Hand Loading for the Big Bore Guide Gun

Owning your rifle is a lot of fun but if you hand load (re-load) your own cartridges it brings a whole new level to your satisfaction. Beyond pure enjoyment, hand loading makes for much cheaper shooting. For example, in mid-2012 you can buy a box of twenty factory rounds of 45/70 for approximately $42.00. I can hand load twenty rounds for around $9.00. There are a lot of variables such as what type of bullet you chose to load but regardless of your choices it WILL be cheaper. 

Getting started

There are some basics that you need to have to start so I'll list them below and their approximate price. As with any process related hobby there are recurring and non-recurring costs. Non-recurring means you pay once for it and unless it needs repairing or replacement you never buy that item again. The recurring costs typically relate to consumable items that go into making your ammunition.

Non-recurring

The press can come in many makes, shapes, complexity & price ranges. I started with and am still using my $27.00 Lee press.

This is a single stage press and can only perform one function at a time which is a great way to learn hand loading. The press typically mounts to a workbench however you can see in this picture I have mine mounted to a wood board and then it is C-clamped to the table. That allows me to mount my press almost anywhere I go quickly (camping, shooting range, hunting, etc.).

There are also hand presses that you literally hold them in your hands (no need to mount them) however they can be cumbersome and it will take a bit longer to load your ammo with. The upside again is price (around $28.00) and portability.

Hand Loading Dies

This is the next non-recurring item that you must have. One set for each caliber you intend to hand load for. These can run  $20.00 and upward of a $100 for a nice set of "competition" dies for the serious hand loader.

This set is for my 45/70 Guide Guns. the 45/70 is a straight walled casing which uses a three die set. The first one sizes the case back to factory specs after firing and removes the spent primer. The second (middle in this picture) flares the mouth of the case to allow you to start the new bullet just before you press it into place. The third and final die then seats the bullet to the proper depth in the case and then crimps the case tightly around the new bullet. You also need a shell holder which can be seen in the top, center of the plastic case that holds this specific caliber case in the press.

I use Hornady brand die sets but all available manufacturers are good - and they all fit the different press manufacturers presses. Rifle die sets require you to lube the case before resizing with the first die whereas pistol caliber die sets are often manufactured out of carbide materials which do not require this first step.

Recurring expenses

These items include but are not limited to the
following:

- brass cartridge (can typically reuse 15-20 times)
- powder (amount used varies on cartridge & load)
- primers
- bullets (lead or copper jacketed)
- case lube (liquid or spray)


This listing of non-recurring & recurring items is to give you a basic idea of what you will need. The most important item that hasn't been listed yet is the reloading manual. There are so many to choose from and everyone has their favorite. That being said I rely heavily on my Lee and Lyman 49th edition. You cannot have too many reloading manuals. A beginner should pick up a couple of these and read from the front cover to the back.

There is also a ton of reloading advise on the internet (including this blog) but you should always compare what you read online with what your books and common sense tell you. This is a very fun hobby however you must take precautions along the way to stay safe. I would say the best way to get started is to have a mentor that you can work with to show you the ropes. That being said I started years ago before the internet and just read everything I could get my hands on.

Powder in bottles on left, primers in blue Winchester boxes, Spray lube in cans and jacketed bullets in boxes on right.



A Guide Gun family history

A Guide Gun family history

1998 was a great year for the 45-70, this was when Marlin brought out their first Guide Gun that became so popular it is still being manufactured as I type this in 2012, the model 1895G. Based on its early success it was quickly followed by additional models/calibers in years to come. In 1999 the venerable Marlin 444 cartridge was offered in an "Outfitter" (Guide Gun configuration) known as the 444P. In 2000 the Marlin 450 Guide Gun configuration (1895M) was introduced and continued in production until just before Marlin closed their factory doors in North Haven, CT and moving into the Remington NY factory. The final factory available cataloged Guide Gun was the 1895GS that also premiered in 2000. This was Marlin's second stainless steel rifle made available and the first and only factory offered Guide Gun offered in such. This rifle was only made available in 45-70 and just as the 1895G it is still available from the factory.

Factory porting was made available in each of the previously mentioned Guide Guns as standard in the 444P and optional in the others from inception of each model through 2002. After that Marlin removed the option for porting.

Technical Specifications of Guide Gun / Outfitter

• Caliber: 45-70, 444, 450
• Capacity 4 + 1
• Action: Lever Action with hammer block safety
• Barrel: 18.5" with 6 groove Ballard-type rifling
• Sights: Adjustable semi buckhorn folding rear with bead front sight that is hooded
• Overall Length: 37"
• Weight: 7 lbs
• Stock: American black walnut with straight grip and recoil pad 

Additional Guide Gun Offerings

A couple of specialty houses worked with Marlin to offer select/limited Guide Guns that added even more choices. Davidsons and Talo were two of them. Each offered a limited run which has made these very collectable.

Davidsons:

1895SDG LTD .45-70, "Guide model" Stainless steel, 18.5" barrel. Grey laminate pistol grip stocks. 4+1 round cartridge capacity. Serial #'s read 95SDG000-95SDG500. 501 produced. Special run by Marlin for Davidsons.

1895STP LTD .45-70 "Guide model" Stainless steel 16.25" Ballard rifled barrel. Grey laminate pistol grip stocks. 5+1 cartridge capacity. Special run by Marlin for Davidsons.

1895GS LTD .45-70 "Guide model" Stainless steel 18.5" ballard rifled barrel. Grey laminate Straight grip stocks. 5+1 cartridge capacity. Hi-Viz sights. Special run by Marlin for Davidsons.

336D LTD .35 Rem "Guide Gun" Blued 18.5" ported barrel. Straight grip checkered walnut stocks. Made in 2000. 1001 produced. Serial # reads 336D0000-336D1000. Special run by Marlin for Davidsons.

1895LTD III .45-70 Blued, ballard rifling 18.5" Full octagon barrel. Straight grip walnut stocks. Special run by Marlin for Davidsons.

Talo:

1895GST .45-70 "Guide model" Stainless steel 18.5" ballard rifled barrel. Straight grip checkered walnut stocks. Made in 2007. 500 produced. It featured majestic and highly ornamental whitetails on one side of the receiver and the Marlin mounted cowboy logo on the other. Special run by Marlin for Talo.

Over the last several years Marlin has expanded on the "typical" Guide Gun with some variations. These include the GBL and SBL.

1895SBL - 2009: 45-70 stainless 18.5" barreled  Guide Gun configuration with 6 shot tubular, full length magazine, medium sized loop lever, grey laminate stock and lever rail for scout type scope mounting, XS Ghost  Ring sights with a Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad.

1895GBL - 2010: 45-70 pistol gripped, brown laminate, blued 18.5" barreled Guide Gun configuration with 5 shot tubular magazine.

The Guide Gun is very popular in heavily wooded areas, especially where large game can bite & claw you! That being said, even though I live and hunt in Florida far from a grizzly - I use many of these configurations with great pride.

1895gunner

Range Day Reflections

When I got back into shooting & hunting this time around our kids were already grown, one had spent time in Iraq and the other was back in school. I figured this would be a lone sport since they wouldn't be around to hang out with me. It might have started that way but it wasn't long before I started getting guilt trips from both kids when they heard I went shooting without them.

Our son is a Marine so he certainly had been around weapons of all types however our daughter had never been involved in hunting or shooting other than helping to eat the rewards. She loves pheasant and frog legs.......         Back to the subject. Neither had spent anytime shooting my Marlins so they would be in for a treat. I had joined a local shooting range back in late 2009 and had spent many a weekend shooting my Marlins by myself. One thing I learned quickly was that the other members of the club loved to see what I was shooting and tell me stories about folk they use to know that had

shot lever actions. Many of these discussions made me feel like I was living in my own world. Most folks now a days are shooting the AR's which I don't have anything against, just not my cup of tea!

I started taking each of my lever actions every weekend (except during hunting season) and members would notice a new one and come over to discuss it with me. Seems many of them were more interested in them than they cared to admit openly. Eventually I was carrying five levers each weekend. I scoped them all the same so I would always be familiar with the settings. Bushnell 1.5 X 4.5 variable power..

I enjoy shooting each until the barrel heats up then I'm off to the next one. By the time I get through them they are cooled off, as much as possible in Florida heat!

Back to the story........ Our son is married so he doesn't get back home that often but he sure liked shooting the 444P Outfitter and the 1895G 45/70 Guide Gun...















Our daughter started out on my Marlin 783 Bolt action 22 mag and soon graduated to the 1894P 44 mag. She enjoyed both but felt the 444P was more than she wanted to handle. In no time she was shooting very tight groups at 50 yards with the 783 and when we moved to 100 yards she just flat had fun and kept getting better. Some of my best days at the range!

 

Unfortunately the daughter has moved to another state starting her life and our son is so busy working, going to school full time and coaching that it's just me back at the range. Don't feel sad for me though, I have great memories and I still get to shoot......

Welcome to 1895Gunner's Zone - Opening blog

On this day of remembrance (9/11/2011), I open my blog. My blog isn't about gun control or gun rights however I'm sure those subjects will come up over time. This site is about fun with Marlins and especially with Guide Guns, Outfitters & other Marlin lever actions. My handle is 1895Gunner hence the blogs title. Here is a picture of my first Marlin [this time around] which is a model 1895G 45-70 Guide Gun.

This rifle started something that I'm still dealing with which is often referred to as Marlinitis. A disease that will influence your pocket book/bank account reducing it in size because you can't get enough of them. There are many website forums that cover Marlin firearms however only one is the authority on the subject with over 66,000 members strong. The site is called MarlinOwners.com . I am a member on that forum and my user name is 1895Gunner. I am a co-captain of two teams on the site [Team 1894 & Team 450]. I'm a member of the NRA, an active sportsman and I also belong to the Central Florida Rifle and Pistol Club.

My background is made up of about thirty years of manufacturing in heavy equipment, commercial, medical and aerospace. About half of those years I was in quality assurance and the other half split between machinist, sheet metal mechanic, certified welder, supervisor, manager, senior program manager and now retired!

I have lived in California, Illinois, New Mexico, Minnesota, Florida and now Georgia where I currently reside with my lovely wife.

That's about enough about me for the time being, now onto more info about the Marlin lever action.


There are really three types of rifles in my mind when your talking about caliber. Small bore, Medium bore & finally Large bore. All of these have been made available over time in different Marlin models. I prefer the large bore (big bore) which is what I have the most of. Examples would be:

1. Model 1895M which comes in the Marlin 450 caliber - .458 dia bullet
2. Model 1895G which comes in the 45-70 Government - .458 dia bullet
3. Model 444P which comes in the Marlin 444 caliber - .429 dia bullet
4. Model 1894P which comes in 44 Magnum caliber - .429 dia bullet

I also have a Medium bore Guide Gun in 35 Remington caliber - .358 dia bullet

The Guide Gun configuration is a straight stocked rifle with an 18.5" long barrel and a 3/4 length tubular magazine. All of mine are factory ported which were a limited offering between 1998 and 2002 for various models. The model 1895 was first introduced in 1896 in the following calibers:

• 38-56
• 40-65
• 40-82
• 45-70
• 45-90
• 40-70 added in 1897
• 33 WCF added in 1912

Barrel lengths made available were:

1896 - both 26" and 22"
1897 - a 15" version was made available
1915 - the last production year for the original 1895's, regardless of caliber and style......


New Model 1895          (1972-1979)
New Model 1895S        (1980-1983)
New Model 1895SS     (1984-2009)
1895 Century Limited  (1995)
New Model 1895G       (1998-to date)
New Model 1895M      (2000-2010)
New Model 1895MR   (2003)
New Model 1895XLR  (2006-2009)

Guide Guns have been available since 1998 and continue to be available although only in 45-70 now. Marlin stopped production on the 1895M 450 last November (2010) before moving into the Remington facility.

About 1895Gunner

Welcome,

My user name is 1895Gunner which I chose years ago due to my firearm of choice which is a Marlin Firearms Model 1895 Lever Action Rifle. My favorite cartridge in the Model 1895 is the 45-70 Government which is rapidly approaching usage for 144 years! The cartridge has a very rich history originally developed for use by the U.S. Military.

While I'm not nearly that old I am recently retired from a long career in the Aerospace industry. If you are interested in Firearms, Reloading Ammo, Shooting sports to include Hunting, you've come to the right place.

My interests revolve around sharing what I know regarding these activities and welcoming anybody that wants to learn more about them.

Thank you for taking the time to spend a minute reading & please come back often and share if you will with other like-minded individuals. I can be found as "1895Gunner" on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram & multiple Gun forums to include Marlin Owners!

Regards,