Marlin Guide Gun

I have a few questions about this gun. If anyone has one, speak up!! I am looking for a 100 yard and less brush type gun for whitetails. Which caliber is better? Ported or not ported? Whiuch caliber is easier to handload for? I don't know why I want one but they look cool. I looked at the price on Walmart.com and they are fairly reasonable. I was thinking about the 444 caliber. I would think the noise from the ported barrel would be a little excessive. I think the gun is what I am looking for because all of my shots are less than 100 yards. Just trying to get some pro and con questions answered. Thanks for your help, Robert

I don't have one but have heard the ported guns have been discontinued and only standard barrels are being made now-I will say IMO my ported barrels will kill your hearing unless very good hearing protection is worn and that includes while hunting-at the range I wear ear plugs and ear muffs when shooting and let everybody know before I shoot a ported gun and those shooting near me usually give me a DIRTY look and move away from me after a few shots : :

Guide Gun Experience

Hey,

The ported GuideGuns are not much fun. I have had two friends that have had theirs "spit" grit from the ports upon firing enough that bystanders were struck, one was hit hard enough to draw blood.

A GuideGun with a real recoil pad (Kick Eez, Decelerator, etc.) should not need a port job, and they're loud enough without the ports. I think Marlin just added the feature to keep them different from the original Co-Pilots by Wild West Guns (the originator of the GuideGun concept).

I have owned both the .444 and .45-70 and settled on the latter. Either one can be handloaded to levels that are much improved over factory loads. Some of the custom ammo shops (Conley Precision, Georgia Arms, TopNotch, Corbon) provide factory loads that are much faster than the big-3 ammo makers.

I chose the .45-70 mainly to be able to use 405gr bullets handloaded to 2000fps and the 300grJHPs at 2200fps. I also chose the full size Marlin 1895 for the longer barrel and quieter muzzle blast.

It is still quite handy and really totes the mail well.

Regards,
NorthGAAire

I have a 336 in .35. I also looked at the .444 and 45-70. I compromised with the .35. Great shooting gun.

Guide Gun

I have had the ported Guide Gun in 45-70 for about 5 years now. I love it. Quick handling, will take down anything quickly. I use the Corbon ammo, haven't gotten around to getting the dies for my Dillon yet. I will say with the Corbon ammo, after the 3rd or 4th shot you definitely know you're shooting some cranking rounds. But I'm not very recoil sensitive anyway. If you are, I agree with the other guys, probably should look at the long barrel non-ported. Although the 444 ballistics indicate it's the better round, I personally prefer the 45-70 for the larger bullet. Have taken many hogs and deer with it, the deer just drop on the spot. I don't try shots outside 150 with this caliber, and for that range it's very effective.

Robert,
First off the thought of a brush gun is a myth if you mean asa large caliber to shoot through brush. You should never shoot through brush. If you mean for quick handleing then teh guide gun is that although I still prefer the Model 7 Remington.

Ports? Not on your life. obviously you should always use hearing protection when shooting but few of us do when actaully hunting. I have a ported S&W 44 mag. and it hurts for the rest of the day if you do not have on hearing protection even for one shot. I wish it was not ported now.

Recoil? Does not matter. 444, 45-70 either has more than I can take. Course I am a wusss!

If you like the looks and want one go for it. They are sweet looking but kick like a mule and they are loud.

Thanks for the info guys!!!! I think I have decided on the 45-70 with the 22 inch non-ported barrel. Thank you for all of your help. I added up the prices and it is going to cost around $120.00 to get set up to reload in this caliber. However I looked up the corbon ammo and it is $34.70 for a box of 20. I am going to post some dies I have in swap and sell and see if I can trade someone for a die set in 45-70. I have a set of RCBS .357 carbide, .35, and .308. I don't use anymore.

Robert

Yep, I have a 1895G .44 Mag.

I chose the .44 for the reason I might buy a S&W 629 or a Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 Mag to compliment the lever gun. The 444 or 45-70 do sound sweet though. One of our camp mates just got the 444 its stout but. . .

I changed out the sights & added the XS post & peep sight set(http://www.expresssights.com/catghost.html). I just bought the Lever Scout Scope Mount for it(http://www.expresssights.com/catscout.html). I'm trying a red dot but I'm not sure I like the dot. Gun Doc has made me a great offer on a Leupold 2.5xIER scope for it and I'll go that way but after Christmas .

As for the ported barrel I could go either way. Yes its LOUD & will make your ears ring if you shoot it foolishly w/o hearing protection but I had no choice on the ported barrel at the time. I'll probably send it off to a gun smith to get the action slicked up, round off the edges on the lever & see if they can get the bolt to fit flush. On my lever gun the bolt does not fit flush. The bolt sticks out the rear of the receiver 1/32''. It still functions safely but pretty.

Like Randy said as for as a brush gun goes nothing is going to "bust" through the small twigs and hit where you aimed. I love mine for the fact that it makes it fun to go through the thick stuff, its so short, light & handy.

For me anything 60 yards or closer is a quick, shoulder 7 shoot. 60 yards or more I'll slow down a bit to steady myself then shoot. At 100 yards my eyes have a hard time with the front sight thats why I'm going to a scout rifle set up. It's still quick for up close but accurate @ 100yrds.

Okay I'll stop now.

Razorback

I have a

450 Marlin in the ported 18.5" Guide-Gun configuration. I love it. It's definately not any louder than my 30-06.

Those 300 Grain Hornady bullets will set you back a little in the wallet.