By: Friedrich Seiltgen

Copyright © 2022

In 2020, Remington Outdoor went bankrupt. After the smoke cleared, and $30 million later, Sturm, Ruger & Company ended up with one of its prized divisions – Marlin Firearms.

After the sale, Ruger didn’t just go on building Marlin rifles as if nothing changed. Ruger went through all the machinery, all the tooling, and all the manufacturing processes looking for areas to improve.  They found some. Ruger & Marlin had something in common. Both companies built all their guns and parts in America. If the part wasn’t built in-house, it was built by a sub-contractor in America, period!

Now a year later, Ruger has the improved Marlin 1895 Stainless Big Loop (SBL) Lever Action, back on the market in caliber .45-70 government!

When I said the new Marlin was improved, I wasn’t kidding. The new features and manufacturing processes are plenty. On top, the Marlin has an adjustable ghost ring rear sight mounted on a 11.25 inch picatinny rail. The front sight is a high visibility fiber optic. The stainless-steel barrel is hammer forged for better accuracy. It’s also equipped with a factory-installed thread protector for the 11/16 x 24 threads.

The bolt is nickel plated and machined with spiral flutes for a smoother action. The stock has a better fit and checkering, while the forend is thinner for better ergonomics. The receiver lever and trigger guard plate are machined from stainless forgings, and parts that interact with each other are smoothed by putting them through a tumbling process. The use of the extremely accurate EDM machining process on the sear and hammer notches have created a consistent 6 – 6.5 pound trigger pull instead of the previous 5–7 pound pull with CNC machining. For the hunters out there, the Stainless Big Loop gives you plenty of room for gloved hands.

SPECIFICATIONS

Action Type: Lever Action

Caliber: .45-70 Government

Magazine capacity: 6 Rounds

Sights: Front – High Visibility Fiber Optic; Rear – Adjustable Ghost Ring

Barrel Length: 19-inch, Hammer Forged, Stainless Steel with 11/16 X 24 Threading and Thread Protector.

Overall Length: 37.25 Inches

Weight: 7.35 Pounds

MSRP: $ 1,399

URL: www.marlinfirearms.com

Ruger spared no expense in retooling the Marlin, and the quality is top notch.  If you’re looking for a rugged, beautiful firearm for the hunt or for the home, the new and improved Marlin 1895 Lever Action might be what you need.

That’s all for now folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s be careful out there.”

Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism, Firearms, First Aid, Active Shooter Response, and Law Enforcement Vehicle Operations in Florida. His writing has appeared in RECOIL, The Counter Terrorist Magazine, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International. Contact him at [email protected].