Considering the MArlin lever in .44 Mag

Crazytrout

Crazytrout

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Considering to purchase the Marlin lever action in .44 rem mag.

Use would be for deer/black bear hunting and no shots over 100 yards.

How is the .44 rem mag. for this application, in regards to accuaracy.

Am I real losing out by not getting a 45-70?

I would also be handloading for the .44 rem mag.

Look forward to any comments regarding the rifle, caliber choice.

Thanks!

CT
 
I once owned a Marlin 44 mag. It was the only Marlin that I owned that the accuracy sucked. Maybe it was an isolated thing. Currently have a 444, 45-70, 38-55, and 30-30 - all good
 
Reloading for the 44 magnum is cheap. You can load cast bullets for lighter applications (I use mine for cowboy action shooting) such as plinking. For full power I would use only jacketed bullets since my gun has micro-groove rifling.

I have only shot on paper out to 50 meters. accuracy was good. I've shot at steel plate at 100 meters with decent accuracy but have yet to see what my groups are like at that range.

I would think it should be fine for deer. I don't know enough about bear to comment on it but if there are those that are using 44 magnum handguns on bear then I would think the riffle should also work. Shot placement might be more of an issue compared to some other cartridges.

A lever action in 44 magnum is a fun gun that can also do a good job for hunting.
 
Eventually, I will add a couple Marlins to my rifle rack. A 336 in .30-30 Win and a guide gun in .45-70 Govt. Not too keen on getting anything else.
 
The newer Marlin '94 in .44 mag. has the Ballard cut rifling and is accurate with any cast bullets i feed it, I have used it on Bear and Deer and would recommend it. It is much lighter, shorter, and kicks less than any of my 45/70s, less expensive to reload for. If Moose is in the cards, or longer shots I would recommend the 45/70.
 
The 44 mag will be fine for deer/bear especially with the 300 gr cast or jacketed at about 1600 fps in the rifle as you" reload" cartridges..
However the 45/70 is a better choice..in a guide gun its short ..weighs a pound more than the 44 and costs $50 more..you can however easily shoot the same 300 gr cast/jacketed from 1300 (pistol velocities)to over 2300 fps with your reloads..
And of course you now have all the 350..400..450..500 etc. bullets to shoot from 1000 fps to whatever speed/power your tolerance of recoil is comfortable with..and you are now capable of takeing any game in this country not just deer/bear..


hs45/70..........your mileage may vary
 
I have both the 1894 44mag and 1895 45-70. Both are microgroove rifles and both accurate. They're two different rifles. Handle both and see what you like, as the 1894 is lighter and handier- almost feels like a toy to me. If that floats your boat and you can limit your range like said its a viable hunting tool. But as the others say its no 45-70...
 
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I've put over 9,000 rds through my .44 Mag Marlin M1894 in Cowboy action shooting. It's a very good quality firearm, just don't be dumb and buy a post 64 Winchester in .44.
 
Why not consider the 444? You can shoot the same bullets, but have the option to shoot them faster. It will flatten yogi like the hammer of Thor!

A recent post by another board member told of his home cast 340 grain bullet smashing through both shoulders of a black bear, and continuing on through a small tree behind it.

I have a 444P which I picked up off the board here. Called the "Outfitter", it is identical to the guide gun except for caliber and one extra round in the mag tube. I find it's comfortable to shoot with just a fleece jacket, even with the Hornady Light Magnum load.

Whatever you choose, if it's a Marlin lever you will be happy with it.
 
I also have a 444P and a 1894...just because :p
When I get my cast off I will be doing some load testing in both. Just picked up some 340gr WFN cast. Man, 6 weeks without being able to go shooting has been brutal :(
 
Polar and grizzly bears have been killed with .22 rimfire. Compare a .44 magnum cartridge to a .22 cartridge, and you have a "howitzer" which are enough for anything you can encounter on this continent. I have flattened few deer and bears with the .44 magnum Marlin carbine, and find it to be very light and accurate with handloads. The 44 Marlin deliver the same energy and ballistics as the .454 Casull handgun with handloads.

If you want to use 300 grain bullets in the 44 Marlin carbine, you need to remove some metal, otherwise the longer bullets will "hang up" in the magazine an refuse to load properly. These 300 grain bullets also drop very fast when fired from the 44 Marlin. However, bullet from 180-265 grain works very well in the 11 shot 44 Marlin carbine :)
 
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