444 Marlin question

S

Sic Kid

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
85   0   0
Location
Bills Puddle, BC
Just picked up a pre cross bolt safety marlin in 444. Love it thus farm especially when the deal came with 6 boxes of ammo! What are some upgrades that other owners do to these on Regards of sites? Would love to keep it open. Is it possible to get a big loop for these instead of the stock knuckle cutters they come with?

Regards,
Kid

PS - Any links to such parts would be much appreciated. Cheers.
 
I put a Williams peep sight on my 336 along with a Williams firesight (fibre optic) on the front as my old eyes had problems with the original open sights. A lot of people seem to like the Skinner peep sights as well. I believe you can swap out the lever but not entirely sure. Foymount Farms on here may chime in. He seems to be well versed in the Marlin rifles. You may want to check out Marlin Owners dot com as well. There is a wealth of knowledge and info on that forum. Hope this helps. Bac4
 
Attached some pictures of levers from a 1952 336A, 1979 Marlin 444S and a 2014 336BL. Note the slight differences where the lever engages the bolt between the older 336 levers and their significant differences with the 2014 Big Loop.

The lever from the 1952 336A will cycle the bolt in my 1979 444S. The lever from the 2014 336BL will not cycle the bolt in my 1979 444S.

FWIW, my 444S has the "leveler" on the carrier. Some do, some didn't. I don't know if that made a difference on the 2014 BL not cycling it. I also don't know what year the lever design was changed. Most pictures of aftermarket BL's that I've seen show the newer design.

I can't help with sight recommendations. All my lever rifles are scoped, my aged vision requires it. The 444S has a Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36 (thanks Hoytcanon) mounted on low height Talley one piece lightweights.

1952 336A, 1979 444S, 2014 336BL
View attachment 47643

1952 336A, 1979 444S, 2014 336BL
View attachment 47644

1952 336A, 1979 444S, 2014 336BL
View attachment 47645
 
Last edited:
FoymountFarm said:
Attached some pictures of levers from a 1952 336A, 1979 Marlin 444S and a 2014 336BL. Note the slight differences where the lever engages the bolt between the older 336 levers and their significant differences with the 2014 Big Loop.

The lever from the 1952 336A will cycle the bolt in my 1979 444S. The lever from the 2014 336BL will not cycle the bolt in my 1979 444S.

FWIW, my 444S has the "leveler" on the carrier. Some do, some didn't. I don't know if that made a difference on the 2014 BL not cycling it. I also don't know what year the lever design was changed. Most pictures of aftermarket BL's that I've seen show the newer design.

I can't help with sight recommendations. All my lever rifles are scoped, my aged vision requires it. The 444S has a Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36 (thanks Hoytcanon) mounted on low height Talley one piece lightweights.

1952 336A, 1979 444S, 2014 336BL
View attachment 47643

1952 336A, 1979 444S, 2014 336BL
View attachment 47644

1952 336A, 1979 444S, 2014 336BL
View attachment 47645
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info! But now I'm wondering if the loop off of an older GBL will fit my 444s? I am just not a fan of the narrow loop and would love to find a big loop kit for it.

I have heard lots of positive things about skinner sights and more than likely after spring bear season has ended I will be scoping it for moose season and the like in the fall.
 
Here's mine. Has the WWG Happy Trigger and Bear Proof Ejector. Replaced the walnut stock with a factory grey laminated stock win the 1" Decelerator pad. Also has a XS Sight winged ghost ring on it now that's not on the pic.



 
Last edited:
Can't remember what that one was. It's a HP that got from a member here a while back. I have a custom mold for a 325gr WFN that I like. I size at .432.

 
There is a skinner peep sight for sale in the equipment exchange right now. They are quality built sights and can be adjusted for height and windage.
I have a Skinner Alaskan peep on a Marlin 30/30 that I love.
I suggest the Skinner Express with integral scope mount.
That way you can have use peep sights or use a scope with quick adjust rings and have the best of both worlds. Switched back and forth is fast with no need to sight in your rifle each time.
This will be my next purchase for another Marlin I have.
By the way 444, nice rifle. And as suggested buy reloading supplies you will need them if you plan on shooting.
 
Last edited:
I built my own bigger loop. Fits me perfectly, wasn't hard to do and didn't take very long. Factory sights work fine for me.

1fpCuZ7.jpg
 
bcsteve said:
Can't remember what that one was. It's a HP that got from a member here a while back. I have a custom mold for a 325gr WFN that I like. I size at .432.

Click to expand...

Damn that's a nasty looking hollow point. Have you ever had the opportunity to use that on game yet? I would imagine it would hit with authority!
 
I was lucky mine came with 6 boxes of ammo and a set of dies. What powders are you finding works best? So far these 240 grain soft points are the best but it's all factory. Also came with 80 extra brass so I have room to play.
 
Sic Kid said:
I was lucky mine came with 6 boxes of ammo and a set of dies. What powders are you finding works best? So far these 240 grain soft points are the best but it's all factory. Also came with 80 extra brass so I have room to play.
Click to expand...

Cast bullets work great 265-310gr they usually need to be big like .432 or .433

Jacketed 265fp work well. Or so Im told.

Rl-7 or H-322 are good powders as is 4198
 
Last edited:
I use the 265 Hornady FN. The new Hornady Leverevolution spitzer bullet uses shorter cases due to the different bullet profile. The Hornady 265 FN is loaded in the Hornady Superformance brand if you can find it. The 6 boxes you have are fine too. I used the 240 Rems up to moose without incident. Some will disagree though. I suggests as others have that the 444 is outstanding but get your reloading components in line. Brass lasts a long time and your collection, 200 strong, should last a lifetime, 44 bullets are available, and cast is an option. The micro groove barrels like the cast bullets sized large, 432 or 433 if it chambers easily.
 
Does your's have microgroove rifling or Ballard type?? I had an older first year production with the 24" barrel and microgroove rifling and montecarlo type stock. Anyhow, it had the slower 1:38" twist and it wouldn't shoot cast bullets worth a damn. (sized from .431 to .432, didn't matter) It shot the 265gr Hornady's great but I had a DAMN HARD TIME trying to find any to buy. Thankfully, Marlin fixed the twist rate later on with the 1:20" twist and deep groove ballard rifling, but that shallow rifling didn't grab cast bullets well, and fouling was terrible. I think the lead bullets just "skidded" through the barrel with not much spin, imparting copious amounts of lead along the entire length of the barrel. I ended up trading it off for a .44mag that had ballard rifling. Loved the gun but it wasn't practical for me to have with my limited local supply of ANYTHING.
 
Wild West Guns (shops in Las Vegas and in Anchorage, Alaska - go figure!) used to offer large loop levers for all the Marlins - they still show large loop levers for the 336's in blued and silver, but I see they've taken down the listings for the 444 and all the 45-70 caliber rifles (I have a 1977 444S which I was considering one of those puppies for, but I snoozed and I "loozed" I guess).

Mr. Google can give you the Wild West Guns website, if you want to it may be worthwhile to email 'em and see if they still have the large loops or not - I am not sure of the mechanism to import those into Canada, though.

As far as reloading, if you don't reload for the 444 you better be independently wealthy, or have a very understanding significant other - factory Remington rounds are expensive right now with the exchange (local Cabelas is around $54/box of 20. I only buy those when I need brass, which isn't too often). I reload with a very "mild" load of 42.9 Grains IMR4198 (you can also use H-4198, but the grain weight charge will be quite a bit different, check your manual and work up). I use strictly the 265 Hornady JFP's, with excellent consistent groups at 100, varying between 7/8" and 1 1/4" @ 100 yards for 3 shots - BIG holes in the paper. And the mild load is easier on the barrel, mine is microgroove so I baby it. Based on $42/box of 100 265 JFP's, primer/IMR powder I reload for about $0.80 each - not counting labour.

Have fun with your 444, it's a darn fine rifle whether Ballard or Microgroove - but as you say if it is pre-cross-bolt safety it would be the Microgroove for sure, and the LeverEvolution rounds may not do too well with the Microgroove, those things were really made for the Ballard-cut rifling at 1 in 20 twist, not the 1 in 38 Microgroove. I tried a few in my triple 4, and was lucky to get 3 on paper at 100 yards, much less a group.

O.N.G.
 
Still worth trying the 265gr LeverEvolution in he Microgroove barrel. Mine shot them fine. Almost as good as the 265gr JFP.






And don't listen to people who will tell you that the Microgroove barrel won't shoot 300gr bullets accurately. This is a 6 round group, three 300gr Hornady XTP and three 300gr Speer UC. Same load, same point of impact.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom