The Choice.... Lever in .444 Marlin or .45-70 Gov't

[Johnn Peterson]

It's great to hear from Bob(Big Bore), for me his name is synonymous with the 45/70 and heavy loads. I actually prefer the .44Mag. in a levergun to the .444 as it can be loaded with heavier and longer bullets.

In my 444S, one of the heavier cast bullets I use is a 325gr GC, Keith style semi WC. Admittedly, I do have to crimp over the forward driving band so as to allow a loaded round to be cycled through the action. Much the same seating/crimping process as what has to take place when using the 173gr Keith semi WC in 357 Magnum cases, and in a model 27 and/or a model 28 S&W.

 

[bogie]

I just bought a Winchester 1885 in 45/70 for all of the same reasons. FYI I have never know anyone at the club to shoot the 444 but there are lots of 45/70s that come out to play, some loaded HOT! Shake the Rifle Shed. Ka Boom

 

[live4therut]

i own both of these and love em both

X2 but the 444 is going to a friend, breaks my heart that it doesn't get much use anymore so off she goes to a new home, I hope his new parents don't lock her in a closet and leave her there

 

[valleyshooter]

.444 has a better trajectory in the long run (using hornady) but the 45-70 ( using the 405 grain +) has a bigger bang for its buck, both GREAT cartridges, but in my opinion the 45-70 is the boom stick of the forest.

 

[caramel]

If you don't reload the 444 is a better caliber more potent and flatter shooting but if you do reload this is no contest you can bring the 45-70 up to african standard hunting... JP.

 

[sgt.rock]

I loved my .444 (even with the slow twist 1:38 and micro-groove rifling with a 24" barrel) as I can attest to the pure killing power of it. I have never , in all my days, ever seen a big black bear get killed as dramatically as the one I shot several years ago. There is nothing wrong with the .444 and with cast bullets , you can shoot what you want in weights. I put a red dot sight on mine, and still could hit the 300 yard gongs with alarming regularity. I never felt undergunned while in big bear country with my .444 (only sold it to get a long range rifle for winter hunting on the big frozen lakes..........shots can really reach out there for wolves and moose across big frozen lakes.

 

[saskcop]

I have owned more than one of both, and have shot moose and other things with both. They both absolutely decked anything I shot. I handloaded 300 grain Speer soft points in the triple 4 and 405 grain soft points in the .45-70. If I read my chrony right, the .45-70 comes close to doing the same with 405 grain bullets as my .444 did with the .300's. I am not sure any animal that I have shot knew that though. I do like the .45-70 on sheer nostalgia and for the fact that you can load 500 grain bullets in it in the event you draw a tag in Jurassic Park.

 

[Canuck Bob]

I've hunted for years with a 444, bought it in 1975. It is a superb performing gun for Canada except sheep and the prairies. It and the 45/70 are equal in the killing department. The 444 is the best choice for factory ammo with the new Hornady FTX stuff. A 300 grain cast bullet will do it all as well. The recoil is stout but not silly abusive. Also for downloading the 44 mag bullets are plentiful as are 45 colt. I'm a happy user of the 265 Hornady.

When the 45/70 is loaded up it is a real performer as well. However a 400+ gr bullet at top velocity will shake your teeth. The 45/70 would be a much easier rifle to sell I think.

One piece of free advice. Try and avoid the urge to shoot real short barrels. Mine has the 22" length and can hunt any willow or cedar swamp in Canada. It balances perfect with 1 in the chamber and 3 in the tube with its receiver sight.

It once had a 2.5X Leupold UL scope and it was a dandy setup to 200 yards. I hated the way the scope interfered with hand carry so went back to the peep sight. It is still minute of moose at 200 and deadly fast within 50 and closer when family camping in the Rockies.