Marlin 1895 recoil

Tater · #1 09-19-2006, 09:50 AM

I'm looking at getting a Marlin 1895 one of these days and I am curious as to the felt recoil. They offer the 1895 in 444, 450 and 45/70: what does the recoil compare to in each of these calibers (30.06, 7mm, 300wm, 338, etc)? I'm not a wimp when it comes to recoil in a rifle and I've shot a few larger caliber rifles. Just curious what to expect. I don't know anyone around here who owns one, otherwise I'd just shoot theirs and see for myself. Thanks for the input.

Gil Martin · #2 09-19-2006, 06:32 PM

I have a Marlin 444 and an 1895 in .45/70. Both are fun to shoot and quite accurate. The .444 handles lighter bullets and generates a bit less recoil with jacketed bullets or cast bullets. The .45/70 with heavy bullets in moderate reloads is much like shooting a high brass 12 gauge. That's why I use lighter loads or cast bullets. All the best...
Gil

skeet · #3 09-19-2006, 06:43 PM

Tater... Don't listen to anything Gil says. You just go ahead and get a 1895 in any caliber you want and send it to me. I'll get the ol recoil tamed down for ya. May take a while. You know how wild things are. They take a while to get tamed

Tater · #4 09-19-2006, 10:07 PM

WOW, thanks skeet!!! I would really appreciate that.

What a pal

skeet · #5 09-20-2006, 01:37 AM

Actually Tater.. I have a 45-70 and what Gil said is right. The 450 has a sharper recoil to it than the 45-70 and the 444 is a bit lighter. Had a 444 and didn't have much use for it. The 45-70 stands head and shoulders above it. Shot the 450 and I'd just as soon have the 45-70. Easy to load for too...up or down. And I really will try to tame her down for ya. A friend has a 45-70 and had it proported. It actually tamed it down somewhat..but it is a bit louder. He weighs about 140 lbs right out of the shower and he has no problem with the 45-70

Edited to add...Not that I've ever seen him right out of the shower! I don't even look that way...much less go that way!

Gil Martin · #6 09-20-2006, 07:43 PM

The .45/70 is the way to go. It offers a vast array of loads and bullets. When I first got an 1895, I loaded up some jacketed bullets in loads that were a bit warm, but below max. My buddy and I shot 20 rounds and I can say we were glad when the shooting session ended. It shot like a dream. Hope this helps. All the best...
Gil

skeet · #7 09-20-2006, 07:50 PM

Hey Gil... Was that dream a nightmare? The ol girl cam thump ya when you load her hot can't it. I may be wrong..but I think you can attain factory numbers for the 450.. But then ya don't have a reason to get another gun!!

moneychanger · #8 09-21-2006, 06:01 PM

45/70 all the way. heck you can shoot those 300 grainers all day ,
you won't notice it till you get home . sorta like giving out taking some sharp hits in football, ro from the wife, you don't notice till
the next day.now the 400 grainers damn near blew me off the bench. oh yeah bye the way reloader 7 is a good powder as is imr 3031. if you reload they are alot of fun to load up.

Gil Martin · #9 09-21-2006, 07:01 PM

moneychanger,
Glad to see you here and hope you post often. All the best...
Gil

PJgunner · #10 09-21-2006, 07:22 PM

I have one of the first New Model 1895 marlins to come out. it was blessed (?)

with a curved plastic buttplated designed by the Marquis de Sade.

Factory 400 gr. bullet loads were tolerable, but when loading the round to it's full potential for that rifle, well the "OUCH! factor" went up exponentially.

My personal choice for a load for that rifle is 16.0 gr. of SR-4759, a one gr. tuft of dacron seated lightly against the powder and the Lyman #457122 hollow point bullet, nominal weight 330 gr., while my alloy casts a 345 gr. bullet. Accuracy from the Marlin is 1.5" on the average. FWIW, the same load in a Ruger #1S is 1.25" on the average.
A 500 gr. cast bullet loaded to 1550 FPS was nicely accurate, but the "OUCH!" factor was a bit too much.

let's just say that the 1895 in a 45-70 can be as light as you want in loads or can digest loads in the same class as one in .450 Marlin. If I had to do it over again, I'd still go with the 45-70.
Paul B.

Tater · #11 10-19-2006, 12:02 AM

Would you scope this rifle or keep the open sights? If you would scope it, what kind of scope would you go with?

skeet · #12 10-19-2006, 06:56 PM

After a while I took it off and put a nice receiver sight on it. The scope was a Leupold VX II in 1X4 power. Was all it ever needed. But I just like the peep. May have to put the scope back on unless i can find a large hole peep. Don't see too good out of my right eye since the accident(auto not gun).