I've just read an article in an old gun magazine. The author was showing pics of several 4" patterns fired at 300 yards. The gun was a basic marlin lever action with a scope. Has any one gotten this kind of accuracy out of that round in a lever? If this is true I might just have to git me one.
.444 in Marlins Accurate????
- Thread starter powdergun
- Start date
- Location
- calgary, AB
I've got one with open sights which can shoot fairly well (it shoots better then me!
) at 100yds. Think of it as shooting a bowling ball at the target . Anything in the way is going DOWN
) at 100yds. Think of it as shooting a bowling ball at the target . Anything in the way is going DOWN
Every .444 I have heard of shoots great, even the micro grove barrels, the newer Ballard cut rifling is even better! A 325gr. wide flat point gas check bullet by M.T. Chambers showed good accuracy at over 2000fps! That vel. was necessary to use the factory iron sights!!
my marlin .444 can shoot 1 inch groups at 100 meters no problem. i handload my own shells, and the Hornady 265gr flat point interlock is the best bullet for my gun. sure makes me want to try one of the new ones, lever revolution sounds like the wave of the future.
444 marlin
Have a 1972 Marlin in .444 with Micogroove, 22 in. barrel..... loves 265 gr. Hornadys with top loads of H 335 and Reloder #7 . It will usually shoot 3 shots @1.5 in/100yds and at 200yd, under 3 in. on good days.........have 310 gr NEI mold for cast bullet that's almost as good.........never tried it beyond 200.
hs 4570........................your mileage may vary
Have a 1972 Marlin in .444 with Micogroove, 22 in. barrel..... loves 265 gr. Hornadys with top loads of H 335 and Reloder #7 . It will usually shoot 3 shots @1.5 in/100yds and at 200yd, under 3 in. on good days.........have 310 gr NEI mold for cast bullet that's almost as good.........never tried it beyond 200.
hs 4570........................your mileage may vary
Girls like Guns too said:
When I was shooting factory Reminton ammo in my 444 in the early 80's, the accuracy sucked. It was amazing to watch the groups drop from pie-plate down to approx. one inch with reloads.
Reloading is by far the best way to go for the less common, more expensive cartridges.
my marlin keeps the first 3 inside 1.5" at 100 yards the 4th seems to wander a little streching most groups to 2-2.5 " and the 5th usually makes it a 4" group . but with 55GR of H335 under a Barnes 300GR it puts all 5 into 2.5 " . there are definitely better marlins out there but this good enough to keep venison in my freezer. Actually I should have picked a handload based one the best 3 shot group, because with the .444 everything I have hit has gone down with the first shot . so what the 4th and 5th shots are doing probably aren't to terribly important.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
I have one, micro groove rifling, topped with a Bushnell Scopechief VI, 1.5-4, and Weaver pivot mounts. 'Works' well. I've had good success using 265gr Hornady bullets, one three shot groug 1.375". Also, I'm 'playing' woth some cast bullets that also look promising. I was planning on selling it when I got my 1895 GS in .45-70, but I've decided to keep it.
i went thru my old targets for my 444. its the older microgroove 22 inch barrel. with h4198 and hornady 265 it will average around the 1 inch mark, some groups a little under some over. it will do inch and a quarter with 240 grn hornady and rel 7. 300 grn laods are closer to inch and three quarters to two and a quarter inches but i haven't spent much time trying to tune the load as the 265 hornadys are so good. marlin makes fine rifles as my 30 30 can shoot around the inch mark with w748 and hornady 170 fp too.
The knock against the .444 ,has always been its lack of penetrtation when using pistol bullets with thin jackets and low SD. Some factory loads still use pistol bullets and it hampers the .444 on large game.....Heavy cast bullets with flat points and gas checks cast hard should increase penetration on moose and big bears....I don't think accuracy was ever a problem in the .444!
