My brother was lucky to win a raffle, not once, but two years in a row. Both times, the prize was a Marlin Guide Gun, the first year in .45/70 and the second in .450 Marlin.

Dadgum if he didn't give the latter (NIB, no less) to me for my birthday. I put a Pentax Whitetail Classic 1.5x5 with QD mounts on it, bought some LeveRevelolution ammo and went to a friend's house who has a 100 yard range.

I fired one round and found it to be an inch to the left and 7 inches low. I put cross-hairs back on the bull and twisted the elevation up until the cross-hairs were on the bullet hole and fired again. Below, in the picture, you'll see a shot about 1.5 inches to the left. I then hit the elevation a couple of clicks up and two to the right and fired 5 shots.

I think my brother gave me a winner!

My daughter and I will be bear hunting in Manitoba next May and I'm sure she'll have the rifle in the tree with her!

Ain't it nice to have a lucky brother who's too lazy to go to the store to buy me a present?



BTW, has anyone chrono'ed a .450 Marlin shooting the 325 grain LeveRevolution rounds from the short Guide Gun barrel? I'd think it would be around 2000 fps???

Congrats and happy birthday, looks like a keeper. I just bought a Marlin 1895GBL 45-70 on Gunbroker as a Christmas present to myself. I should get it next week.

Quite a nice gift Judge, and a definite shooter. I have a guide gun in 45-70 scoped with a leupold 4 power fixed scope. I love it, but the damn gun is unlucky, I take it deer hunting and don't see a deer. I have been tempted to take it to Africa for plainsgame and maybe I will do it one year. Unlike others I wouldn't dream of using it on buffalo but I have wondered how it might do on leopard. Enjoy yours judge.

Terry,
It will do fine on leopard using an expanding bullet. My .45-90 took a big one loaded with 300 grain Nosler Protected Points; this bullet came in .45-70 Winchester Supreme ammo a few years back.
A friend of mine has taken more than a dozen leopards using a variety of weapons and a few years back, he switched to a lever action .45-70 for leopard and still uses it.

Birthday, Ernest? Was that the big six-o ???

Ernest, well done.

I am constantly amazed at how well the Marlin Guide Guns shoot.

I have personally shot two 45/70's and a 450 Marlin at 100 yards they all three were near one holers. They shot like a Match Grade 308 Sniper Rifle.

Biebs:

Add a handful of wear and tear years (and double-ended candle burning) on you guess!

I shot a doe with the rifle yesterday. It was a broadside shot at 40 yards and I successfully aimed to miss the shoulders, but get the lungs. The little Southeast Georgia lady bounded tail up twice like nothing had happened and died in mid-flight of the third bounce. Exit by the Hornady LeveRevolution 325 grain bullet was a huge hole (about .75") and the lungs were jelly.

I like the rifle!

Judge,
My son has the .45-70 version of your rifle and I have a Browning BLR in .450 Marlin. Both guns love the LeveRevolution ammo. I'm working on handloads for the BLR using that particular 325gr bullet.
Max

If you're going to be at DSC, I'd love to talk to you about your results.

Good Shooting! I am contemplating getting another (or my old) .450 Marlin back...or .444...or .35 Rem...or all three