I hold a special place for the Marlin 1895SBL in my heart. This Marlin 1895 SBL Review has been something I have really enjoyed. This gun is not something I normally play with. This gun was purchased because I saw it in a movie. Although it sounds crazy, I did see this gun in both Jurassic World as well as Wind River.
I don’t mean to be negative, there is something cool about a.45-70. But, seeing it in those movies took it to another level with me. After seeing it, I was determined to get one of my own. However, I didn’t have enough money. I found one at my gun shop, and I was able to make the deal.
Marlin1895 SBLFind Pre-Owned and New
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This gun is one of those guns I will never regret buying. It’s not perfect, and it might not be the first gun you choose for your firearm collection. This is what you would call a “.45-70 thumper.” This gun is large and light, but it’s not for everyone. There are many.45-70 cartridges available that will allow you to adjust the recoil to your specific needs.
Table of contentsRoleErgonomics SafetyLoading GateLeverHandguardTriggerStock Mounting AccessoriesOptics Marlin 1895 SBL ReviewIronsMarlin 1895 SBL Review LightsSlingShooting Experience Marlin 1895 SBL ReviewRecoilFinal Conclusion Marlin 1895 SBL ReviewRelated ArticlesProsCons
Role
You’ll need a different round if you’re hunting Kodiak bears from Alaska. Maybe you’re hunting dinosaurs on a tropical island which doesn’t exist. If that’s the case I hope you’re shooting ammunition we don’t know much about that has a lot greater knockdown power than any that exists in real-life. This gun is very versatile. It can also be used to hunt prey or predators. It could be used to hunt predators or prey, but I recommend something larger than a.45–70.
This gun will allow you to hunt any large game in North America. Although it doesn’t have the greatest range, it has plenty of knockdown power and is fun to shoot.
Ergonomics
This gun is a lever gun so the ergonomics will be different from most guns we review. I mostly review tactical-style guns such as Stribogs and pistols. These are the majority of the guns you guys are likely dealing with. Today there are fewer lever guns than ever before. It might take some time to get used to shooting a classic gun such as this. Let’s discuss these features.
Safety
The original Marlin 1895 didn’t have a safety device. This safety was added later, and I personally don’t like it. It’s a crossbow-style safety. The hammer will still fall if the safety is engaged and the hammer is cocked back to its rear. It does nothing more than stop the hammer hitting the firing pin. It is important, but it can be a bit distracting.
When carrying this gun, I prefer to have the safety off and the hammer in the half-cocked mode. This is the best way to use the gun for personal use. It is possible to carry the gun in the half-cocked mode with the safety engaged. However, I don’t like that because you are likely to forget to take a critical shot. There are safety-delete kit available, which I wouldn’t recommend legally but might be something you are interested in. Safety is reassuring, especially when you’re trying to drop the hammer to half-cock if there’s a loaded round inside the chamber.
Loading Gate
The loading gate is located on the right-hand end of the firearm. It is easy to load.45-70 rounds into the gun. It’s not as simple as loading a magazine into an automatic rifle. It might take some time to get used to, and it is definitely slower. It’s extremely rewarding, however. When you load this gun, you feel like the hero of a John Wayne movie.
Marlin
1895 SBLFind Pre-Owned and New
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Lever
The Marlin SBL has a large loop lever, which is something that is unique. Although the big loop lever is very attractive, I don’t think it’s necessary. Although it looks cool, it doesn’t really speed up the process of operating the firearm.
It might make it easier to use the lever if you have gloves on. However, it is purely cosmetic and doesn’t offer any other benefits. It is not possible to turn it as you would in the movies. I haven’t tried it and I wouldn’t recommend it.
Handguard
The gun’s handguard is a standard lever-action-style handguard. It’s very ergonomic. You can move it forward or back depending on how long your arms are. Marlin did an excellent job. The gun’s furniture looks great. I love the laminate stock with stainless-steel.
Trigger
The trigger on the Marlin can be a bit strange. When you push it around, the trigger has a lot slop. The trigger is a bit sloppy when you push it around. However, it’s a lever gun, so it’s not as bad as semi-autos. The trigger pull is quite heavy, but it has very little creep.
This is a lever gun so we won’t really talk about reset because you take your finger out from the guard when you run the gun. Given the gun’s use, there is no reason to do trigger work or improve the trigger pull. This trigger is perfectly serviceable considering the distances you will likely be shooting.
Stock
This gun’s stock has a very long pull lead. It doesn’t bother me personally, but I would prefer a shorter lead to pull. I grew up shooting AR-15s and other tactical-style guns with a more squared-off position. This is a slight change to what you are used to, but not a major one.
Everything seems effortless when I first place the sights on the gun. I find myself blading more targets than I used to. It all comes down to personal preference. I don’t see a problem. A shorter stock would be a good option if you need the gun to be a bit smaller.
Mounting Accessories
It is not something that many people will do. We’re going cover it anyway.
Optics Marlin 1895 SBL Review
Picatinny rail sections run from the receiver to about halfway down the barrel. This gives you many options for mounting optics. This allows you to mount a red-dot, a scoutscope further forward, a traditional low power variable optic or something like a 3-by-9.
Optics options are virtually limitless. Chris Pratt used the gun in Jurassic World with a pistol scope, but it was mounted to his rear so it wouldn’t work because of the eye relief. It’s a shame, because I love the gun’s look but can’t find a practical version. Leupold has discontinued this scope, so you will have to search GunBroker or eBay for one. This can be quite expensive.
Irons
Most lever guns have a blade-leaf-style sight. But this gun has an extra-style sight. The front sight is white with a wide profile. These sights are not intended to be used as target sights. They are more for quick shooting. The rear sight can be used as a peep sight. It is extremely easy to get up and on target. It works well even in low-light conditions. It will be easy to make a shot as long as you can see the front sight. It’s great for snap-shooting.
Marlin 1895 SBL Review Lighting
Although it is not traditional to mount a light on a lever gun, it is possible with this piece. You could mount a Modlite or any other offset light on the ModButton 12 o’clock Picatinny Rail. A SureFire G2 or Modlite mounted on an offset mount with tail caps would be just as effective. It all depends on what you are looking for. Although I won’t mount one myself, it’s nice to know I have the option.
Sling
It is easy to attach a sling on this gun. The tactical-style rail at the top of this receiver makes it possible to carry the gun in a similar manner to an AR-15 with the rifle slung across your chest. Unfortunately, the standard two-point sling will be used. This is more hunting-style. It will attach to one of the sling mounts at the front or rear of your gun. These mounts are located at the six o clock position. This is a sling set that you will likely want to carry on your shoulders.
Shooting Experience Marlin 1895 SBL Review
You get a sense of nostalgia when you take this gun to the range, load rounds into the magazine well, and then take it back home. This gun is amazing and it is like a modern cowboy gun. It feels like you have a lot of power and it just feels good to load those large.45-70 round cartridges into the gun.
Marlin
1895 SBLFind Pre-Owned and New
Marlin 1895sGuns.com
It’s almost primal. You get that old-world feeling again when you rack the round in a chamber. It’s like you’re in the same place as your grandfather or great-grandfather, getting ready for a hunt. It’s like you’re in another time. This is the beauty of firearms: they can transport your to another age. A time in a bygone age that we all miss, but we’re glad we don’t actually live in.
The trigger pull is not something you notice when you pull the gun up on target. You will feel some recoil depending on how many rounds you have loaded into your gun.
Recoil
This gun bucks, but not in an inexplicable way. You want to make sure it is securely held to your shoulder. You’ll find that the lessons you took with your grandfather or dad back in the day are starting to come back to you, and you start to remember the little things. This gun is almost like a time machine.
The lever is easy to operate and feels authoritative. It’s a great gun to shoot. Although the action is great, it’s not a gun you want to use all day. This gun is one you might enjoy shooting 5-10 rounds at the range. This is one of the most expensive guns I have ever shot. Although you might spend a few dollars per round, you will feel completely satisfied. Even if you only shoot half a box of ammo, you’ll still have fun and feel satisfied.
Final Conclusion Marlin 1895 SBL Review
The gun is priced at around a thousand dollars. I think it’s a great deal for that price. This gun is almost like a time-machine with a great mixture of old and modern technology. It makes everything worth it when I shoot it.
Is this a gun that I bring to the range every day? It’s not a gun I take to the range every time, but it is one that I bring along to special range events. It really makes me happy. It’s one gun you will want to enjoy. This is not a gun that you will shoot thousands upon thousands of rounds with, but something you should enjoy slowly, much like a glass of wine or fine whiskey.
Is this gun suitable for everyone? It’s not for everyone, but I believe it’s a good option if you’re reading this article.
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Pros
Looks greatLots ammo optionsStainless finishGood sights to react shootingEasy mount accessoriesNothing beats a lever gunDecent aftermarketGood balancedCons
High recoilLimited useExpensive ammoNot made for smaller peopleLike this…
