Marlin Model 1895 Trapper: Another new Ruger-built .45-70

This week, we've had out first look at another new lever-action from the reborn Marlin company. The historic American firearm manufacturer, now under new ownership/management, has just released the Model 1895 Trapper.

The Trapper follows the 1895 SBL, which hit the market earlier this year. The SBL was the first Marlin built under Ruger ownership; Ruger bought Marlin during Remington's great sell-off in 2020, when Big Green sold off several subsidiaries in the wake of its bankruptcy. It seems those who've got their hands on the new SBL are happy with its quality and adherence to traditional Marlin styling. Although it has modern features like a threaded barrel muzzle, ghost ring sights (tritium fiber-optic bead in front), a Picatinny rail on the receiver and a crossbolt safety, and it doesn't have micro-groove rifling, most early reviews seem generally happy with the rifle (although, not necessarily happy with its price). It comes with a 19-inch barrel, stainless finish and grey laminate stocks.

If you want something a little more stripped-down and compact, Marlin's just introduced the Model 1895 Trapper. At first, it looks a lot like the SBL: Same stainless finish, similar dark grey laminate stocks, same basic action layout.

However, the Trapper comes with a shorter barrel, trimmed to 16.17 inches for quicker handling. The stock is slimmed-down from the previous Marlin design, which should also help there. Chunky forends have long been a turn-off for lever-action fans switching from Winchester to Marlin, so maybe this will work better for shooters who previously disliked Marlin's meaty fore-stock? Overall length is just over 34 inches, and the rifle weighs just over 7 pounds, so it's certainly a very portable bear-blaster for fishing guides and other outdoor professional types. It's called the "Trapper," after all, and was designed from the start as a rifle capable of high-power wilderness protection.

There's no Picatinny rail, and the fiber-optic sights are swapped out for adjustable Skinner sights (a Bear Buster front sight, and Express rear sight). A fluted bolt reduces a bit of weight, although it certainly has a non-traditional look, same as that threaded muzzle. The mag tube comes with 5+1 capacity, and there's a massive buttpad to soak up that .45-70 recoil.

Alas, the price tag may be a little harder to absorb, coming in at a $1,349 MSRP for American customers. Canadian pricing is unsure at this point, but retailers are taking deposits and expect pricing in the $1900 range.

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