[bsj425]

About 2 weeks ago I got a Marlin 45-70 SBL. At first I thought it was going to be a lemon from what I read on here and how rough the action was. It came with a GS barrel on it which is incorrect for the model. I was going to send it in to get it replaced but marlin said they dont pay for shipping for warranty work coming from Alaska so I decided to keep it and live with the wrong barrel I intend on keeping it and it really doesnt bother me. After a tear down and some polishing with the dremel there were several burrs which was causing the rough action a couple hours of polishing and the action is nice and smooth now. I took her out today to get the scope sighted in and I must say I went out with the expectation or being disappointed just from what I have read about this model but it turned out to be just the opposite.

^ The rifle. It has a Redfield 2-7X on top with see through mounts so I can still use the ghost ring iron sights.

It took 4 shots to get the scope zeroed at 50 yards and 2 more shots to get it on at 100. It was calm and 5 above at the range.

^^These shots were @ 100 yards with the scope. The left group is right at .50 the right one is at about 1.56 the wind picked up a bit on the second one but still that is good enough for me will defiantly fit in the kill zone of anything I am hunting.

^^ These two groups were @ 75 with the iron sights. The left group is just a hair over 2 inches and the right one is 1.78 inches which is surprising on the bear target because I didnt have a defiantly spot for point of aim I was guessing on the first one then based my next 2 shots off of the first hole.


Overall I am very happy with the gun. I am not so happy with Marlin or their customer service but all turned out ok. With a dremel tool and some patience you can fix just about anything..

 

[rhendrix]

I don't know what you read but I don't think anyone here has said they don't shoot. Mine is one of the most accurate guns I own but that is pretty standard in a Marlin. They will shoot with any gun.

The complaints have been about things like you say you can live with. Most of us can't live with paying premium prices for guns that just are not what we bought. If you can live with it, then kudos to you. I would not be able to handle paying that much for a gun with the wrong name on it and an extra hole in the barrel. Maybe you can shorten your magazine and tell everyone that extra dovetail is for a boyonet. ;D

 

[bsj425]

Alot of people have reported feeding/loading issues as well and I havent had any of that thankfully. As far as the barrel says I know what you are saying but it is going to cost me about 150 for shipping and insurance to get the barrel changed not to mention time. I need this gun for a bear hunt in 3 weeks and they said it could take up to 10 weeks and longer. They are too cheap to pay for shipping to and from Alaska but they did offer to reimburse me $18 dollars on shipping costs? Which hardly covers the insurance both ways. Not to mention there have been alot of people up here that get rifles back worse than they sent them due to the way FEDex handles their packages then you have to battle with them over insurance settlements. So to me I will just deal with it and have my gun when I need it and not worry about a dovetail. There is a place up here that can cut out a insert to fill in the slot so it will match but I am really not that worried about it.

 

[Windage]

I am very pleased you are happy with your SBL. That is about as "Alaska" looking a gun as you can get. The accuracy is outstanding. I know what rhendrix is saying about the extra dovetail. Personally I am anal enough that it would drive me crazy. But I also sympathize with you not wanting to ship it back to Remington. Besides the cost there are just too many things that can go wrong including it finding its way to the bottom of a pile of junk while being shipped and ending up with a U-shaped barrel. Or Remington giving you a barrel that is aimed at the ground 20 feet in front of you.
I admire your acceptance of the bonus dovetail. I was going to suggest that you find a post I saw on this site where someone filled in the dovetail on a similar gun and it almost disappears. Perhaps someone knows where it is and can provide a link? Anyway, you have said you are aware of this fix. Perhaps when hunting season is over it is something you might want to consider.

Enjoy your new gun!

 

[rhendrix]

I would go on the hunt and keep talking to Marlington about repairing it. You have 5 years warranty against manufacturing defects and both of your problems fall into this category. Keep at them and one day you may have a couple of months that you can be without it to get it repaired. See if they will ship the correct barrel to a gunsmith in Alaska and let him fix it and them pay for it. There has to be a way for them to make this right for you but time is on your side because like I said, you have 5 years to get it correct and you shooting it will not have anything to do with those defects. If it comes down to it, get a lawyer friend to write a letter to them and hint at a class action lawsuit. Lord knows there are enough people out there like you that a class action lawsuit is not far fetched. It just might work.

 

[maroontoad]

Good shooting.
I got one of the first ones after a 6 month wait and got lucky. Mine is slick and correct. Sorry that you didn't get what you paid for :-[ but good work that you got it shooting.

 

[Eli Chaps]

Alot of people have reported feeding/loading issues as well and I havent had any of that thankfully. As far as the barrel says I know what you are saying but it is going to cost me about 150 for shipping and insurance to get the barrel changed not to mention time. I need this gun for a bear hunt in 3 weeks and they said it could take up to 10 weeks and longer. They are too cheap to pay for shipping to and from Alaska but they did offer to reimburse me $18 dollars on shipping costs? Which hardly covers the insurance both ways. Not to mention there have been alot of people up here that get rifles back worse than they sent them due to the way FEDex handles their packages then you have to battle with them over insurance settlements. So to me I will just deal with it and have my gun when I need it and not worry about a dovetail. There is a place up here that can cut out a insert to fill in the slot so it will match but I am really not that worried about it.

Search for a post by Mainecat or send him a PM. He has a pretty cool method for filling dovetails with a nickle. Looks real good.

 

[mainecat]

Thank's Erik!!
Here ya' go!!!

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php/topic,56452.0.html

Look about halfway down the page!!
There's also a thread some where of a member that filled his with a lead bullet!!
Either way, it's an easy fun project that you can do yourself before bear season opens in three weeks!!!