about 2,000 fps. Kicks like a mule but will drop an elk easy. To wrap up, I love mine, one of the first rifles I grab out of the safe when going hunting.

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  gunsock

  November 18, 2002 15:29

  Got a blued model, ported in 45-70. Love it, kicks like a mule even with a factory 300 hollow point but oh what some knock down power. Dropped a deer last year at 125 yards like a sack of taters. The noise ain't to bad for a deaf old veteran. Better git it .

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  bigt7mm

  November 18, 2002 16:06

  Ditto all the above. I've got an 1895SS 45-70 and love it. You don't need porting,trust me. I shoot Buffalo Bore's magnum loads and it's no worse than my 870 12 ga w/ 3" buckshot. I believe the 45-70 is more than adequate for most North American game-except for maybe the large bears(Browns,Kodiaks)if kept within reasonable range. The factory loads are rather anemic as they're made to shoot in models such as the old Trapdoor Springfields and such. They keep pressures down to around 28,000 C.U.P.'s. The Marlin's are capable of withstanding something like 45,000 C.U.P's so are excellent candidates for the reloader or "hot" factory loads such as Buffalo Bore and Corbon. It's also more readily available and less expensive.
  
  1)"Give me Liberty or give me death!" 2)"Keep your friends close,your enemies closer." 3)"Just how big'n a boy are ya?"

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