Bought a new rifle, the 'last one.'

The Tourist

The Tourist

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After researching new toys, my skills and projecting my needs for the next five years, I decided to buy a new rifle. A Marlin 1985GS Guide Gun, stainless, in 45-70, not the 450 Marlin.

First, I was surprised that I had so much trouble finding one. Several Gander Mountain clerks thought that this rifle was on it's way out despite the fact that it's relatively new. They thought it was too shiny, too high-tech for a lever action, and the blue one was out selling it by a long shot, no pun intended. With this in mind, I passed on the 450 Marlin version. (Marlin will use proprietary cartridges, like the 444 Marlin. If the 450 is phased out, brass might be hard to find. I handload, (I will cast all of the bullets from linotype, probably 405 grains) and modern loads for the 45-70 make it the equal of the 450.) They found a GS in another state and they will ship it in.

I have (or have had) all of the common stuff. I have a flat top AR. I sold my HBar, I don't foresee Al Quaida invading my surburban neighbor hood. I liked the AK; had one in .223, but I also had the HBar. Had three 7.62 x 39mm, but I never handloaded that cartridge, and even the non-corrosive stuff bothered me. When steel case dried up, the stuff went up in price.

Liked my 22-250's but just didn't get out much.

I've had just about had every handgun I've wanted in 25 years except Colt single-actions and Lugers. I don't like black powder and Lugers are finicky. That, and I'm not a big fan of the 9 x 19mm.

I just wanted a rifle that did it all--one rifle. I'm simplifying my life. With varying loads, I can go from mice to moose. I can drop the stainless version in the snow. It doesn't have to be immediately cleaned. I can go at a moment's notice with friends on any hunting trip. The stout rifle will outlast me.

Sure, it's low-tech. But for some reason I'm looking forward to this rifle more than a tricked out, Leopold wearing tack driver. You guys ever take a step back in time because you've had enough?
 
I know what you mean. I'm kicking around going to a single shot myself.

Paul
 
Ichabod, I don't know you well, but I say this with all due respect. You, sir, are delusional. There's no such thing as a "last one". ;) :D
 
DonL, why didn't I meet you a eighteen months ago, I could have saved thousands on shrinks! I keep telling you guys, 'delusional' is not politically correct. We are synaptically challenged.

DonL, most times I would agree with you if the subject was automatic pistols or high-end knives. I'm not really a revolver guy, but when the quality at SW went up after the Bangor Punta era, I bought a Magna Classic 629. I have not bought a revolver since.

I kept the Ruger Ultra-Light .243 because it's cute. I cannot remember the last time I shot it. I like to plink with it like a little .22 LR.

For me, hunting is time well spent in the woods with the rest of my derelict posse' having more fun than stalking for game. You cannot break a Marlin, it's not a plinker, and if I buy a new bag of 50 brass cases, I have components for life.
 
Bought a new rifle, the 'last one.'
Click to expand...

Wanna bet? :D

I just bought my last rifle too. Bolt action .308 It's probably my last rifle...for the next year or so. Still have a few more on the list!

Sounds like a nice one you picked out though, but don't you need a shotgun too? :D ;) :D
 
Actually, Ichabod, you're too :cool: Actually, I do know what you mean in some respects.

I bought a couple of Busses to cover the gamut of fixed blade chores I might encounter, and I haven't felt as though I need another.

Once I bought my Sebenza, I kept a couple of my old favorite sentimental folders, and sold the other 6 or 8.

I bought my stainless Gov't Model nearly 15 years ago (Geez, was it really that long?), and while I've wanted a couple of other centerfire autopistols, I haven't felt as though I need one. The same with my Ruger MkII.

I'm still thinking about revolvers, though, as I don't have one at all.

I have several Surefire flashlights, and gave away a number of my regular standby flashlights, keeping only a couple for toolboxes or glove compartments.

I'm looking at rounding out my "battery" with a shotgun, and with the .22 rifle, the 30-30, and the .308 I already have, I don't know if I can justify needing anything else given my uses.

So, yes, I can undertand following Thoreau's direction of "simplify, simplify".

Unfortunately, I took me twice as long in therapy to figure it out. With only 18 months, consider yourself a quick study. Whoops, time for my meds, gotta go. ;) :D
 
Great choice! I love the lever actions, especially Marlins. Very stout and accurate. I think that your choice of cartidge is right on also. For me, the guide model was a little light, so I went with the "regular", and really enjoy it. Have fun!
 
swede79, yes, I considered the weight of the Guide series to be a factor, as well. I hefted a blue one and it is pretty beefy even in the shorter length.

My defining reason is that, like a mountain rifle, you're not going to sit at a bench with this rifle and shoot box after box. I will probably take some ibuprofin and fire several heavier loads to adjust the sights. If I can hit a softball or a beer can at 50 to 75 yards, that's plenty accurate for my needs.

Remember, this is the 'do anything' gun. It's the rifle you just toss into a gun rug when your buddy wants to leave in five minutes. We might be hiking on some steep kettle morraine terrain or doing a deer drive. (Or carrying something else, like beer, poker chips, salsa or whatever ;) )

For varmints, I have the flat top AR. While not the spitting image of my 22-250's for shots over 400 yards, it's respectible to 200. Who knows, they always say "beware the man with one gun."
 
Good points, Ichabod. It sounds like you've thought this through well, and I hope that you enjoy your Marlin as much as I enjoy mine! That sure is a sweet round that can do just about everything, especially if you hand load.

What brand of dies do you recommend?
 
swede79, I've been going with RCBS dies for the past few years. Early on I used Lyman tungsten carbide dies for my straight wall pistol cases. A friend of mine is a veteran 45-70 shooter in black powder, or black powder equivalents; something safe for a trap door Springfield. He says the dies have a slight taper. No prob, I use Dillon spray on for all bottle-necks, anyway.

I figure I'll go factory ammo for jacketed soft point where slower speed or less recoil is needed. I'll cast Lee 405's for mid-range and hot.

I'll tin the pot for mid-range, cast a bunch by dropping them from the casting blocks into ice water and then cull. When I have enough, I'll sweeten the pot with tin or chunks of a pig of linotype I've been hording. Those I'll dump into a bucket of ice or ice water as well.

Ross Siegfeid (sp?) casts for his Linebaugh pistol experiments and has downed a cape buffalo. He casts and stores the bullets. Before loading he reheats the slug to the point of melting, backs the heat down a bit and quenches. These bullets he consumes within 9 months. He claims the Brinell hardness starts to drop after that. I'm not as picky, nor will I cast that many. Maybe three boxes of each, and a half of a coffee can for spares.

Most importantly, I'm going to add rigorous dumb-bell flyes to my work-out. I need to thicken that right pec where it joins my underarm!
 
a bud had a 1895 in .45/70 untill a month or so ago, swapped for a pistol, a cool rifle, will bruise your shoulder though w/heavy loads, his wasnt comp'd

we used to take it out and shoot at an 18" gong at 300 yards, ya could hit it pretty regular w/practice, even w/the .45/70 and its rainbow trajectory - honestly, ya didnt have to aim that much above the gong w/the rifle sighted in at 100 yds, this is w/a iron sighted rifle - it did have a reciever mounted peep sight on it though, check them out if ya dont get a scope, they work great- to me this rifle screams for a peep site, not a scope, but thats just me, watched the movie 'tom horn' too many times i guess

a fun rifle to shoot, there is something very satisfying hearing that big bullet womping that gong at 300 yds, hard to describe ya just gotta do it - BBOOOOMM(1000 and 1, 1000 and 2,) BBBOOOONNNGG

good luck w/it, its a good one

greg
 
My 3 rifles will cover just about anything I need:

Ruger .22LR, model 10-22.
Ruger 30-06, model 77 R HB.
Winchester .458 magnum, model '70.
 
Yes, Glockman99, that's what I'm looking to do, albeit, with different rifles.

I also have a stainless Ruger 10/22 with a peep sight. I augment that with a Ruger 22/45. I use copper-splash hollow-points, 550 for about nine bucks packed bulk at Wal-Mart.

All of the varmint rifles were sold. I have a flat top AR if the mood hits me.

For deer, I use a .243 because in Wisconsin most shots are 50 to 100 yards. I handload a 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip.

Now the 45-70. Glockman99, I think you could walk around in my gun room and feel quite at home. That's the beauty of handloading. If you couldn't find the bullet weight or the velocity that you'd feel confidence in, we could change the components.

I admit one 'whole' in the arsenal. In my latest five year plan I see no vacations out west for long range hunting. I sold my 7mm BAR, one of the most handsome rifles I've ever seen. I have the dies, over 900 bullets and a tupper-ware of brass, so the problem could be easily fixed with one more purchase.
 
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