A few months ago, I began emailing back and forth with Jason at Yost-Bonitz about doing their Guide Gun Conversion. It is similar in some ways to the Guide Guns of Wild West Guns fame. However, Yobo offers some really innovative twists on the Guide Gun. Also, a big reason for my choice was that Jason, and Yobo, genuinely wanted my business. Wild West Guns has a reputation of being a "deal with it" kind of business where you should consider yourself fortunate that you are even speaking to them. Well, in my dealings with them this reputation has held true. On the other hand, Jason at Yobo has been extremely friendly, with great communication. He really took care of me.

I have always loved teh .45-70 cartridge. It's old school but effective in the way that a Howitzer is. No replacement for displacement. I'm a big hog hunter and have been hunting them for years with a Winchester .45-70 that I had on permanent "loan" from my father. About a year ago I got my hands on a pristine Marling Guide Gun and quickly decided it just wasn't going to do. The buckhorn sights were lousy, the action was sluggish and I just plain wanted something a little "special".


I wanted the ultimate .45-70 for hunting of big dangerous game. I ended up with a Super "Big Lewie". The Big Lewie Package consists of:
* Shorten and recrown barrel at 16.5"
* Custom LPA ghostring sight installation with single blade or winged post front sight
* Barrel mounted Picatinny rail
* Enlarged lever loop
* Smooth all ports, inside and out
* Modify loading gate for easier loading/unloading/downloading
* Extensive action smoothing
* Wild West trigger & Bear Proof ejector
* Trigger job
* Bobbed hammer
* Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad
* Leather butt cuff ammunition carrier (Not Pictured)
* Complete action dehorning
* Satin matte metal prep and blueing

In addition to this, I had the custom front sight done with a fiber optic, Custom Side Sling mount, and I upgraded the picatinny rail to fit over the reciever and barrel.

So the pictures:



FULL SIZE








Unfortunately, I'm leaving for out of town on Saturday morning so I won't get to shoot it for a little over a month! [] However, my inital reaction is that I am blown away. The quality of the work is absolutely superb. The pictures don't do the satin blueing justice and its ABSOLUTELY amazing what the shortening of the barrel does for the handiness of this rifle.

I'm extremely impressed by Yobo and their service. You can bet that when I add a 1911 and a BHP to my collection they'll be meeting the guys at Yobo first. A big thanks go out to Jason, Lew and all the guys at Yobo for their work on my "bear gun".

uh oh!

you mentioned 45-70 and d.g. in the same sentance...

great looking rifle!!! welcome to the club!
i got a stainlass one. have you thought about the aimpoint 2moa red dot sight system for dark or timber surroundings?
you already got the rail for it.

you need to add "we band of 45-70ers" to your tagline now

keep us posted on field reports.

oops... just noticed your fiber optic front sight...still would be good to use the red dot though. cool as heck!

Agreed on the red dot. I like my Lever Guns with irons though and it shoulders like a shotgun for me. However, I do have an Aimpoint and an EOTech that I can mount should I so choose.

ETA: LOL I in no way meant Cape Buffalo and the like when I said "Dangerous game" I'm talking Bears, Mountain Lion, and big frickin pigs.

i bought mine for hiking and possibly hunting in alaska next year...

the pmc +p+ 350 gr jfp is the @##@! for reasonably priced ammo... highly reccomended if you dont want to pay double for randy garretts stuff or buffalo bore although tim sundles is the coolest guy and i like supporting his business. also try grizzly cartridge ammo especialy the belt mountain loads for shitts and giggles of shooting through trees, engine blocks, buildings ect

I heard the pmc ammo is not made any more.

I'm anxious to try the Lever Revolution stuff. NOt heavy enough for bear and stuff, but just the ticket for pigs.

My guide gun is one of my favorite rifles, and I have used it with great success. I can appreciate the fine work done on yours, but am curious as to why the barrel shortening? Due to my vision I have had to go to a scope and it works well. I had a Leupold 1.75 - 6 and use it. Had I bought a new scope for this rifle I would probably have gone with a fixed low power.

http://www.pmcammo.com/rifle_ballistics_main.php

pmc alive and well

Really nice lloking rifle. mine is the standard 22' length rifle, but has willoams peep/firesight sights, an action job, wild west scout scope setup and a 2 1/2 Leopold scout scope.

oh yes boom stick like I added my full title on this location and my home location is kward4570

quote:

curious as to why the barrel shortening?

I don't presume to speak for Marcus, but I've been thinking about bobbing the barrel on my Guide Gun to eliminate the ports. That and shorter is better when used as a canoe gun or when carried in the thick stuff.

Man, what a sweet lookin rig! I love that lever, its really different looking.

Nice!

quote:

Originally posted by nordrseta:

quote:

curious as to why the barrel shortening?

I don't presume to speak for Marcus, but I've been thinking about bobbing the barrel on my Guide Gun to eliminate the ports. That and shorter is better when used as a canoe gun or when carried in the thick stuff.

That is pretty much it. It doesn´t hurt the ballistics too much in the ranges I would be using it in.

That looks good!! Definitely want to hear how it does.