Marlin 1895 Trapper Review
Marlin 1895 Trapper .45-70
Review by Kieran Harris
It has been a long time coming but we have finally received a shipment of Marlin 1895 Rifles. Now built by Ruger in their Mayodan factory in North Carolina, the new .45-70 rifles are slick, clean, and agile to say the least. I picked up one of their Trapper models and upon unboxing, it was obvious to see that Ruger has put a great deal of effort into keeping the Marlin brand a quality name.
A low glare, stainless matt finish is set off by dark grey laminate stocks which are nicely checkered, bringing together an incredibly smart looking all weather rifle. Mounted atop the receiver is a Skinner peep sight with removable centre that can be easily adjusted for elevation.
The rifle incorporates a Skinner front sight with white blade on the muzzle which allows for very easy target acquisition. If you are inclined to use an optic or scope, the user can simply replace the open sight with a pic rail or weaver mount.
On the end of the 16.10’’ barrel is an 11/16’’-24 thread, which is standard thread on most .45-70 rifles. This gives you the option of fixing a muzzle device or suppressor to tame the .45-70’s recoil.
Perhaps one of the more notable things Ruger has done is to incorporate a fluted bolt, allowing for smoother cycling and less friction contributed to fouling. This also gives the overall aesthetics of the rifle a big tick.
After having a good look over the gun it was time to take it to the range and put it through its paces. I decided to shoot the Trapper as it was straight out of the box. As many purist cowboys will tell you, a lever gun should be shot just using the irons. While I don’t subscribe to that sentiment as much, I did want to get a feel for the modern Marlin if I was going to carry it in the bush for up close and personal work, which I suspect many users will do. Without a scope or any other accessories, the rifle weighs in at a mild 7.1 lbs.
Feeding the rifle was the task for some Hornady 325 gr FTX rounds and S&B 405 gr Soft Points. These chunky torpedoes fed easily through the loading gate which has been nicely smoothed out so as not to cut up your thumb and forefinger when loading the cartridges. Trigger wise, it is very crisp and breaks cleanly at just a hair under 5 lbs.
To find the point of impact the first shots were, shall I say, bone-shakingly fun. At 50 yards my 5 shot group was impacting slightly low. A quick sight adjustment with a Leatherman multi-tool and every round was now hitting at point of aim. Accuracy gets an A+. From paper to steel to soda bottles, nothing escaped this little Trapper’s wrath.
For me, being a cowboy action shooter, there has always been something wholesome and familiar when you shoulder a lever action. But let’s get one thing straight, this is not a rifle for the faint of heart. This gun is for the big boys and girls who aren’t afraid of stout recoil, heavy report…and a little fire breathing. Everything about the new Marlin feels refined and smooth. With three new models in the 1895 line up, the Trapper, SBL and Guide gun, there is something to suit everyone’s needs for big bore action.
It would be fair to say that in the past Marlin has often been referred to as the underdog, second only to Winchester when it comes to the lever guns of old.
But times have changed.
Ruger has breathed new life into Marlin firearms and like a Phoenix rising it has emerged stronger than ever before.
Long live the lever gun.