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1895GBL vs Guide gun

28K views 49 replies 24 participants last post by  cds4570 
#1 ·
All this talk lately about STP's and guide guns got me looking...

Now, I'm probably the only one that didn't know, but the GBL is basically a guide gun....only better.



The GBL has all the things that I don't like about the guide gun. It has a pistol grip, full length mag tube, laminate stock (I hate the marshield birch) and, like the GG has a 18.5" barrel.

But....I don't like the big loop, which is why I've never looked at one before.

Other than that it's the "Super Guide gun", and I need one :biggrin:

Is it a big deal to replace the big loop lever with a standard PG lever?
 
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#9 ·
thanks Tom,

I'm a layman, but I had thought that the lever was an integral part of headspacing on a lever gun, that it had to be fitted with the bolt and chamber ?

But, you would know better than I.

I'm going to check-out a couple of GBL's tomorrow, although I'm pretty gunshy of these new Remlins, I have 2 that I bought before finding this forum and, with some repairs, are fine shooters.
 
#8 ·
Does anyone know what year they started making the 1895GBL's ?

Are they all Remlins ?
 
#10 ·
I totally agree, and i did something about it, i put all the things i like about the GBL on my GG.
Dont mind the different stock/forearm look, im in the process of slimming another forend and thats the uncheckered stock im gonna use but i need to match the colors after i finish the forearm :biggrin:... I like the feel of thinner wood, the looks of the full length tube and the bigger loop, its also wearing XS sights and Leverscout mount, a saddlering safety delete and its sighted in with both the red dot and the Leupy scout scope...






BloodGroove4570
 
#11 ·
45BG

I dont think that all the GBL's are rem made, i do believe you can find them made by Marlin if you just take your time and look thoroughly and patiently :shot:

Also on the levers, sometimes you will be able to just swap without fitting, and sometimes it might need a little tweaking to work, it all depends on your luck :flute:, LOL.....
 
#13 ·
Well, so much for my new GBL :vollkommenauf:

I went to my local gunshop today to pick up my 90-something year old 1893 takedown 38-55 and asked to see one of the new GBL's in stock.

While the layout of the gun is something that I absolutely love, the fit-n-finish was horrible.

But, I believe that we in Canada are seeing NOS from about a year ago due to how all of the new guns in Canada come through one importer and they order guns a year in advance.

So, I'll have to keep my eye open for a used one or wait till next year and look for a new one again.
 
#16 · (Edited)
#17 · (Edited)
I am another guy who had a guide gun but decided to make the GBL into exactly what I wanted. Basically I needed to thin the herd in case any of you are wondering why i got rid of one.
Mine was actually an ABL from the factory, but I swapped out the laminate with walnut from an older 1895, and also changed out the large loop lever for the standard size lever. Turned it into a pretty sweet gun. Mine is one of the first Remlins but I am happy with how it turned out. It is currently the gun in my avatar pic. Also do a search for "modified 1895abl" and you can see a better pic. I can't figure out how to post a pic from my iPad.
 
#22 ·
Tom,
Quick question? Mine has a North Haven marked barrel, but is stamped REP and has the MRxxxxxx serial number. I know it is a remlin, but it must have been made with an old stock barrel before the markings were changed to Ilion. This must have been made right in the middle of the change over I am guessing??
Matt
 
#20 ·
To answer an earlier question, no, they do not make a GBL in stainless with a brown laminate stock. They do make stainless guns with brown (walnut) stocks. Check their website. To go stainless and big loop, you need to get the SBL, but the stock won't be brown. You could get a stainless guide gun cheaper and replace the lever with a big loop for the same money, but all the other "G" guns other than the GBL (and SBL because it is basically a stainless GBL at the same guide gun length, that is to say, 18.5") have straight stocks, not pistol grips.

To the opening poster, go out and handle one, because when you handle the 1895GBL, I suspect you will feel that it's not just another guide gun with a longer mag tube and big loop lever tossed in. I think you will find it is noticeably heavier (despite what Marlin's website says) and handles a bit less well, probably mostly due to that laminate stock (and for me, pistol grips don't handle as well either). I've seen people say there's not much weight difference between laminate and traditional, but in my opinion the guide gun with its standard wood stock is a lighter, handier, just plain better handling rifle. I had the 336BL, which I liked, and it had a beautiful laminate stock. It looked just like the 1895GBL, and I just traded it in toward a 1895GS yesterday. Despite being a .45-70 and all that, the 1895GS is definitely lighter and faster handling than the 336BL was, so I'm sure it would feel better than the 1895GBL as well. You'd probably like the Classic 1895, except it is not a guide gun (has a longer 22" barrel), but it's probably the next best thing if you have to have a pistol grip. I'm moving out west into grizzly country soon, which is why I got the 1895GS, just in case. If I have to carry it around everywhere with me and handling and speed are paramount, I wouldn't carry the 1895GBL. Your mileage may vary.
 
#21 ·
thanks Heraclid,

When I left the store yesterday I was kicking myself, because the clerk handed me the GBL, it had barely touched my hands, I saw daylight between the stock and receiver and in a fit of disgust handed it right back to him.

I should have at least hefted and shouldered it to see if I liked the feel of it.

I already have a classic 1895 and like it, I was just looking through the Marlin catalog and the GBL caught my eye.

I've also been thinking of the 336Y as a walking bush gun
 
#33 ·
I was just at a store that had a new 336BL, very similar to the GBL.

The heft and feel were good and the fit-n-finish were acceptable. I know the GBL will be a little heavier due to the bigger barrel, but I liked it.

In cycling the gun, I stand by my opinion, I do not like the big loop, so if I get one I'll be changing the lever.

I'd still like to handle the 336Y before making a decision
 
#40 ·
eaglesnest and JAG - I'm with you both. I simply like the look of the full length mag tube. When I'm hunting I never put more than 3 in any gun, especially the 45-70. It makes it too heavy and I've never felt the need for more than 2 quick shots (+1 for insurance :) )

I've never been crazy about lam stocks either, it's the pistol-grip that I like
 
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#41 ·
Given that you are not crazy about the lam stocks but want pistol grip I think the 1895ss with a shortened barrel might be a good place to start. Then it wouldn't be terribly difficult to add a longer tube to it. Would be a pretty unique gun when finished and those shouldn't be hard to come by since they have been made since the early 70's.
 
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#43 ·
In the FWIW column: I picked up a Remlim GBL about two months ago.

- I like the laminate stock work they did (so did several of the "old guys" amongst my Range Officers)
- I like the oversize lever loop design (as compared to my 39A and `94)
- I like the absolutely flawless feeding of those big 45-70 cases.... smoothest I've ever felt... fast or slow
- I wasn't too keen on the 8½ lb trigger, so I HappyTriggered & re main-springed it to 3½
- The stock iron sights weren't too bad, but I put a WilliamsFP peep on it to establish load preferences.
- (then my mid 60's eyes finally said "...put a lo-pwr Leupold on it, stupid...."

- Finally, I like the way it puts lead (real lead) downrange:

 
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