Guys, any of you have a marlin Cowboy in 45-70 or 44mag?  

1. What kind of accuracy do you get?

2. What kind of loads do you use?

3.  What kind of durablity do you see?  I would use this gun mainly for 'bear spray ' or for ranch work/extended backwoods trips.  

4. What is the goin' price for these things?

I used to have 2 1895SS with the Microgroove bbls.

I ordered one, and they were back ordered at the time. Meanwhile I found one Like New in box - had only  12rnds put thru it. Got a good deal on it.

Never got around to shooting either before someone nagged me to death to sell him one... ( I was using what few range days I could get to warm up my subguns. )

Also I intended to load my own cast bullets - and from what I hear the micro groove bbls don't work to hot with cast bullets.

Then came the Guide gun! Didn't get one cause I was not after a shorty with a ported bbl - BUT these now had deep ballard rifling, not the micro groove.

Finally the prize: The Cowboy... Yes I want one someday...

I am looking at the 1894StainlessSteel pretty seriously.  It seems to be a pretty nice gun, 44mag hits hard, and stainless weathers good.

1894SS 44Mag

I have both 45-70 and .44 Cowboy also a 1895 guide gun  they all are accurate, the cowboys are light weight with no recoil pad so the kick is stout in 45-70  they are also more expensive than the standard marlin around $600. I've shot factory and hot reloads through both

If you plan on buying a marlin with the ballard rifleing do yourself a favor and inspect the bore with a light. Alot of their ballard barrels are horrible, rough as a cobb. Mine was so rough that if you pushed a dry tight fitting patch thru it it would leave little fuss balls all down the bore. You could feel the patch snagging .
I've looked at probably a dozen since then and I say 7 or 8 of them had the same problem.
The outside finish of the rifle was perfect though.
If you plan to reload for it the only 400 gr. bullet that I found to work is the Speer but expect to pay about $32.00 for a hundred heads. All 300gr. bullets will work but whats the point? The Marlin has a short receiver area so your O.A.L. of the round is critical.
I've been loading the 45-70 for almost 30 years so I've got alot of time invested in finding out all it's do's and dont's. HTH, Nick

I have the 1895SS and am totally happy with it.  Steel ram targets at 250M are an easy target to hit everytime.

Thanks for the info.  

anybody play with hardcast lead in these guns?

One thing I've noticed, if you want a particular Marlin variant, get it  when you can because they switch models around and introduce new stuff and discontinue others pretty often.  I had been wanting an 1894PG since they came out in , I think '03 or so. Got one this time last year, and just noticed the other day it's not on their website any longer.  Same with most of their other lever actions, they seem to crank out a version for a little while then it's gone.

I have the 1895 LTD II & an 1894 in 44 mag. I have only shot the 1894 at 25 yds. & taken a bear w/ it just a few weeks ago, w/ Federal 300gr. cast core's you can get 1 ragged hole at 25 yds ( I know it aint saying much).

The 1895 LTD II has the long barrel like the cowboy & shoots as well as I can w/ the crappy factory buckhorn sights. I put a set of Williams fire sights on my 1894 & will be putting a set on the 1895 shortly, for $34.00 to door you'll increase accuracy & your twilight hunting time.

I've loaded lead in a 20-1 mix works fine just stay at factory velocity so you won't lead up the barrel

.45 Colt here.  It has been in the safe about 4 years, but it shot really well when I had it out.
Considering selling it.  I bought this piece and a Bisley Vaquero but the cowboy bug never bit me.  

Have had marlin 444 for about 3 years with ballard rifling, as acurate as any bolt action I've ever shot. Great quality. All U.S.  steel and walnut, all receiver and parts heat treated.