Marlin model 1895 45-70 and the "Happy Trigger" from Wild West Guns

Well, I finally did it or more correctly, my son did it for me. I just had my 62nd birthday on October 6th and my son, Jeremy had a "Happy Trigger" from Wild West Guns installed by George Jennings of "Twin Oaks Gun Shop" in East Homer, NY.

http://www.wildwestguns.com/alaskanguide.html  Check out this link for access to purchase and read more about the "Happy Trigger". The Happy Trigger is available from Wild West Guns website at the time of this writing for $87.99. I had mine installed by a gunsmith. As Dirty Harry Callahan used to say, "A man has got to know his limitations" and one of mine is doing trigger work on my own guns. For those of you more talented than I, my understanding is it is NOT that difficult. You will end up with the elimination of the Marlin "Trigger Flop" and in its place a crisp 2-3 pound trigger of hand polished CNC machined steel.

I have to admit that my groups certainly tightened up and I have more confidence in the gun. I shot a one inch three shot group with Georgia Arms 300 grain JHP load at 100 yards and put two shots into the same hole with Federal's 300 grain "Power Shok" loads at the same distance.

See the photo here for the Federal factory load. That in my opinion is superb performance from a lever action rilfe and a cartridge dating back to 1865. The 45-70 Government as it was known back then was standardized when in 1873 a US Government contract called for several thousand Springfield rifles.

The 45-70 is probably more popular today than it has ever been and in the right gun and with the right loads is capable of taking any animal on the North American Continent. Yes, that means you need to check FIRST to see if the 45-70 ammo you are using is OKAY in the rifle you are shooting. Your only shortcoming would be the trajectory and therefore the distance at which you would want to take a shot

The Federal load shown here is a great whitetail load and with one ragged hole groups at 100 yards is certainly accurate enough for most N/E deer hunting scenarios. This load will likely also handle the average baited black bear situation, though personally since the Marlin is capable of higher intensity loads, I will likely stoke mine with Buffalo Bore 405 grain JFN when I head to Maine next fall for a black bear hunt. My son and I are planning a trip with DownEast Outfitters in Maine for a baited bear hunt in 2010. Looking forward to that hunt and reporting here on this BLOG next year.

If you own a Marlin lever action, look into the "Happy Trigger". It is available for virtually all Marlin lever action rifles including the mdl 336, 444, 1894 and 1895.

Try it as I think you will like it.

Dan