Marlin 1895 rifles

[Jack Stanley]

Just curious fellas , what is the current selling price of a Marlin 1895 , "B" prefix on the serial number in excellent condition these days ?

Thanks , Jack

[TXGunNut]

Which 1895?

[Wind]

Hey there TGN -- I think Jack is referring to the "BO" (B-oh) prefix on the 1972 vintage 1895's on their re-introduction in that year. Some of the early ones came with Ballard rifling, mine included.

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And Jack... Some good pictures would help with a value estimation.

Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

[osteodoc08]

Model specifics/condition/pictures would help a great deal at determining value.

[Wind]

Hey there Doc -- The "BO" guns were all the same. Originally they came with the eight groove Ballard rifling, and then went to the 12 groove Micro-groove within that first production year. They looked like this...

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After the first year re-introduction, the serial numbers no longer started with "BO". In 1980 Marlin added other features including the pistol grip stock. Nowadays, the price would be for a collectible condition model, or someone just wanting a great shooter. Sorry I can't help with that - just depends on the buyer it seems to me...

Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

[Jack Stanley]

Sorry fellas , I didn't realize the "B" prefix could include the 1895 rifles from over a hundred years ago . As for pictures ..... that's for someone way more computer literate than me . However it does look very much like the pictures Wind has in post number five . The serial number is structured different though , the letter "B" is in front of zeros then a few other numbers . I believe it to be eight groove rifling though and condition ..... better than very good and maybe not quite excellent .

Jack

[Wind]

Hey again Jack -- Take a look up at post #3 and you can see the "B" precedes the zero's in my serial number. I omitted a couple of numbers in the photo, but there are five numbers after the "BO", the "O" looks like a zero. Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

[Jack Stanley]

OH ok , I didn't notice the photoshop or erasure there , nice work .

Is that a Lyman receiver sight also ?

Jack

[Wind]

Hey there Jack -- It's an older Williams.

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I do prefer the Lyman 66LA. Your rifle should be drilled and tapped for a receiver sight. A short front sight and a Lyman should get you to 400 yards with the 22" barrel on your rifle. If you have the eight groove barrel, they are more sought after then the 12 groovers.

Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

[Jack Stanley]

Indeed it does Wind , thank you very much . Only reference I've seen on a sale of a similar rifle was on gunbroker last spring .

Jack

[osteodoc08]

Thanks for the history there Wind. I'm still learning and appreciate every bit along the way. I'm quite jealous of the backdrop for sure! Nice looking shooting iron you have there

[kjorgy]

That is a very nice looking gun & they are to find too

[FergusonTO35]

I have one of those in honest 98% condition. Paid a whopping $400.00 for it in 2005. Sadly I don't shoot it much because I struggle with a severe flinch and don't want to make it worse. I do pull the 1895 out of it's case and admire it frequently though!

[Duckiller]

Ferguson TO35 load 290 to 330 gr boolits over minimum loads of Trail Boss. Recoil is about like 22LR.

[Edward]

10 grains unique and accurate /no recoil and with my 405/350 gr noe boolits every one smiles !!!!!!!

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks, will do that when I get a chance.

[Jack Stanley]

I agree with unique for plinking loads , if I could still see iron sights they would still be at the top of the list for me .

I went and looked at some of the prices for rifles like this at a couple different places . Wow ! they are whopping .

Jack

[TXGunNut]

Hey there TGN -- I think Jack is referring to the "BO" (B-oh) prefix on the 1972 vintage 1895's on their re-introduction in that year. Some of the early ones came with Ballard rifling, mine included.

150824

And Jack... Some good pictures would help with a value estimation.

Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

I thought that was the case, Wind. Just wanted to hear more about a nice old Marlin. I'm trying to learn more about older Marlins and Jack is right, some of these old guns are pretty pricey. Previous generations interest me a bit more but I'm not sure the "B" prefix was used.

[Wind]

Hey again TGN -- Marlin serial numbers can be confusing for sure. Essentially records ceased in 1906. Through research of existing rifles, Marlin used the prefix A, B, C, and D from 1915 to 1921. Marlin 1895 rifles quit showing up in price lists from Marlin Arms Corp. in 1916 and Marlin-Rockwell in 1917. So there may have been an 1895 with a "B" prefix "back then", but it was probably uncommon. Thus, the "BO" series easily identify the rifle to the year 1972. Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

[Clay M]

I still own the BOO series 95 my father bought for me in 72.
Not sure what they are worth, and don't really care because that rifle is not for sale.
I started shooting it when I was fifteen.
I have kill most of my big deer with that rifle..
When I was sixteen a .30/06 became my rifle of choice.
I sold all my old 06's but I never considered selling the 95.
It is a good one.
My son will inherit it when I pass..
It was my first .45/70 but by no means my last.

I may have loaded more rounds for the .45/70 over the years than any other round..
I believe that would be safe to say.

To me it is like a great telecaster.
I own and play other guitars, but the telecaster is never far away..

I am very endeared to the 86 win and the 74 Sharps..
I need to be casting bullets for my Sharps now, instead of being so infatuated with the new #1 .30/06 ,but such is life..

[Jack Stanley]

I'd feel the same way but I don't have a son and my nephew is more into black rifles . With my eyes getting worse as time marches on I will have to find a new caretaker for it one day . Shoot what ya like ... I do :-)

Jack

[TXGunNut]

Hey again TGN -- Marlin serial numbers can be confusing for sure. Essentially records ceased in 1906. Through research of existing rifles, Marlin used the prefix A, B, C, and D from 1915 to 1921. Marlin 1895 rifles quit showing up in price lists from Marlin Arms Corp. in 1916 and Marlin-Rockwell in 1917. So there may have been an 1895 with a "B" prefix "back then", but it was probably uncommon. Thus, the "BO" series easily identify the rifle to the year 1972. Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

I know some of the guns I'm interested in have letter prefixes but can't recall seeing a "B". Headed up to Cody sometime in the next several weeks and may be able to research this a bit more but will be focused more on Winchesters of this era.

[Clay M]

I would say the older 95's are worth a good bit..
The newer ones aren't cheap.
I figure if Cabela's had the gun they would be asking between $800- $1000,
and would come down about $25 if you twisted their arm..

[JesterGrin_1]

I'd feel the same way but I don't have a son and my nephew is more into black rifles . With my eyes getting worse as time marches on I will have to find a new caretaker for it one day . Shoot what ya like ... I do :-)

Jack

Jack I also have a vision problem of which is still darn hard to swallow lol. But you can scope that Marlin. I started to use a Scout Scope set up on my JM Marlin 1895 GS with an XS mount mainly due to extreme recoil rounds and bloody scope eye lol. But I have found that I really like the Scout Scope set up more then a conventional scope set up now on my levers.

[Jack Stanley]

I had considered that along with changing out the bead front sight to a post which I can see better when using the receiver sight . It's just something about scopes on the big bores like this one I just have a hard time getting used to the concept . I broke tradition enough by putting an "ultradot" sight on a .357 carbine I have . Let me tell ya , the front sight is really way to close for me on that one :-) The idea is sound though . But I may still need to find a caretaker for the big bore since I don't hunt with it or use it much anymore .

Jack

[FergusonTO35]

I prefer compact scopes with a small or nonexistent objective bell on lever actions. When I get the cash I'm going to treat my Marlin Glenfield 30 to a Leupold VX-3 1-5x20. Yes, this rifle has the accuracy to take advantage of a scope that costs way more than the rifle did!

[TXGunNut]

I had considered that along with changing out the bead front sight to a post which I can see better when using the receiver sight . It's just something about scopes on the big bores like this one I just have a hard time getting used to the concept . I broke tradition enough by putting an "ultradot" sight on a .357 carbine I have . Let me tell ya , the front sight is really way to close for me on that one :-) The idea is sound though . But I may still need to find a caretaker for the big bore since I don't hunt with it or use it much anymore .

Jack


If you're using progressive lenses, as I am, try using a different part of your lens. Recently discovered that my sight picture is quite good shooting lefty or one-handed, off-hand.

[Jack Stanley]

I had laser done years ago to correct near sightedness . Now I see quite well until it come to things up close and the doctor said that right up front . I had a set of glasses made so I can see the front sight but the target is completely gone . I mean , it's so bad I can't see the black of an SR1 target with them on . I'm sure putting a scope on the rifle would work for me but I have other scoped rifles if I need one . I'll probably take this one to the next gun show and see what happens . Crazy thing is I can still see the from sight of a Garand reasonably well . I think it's just something about that little bead ............................

Jack

[Wind]

Hey there Jack -- You might consider just changing out the front sight to a blade. Skinner makes one at a reasonable price. Here is what your eye might see with a blade...

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Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

[Jack Stanley]

Thanks Wind , I had a set of skinner sights on my 1894c and had to give them up . The barrel is longer on the 1895 so that might work for a little while .

[FergusonTO35]

Hey gents. I'm planning to put a Williams 5D or FP receiver sight on my 1895. It has a 22" barrel and the front sight is dovetailed into the barrel without a ramp. The factory front sight is very short, maybe .350. What height front sight would be best? I'm planning to shoot the Lee 457-340-RF at 1500 fps.

[Wind]

Hey there FTO35 -- You might consider starting from the other end first. With the aperture sitting on top of the receiver, this will be your lowest setting possible - depending on the front sight height. I like the push button bridge release on the Lyman66 series sights, as this makes for an instant zero reset feature. Looks something like this...

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I'm also a fan of the Skinner blade front sights. These come about .470" to .500" tall. With the flat tops you can then file them down to give you a fifty yard zero - with whatever your load of choice is. Works something like this...

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Do your filing at the range whilst shooting.

If you prefer a bead front sight, you might have to do some math to figure it out... (you'll definitely have to click on this one to embiggenate)

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Generally I end up in the .250" front sight neighborhood. The focus on this exercise is generating the most yardage I can achieve with my sights. Your 22" barrel and receiver sight should net you about 400 yards - with your front sight and loads being the major variables.

Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

[Scharfschuetze]

Wind is spot on here and I use much of the same technique with my lever and bolt rifles. A good adjustable aperture sight gives you flexibility to not only use different loads easily, but to shoot from 25 yards to past 400 yards with most lever guns and return to your base zero in a second without second guessing.

In figuring your front sight needs, you can also do it mathematically with this formula:

Sight radius X 2 X Pie / 360 / 60 = 1 MOA in thousandths

Just figure out how many inches you need to raise or lower your impact at your desired 50 yards and then multiply those inches with the result of the above formula.

With your 22" barrel and about six inches of receiver, your sight radius should be about 28." Thus 1 MOA should be about .008." Given that, you can figure a 10" change of impact at 100 yards at about .08" and file or order a new sight accordingly.

I prefer blade front sights with a square-flat top with the aperture rear sight as that gives me about the same sight picture as what I was used to in the Army and I've always been able to shoot more accurately and faster using this lash up than with any design of iron sight.

[FergusonTO35]

Very good advice here, thanks. Hopefully can give it a try this weekend.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I'm also a big proponent of the Lyman 66LA and finally got enough of them to outfit all my Leverguns.

The guns I shoot most are my .44 Mag 1894CB 24" and .45-70 1895CB 26". I had an XS Front Sight on the 1894 but it was too high so a couple of weeks ago I called them and got the correct height front sights for both guns.

These sights have a very prominent White Line on them and they are very quick to pick up against most backgrounds. You can see in the pics below how prominent they are even in these low light indoors pics and against essentially a Camo Background from Sam's Club.

I personally think they are the best front sights out there,,, YMMV.

Everything "Scharf" said about the Lyman Sights is correct and they are a lot more accurate than most of the others available. Since they repeat their positions accurately, once you've got a mechanical zero set, you can return to it simply by pushing the button sliding the bridge down to the stop screw and zeroing the elevation knob. I have other guns with similar Lyman sights (#48's) that I have been doing this with using the original zeros for years. These are very precise sighting instruments and after you learn to use them you will be surprised at what you can pull off. They were the "Ne Plus Ultra" of sights from 1900 to about 1960 and for many guns still are.

I just saw a real live G&H Springfield Sporter at a gun show in Denver that was made in 1937. It had a 2.5X Alaskan Scope on it on a G&H side mount, but it also had a Lyman #48 for a back up. The gun was pristine and he only wanted $3600 for it. It wouldn't fit in my carry on bag so I left it there. G&H would not have put a mediocre sight on a gun.

investing in a Merit Adjustable Aperture is a good way to find which diameter aperture you need to focus on your Front Sight. Then you can put in whatever solid aperture corresponds with that magic size. The main thing here is that the Front Sight is in focus. Everything else can be fuzzy.

You will soon learn to put that focused Front Sight onto a fuzzy target and obtain a winning sight picture.

One of the reason why I promote the Silhouette games so much is because they are an excellent vehicle for learning to use your sights to the maximum potential. Also those games afford you a chance to shoot more in one day than most shoot in a year. After shooting 40 shots at targets ranging from 50-200 yards with a Levergun if you haven't learned something valuable, you weren't trying very hard. You have just covered 99% of the useful ranges that your Levergun will be shot, at so the DOPE you acquired during that period could be of use to you next time.

Try to write it down so you don't have to remember it!

Here's some pics of my two big Leverguns. Even in the overall pic of the two guns together you can easily see the white lines on the Front Sights.

Ya gotta love those big holes in the ends! I really like Boom, better than Crack.

Randy

[FergusonTO35]

Lookin' good sir!! You have really good taste in guns and accessories.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Thank you sir, I try as hard as I can.

Randy

[FergusonTO35]

I made a deal with forum member Beagle for a Lyman 66, it should be here this week. I got to looking at my lever actions and the sights I have in stock and found what seems to be the ideal solution. I removed a practically new Williams 5D-336 receiver sight from my 336 Texan, when the 66 shows up it will go on that rifle. I then outfitted the 1895 with that sight, slot blank, and a Redfield Sourdough from my spares collection. The factory front sight had a huge bead that I didn't care for anyway and the Sourdough is one of the best front sights ever made. Hope to try it out this week sometime.

[Frank V]

I am a fan of peep sights on leveraction rifles. I use the Skinner express & really like it, often I'll remove the apeurter & use the larger opening that leaves for hunting. I use a Fire sight front & it really stands out in the timber.
www.skinnersights.com (http://www.skinnersights.com) Andy is very helpful getting you set up too.

[FergusonTO35]

They are nice folks who make good products. Henry now includes their sights on some of their rifles.

[TXGunNut]

I try to keep 2-3 heights of front sights in my parts box. They don't cost much and I'm guessing this won't be the first levergun you'll put receiver sights on. Remember to order a rear sight blank, I prefer the "fancy" ones for my older leverguns.

[FergusonTO35]

Done and done. I've been messing with receiver sights and non factory fronts on lever actions alot longer than I have been using scopes. Currently all but two of my rifles wear them. I've lately been scheming about how to add sights to a Savage Axis.

[Frank V]

I try to keep 2-3 heights of front sights in my parts box. They don't cost much and I'm guessing this won't be the first levergun you'll put receiver sights on. Remember to order a rear sight blank, I prefer the "fancy" ones for my older leverguns.

Skinner offers a front sight that is a tapered post front sight similar to the ones we see on a lot of handguns, & pretty high so it can be filed down to the height needed. They aren't very expensive & they are offered in brass (which I bought) & blue steel. I think if a fellow had a couple of these they could fit just about any front sight situation. These sights fit a 3/8" dovetail & if used on a ramp might need to be shortened a bit. Going easy at the range with plenty of ammo & a file would have you in the X ring pretty quickly. They are a heavy robust sight & should withstand most hunting situations.
www.skinnersights.com (http://www.skinnersights.com)