But which one?  Of course I'll be looking for an all black rifle ...

Although I suppose I could go with a blue barrel and wood furniture... if I had to.

I'm thinking a good ol fashioned 45-70, or maybe a 450.  Or maybe a ... ?  Something fun.  Maybe I'll take it bear hunting this year.

I'd definately like a big bore lever though.  Any thoughts?  What do you guys have?

I have a Marlin 1895SS .45-70, Winchester 94 .30-30, and Winchester 1892 .38-40.


I got rid of my Winchester 92 .357Mag "trapper"


Big 5 Sporting goods regularly has Marlin .44 Mag and Winchester .45 Colt leverguns on sale for $299.00

The Marlin 44 Mag really is a very versatile gun.

I love my 444 Marlin {444P} to be exact.  18.5" barrel with a port job from Marlin.  Handy, classy, and will thump damn near most game to 200yds.....

If you want a rifle that you can shoot and afford there is none other than the 45-70.  if you reload then the 45-70 in also the right choose.  Other have come and will go but the 45-70 has been  here for a 100 plus hears and will be here long after the others are gone.  I trust my life on the Marline 45-70  guied gun.  In Alaska it is the king of rifles.

To trust your life to 4 rounds of 45/70, it has to be a good rifle!



I've got the fever for a guide gun myself!

If it has to be a lever than I would vote for the Marlin Guide gun in 45-70. If you are open to other idea's look at the Remington 673 "Guide Rifle" in 350 Remington Mag. MIKE.

I once had a Browning 1886 Saddle Ring Carbine in .45-70 in my hands.  If I had been smart I would have never put it down.  Beautiful gun.  A real beast .  Pricey these days.

I've got a Marlin Guide gun in 45-70 (stainless) and love it.  You should see what a 350 grain bullet traveling at 2150 fps. (Buffalo Bore Ammunition) will do to a coyote or skunk.

The Marlin 1895CB is a great 45/70 that has 28" barrel, and will hold 9 rounds in the magazine. I use one for the long range targets (200yds) in Cowboy action matches.  The 405 grain bullets will drop just about any game in North America.

Guide Gun all the way.  The .45-70 is a ball to shoot.  My "range" uses pallets for target stands.  You should see the chunks of wood a 405 gr soft point blows out of them

My pal Lumpy196's previous comment on the subject:

Quoted: .45 mo-funkin-70. 2 leggers, 4 leggers, and guaranteed on zombies and space aliens.

Can't get much better than that...

Puma in .454.

I have a Winchester 92 44 Mag "trapper".

Short, 9 round capasity, 44 magnum, Fun as heck to shoot.

Probably not as "Big bore" as you would like, but its still a 44.

Quoted: Guide Gun all the way.  The .45-70 is a ball to shoot.  My "range" uses pallets for target stands.  You should see the chunks of wood a 405 gr soft point blows out of them My pal Lumpy196's previous comment on the subject: Quoted: .45 mo-funkin-70. 2 leggers, 4 leggers, and guaranteed on zombies and space aliens. Can't get much better than that...

Lumps is wise in the ways of zombie-droppin.  Truth be told, I believe '.45 mo-funkin-70' is actually a technical phrase used to explain the unorthodox reaction of said zombie when introduced to a 350 grain round at close range.

I ain't mo-funkin kidding niether.  Everyone needs an elephant gun.  Ya never know when you'll need to blow something into the next grid.

If I could only get black furniture...

1. Marlin 1895G in .45-70
Stoked with 350 gr. handloads

2. Marlin 444S in .444
Stoked with 270gr. Gold Dots

I have both, either one is a good choice if you handload. If used properly, you would have to strain the remains for the fingerprints.

Quoted: If I could only get black furniture...

Brockman's can set you up:

okay that's it, I'm getting a Marlin 1895 guide gun.

BOOM!!!

Sorry I put you over the edge - NOT

Here's a couple more links:

www.wildwestguns.com/

www.marlinfirearms.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=3

I put the Wild West ghost ring on mine, now just trying to get the right height front...

A Galyan's just opened near me and I stopped by today. Not lots of guns on the rack yet but.. they did have a Marlin 1895GS for $499.99. After checking out the store a bit, I went back to the gun counter and told them I'd take it.. :) Well, as the place just opened on Friday most of the help didn't have a clue how to cash out a gun. They wanted to do nics on me and I tell them having a NY State pistol permit exempts me from nics, bah.. didn't matter to them they still wanted to run it, so they do. I wait and wait and wait about 30 mins goes by and the guy comes and tells me they are having problems speaking to the  nics unit something about they don't know their password. So, I wait some more. After about 80 mins they get it squared away, during this time I was still looking around the store but, I did complain a bit that what they were doing wasn't necessary as I had a exemption to the nics check. Half the morons say it's the law and they have to do it, yadda, yadda, yadda. So, it's time to pay for it and of course they have to get a floor manager to look it over. I complain to him about being held there for nearly 90 mins for a nics check that didn't have to be run in the first place. He apologizes and I then ask for 10% off for my wasted time.. :) He says, 'well, we only make like 2% on rifles and that if I wanted something else he would take 20% off'. I tell him no thanks I wasn't looking for more stuff. So, on the way to a working cash register he tells the kid that was helping me to take $50 off, I get the gun for $449.99. I was quite happy with that. The local shops that I usually buy from sells the 1895GS for $565, at $449.99 I got a bargain and only had to wait a little.. :) Now I just have to wait for the wife to go to sleep so I can sneak it in and play with it. All I have to do is get it into the safe and tell her it's been there for years..

Quoted: 2. Marlin 444S in .444 Stoked with 270gr. Gold Dots

How are those 270s holding up at 444 velocities?
Expansion or fragmentation in critters?

M1895 Winchester chambered in 405 Winchester.  Easily launches 300 gr pills at 2300 fps.  Can do more if you want.  Recoil isn't too bad, the trajectory is flatter than the other big bore lever guns, better section density than the other big bore lever guns (when comparable muzzle velocities are considered), and they appreciate in value very nicely.  Heck mine will shoot into 1.5" at 100 yards.  

i like the 45-70 or the 444 myself

I owned a .444 Marlin for a while and really enjoyed it. Got talked out of it, like a dumbass.

Danny

They expand well, I have shot two deer with it, the first one was a 125lb. spike, shot at 20 yards slight quartering toward me shot. The bullet entered  just behind the shoulder taking out both lungs and exited at the back of the rib cage. Deer travelled about 15 yards before going down. Last year shot a 4 pointer that was at 25 yards broadside, bullet took out top of the heart and bottom of lungs, deer ran about 50 yards before going down. excellent bloodtrail, with blood spraying out both holes in a heavy trail.

Marlin 1895 in .450

Very happy with it after two years!

I love the way these rifles handle!