Looking at Older Marlin 1895 JM without Crossbolt Safety 45-70

[jmort]

Looking at older Marlin 1895 without crossbolt safety. It is in fantastic condition but the asking price is $800
Is this a crazy price?
I have always wanted one of these non-safety Marlin 1895s in 45-70
Glad to pay the Piper, if that is an in the ball-park price
Thanks

[.45colt]

They will never be made like that again, in the condition You describe I would buy it. pay the money and Cry only once.

[FergusonTO35]

If you want it, buy it. That being said, the safety can be easily deleted and the Remlin 1895's at my local shop are awfully nice looking for about $300.00 less.

[john.k]

I have one i bought new in 1978....and theres no way I would buy another at anything but a giveaway price.Put you money toward one of the nice 1886 copies.........the irony of it all is I sold a ex RAF 45/90 with a slightly pitted bore to buy the Marlin,in those days a 86 was worth about $200 unless the bore was mint and it was 45/70.

[FergusonTO35]

Another thing: do you know if the rifle you are looking at has Micro Groove rifling? It may not say so on the barrel, mine has it and is not marked. As I'm sure you know, Micro Groove can present challenges with boolits. If you want conventional rifling I would look for a JM 1895 Cowboy. $800.00 or less will get you a nice one and there are alot of them out there.

[bikerbeans]

If it was made in the 70s, straight stock version, I would say the price is close. I sold mine to a good friend last year for $700.

BB

[AllanD]

I've already turned down several $1000 offers for My Strait stocked, early 70's(1972-73) version and it will likely stay in my collection as long as I'm above ground!

Especially since just before the "Winchester insanity" of the last decade I acquired a Winchester 94 (1973) entirely for the Weaver(Proudly marked El Paso, Texas) K4 steel-tube
scope that was attached to it on a crappy "quick mount" side mount. It is now in a Leupold/Redfield base and "ultra-low" rings.

[vzerone]

Didn't Marlin change from an Acme threaded barrel to V thread because they felt the Acme thread weakened the receiver in the web between the barrel channel and magazine tube channel? If so may be safer with the V thread models if you're pressing the limits of the 45-70.

[jmort]

Thanks to all responding
I got it, straight stock
Beautiful rifle
I really like a properly fitted firearm as to an assembled firearm.
This has high grade fit and finish

[FergusonTO35]

Very glad to hear it! I paid a whopping $400.00 for mine in NOS condition in 2004. I put a later Guide Gun stock and forend on it to save the factory wood from hunting wear.

[jmort]

Some guns will be great investments
The market is hard to predict

[bikerbeans]

Didn't Marlin change from an Acme threaded barrel to V thread because they felt the Acme thread weakened the receiver in the web between the barrel channel and magazine tube channel? If so may be safer with the V thread models if you're pressing the limits of the 45-70.

I have removed barrels from marlin 1895s, 1894s and 336s that were produced from 1959 to 1983. All have the exact same thread, a 6 degree modified square thread. Even the new 1895 Remlins have this thread but it is cut with one less thread. I installed a Remlin 1895 45-70 barrel on a 336 frame and it indexed correctly.

BB

[Speedo66]

Pictures?

[modified5]

What size tap is needed to cut those threads?
I have a barrel in 45-70 for a single shot project and can't figure out exactly what tap to get.

[azrednek]

Without straying to far off subject. Where is the JM mark on a Marlin?? I picked up a pre safety 45/70 in a trade. Due to poor health I haven't been able to do much with it. Guy I swapped with inherited the Marlin from his Grandfather and had no idea of its age. Is there any way to ID the year of manufacture??

[john.k]

The serial number.....the earlier 70s etc is the first two digits deducted from 2000....ie mine is 22xxxxx......its 1978,which is correct ,cause i bought it new in 1978......the JM stamp is on the barrel LHS adjacent to the reciever........mine has been triple stamped,and is just a blob..........one of those "old time employees" with shaky hands ,no doubt......at that time there was great controversy about microgroove, about barrel stamping denting the bore inside,about front sight dovetail denting the bore ,,,etc ,etc.....Much of the "Marlinhate" came from disgruntled Winny fans,seeing their brand going down.

[azrednek]

THX!! Mine is also a 22. No JM stamping and it's Micro-Groove rifling. It has the gold trigger but the white dot on the buttstock apparently took a walk. Does yours have any FTF problems with Hornady Lever Revolution Ammo, mine does?? Can't recall brand off hand, 405gr RNF lead and two Remington brand soft nose jacketed flowed through like a hot knife through butter.

[john.k]

If FTF means 'fail to fit".......the rims wont fit under the extractor.........but a couple hundred Win and Rem I bought with the gun work no problem..........havent bought a case since,but people often give me the Hornady cases. I do have primer strike problems with some primers,notably Winchester.....Just a recock,second nature.I think the hammer is too light,the spring is plenty strong..................of course ,everyone knows now that bigger than 458 cast is needed,but mine does good with any size and wheat bran filler to bump up the bullets before gas can cut them.

[Shawlerbrook]

Think he means “ failure to feed” and sometimes the older big bore Marlin need a different magazine follower to use the Hornady gummies. The pointed tip get caught between the follower and the tube. There are some threads on this over on Marlinowners forum.

[john.k]

Nope,I can not close the bolt on a H case.....if enough force was applied,the extractor would break.......there is good reason why 45/70 cases end up in the scrap bin at the range...........a $1+ case that is considered junk.....I collect them,someday my 45/55 Starr project will need cut down cases,and Ill have no worries about cutting H cases.

[Dan Cash]

Another thing: do you know if the rifle you are looking at has Micro Groove rifling? It may not say so on the barrel, mine has it and is not marked. As I'm sure you know, Micro Groove can present challenges with boolits. If you want conventional rifling I would look for a JM 1895 Cowboy. $800.00 or less will get you a nice one and there are alot of them out there.

Unless you intend to shoot black powder loads, I have to disagree regarding Micro Groove rifling being undesireable. Micro Groove with proper bullet fit shoots as well as any other rifling pattern.

Is an 86 a better rifle? Sure is a lot heavier = less painful recoil but lots more to tote. Much more complicated rifle.

Regarding price, if you want such a rifle, the price is on the top end of the going price in my area.

[FergusonTO35]

My micro groove rifles shoot boolits just fine. I guess what I meant was, that MG *might* require a different approach than standard rifling if the OP had no experience with it.

[AllanD]

FWIW, Mine is not "micro grooved" it has the older "Ballard" style rifling and Years ago I "smoothed-up"
the action sufficiently that I can Feed FIRED cases from the Magazine tube and into the chamber than
Out as fast as my hands can work the lever!

I have not tried the Hornady "tipped ammo" in the rifle, but I'd be shocked if it didn't feed at least as well as FIRED cases...

[FergusonTO35]

Yup, just like mine. Great rifles!

[Jack Stanley]

After a little snooping I learned that the first ones built in the seventies had "BO" starting the serial number . Also the I'm told the first ones had Douglass barrels and I think it was six groove rifling . I watched one sell on Gunbroker a couple years ago in like new condition for over nine hundred dollars .

Glad you got one you like Jmort , they are a blast to play with .

Jack

[Kev18]

I bought one 2 years ago, in .44mag. Its a nice rifle but the safety is disgusting so I bought one of the safety deletes with the saddle ring and now it looks ******. It also shoots great. it was manufactured in 2011.

[Edward]

Looking at older Marlin 1895 without crossbolt safety. It is in fantastic condition but the asking price is $800
Is this a crazy price?
I have always wanted one of these non-safety Marlin 1895s in 45-70
Glad to pay the Piper, if that is an in the ball-park price
ThanksYup that is what mine sold for on this site (shipped ) as I remember /Ed

[AllanD]

Without straying to far off subject. Where is the JM mark on a Marlin?? I picked up a pre safety 45/70 in a trade. Due to poor health I haven't been able to do much with it. Guy I swapped with inherited the Marlin from his Grandfather and had no idea of its age. Is there any way to ID the year of manufacture??

FWIW mine is marked with the JM (in an oval) on the left side of the barrel with about a quarter if an inch spacing between the Receiver and the edge of the stamping

[azrednek]

FWIW mine is marked with the JM (in an oval) on the left side of the barrel with about a quarter if an inch spacing between the Receiver and the edge of the stamping

THX Allan, I couldn't find it because it's not there.

[Pioneer2]

I have one in 45-70 and it cuts 1/2 groups at 100 yards with both 300 + 350gr Hornadys.With 4x Leupold.Never got around to trying cast yet.

[ARKLITE881South]

IF i were you, i'd bite the bullet and buy it, if, its in that kind of condition. I bought a 1998 model 45/70 in what i thought to be very very good condition. It was, i did the safety delete and, i'm very happy with it. If you don't tell anyone, they'll never know. I do not say it is some thing it is not. Meaning its not a early pre safety. But, i'm tickled to death to have it. I'd like to find a nice pre saftey 44 mag in some thing i could just use to carry out in the brush, when just out looking around.

By the way, i don't think the price is out of line,maybe you can offer a little bit less, but, if you want it, don't let it get away from you. Or, you'll be posting about ''the one i didn't buy'' type thing. lol

[Jeff Michel]

What size tap is needed to cut those threads?
I have a barrel in 45-70 for a single shot project and can't figure out exactly what tap to get.

If it's a bastard acme thread or a square thread it will have to be done on a lathe. No such tap will be likely available for the acme if it isn't a standard pitch and I don't think I even heard of a square thread tap. If your thinking of running a tap to thread a receiver or use a die to cut threads on the barrel, you might just consider having your local gunsmith do the work for you. It will be much cheaper and the end result will be much more satisfying. Just my opinion, others will differ. Good luck

[Warhawk]

Thanks to all responding
I got it, straight stock
Beautiful rifle
I really like a properly fitted firearm as to an assembled firearm.
This has high grade fit and finish

Good decision, I have one made in 1974, micro groove rifling and all. It’s killed several deer, feral hogs, even a heart shot on a bobcat at 135 yards. I sure wouldn’t sell mine for $800.