.44 Mag in a .444 Marlin

Chas

Chas

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Has anyone used .44 Mag ammo in a .444 Marlin? I realize that there will be a bullet jump from the chamber to the rifling die to the difference of cartridge length. If anyone has done it, was there any adverse difference in accuracy using the .44 Mag?

Why am I asking? We have a couple of spots in town where I am allowed to hunt coyotes with straight walled pistol cartridges. I have been looking at the CVA Scouts and the .444s are cheaper than the .44 Mags, and I use .444 for deer hunting. I figured with the single shot, it would be easier to deal with loading the .44 Mag into it rather than my guide gun.

Thanks
 
The cases will bulge at the base, and accuracy will likely be terrible. Better to load the .444 with Trail Boss, this said I’ve never heard of a straight wall handgun cartridge reg in Canada that’s new to me. I struggle to envision a scenario where the .444 loaded with Trail Boss to the same velocities would not be accepted when the .44 Mag is.

This also sounds like a wonderful excuse to buy an 1894.
 
Is a local bylaw exemption for predator control in town. I already reload for both calibers, was hoping to get double utility out of one gun. If not possible, will buy the .44 mag rifle. Not interested in buying a new caliber such as the 350 or 450 BM.

Out of curiosity, why would a .44 mag case bulge at the base when the chamber is the same specs at that location??
 
They’re not the same base dimension, there’s a significant difference actually. There’s a taper to the .444 like most long straight walled cases to aid in extraction. It’s .4706” at the base, the .44 mag is .457”. As always, one shouldn’t shoot a cartridge in a gun that’s not expressly designed for it. The risk of a case failure is low, but you’re definitely opening yourself up to the possibility trying in this scenario. I’d just load your .444 to high subsonic / 1050fps with a 240gr and call it a .44 Mag. It’ll be quieter then .44 Mag and nobody will ask you any questions.
 
The 444 is not a lengthened 44 Rem Mag. It is more like the 8x57R necked up, or a 30-06 case with a rim if you prefer.

IMO, the light 444 loads are the way to go. But, the popcorn fart Winchester 44-40 loads may work "good enough". The 44-40 is much closer in base diameter to the 444 and I think they're running ~900fps.
 
A 44-40 loaded with 44mag bullet could work better. They have the same base size so as long as the taper on the 444 isn't tighten then the 44-40's case mouth it should be fine.


Honestly I've only looked into this for 3 minutes and used the 444 base size listed above so do look into it more.
 
Just make a Reduced load for the .444 using H4895. If you did get the .44 Mag shooting in that chamber, you can kiss the throat good-bye in short order... imagine trying to scarf down a large kitchen sink pizza while you are being rabbit-punched in the throat... bad analogy, but you get the idea.
 
I think this is why he cant use the 444 and just down load it,

"We have a couple of spots in town where I am allowed to hunt coyotes with straight walled pistol cartridges"
 
Thanks folks for all of the responses, I didnt realize that the .444 and .44 mag differed that much in the dimensions at the head as I had read that the .444 was just an elongated .44 mag (I should have looked).

We are limited to straight walled pistol cartridges and can use rimfire cartridges at those locations. I do have a .22 WMR set up (we are talking less than 100 yards shooting distance) for that location, was looking at an option to use something a bit beefier. And a little retail therapy... :d
 
Evanguy said:
A 44-40 loaded with 44mag bullet could work better. They have the same base size so as long as the taper on the 444 isn't tighten then the 44-40's case mouth it should be fine.


Honestly I've only looked into this for 3 minutes and used the 444 base size listed above so do look into it more.
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This is bang on. I had a neat old antique revolver that 'wasn't a 44-40' as the previous owner presented a good argument. An unfired 44-40 starline would click if you shook the gun.
Well, it can't use 44-40 brass, it would work marvelously I'd imagine...but the legal reprecusion's ...no cool.
444 Marlin cut down was a beautiful fit. Brass was plenty strong, added safety to the unit...brass was way too thick...had to thin it....blah, blah, blah.
But they are very close dimensionally. I ran .429 diameter IIRC as well.
 
Back in the day, waaaay back, I was instructed to match the bawrill markings with the ammo literature.
Not too frick'in difficult to entail.
Now some postal workers.........................:onCrack:
 
Chas said:
Thanks folks for all of the responses, I didnt realize that the .444 and .44 mag differed that much in the dimensions at the head as I had read that the .444 was just an elongated .44 mag (I should have looked).

We are limited to straight walled pistol cartridges and can use rimfire cartridges at those locations. I do have a .22 WMR set up (we are talking less than 100 yards shooting distance) for that location, was looking at an option to use something a bit beefier. And a little retail therapy... :d
Click to expand...

There’s a lot of counter intuitiveness in terminal ballistics. You’ll likely find the .22 Mag more than equally effective to the .44 Mag on coyote sized game, if you treat it scientifically and pace out the distance they travel after the hit or if on open ground the time til no movement. I had this experience with a Marlin 1894C I hunted coyotes in the Rockies foothills with around twenty years ago. Even with a hot Gold Dot HP, coyotes couldn’t be killed any more dead than they were already reliably falling to the .22 Mag. And then I had to deal with exit wounds in the pelts.

I tried the Marlin for the same reason you’re looking at your .444 with a twinkle in your eye, in the end if you looked at it objectively it was at the very best just the equal of the .22 Mag, and only with the fastest rifle specific handloads. But for equality, you had much more noise, recoil, and pelt damage. At a certain point, dead is dead…
 
Ardent said:
There’s a lot of counter intuitiveness in terminal ballistics. You’ll likely find the .22 Mag more than equally effective to the .44 Mag on coyote sized game, if you treat it scientifically and pace out the distance they travel after the hit or if on open ground the time til no movement. I had this experience with a Marlin 1894C I hunted coyotes in the Rockies foothills with around twenty years ago. Even with a hot Gold Dot HP, coyotes couldn’t be killed any more dead than they were already reliably falling to the .22 Mag. And then I had to deal with exit wounds in the pelts.

I tried the Marlin for the same reason you’re looking at your .444 with a twinkle in your eye, in the end if you looked at it objectively it was at the very best just the equal of the .22 Mag, and only with the fastest rifle specific handloads. But for equality, you had much more noise, recoil, and pelt damage. At a certain point, dead is dead…
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A chum of mine only hunts coyotes with .22 Mag and he is well into triple digits of dogs, it is his main winter passtime.
 
hoytcanon said:
A chum of mine only hunts coyotes with .22 Mag and he is well into triple digits of dogs, it is his main winter passtime.
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It’s hard to argue with it once tried, I’ve never felt undergunned with it. The obvious range caveats apply, but where I’ve called it’s always been enough. The lack of report is very welcome too, I used mine on our little 15 acre plot surrounded by 1/4s and a smattering of other small acreages populated by former city dwellers without ruffling feathers. Also, wouldn’t say it’s a good idea but the odd shot taken without ear plugs doesn’t leave your ears ringing, #### happens when you’re hunting.
 
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