Marlin 95 .45-70 & the Henry .45-70

[Frank V]

I'm not wanting to start a fight, I'd just like to know from those who use each how you like them.
I'm the first to say I have no experience with the Henry .45-70 lever, Marlin yes. I would like to say I've handled a Henry but never shot one. They feel a little heavier than the Marlin, & the fit & finish looks first class.
I do have experience with the Henry .22lr & it's fantastic.
How does everyone like the tubular magazine that loads like a rimfire opposed to the loading gate of the Marlin?
I'd just like to hear from those who have used one or the other or maybe both?
Thanks.

[pshort]

Howdy,
I have a Henry .45-70... One of the new ones... Good in every way..
Customer service is the best.... I like the under tube loading, some folks don't...
Lots easier to unload.....
It's made similar to a Marlin, but lots nicer....

YMMV,

Paul

[.45colt]

I'm not going to bash Henry, I have e-mailed the Owner and received a detailed answer the next day. Henry is listening to the public and building what we want. most of the Henry rifles I have held were too heavy for My taste but others don't mind. I have several Marlins, the 1895 45-70 was nothing special when I bought it in '09 but the action runs like a sewing machine. fairly light in the hand and the 22" barrel seems perfect to Me. It took about 5 minutes to mount a Williams Fool Proof on it. it and the Marlin CL 32-20 are two I wish I had bought 40 years ago. bullfrogs to buffalos. Good Luck.

[AJMD429]

I like the traditional looks and light balance of my Marlin Cowboy 45-70, the no-nonsense stockiness of my Guide Gun. Both actions have smoothed with wear and time. I never fire 'hot' loads (even 'Marlin' ones) because the vintage-power loads have plenty of punch, and if I really want 'punch' I have a Big Horn Armory model 89 [ ].

On the other hand, I think that the Marlin 336 action is really 'stretched' to chamber the 45-70, and if I want to shoot modern large-bore loads in a 336 action, I will grab a 444 Marlin. It seems to my calculations and measurement there is quite a bit thicker metal around the cartridge. I'll admit that may just be my own phobia from seeing too many Marlin 45-70 kabooms posted over the years.

Never had a Henry centerfire (yet), but handled many and fit and finish excellent. American made, and excellent service when I had questions about my son's 22 LR.

As far as the tube-loading issue, I have a couple Rossi 92's with that feature, and I really like it. You can load through the 'gate' in the Rossi's, but I generally use the tube; it is faster, scratches the brass less, and pinches my fingers less. I ALWAYS prefer to UNload via the 'tube' if given the option; way faster, less danger of accidental discharge, and in cold weather loading and unloading via tube with gloves still on is easier. When coming in a warm house from our in winter weather it is nice to be able to unload with glasses fogging up, and the 'tube' method is better then as well.

Cons of the 'tube'....I guess it looks funny, and it adds a bit if weight to the gun, but none of my 16" or 20" Rossi's feel out of balance due to it.

As to a gun with only the tube and no 'gate' - never had one, but think I'd get used to it. Probably NOT my choice for home-defense since can't 'top off' when still at-the-ready.

[7.62 Precision]

Henry is a copy of the Marlin design, so about the same gun in how they work.

For a Marlin I would personally buy a used one from pre-Remlin days. I have yet to see a good example since that time. Others say they have.

Marlin has a stupid cross-bolt safety that needs to be disabled. Fortunately it is easy to disable. Henry does not have this issue.

Most Henrys seem to be very smooth. Marlins maybe not as much, but they smooth with use, and a used one is often pretty smooth.

Henry is heavier.

Henry does not have a loading gate. I don't like that. I know all the arguments for what you don't need one, and i know Henry says the majority of their customers don't care because they are just shooting deer out of tree stands, but I want a loading gate. My purpose for a .45-70 will always be for bear protection, and I want to be able to top off with the rifle ready, and not have to disassemble the thing in order to load. I do think the tube loading of the Henry makes unloading easy, though not necessarily safer. When I unload a lever gun, I don't chamber the cartridges as I unload them - I never fully close the bolt. Tube loading Henry can be more dangerous to load, if you are topping off a chambered rifle and are not being careful. That is no different than with any pubs loading .22, and is just a matter of training.

I like Henry as a company and some of they things they do and their business practices. Never heard of anyone having a bad CS experience with them, either.

If it were me, and i was considering the Henry already, I would look for a used Browing or current Winchester 1886. I like them a lot better, and if you are careful, you can find one close to the same price or just a bit more than the Henry.

[M. M. Wright]

I've owned several of the Marlin 45-70s and they were very satisfactory rifles though a bit light weight for that caliber. They kicked like the devil with full house loads.

Never even handled the Henry but really like what I hear about their customer service and there is some satisfaction in knowing they are Made in the USA. From reading the specs they are heavy enough to be less of a kicker too.

I've owned and still have one 86 Browning SRC in 45-70. Wouldn't have turned loose of the first one except a very good friend wanted to trade me a nice 1st gen Colt SAA for it. I bought a replacement for it from a forum member here. Just a little more money but man it is nice! So like 7.62, I recommend you spend just a tad more money and buy the Browning or a Miroku Winchester if you can't find the Browning.

[6pt-sika]

"I've had no less then eight or nine Marlin 1895's that were made from 1972 to 2005 and I liked them all . I've also owned four of the older square bolt Marlin 1895's and I liked them even more so .

As to Henry they've never intrested me ".

[Frank V]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate everyone not bashing one brand or the other. That's what I was after with learning about the Henry.
Seems the big differences are weight & loading through the tubular magazine.
Personal preference it seems, with maybe an advantage for defense with the loading gate.
Anyone else have opinion/experiences?
Thanks

[DPris]

The steel Henry .45-70 is about the same weight as the Marlins, and Henry based their .45-70s on the Marlin action, but not an exact copy.
The extractor's different, for one thing.
Denis

[Chuck 100 yd]

I have two 1895 Marlins in .45-70. One regular 2/3 mag round barrel and one octagon long barrel (cowboy). Both are very good shooters and very well fitted and finished pre Remington rifles.

[MrMurphy]

I'm with 7.62 on this one.

Have not shot a Henry, handled several. They may be Marlin copies, but they feel heavier in the hand.

As long as they're tube-load only, i will have no use for one except in .22.

[DPris]

Adapt & Conquer.
(For those of us not blessed with Semper Fi. )
Denis

[JohndeFresno]

Happy Birthday, Marlin 95 .45-70 and Henry .45-70!

[Griff]

Winchester 1886.

[Panzercat]

I've owned several of the Marlin 45-70s and they were very satisfactory rifles though a bit light weight for that caliber. They kicked like the devil with full house loads.

Noticed that too with the 1895 I just purchased. Haven't fired it yet, but that was the first thing that struck me as well. Then again, Rossi 454s are stupid light and they're handling even more pressure. As an aside, my 39a seems heavier when the size to weight ratio is considered. Amazingly over-built those things are.