What kind of performance can I expect from this combo?

Daryl I have marlin 45/70 with the longer barrel and am getting between 180-1950 fps with the woodleigh 405 grain flat noses pushed along by 48 grains of AR 2207 (Aussie version of hodgens I think) The 300 grain sierra is doing around 2150 fps with 52 grains of Ar2207. The 300 sierras seem to open up fast and are dynamite on ferals. With your shorter barrel you might lose 50-100 fps (neither here nor there) The woodleighs are a tough bullet and would be well suited to some of the larger game encountered in your country.

The 45/70 does not look flash on paper but within it's range capabilities it is an awsome stopper and a joy to handload. It's one of the most fun rifles I own, and I wish to have one in a stainless guide gun as well which one day may turn into a .50 Alaskan. Congratulations on getting a 45/70 there great!!!!hp

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Originally posted by Daryl Elder:
What kind of performance can I expect from this combo?

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Alot of usefull energy in a handy little rifle sounds like a sells add but thats basicly what comes to mind. The 45-70 is a great caliber for short to medium range on large game and can be improved upon considerabely by handloading since there are so many different usefull bullet, powder combinations you can try for anything from plinking to bear.

Any cast bullet reduced loads to suggest for plinking? I've got some 255gr. that I use in my Casull. Would they work OK?

Daryl, I recently got a Guide Gun. Really didn't like the ports because I've already got tinitis, but couldn't resist it. The .45/70 has a very favorable expansion ratio for short barrel use, even in 14" barreled T/C Contenders, and doesn't lose as much velocity as one might think. Also, Marlin may be cutting the chambers and throats in a manner that helps, because my own GG gives higher velocity than my Ruger #3's longer barrel.

The GG has REALLY pleased me, and retaught me yet again that in most cases, it's the RIFLE that counts more than the chambering.

I'm loading mine fairly mildly to "middle of the road" because I simply don't NEED to run it at full potential for deer or hogs. As a buddy commented once, "You can load with jacket or cast, or even ashtrays and feather pillows and it'll kill!" ;^) What that statement lacks in technical truth, it more than makes up for in virtual Truth. Load it mild, load it hot, load it with jacketed or cast, and with any decent bullet appropriate to the task, it just "takes a lickin' an' keeps on tickin'."

I got the GG because I wanted a short, compact gun for specific purposes and situations. The longer Cowboy models, and the standard versions have their virtues, too, though, and all better field guns than many would give them credit for. Mine, and those I've seen and shot, also seem to be capable of excellent accuracy as well, and sometimes very surprisingly so. It is NOT uncommon for the Marlins to shoot MOA with good bullets. Quality cast bullets may be even more consistent in quality than the JHP's and JSP's purveyed for it, but all should provide far more than necessary accuracy when loaded well.

The little GG has won my heart with more vigor than most bolt guns I've had in a long, long time. I did a minimum of deburring and mild polishing on the inside of my GG and it really slicked it up. If my Ashley tritium front bead ever comes in off backorder, I'll take the 1.5-5x off and stick a steel Lyman 66 on it.

Everybody ought to have a short, light "hammer," and the GG really fits this bill, and will probably do a lot more than many would give it credit for. One tip: don't use the 300 gr. JHP bullets on anything but deer. They are NOT very strongly constructed. Also, they very well may be MORE effective when NOT driven to their maximum velocity potential because of their easy opening construction, but again, they sure beat loading with "feather pillows!" ;^)

FWIW, most people I know who've gotten the 1895's have been VERY pleased with them, unless they chose to shoot only the hottest loads. Those Marlin stocks do NOT have a lot of surface area on the butt, and if I ever decide to do much "hot load" shooting with the GG, I'll be ordering a new buttstock and specify maximum surface area on the butt and a good recoil pad, plus just a bit higher comb. I like good cheek contact. My 2 cents' worth of opinion and experience.

I haven't put a round through it yet, but I've already put a Pachmayr Decelerator on. I put them on everything, but I figured this little beast would NEED it. Deburring is coming; some fairly rough spots, but it is SS. I went to Ashley's site but did not see the Tritium front sight. Is there a model/part # ?