Then Hornady came out with the 240gr xtp….what a game changer for me. It was given to me few years back by old friend who did the same as I in Vt back in 70s so when he new I was hunting in Vt n he found out he had cancer n only had few years left he wanted me to have it,it shoots nice pie plate at 100 yards with old 70s scope on it .tony. I sold the gun to a friend that begged endlessly for me sell it to him and have regretted that ever since. In the past Marlin used its Micro-Groove rifling in its rifles. Thats not bad. So the company went back to its roots with Ballard cut rifling, which has much deeper grooves. Not too much for deer, about right for hogs, and possibly one of the better choices for larger game at modest range. The gun was scoped and if you hugged the eye piece too closely you would get a half moon bloody slit right between the eyes. Next comes the Hornady 265-grain Interlock and Hornady 300-grain XTP bullets. Would love to see more on the Iconic American Lever Action. He fell to the ground and spun in circles for 15 seconds or so. The table chatter centered on a cartridge case Dad had found in the other gang’s pile of empty brass. = When performing some of the early benchrest testing with the Marlin rifle, I was expecting pedestrian accuracy and performance. I have a buddy, Mike Brookman, who is the size of the average Wookiee. Here’s a look at two classic straight-wall cartridges for deer hunting. The buttpad is thin, hard rubber. It seems I have been doing it an injustice by this action which you have brought to my attention! Those who bought rifles chambered for it sang its praises, but nobody listened. The Marlin is a very accurate rifle, and the .444 Marlin is more accurate than the best pistol-caliber carbines. One Grandfather my uncle and my Dad, all had the Marlin .444 here in Alaska. It just raised the level of my 444. For thin-skinned game, the lightest bullet I am comfortable with is a good 240-grain JHP such as the Hornady XTP. Great article….I’ve been shooting my 444 since 1983. Technical Specifications• Type: lever-action centerfire rifle• Caliber: .444 Marlin• Barrel: 22″; Ballard rifling; 6 grooves, 1:20″ RH twist• Magazine: tubular, 4-rnd. BFRs come drilled and tapped for optics mounting. LEVERevolution ® represents a breakthrough in ammo design for lever action rifles and revolvers. I hav ed since figured out the scoping problem could be cottected with a scope with longer eye relief. No knock on the 45-70. The BFR has an excellent trigger, which breaks around 3 pounds. I am glad I did, as the rifle is not only an excellent performer but also a fertile field for research. I had ordered every gun catalog and read every hunting magazine I could get my hands on, and I knew what it was. These hard-hitting non-expanding bullets increased the usefulness of the .44 Magnum cartridge against the largest game. Greetings all from Australia, love my old 444, great for a lefty like me. The .444 Marlin cartridge is little more than a .44 … I spent opening morning in my room, mad as hell and impatiently waiting for the gang to show up for lunch. Thereby saving lives. I live in Texas now and only take it out for target practice. Scope Bite: What It Is and How to Avoid It, Fiber Optic Sights: What They Are and How They Work, Week-In-Review News Roundup: February 7-13, 2021. First thing I did was remove the brake and put a Schmidt Bender 1.5-6x42 scope on it. With limited delivery systems, the .444 Marlin has languished. In my opinion, inside of 100 yards, the .444 hits much harder than any .30-caliber rifle. As such, the rifle may just be as suitable for most North American game as the .45-70. In my test rifle, the average group size with Hornady LeverEvolution ammo is right on the cusp of the magic 1 MOA. nine Bob! It deserves to still be in the bush instead of just hanging around in the rack! The introduction of the 265-grain bullet was followed by the 300-grain revolver bullet, and finally, the heavy cast bullets had given the .444 a new lease on life. The trick is to push in a cartridge until the rim catches and remains outside the port so the next round can be inserted more easily. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt! I wouldn’t be afraid to hunt anything with this old thumper…power at it’s finest!!! Marlin lever-action rifles are side-eject, with the ejection port on the right side of the receiver, which means they easily accept scopes. But it always remained my favorite caliber of choice when I went out in the brush. If you are unfamiliar with the .444 Marlin, this is a cartridge that was designed by the powers that be at Marlin for use in lever-action rifles. It will liquify everything in the vitals. Great article, as a big bore revolver fan, I love reading about big bore cartridges and their history. There is a second reticle line for long-range use, and the turrets are marked for 300 and 400-yard adjustments, which is optimistic for this cartridge. I have and carry a 45-70 Guide Gun when out an about, in the boat when fishing, in camp and so forth.its always been more defensive rifle than anything else. C OP trapper SGT. It has an advertised muzzle velocity of 2,400 fps. However, the bottom line is that few of us are going after buffalo or elephant with the .444. He complains that his fingers don’t fit most lever-actions, yet he really liked this rifle. Get the American Hunter Insider newsletter for at-a-glance access to industry news, gear, gun reviews, videos and more—delivered directly to your Inbox. Now I have to find one of these fine rifles…. In terms of external ballistics the .444 Marlin is better than both of them. Three shots at 100 yards settled into just over an inch. S. Joined: Dec 2006 It took even longer for the market to trust the Marlin brand again. With Spring arrived it’s time to start thinking of dark timber fly fishing and those meat in the freezer an smoker Salmon runs. Marlin saw a market for a big-bore rifle that used a hard-hitting cartridge, which was instantly recognizable as a woods rifle. 2. is the action strong enough to stand up to years of shooting a lot of boolits through it? HUNTER .444 Marlin rifles include a blued steel barrel that’s 25” for improved recoil resistance. by Bryce M. Towlsey -
The .45-70 Govt. Then somebody came up with the idea of letting deer hunters in shotgun-only areas use straight-wall rifle cartridges. There are many advantages to the .444. They emptied their guns at the deer and never cut a hair. The first one was at 213 yds and the and the secondition at 225 yds. Although repeated firings in a lightweight version of the BLR are rather painful. However, when compared with the 265-grain loads in wet newsprint testing, the 270-grain load actually penetrated less. The.444 Marlin was available in a svelte Marlin lever-action rifle—the Model 444 —and proved to be a thumper on big game from whitetails to moose and bear, though like the.45-70, the range was limited by the low velocity and bullet profiles. Highly accurate and great gun. It is only because my shoulder needed a break did I go back to my 30 30 lever actions. Time limit exceeded. pull weight• Safety: two-position hammer-block• Sights: adjustable semi-buckhorn rear, hooded front post w/brass insert; receiver drilled and tapped for optics• Stock: semi-pistol-grip black walnut w/satin finish; LOP 13.75″• Metal Finish: blued• Overall Length: 40.5″• Weight: 7.6 lbs.• MSRP: $769; marlinfirearms.com, E-mail your comments/questions about this site to: EmediaHunter@nrahq.org, For questions/comments about American Hunter magazine, please e-mail:Publications@nrahq.org, You can contact the NRA via phone at: NRA Member Programs1-800-672-3888, To advertise on American Hunter, visit nramediakit.com for more information. In selecting a cast bullet for the .444 Marlin, the SAECO 300 grain RNFP-GC bullet is an accurate choice, as is the RCBS 300 grain SWC-GC. In November 1965 I was 10 and considered too young to go deer hunting with the men in my family. While I enjoy handloading, I seldom fire the Marlin for recreation, so a long-term loading program isn’t in the cards. The rifle functions well, provides excellent accuracy for a big-bore lever-action and accepts a scope. The Hornady loading exhibited a standard deviation of only three feet per second. The 265-grain .444 Marlin load has a muzzle velocity that is almost 300 fps faster than the 325-grain .45-70 load, it generates more energy out to 300 yards and, when sighted in three inches high at 100 yards, … At a long 100 yards, the Hornady 265-grain load delivered three bullets into 1 1/4 inch. There are no signs of excess pressure and the predicted effect on game is good. The .444 Marlin was designed by Remington at Marlin's request in 1964. Then again, a well-placed shot and good penetration go a long way toward a clean kill. Wednesday, April 10, 2019. Now 35 years later and over 100 kills later. The .444 is a slightly tapered case that uses a bullet of .429 of an inch diameter, and that was part of the problem. Visually, the 444 action is virtually identical to the regular 336 action. The only other issue I had was the lever would not stay locked shut. Note: Extracts loads, does not eject. In fact he liked it so much he didn’t want to relinquish it to me and did most of the target work during testing. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I bought my Marlin 444 in 1966 in the West Texas city of Midland. From the people who have them and what I read it seems like the perfect all round hunting for Canada from varmints to moose . Let’s take a hard look at the .444 and what the rifle will do. The first jacketed heavy-bullet design for the .444 Marlin was a 265-grain bullet, and the Hornady load using this weight is still a fine choice for thin-skinned game. Long-range use aside, at typical woods hunting ranges the primary advantage of the .45-70 over the .444 is in penetration. The real surprise came when chronographing the .444 over the Competition Electronics chrony. Fit and finish are as nice as I have seen on a modern Marlin. Marlin brought it out in 1972, when the .45-70 was not exactly a spring chicken. Actually far less the 45.70 has way more options and has= to more energy and uses a real 45 cal bullet having shot and owned and hand loaded for both stick with the 45.70 save ya money on this it is just a novelty rifle to me and not as effective as the 45.70 .JMHO. I have a centennial addition 1976 that i purchased from a good friend. can’t wait to get one. There were some adjustments for microgroove barreling such as casting and sizing the bullets to a larger diameter, but in the end, the .444 proved a wonderful performer with these heavy bullets. The semi-pistol grip puts a nice gentle curve in the lever, which makes it a good fit for most hands. The Speer Reloading Manual No. I then had so custom work done to my 444s…and went to all hand loads. I don’t know what happened to Grandads but my Uncles came to me when he passed several years ago. Those loads have stout recoil, but also deliver heavy hitting, bone crushing power at … With Factory ammunition, the .450 Marlin is … As the case was passed around nobody had ever heard of it, until it finally got to me. The warm tones of the Marlin’s walnut-finished hardwood stock had me in full embrace mode. Hope they will be in Canada soon. There is a qualitative difference between hunting with a pistol cartridge and taking a clean well-placed shot, and dropping an animal and stopping a charge. However, the .444 Marlin is far more powerful than the .44 Magnum. In my case, the triple 4 is flatter, more accurate, and less recoil without giving up that much energy. In 1964 there were no surviving big-bore, lever-action rifle cartridges. I hand loaded 240 gr bullets and zeroed at two hundred. The case is straight-walled and was lengthened nearly a full inch over the relatively diminutive .44 Mag. A call to Marlin had a new lever on my doorstep the next morning, and it solved the problem. The Model 444 is based on a 336 action modified to handle the .444 Marlin cartridge. I shoot mostly in my back yard for fun and like seeing what a bullet will go through. I wanted this rifle because of its beautiful styling and appearance. So, the .45-70 has demonstrated a considerable advantage over the .444 in a wide variety of test programs based on penetration. The round is the Hornady Superperformance 265gr 444 Marlin factory load. The rifle is also effective for black bear, but bullet technology limited the rifle’s use on larger game. Recently, I explored the .444 Marlin extensively with a number of modern, effective, and powerful loads from Buffalo Bore Ammunition. The Shooter's Log, is to provide information—not opinions—to our customers and the shooting community. Gunshot Wounds: What Happens If You’re Shot? S. SGT. It quickly caught on, and state after state changed its regulations. Like Ben, I’m a major-league tree hugger (re: his Weatherby PA-08 review). Thanks for bringing it to my attention. My first hunt I dropped two deer in one morning. To digest the new round, Marlin beefed-up their venerable model 336 .30-30 lever action and dubbed the result the Model 444. The .45-70 was widely perceived as the more powerful cartridge. This is true when compared to the 240-grain loads. Technically the new rifle is called the 444 Marlin, and it’s based on the company’s large 1895 frame used for the .45-70 Govt. Remington initially produced one load for the .444, featuring … The Marlin 336W boasts classic smooth lines with just enough aggressive overtones to let you know it means business. Just the same, the .44 Magnum proved to be capable of dropping game that common sense would tell us was out of pistol-performance range. Better than a steel buttplate, I suppose, but this big boomer would be better served with a good recoil pad. The .444 case is fatter (0.469" compared to 0.422" base diameter) than the .30-30 case and has a 0.012" larger diameter rim; the .444 case is also 0.13" longer. 444 Marlin 265 gr FTX ® LEVERevolution ® Item #82744 | 20/Box US Patent: 9,513,092 | 8,413,587 | 8,161,885 | 7,380,502. Plus, every HUNTER model is perfectly balanced in a 100% ambidextrous composite stock making the gun incredibly quick to aim and shoot. This load slipped three bullets into 1.5 inches at 100 yards. Would you consider making a suggestion as to a Kodiak or Coastal Brown Bear load for it? Yes I have fired one , I use it every year for 4 day hunt in Vt for deer n bear season,little bit over kill for deer but bring along for bear. i currently have two Marlin 444p’s and am still playing around working up loads for them. Magnum Research's latest iteration of its BFR is chambered in the potent.444 Marlin. Tubular magazines limited the choice of bullets. If it achieves that, zeroed at 100 yards, the bullet will drop about 8 inches at 200 yards, 30 inches at 300 and 6 feet at 400. What was your experience? Hornady’s other load, part of the LeverEvolution line, features an elastomer-tip FTX bullet with a ballistic coefficient of .225. Testing this load off the benchrest wasn’t quite as brutal, but I was glad to have my PAST shoulder rest in place. I suppose it falls into the inexpensive category, but it performed well and took the .444’s recoil without a problem. The pointed nose would rest against the primer of the cartridge ahead of it in the magazine — with predictable results. I did a bit of informal penetration testing firing at wet newsprint and water jugs to test the Buffalo Bore loads’ performance. I bought my Marlin 444 back in the mid to late ’70s. I did not test it to the elephant level, but suffice to say, this load will rattle out your fillings and penetrate more meat and bone than anything I need to kill. While I kind of fall into the first camp, I am reminded of a hunter-safety course I helped teach some years back. A 335-grain hard-cast, flat-nose bullet is launched at well over 2,000 fps. I live in Texas now, the land of the rich mans hunting experience so i have not used it much. I am not certain who made the Game Stalker, but it looks like a number of Tasco types I have used in the past. I use a Barns 45-70 Goverment loads they produce. Home » Firearms » Review: Marlin’s Big Lever Action and the .444 Cartridge. I love it. While the horsepower is there, this load offered lighter subjective recoil than the 270-grain load. Flatnose bullets were the rule until the advent of the Hornady LeveRevolution bullets. I’ve only had to fire more than one sho to 3 times. Case in point, Hornady’s FTX LeverEvolution line. The Model 444 is part of Marlin’s big-bore hunting series (Model 1895) and … What makes the 444XLR different from the standard Model 444 is 2″–444XLR has a … The lever action also offers an instant second shot for those skilled in the use of the type. The final load tested is a blockbuster. I owned a Marlin 444 in the seventies. A half-magazine holds four cartridges for a total capacity of five rounds. display: none !important; When Remington bought Marlin in 2007 and moved production to Remington’s factory in Ilion, N.Y., the resultant disaster nearly ended the Marlin brand. The first load tested uses a 270-grain flat-nose bullet. At least with Buffalo Bore loads, the .444 may be among the most underrated for rifle cartridges. This one offers the stoutest recoil of any .444 Marlin load tested. If you're looking for a handy, powerful rifle capable of taking down elk, moose, hogs, black bear and deer, in a unique cartridge, the Model 1895–.444 Marlin just might be your gun. The Mission of Cheaper Than Dirt! Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for LEE PRECISION 444 Marlin 3 Die Steel at Amazon.com. Privacy Policy • Contact Us • Warnings • FAQs • © 2021 National Rifle Association of America, Remington Model 700 American Hunter Rifle Project, Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Ambassadors, NRA Outstanding Achievement Youth Award Presented by Brownells, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, Head to Head: .308 Winchester vs. .30-06 Springfield, Why Every Hunter Should Own a Rifle in a Common Caliber, New for 2021: Winchester XPR Hunter TrueTimber Strata, 2021 National Rifle Association of America. The .444 hasn’t replaced the .30-30, but it has enjoyed some popularity with the lever-action crowd. Cheers Peter. Perhaps the hammer-block safety is a good thing. I have to admit, it was by chance I ran across the .444 rifle. The magazine loads through a side port on the right side of the receiver with a spring-loaded gate. .444 Marlin Ballistic Facts The flattest-shooting.444 Marlin load is probably the 265-grain FP Superformance load from Hornady. This load breaks over 2,200 fps and gave excellent accuracy. Rifle Marlin Expander Hornady Dies Die Review Grade 444 Custom BY Rifle Marlin Expander Hornady Dies Die Review Grade 444 Custom in Articles If you … Marlin must have noticed, because this year the company reintroduced its Model 444 lever-action to correct that situation. The facility struggled for years to build quality rifles. The results on target are consummate with the power exhibited. Both in the Marlin lever carbines and the Browning BLR. Persistence won the day and Marlin came back, but the Model 444 did not. The original rifle featured a 24” 1:38 twist microgoove (12 groove) barrel. Bullet went right thru its front shoulder and out its ribs.
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