All this lever action talk her recently with Ruger bringing Marlin back to life has had another lever gun on my mind. I have a Winchester 94 in .30-30 and have always wanted a lever gun in
45-70. Well today I happened across a very lightly used Marlin 1895GBL in 45-70 for a decent price with 4 boxes of ammo and could not pass it up.
I have heard that the Wild West Guns Lever Happy Tune Kit is a must for these guns. So was wondering if anyone has done it? Watched the video and looks like something I can handle on my own.
I think I would spring for the Gold Titanium Nitride Trigger though.
https://www.wildwestguns.com/p...ever-happy-tune-kit/

The previous owner put a rail on it. Am I silly for thinking about putting a red dot on it?
Pretty much going to be a fun range toy but it will be loaded for bear when I am at the cabin.

I have an Aimpoint T1 on mine and can hit 9" plates out to 200 yards with it. You putting a red dot on yours isn't going to change your silly factor one way or the other.

Nice rifle! I've eyed the WWG kit, but never actually ordered one as I convinced myself that I'm happy with mine as they are. But I'd love to hear your feedback on it if you end up getting it. Marlin trigger flop isn't a problem in any way, but it does annoy me.

I think it was usnscorpsman who had a thread here not to long ago asking if putting a red dot on a lever gun was blasphemous. IMO, it is a little bit...but if it helps you make hits faster and better than the irons, go for it...it's your gun! The nice thing is that modern reflex optics are small and light enough that they don't really mess with the weight and balance of the gun much like a large tube-bodied scope would.

I had a 4x Nikon on my 1895 Guide gun at one point, but even though it's not that large or heavy as far as scopes go, it still messed with the balance and handiness of the rifle...which I didn't like at all since that's my favorite aspect of the lever gun. I ultimately ended up removing it and installing a Williams peep sight, which is lighter, handier, and faster than the scope, yet almost as accurate. Skinner makes an even nicer peep sight, but for quite a bit more money.

As much as I hate to admit it, though, a small RDS would pair well with a lever gun in just about every application that it was intended for. It sticks in the craw of the traditionalist in me, but practically it makes a lot of sense.

I have a Happy kit in mine & it's worth it. It'll make a difference.
Nothing wrong with a red dot on your GBL. If I didn't already have my 2-7x Scout scope on, I'd go with a red dot.

I bought and installed the Wolff spring kit in mine. I still have the "trigger flop" but it really made the pull itself nice, without anything more than just changing out the springs. $10 versus $100.

A small red dot on these guns is perfect. It does not mess up the balance and allows for good hits at speed. Even a 1-4 power seemed off balance for me on this gun, but it prefect on my 30/30.

Holosun 507c on a 1894 .357






Easy accurate hits at 25 and 50yds

16gr IMR 4227
Hornady 158gr XTP
WSPM


25yds




50YDS

I’ve done the WWG kit on a marlin 336 and was very happy with the results. I also like their aluminum magazine followers.

I tried a red dot on my GBL but I decided id wait, as Id need a cheekpad on the stock for it, because it raises the height of the sights juuuust enough. So ill get a leather cartridge cuff with cheek pad in it from RLO or somewhere and then add the sight.

The other thing Ill add is the BearToothMerc’s saddle ring safety delete for aesthetic. I added one to my 1895CBA and like the look. It matches my 1893 (circa 1907) aesthetic.

The classic lines of a traditional Scope look best on a lever gun.

Something longer/cylindrical, form-factor wise, even if a red dot.

The little tactical red dots like on pistols, even EOTechs, look odd on a lever, imo. No nylon slings, either, needs leather...