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