There are few things on earth more purely American than a lever-action rifle chambered for the .45-70 Government cartridge. It's a tradition that began when Marlin Firearms Co. introduced the first-ever lever-action chambered for the .45-70: the open-top-receiver Model 1881.

The blackpowder .45-70 was the most powerful cartridge of its time. And while Teddy Roosevelt's pet Winchester Model 1886 --designed by John Browning--may be the more famous .45-70 lever-action, Marlin was first, five years earlier. Marlin trumped Winchester again when it introduced a solid-top, side-ejecting .45-70 with its Model 1895. It was based on the flat-sided receiver of the smaller-caliber Model 1889 similar to Marlin's still-produced Model 1894.

In fact, Marlin has long been a leader in the lever-action world. As Marlin points out with pride, the current .22 Long Rifle Marlin Golden 39A rifle represents the oldest shoulder firearm design in continuous production anywhere in the world. The Marlin Model 1891--the 39A's great-grandfather, as the company history puts it--was the first repeating rifle to be chambered for the .22 LR cartridge.

Marlin’s new Model 1895SBL is a refined version of the 1895GS Guide Gun.

The current Marlin website lists more than two dozen individual centerfire and rimfire lever-action models in a dozen chamberings--from .22 LR to the powerful .450 Marlin and hypermodern .308 Marlin Express and .338 Marlin Express. They're available in full-length, carbine, or cowboy-action styling; stainless or blued steel; checkered wood or laminated stock and fore-end. And Marlin executives say there are more on the way.

The original Model 1895 .45-70 was offered from 1895 to 1917. After World War I, Marlin turned its attention to higher-pressure, medium-bore, smokeless cartridges like the .30-30 and .35 Remington. It would not be until 1972 that the .45-70 cartridge returned to the Marlin lineup in the form of a redesigned Model 1895--a big-bore version of the popular Marlin Model 336 .30-30 action.

Without going deeply into technical details, it is useful to note that the Marlin Model 336 series and the current Model 1895 series are essentially same-design rifles; the 1895 is heavier-duty. Both series feature solid-receiver side-ejection, which allows scope mounting on top of the drilled and tapped receiver unlike competing top-ejection lever-action designs. Therefore, the modern Model 1895 is much stronger than either the Winchester open-top lever-action design or the original Marlin 1889 and the '94-style Model 1895.

The 336 and the 1895 series also offer parallel configuration variations: straight-grip stock versions with straight levers or pistol-grip versions with curved levers, barrel-band magazine attachment or forearm-clamp magazine attachment, tapered forearms or semibeavertail forearms, full-length magazine tubes or short tubes, etc.

| Marlin 1896SBL |
Model:	1896SBL
Purpose:	Big-game hunting
Manufacturer:	Marlin Firearms Co. 100 Kenna Dr. North Haven, CT 06473 203.239.5621
Action type:	Lever-acion; enlarged lever loop
Magazine type/ capacity:	Tubular/ five rounds
Reciever material:	Stainless steel
Caliber:	.45-70 Gov't
Barrel length:	18.5 inches
Rifling:	Ballard-type, six-grooves, 1:20 RH twist
Sights:	Black XS Sight Systems Ghost Ring on black Lever Rail optical mount base; blade front
Safety:	Manual crossbolt hammer-block safety, reciever-mounted
Trigger type:	Standard
Pull Weight:	4.5 lbs.
Stock Finish:	Matte satin
Stock material and type:	Two-piece black/gray laminated wood
Drop at heel:	1.75 in
Drop at comb:	1.25 inches
Length of pull:	13.5 inches
Checkering:	Cut checkering fore-end and piston grip, diamond pattern
Pistol-grip cap:	Black polymer
Recoil Pad:	Pachmayr Decelerator
Sling studs/swivels:	Fixed swivel studs fore-end and stock
Weight, empty:	7.5 lbs.
Overall length:	36.5 in.
Accessories:	Owners manual, safety lock, hard polymer carry case
MSRP:	$978