my woodsloafing gun thoughts.

Put a nice set of peep sights on it and call it good. Peep sights don't fog up, don't lose zero as easily, and don't get contaminated or scratched. I don't know how far you plan on shooting, but peep sights are IDEAL for under 25 yards, and work out to 150-200 yards with practice. I'd say go with something durable and practice, practice, practice.
 
Nice post man...

I would think the best way to go is put an Ashley Outdoors Peeper on it, leave it in 45-70 as Garrett makes bullets big enough to hunt whales with for that particular chambering and then get the trigger done. After all that you'll have the gun that is top of the pops.

I have a Win in 44 mag and would not trade it or alter for any gun out there.
 
+1 on the peeps, I would not rechamber, as someone said if you need more power than hammerheads I would move. Chris
 
As far as power the 45-70 seems to cover it..the one advantage You mentioned as a result of the conversion (I'm notsure if the .45-70 is capable of this already) would be the ability to chamber .410 shells this would turn your bigame piece into a decent small game getter at close range (.410/no choke) this would greatly increase tht versatility of the firearm and make it in to more of a survival gun IMO one that can bag a ptarmigan without leaving you with just "guts and feathers and one that could be used to save your bacon shoud a a big bear drop in to say hi. My concern would be the longterm ware on the rifling, after putting a couple hundred shotshells through it.
 
I've always wondered if the standard 45-70 is enough for the big bears, sounds like Garrett is. How confident are you of that, or would this conversion make you rest easier?
 
Have you considered a scout style setup, with an LER scope forward of the chamber? I've been wanting to set my Marlin up this way after using this kind of system on my Saiga, but haven't gotten around to finding a mount. Right now my Marlin is using blade sights with a fiber-optic front, and a red-dot on a see through mount. It doesn't exactly look traditional, but it's quick to the target.
 
I would go with peep sights & hornady Leverevolution ammo(awesome loads) for big game. also my experience with shot loads out of rifled barrells other than pistols is that the rifling tends to corkscrew the load into the ground not very far from the muzzle! you have a great gun! enjoy!
 
My favorite is my Win.94 trappers carbine with a 16 " barrel and a large loop
lever in 30-30. I have a BLR in .450 marlin but it's to heavy for wandering.
 
Rhesus Feces said:
I doubt .410 from a rifled barrel would pattern very well.
Click to expand...

That being said and I agree, I met a Guy at the range who shot 45/70 shot loads out of his Marlin but he had counter bored and threaded the muzzle to take a screw in choke from a Thompson Contender pistol. Don't know how well it worked but he had it. Seems to me the shot is still going to come out spinning but it might work at close range. Also I was told by someone who supposedly knew what he was talking about, that the U.S. Army used to issue 410 shotgun shells to cooks to be shot out of the old 45/70 trapdoor rifles and carbines for camp meat???
 
I was about to pick up a 45/70 when I realized I can hit about the same thing with a 12 gauge slug. Along with the ability to use birdshot or buckshot, it seems to me modern slugs almost perform to the level of 45/70's, or at least make up for it in additional weight with terminal performance.

Thoughts?
 
I am not in alaska, but to me the trapper style lever gun works great when I am out and about. Also bear in mind that with the right loads, that 45 colt can really be stepped on to bring it fairly near stock 45-70 loads out of a carbine.
 
The Wild West scout scoope mount is good but needs to be drilled and tapped so factory that into the cost if it matters. If you have it converted to a take down, that is the mount you'll need. XS makes a scout mount for the 1895 that you can install yourself and offers more options for scope mounting. Either will allow you to use aperture sights as well. Just get some good QD rings and a Leupold FXII scout scope and you'd be good to go for just about anything. That said I'm just using an Ashley (XS) peep sight on my guide gun and am quite happy with the set up. I don't use it as an all around gun and didn't feel the need to keep the scope.
 
You'll never use .410 enough to justify the expense plus it's hit or miss if your pattern will look like a death donut or not.:rolleyes:
As for mods, a trigger job I can see as well as a large lever loop for gloves. If you can afford it, these are worth while. I'd probably skip the trigger job unless yours is horrible though. Scope...no, it's a rainbow gun. It will make it easier for hunting but for a bang around gun peeps are where it's at. I've been bouncing around between .45-70 and a .30-30 for awhile. I like everything about the .45-70 except recoil and cost of ammo. But I like the guide gun setup more. Can't decide.:o
 
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