Some specifics about the 1895. What caught my eye: a neat-looking laminate stock and that John Wayne loop at the bottom of the lever. Particularly, big-bore thumper lever guns? Sling studs. The 18½-inch barrel of the Model 1895SBL--and other Marlin Guide Guns--represents only 77 percent of that length. So, I have to admit: when Marlin introduced the new lever action 1895GSBL last year, I missed the intro altogether. While Hollywood gave screen stars Winchester rifles, many real-life heroes carried Marlin rifles. What is it about lever guns? The Marlin Firearms Dark Series Model 1895 in .45-70 Gov’t (left) and the Dark Series Model 1895 in .30-30 Win (right). Gun Test: The Fast-Handling Marlin Model 1895 Trapper in .45-70 The all-weather, bead-blasted, big-loop lever-action Marlin Model 1895 Trapper in the timeless .45-70 announces the company's return to its roots. Marlin 1895 SBL .45-70 lever action rifle. Model 1895. That’s good news for the lever world. A hammer extension is also included that makes manipulation with a scope fitted easier. 1895sbl .45-70 One of the first rifles reintroduced after Marlin resumed production in New York was the 1895SBL .45-70, which is by no measure a traditional lever action. One final note of interest: All ammunition manufacturers' catalog ballistic figures for the .45-70 are based on 24-inch test barrels. Leupold Custom Shop Scout Scope. The new 1895SBL is just that, plus a big-bore carbine, suitable for big game such as moose and bear. Marlin’s original big bore was the 1895, chambered in 45-70 and latter in 444 Marlin it offered a blued finish with walnut pistol grip butt, 22” barrel with 4-shot tube magazine and QD sling studs. Featuring a 16.5″ barrel as opposed to the 18.5″ of the original Guide Gun (plus a compact 35″ OAL), the Trapper pretty much distills every innovation visited on the original since. In 1972, Marlin reintroduced the big-bore .45-70. Crossbolt safety. The latest incarnation, the Marlin 1895 SBL Trapper, may well be the handiest and most sensible of ’em all. For the test, I fitted the SBL up with a Schmidt & Bender 1.5-6x42 Zenith; compacts of this nature would seem well suited to the sort of use. And, today's 1895GBL carries on the tradition of providing great lever-actions to consumers. The new 1895 SBL (right) compared to an original Guide Gun (left). At that time Marlin produced the next “legend,” in the .30-30 Win. According to the company’s website, Annie Oakley, Captain Hardy, and William “Buffalo Bill” Cody all used Marlin rifles. Then, this past spring, I noticed the 1895GSBL while checking out firearms online. Marlin importers Raytrade UK Ltd. kindly supplied some Remington, 180-grain jacketed soft point (JSP). XS Lever Rail & Ghost Ring sights. Most hunters and gun enthusiasts will already be familiar with Marlin’s 1895 series […] Lever-actions are known for being short and quick-handling, and—often without scopes—good brush guns. Nicely-checkered laminated stock. Lever loop is larger than the standard Guide Gun's. And with its compact barrel, big stainless steel lever, and textured black furniture, the Marlin 1895 Trapper chambered in .45-70 Government is a particularly handsome beast. Today, with the launch of the Dark Series, Marlin is seeing some seriously solid sales to the point the gun is on backorder. They’re just so damn appealing.