Question about Marlin 444
I have long been interested in lever action rifles and prefer the Marlins. Recently I was looking at some 444's. A gunsmith acquaintance of mine told me to stay away from this caliber. His reason was that there are few bullets made for this cartridge, they tend to be on the light side as compared to the 45-70, and because they are really revolver bullets (.44 magnum) they tend to break apart and not penetrate game because they are pushed at velocities not designed for the bullet. I live in Missouri where I have been told the typical whitetail deer range is up to 60 yards and not much more. Many deer are taken at 40 yards. The price was right and I thought this might be a fun rifle with a lot of punch. Anyone have any opinions on this caliber and what the gunsmith said?
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Got one from my Dad's estate, the .444 marlin is a 100yd brush gun!
It works really well for brush & dear upto 300 lbs.
The shells that I use are flat tipped, no pistol round bullet I have seen looks like it.
What I can tell you, is that from 50 yrds shooting at a 6x6, the bullet went clear through the 6x6, entry hole apx 1/2 inch, exit apx
4 inches.
I would compare it to a winchester .300 as for as recoil & performace, except for the range is limited to 100yds & the travel is real flat.
One of my fav's to shoot coke & beer cans with, makes a BIG hole.
Ammo is expensive & kind of hard to find. $18 for 20 rds
Walte0 -
The .444 Marlin is at its best when handloaded with bullets of 265gr or heavier. There are some exotic semi-custom loadings available for non-handloaders. 0 -
For IMACLONE:
Thanks, your post helped a lot. It only made me more interested in a 444 than before. Only 100 yards? How do you think that would compare to a 45-70. Also, I have never fired a Winchester 300. The stoutest rifles I have fired are .30-06's and 7mm magnums. Please tell me the recoil is NOT a whole lot more than that...right?0 -
For Black Guns:
Thanks for the intel, what do you think of the 45-70 as compared to the 444? I am still interested in the 444.0 -
NOTPARS
Never shoot a 45/70, so dont know about its recoil.
But have shoot a .300win recoil is about the same.
The .444 Marlin is a brushgun, for medium size game, works real well if you have to shoot through heavy brush to get you kill. But again
it is a flat straight 100 yd gun, anything past 150 yds the bullet drops like a rock, really quick drop rate past 150yds.
hope this helps
Walte0 -
The .444 has (as basically stated) the about same flightpath as a 45-70 (compare them for yourself at: http://www.remington.com/ammo/ballistics/centerfire/comp_ballistics_results.asp. The Remington link is a little misleading however, with the different bullet weights available, you aren't really comparing apples to apples.... It has enough energy for longer shots than 100 yards. I have a .44 mag carbine and can make 100 kills with it but have to aim about 2" high for the last 25 yards of that.
Here's some good links for some reading on the cartridge and/or gun...
http://rugrrdhwk.virtualave.net/marlin444.html
http://rugrrdhwk.virtualave.net/marlin4442.html
http://rugrrdhwk.virtualave.net/marlin4444.html
I don't have the .444 any more, but I still think it is one of the best rounds for white-tails. Some people like the ported version to reduce recoil or muzzle lift, but the noise is greater of course. I would also like to see the new .500 S&W released in a carbine.
Hope this info (and especially the links) are what you need. If you get the .444 let us know what you think of it.
It doesn't matter what you shoot, just shoot it well...0 -
Oh, BTW, you can also find heavier bullets for this round too. They are more expensive (but more accurate, and better bullets usually) at places like: http://www.allabouthunting.com/store/products/productDisplay.asp?manufacturer=BUFFALO+BORE&model=CENTERFIRE+SPECIALTY+AMMO
I haven't dealt with this company, but they had a good listing of typically available (but not off the shelf) ammo.
It doesn't matter what you shoot, just shoot it well...0 -
I have a Marlin model 1895 in caliber 444 with the 22" barrel. Mine is equipped with the Williams receiver peep sight with the low light aperture. The new Marlins now have cut rifleing rather than the older micro-groove type and they have changed the pitch of the rifleing from 1 turn in 36" to 1 turn in 20" which is much better and should have been done 20 years ago. The 444 is at it's best with 265 grain and 300 grain bullets, even for game as light as white tails. The new Marlin also handles cast bullets very well and here 300 to 310 grain bullets are ideal. I would put the effective range of the 444 at 200 yards if the rifle is sighted 2 to 2-1/2" high at 100 yards. I think that a new Marlin in 444 will serve you very well, but, I would stay away from an older used one, because of the older type rifleing. The 444 has more then enough power to take game as large as elk with ease. 0 -
I don't know much about the 444 in a rifle but I can tell you that a 14" 44Mag. Contender rechambered to 444 is lethal medicine on whitetails out to 75 yds. [my longest shot] I'm using Sierra's 300 gr. flat nose. And I'm here to tell ya that baby is a thumper at both ends. Its not a gun for extended sessions at the shooting bench. 20-30 rounds is plenty and I'm not a recoil wuss either. I also have a 15' 45-70 but with a muzzle brake. Its a *****-cat in comparison.
So don't feel under gunned with this cartridge within its limits. Like was previously stated stick with bullets 265 gr. and up.
nb0 -
NOTPARS;
The .45-70 when loaded with the extruded brass currently available is a VERY potent cartridge. I built one one a mauser action.
My current hunting load is 46 grs. of 3136 pushing a barnes solid copper 480gr. bullet, at arouf 2250 fps. It will drop the largest Buck in his tracks. Using modern components it will load to within a whisker of the .458 Win Mag. The thing is, the heavier you load it, the harder it is going to backup. The load I mentioned earlier is not bad to shoot, but you don't want to shoot it all day. They do recoil, but, in normal
hunting configurations, it is'nt any worse to deal with than a 30-06.
I really like mine, I do get strange looks from other hunters sometimes, But in the Ozarks brush it can't be beat. I've built two others for people after they saw it in action. It is a very old caliber, But, It ain't grandpa's 45-70 any more. By the way, it stops 6x6 Elk the same way.0 -
I'm calling BS on the 46 grains of IMR3031 pushing a 480 grain bullet to 2250 FPS. In a Ruger #1, 53 grains will only push a 500 grain bullet about 1800 FPS. 59 grains will only push a 350 grain bullet to 2200 FPS. I have done quite a bit of loading for the 45-70 in both rifles and single shot pistols. I feel that H322 is probobly the best powder for the 45-70 with jacketed and cast bullets. My favorite load in a Marlin 1895 is 56 grains of H322 under the 405 grain Beartooth hard cast bullet and with that load it will do 1950 FPS. In my Ruger #1 with 62 grains of H322 I could push the 300 grain Barnes X bullet to just about 2300 FPS. 2250 with a 480 bullet and 46 grains of IMR3031, I doubt it. That is not even a max load for the old Springfield Trapdoor and a 300 grain jacketed bullet. In my T/C Contender I was using 49 grains of H322 with the same 405 grain cast bullet and getting 1620 FPS.
AlleninAlaska
Delta Firearms & Supplies
He who dares not offend cannot be honest.
-- Thomas Paine0 -
Aglore,
He said 3136 ????, I have never heard of 3136. Is this some 'new' powder I am not aware of? [?]
I have a 444 with a 16.5 in bbl and love it. 300 gr XTP at about 2150 fps and with a lepould 1x4 scope it shoots 1 1/2 groups at 100 yds. For a lever gun thats a tack driver.[8D]
Self defence is an ablsolute and natural right. Keep your powder dry! J. Rau, Alaska0 -
Jim I'm just assuming he meant IMR3031. But who knows.[:)]
AlleninAlaska
Delta Firearms & Supplies
He who dares not offend cannot be honest.
-- Thomas Paine0 -
Hello NOTPARS[:)]
For cast bullets at 265 grains or better and 22 BIN hardness, I would like to suggest that you look at www.rockislandballistics.com .
These have worked very well for me in my Marlin leverguns that are chambered in .44 mag and .45 Colt.
Best Regards[:)]0
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