With a long heritage and a proven system the Marlin Firearms 1895 is a proven hunting/guide gun. The reliable and durability of this rifle is shown in the pages of most reloading handbooks when the mention the pressure increase the bolt locking mechanism can take on the 1895. All good things have their faults and thru time money has to be saved to keep the cost of production down making more faults. But where there is faults there is usually a company making a fix and for a rifle that needs to be reliable for the dangerous game it may encounter those companies must produce reliable products too.
So starting from the back here are some comfort upgrade and reliability upgrades that should be a must on any 1895.With the heavy hit of some the 45/70Gov’t rounds out there a good recoil pad can take some of the kick out of it. (on this rifle 1895GBL the Lyman Pachmayr comes from the factory and does a great job) . Moving forward to the receiver. The trigger on the marlin is known for its “Marlin Flop” and rough pull. Wild West Guns have made a fix for that with the “Trigger-Happy” kit. Trigger-Happy kit eliminates the Marlin Flop and with a polish shear gives a good clean break. Coupled with a Wolf Springs main spring and lever lock spring the trigger is a smooth crisp much needed upgrade to the 1895.
The reliability fixes needed to do is Wild West one piece extractor removing the thought of the two piece extractor breaking in the most inopportune time and causing a jam. Next must needed upgrade is the magazine follower and follower spring. The factory follower is a plastic one that is prone to cracking due to weather chemicals from cleaning ect. Which can cause the next round not to feed correctly. Several companies make replacement followers this rifle is equip with a Beartooth Mercantile billet aluminum and stainless follower spring which had a nice smooth fit and has worked very well.
Finally some upgrades that are nice to have and come in hand are the XS Sight Rail system for mounting optic one could want. And with the hammer being down as the ultimate safety the Beartooth Mercantile saddle ring safety delete the option too secure your rifle to any pack animal bush plane or pack.
