Marlin 1895 SBL 45/70 beauty rifle

[58thecat]

Son bought one, took it out yesterday, shot at 50 and 100 yards, cluster all shots in a four inch grouping all around the bullseye...used Hornady leverevolution 250/325gr

Well it was not as bad as I thought for recoil, a fast snap like non punishing recoil, accurate for the sights it comes with...it will kill

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[spyguy 0-0-7]

I used the same rounds with mine.
I started shooting heavier bullets and the groups started to tighten up. Best bullet in mine turned out that it likes 405gr-ers. Good luck and happy shooting.

[Thunder/FX]

Same deal with mine, 405 gr and things got real tight.
Mild handloads and 405 Remington sp. Hit like Thors hammer! Very mild recoil

[elkhunter11]

Those Hornady loads are very mild recoil wise. I loaded up some full powder loads with the Hornady 350gr flat point, for my Marlin, and the recoil increased dramatically. However, my full power handloads are more accurate in my rifle.

[bowhunter9841]

The SBL is a beautiful rifle. I have the guide gun in stainless, with the straight stock. I find the recoil to be quite punishing with some of the factory loads, but I'm kind of a wussy when it comes to recoil. Worst one I've found so far, is the HSM bear load. 430 gr. hard cast lead, with almost a full powder charge. It kicks like a mule. At least to me it does.

[sns2]

So who would feel confident shooting moose or elk at 200 with one?

[YYC338]

Originally Posted by sns2

So who would feel confident shooting moose or elk at 200 with one?

Not confident at all using the SBL factory ghost ring sight set up at 200yds just because I'm not a good/experienced enough shot with that set up.

With a scoped 1895 zeroed at 150 I wouldn't have any problem taking that shot. Bullet selection comes into play also. I only shoot handloads and I'd be a little hesitant using the 325gr FTX Hornady. Their 350gr FP would be a better choice or a barnes or woodleigh 400gr loaded to about 1900fps wouldn't even break a sweat dropping a moose or elk at 200.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by YYC338

Not confident at all using the SBL factory ghost ring sight set up at 200yds just because I'm not a good/experienced enough shot with that set up.

With a scoped 1895 zeroed at 150 I wouldn't have any problem taking that shot. Bullet selection comes into play also. I only shoot handloads and I'd be a little hesitant using the 325gr FTX Hornady. Their 350gr FP would be a better choice or a barnes or woodleigh 400gr loaded to about 1900fps wouldn't even break a sweat dropping a moose or elk at 200.

Moose at 200 easily but with a scope from my perspective, that ghost ring and front sight at 100 covered the full bottom half of the 8"x12" target sheet. So yes with the set up as is for a moose at 100elkdeermilk jug

Great little, fast handling rifle.

[YYC338]

Great little, fast handling rifle.[/QUOTE]

Yup, the Marlin 1895 can be an excellent rifle and handloads open up a whole different world of capability for the 45-70. I've got three of them:
JM 1895SS with a 1.75-5X32 scope
1895 SBL with a 2.5X scout scope
1895 CBA with skinner sights

The SS is the one I use for cast bullets almost exclusively as it can be a pain to switch back and forth between jacketed and cast bullets. Copper fouling can cause havic with barrel leading and accuracy.
450gr (gas checked) hard cast at 1725fps are quite accurate and can get the attention of participants at both ends of the rifle.

[Rio56]

very nice rifle ....
If he's gonna stay with factory loads try the Barnes Vor-TX 300 gr TSX FN . I only use the 45-70 on bear and with this load it just flattens them .. Also if you can find the Federal 300 gr Speer hot-cor , it's a good bullet too ... The Rem 405 grain is the nicest to shoot but really none of these will beat you... have fun

[YYC338]

Originally Posted by Rio56

very nice rifle ....
If he's gonna stay with factory loads try the Barnes Vor-TX 300 gr TSX FN . I only use the 45-70 on bear and with this load it just flattens them .. Also if you can find the Federal 300 gr Speer hot-cor , it's a good bullet too ... The Rem 405 grain is the nicest to shoot but really none of these will beat you... have fun

Those are all good bullet choices. I've loaded the 300 TSX FN but never shot anything with it yet. I've always wondered what the "flying ashtray" would do to an animal.

I understand the 405gr Remington is no longer available as a component but can still be had in loaded ammo, albeit it's loaded down to accommodate the old trapdoor rifles.

[traderal]

My older Marlin doesn't like feeding the leverevolutions, something about the brass being shorter.

[Smokinyotes]

My marlin is a 1895 CB with the octagon barrel, when i bought it the salesman wouldnt sell me factory ammo as he said it was so lame. Bought some winchester brass, some 350gr hornady RN and some varget. Worked up a load for it and it works great. I have tried the leverevolutions in 325gr and they shoot very well. The recoil is significantly less with the leverevolutions than the handloads.

[Livefree23]

I want a 45/70 badly. Anyone know if the chiappa kodiak stainless is still offered anywhere?


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[Jack fish hunter]

Originally Posted by sns2

So who would feel confident shooting moose or elk at 200 with one?

Name a time and place lol shot deer at about 200 with mine

[Jack fish hunter]

Originally Posted by Livefree23

I want a 45/70 badly. Anyone know if the chiappa kodiak stainless is still offered anywhere?


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I don't know where you're from but I think Canadian tire Leduc carries them. If not they can order it

[Pioneer2]

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by YYC338

Those are all good bullet choices. I've loaded the 300 TSX FN but never shot anything with it yet. I've always wondered what the "flying ashtray" would do to an animal.

I understand the 405gr Remington is no longer available as a component but can still be had in loaded ammo, albeit it's loaded down to accommodate the old trapdoor rifles.

This would be a good weight and bullet not light but not too heavy, advised my son on this to mix up a pet load to see how things work out. As with all thumpers there has to be compromise velocity, accuracy, taming recoil or manageable recoil for quick follow up shot etc and hopefully this will be the one.

[lmtada]

I better practice more. I could not believe drop at 150 yards. 100 yards max for me.

[bcpappy]

I ended up selling the JM stamped stainless walnut 45/70 I had after the novelty wore off. The skills I had with the ghost ring sights left me limiting myself to another 50 yards past bow range, yet not being able to hunt in the bow zones. I currently have a 375 h&h to replace it for a hiking/fishing, once in awhile hunting gun. I like the SBL, they are nice looking gun and fun for some heavy plinking.

[k.poholka]

Hey guys. Sorry to hi-jack the thread. 58, congrats on your son's SBL, they're a beautiful rifle, almost too pretty... almost.

I just purchased a used 1895g (ported jm) a couple weeks ago and I'm absolutely head over heals for this rifle right now. It came with a bunch of cases, 50 jacketed 300gr hp (sierra), 150 hard cast 405gr-ers (no gc)and some imr 4198. The 300's are deadly accurate over 43gr of imr 4198. I couldn't get the 405's to shoot any better than 6". I loaded up 20 of them over 40gr of 4198..
I'm wondering should I go up or down in powder charge with my next batch of 405's?

Also, maybe worth mentioning, I was shooting the bullets into paper that was tacked to a 12" dia fresh stump. The 405's left a small grey hole in and a small grey hole out. The 300gr hp's never made it through the stump.

Cheers

[YYC338]

Originally Posted by k.poholka

I couldn't get the 405's to shoot any better than 6". I loaded up 20 of them over 40gr of 4198..
I'm wondering should I go up or down in powder charge with my next batch of 405's?

Also, maybe worth mentioning, I was shooting the bullets into paper that was tacked to a 12" dia fresh stump. The 405's left a small grey hole in and a small grey hole out. The 300gr hp's never made it through the stump.

Cheers

For starters, you need to remove all copper fouling from the barrel before shooting and testing cast bullet accuracy.
Any idea what velocity you're getting with the 405's? I don't use 4198 for cast so I'd have to look it up. It may be that since they are not GC bullets you're trying to push them too fast.
As far as hard cast goes, they perform almost like a solid and will out penetrate anything else you send down your 45-70 barrel.

[k.poholka]

Originally Posted by YYC338

For starters, you need to remove all copper fouling from the barrel before shooting and testing cast bullet accuracy.
Any idea what velocity you're getting with the 405's? I don't use 4198 for cast so I'd have to look it up. It may be that since they are not GC bullets you're trying to push them too fast.
As far as hard cast goes, they perform almost like a solid and will out penetrate anything else you send down your 45-70 barrel.

Thanks for the advice. For 405gr hard cast, The Lyman reloading handbook 48th edition, has a max charge of 40.5gr of IMR 4198 and a velocity of 1717 fps. I don't own a chronograph, that's recorded data. Maybe the combination of copper fouling and possible leading is leading to inaccuracy.

So I guess I'll thoroughly clean the barrel, and take a few grains off the charge for my next batch.

I usually clean my rifles with Hopps solvent and a wire brush, then some CLP and pull patches through until they come out clean. Will this suffice copper fouling?

[YYC338]

Originally Posted by k.poholka

I usually clean my rifles with Hopps solvent and a wire brush, then some CLP and pull patches through until they come out clean. Will this suffice copper fouling?

Personally, I never use a wire brush in any of my rifle bores anymore. Start with a good copper solvent like wipeout or Butch's bore shine and use patches until they come out clean. If I use a brush to agitate it's a nylon brush.

https://www.montanabulletworks.com/resources/secrets/

Check out this site regarding bore cleaning, gas check velocities and other useful info. Oh by the way their 450gr hard cast gas checked bullets shoot 1.5" at 100 at over 1700fps in my 22" barrel Marlin. Thery're great bullets.

[YYC338]

I forgot to mention that you also should slug your bore if you're going to get serious about shooting cast bullets. Most manufacturers make a range of 45-70 bullets (.457,.458,.459,.460,etc) and you want to choose a size that is .001 to .002 greater than what you slug your bore at. Worst case scenario would be a bore that slugs .459 and you're trying to get accuracy from a bullet sized to .457.

Combine that without using a gas check and trying to push it too fast and you'll never get good results.

Lots of good examples of bore slugging on the internet. I just used a lead fishing weight and a wooden dowel.

[k.poholka]

Thanks for all the good info YYC338.
I might stick with the jacketed bullets until after spring bear season.
I do want to get into lead cast bullet shooting (love that penetration). Seems like there no free rides when it comes to learning and working with these big thumpers, but that's part of the fun I guess.

[denied access]

Now you just need a metal shell follower and a safety delete from beartooth mercantile to make it into a really good bush gun. Also put a bit of metal polish on the bolt and have your kid cycle the action at least 500 times. Once you have done these 2 things you really got something. i have a SBL and absolutley love it.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by denied access

Now you just need a metal shell follower and a safety delete from beartooth mercantile to make it into a really good bush gun. Also put a bit of metal polish on the bolt and have your kid cycle the action at least 500 times. Once you have done these 2 things you really got something. i have a SBL and absolutley love it.

From what I see a safety delete is for a cosmetic appearance but what about the metal she'll follower, just more robust than the factory follower?

[YYC338]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

From what I see a safety delete is for a cosmetic appearance but what about the metal she'll follower, just more robust than the factory follower?

Some feel that the cross bolt safety is redundant as the original safety is the half cock position of the hammer. Marlin's didn't get the cross bolt safety until the 1980's after the lawyer's got involved.

If you've become accustomed to using the half cocked hammer, some claim the cross bolt can inadvertently be shifted to the on position resulting in only a loud click when you pull the trigger on the animal of a lifetime.

I've got rifles with both set ups. My suggestion for rifles that have both is for the owner to get into the habit of using one or the other as their safety.

A safety delete does also make for a cleaner looking rifle though.

[Mr.Crumbz]

Originally Posted by YYC338

Some feel that the cross bolt safety is redundant as the original safety is the half cock position of the hammer. Marlin's didn't get the cross bolt safety until the 1980's after the lawyer's got involved.

If you've become accustomed to using the half cocked hammer, some claim the cross bolt can inadvertently be shifted to the on position resulting in only a loud click when you pull the trigger on the animal of a lifetime.

I've got rifles with both set ups. My suggestion for rifles that have both is for the owner to get into the habit of using one or the other as their safety.

A safety delete does also make for a cleaner looking rifle though.

Newer Marlin owner myself. I got the safety delete; I plan on hunting with my SBL. What made me decide to get the delete was at my first range trip not once but twice; the safety shifter over and click no bang!