Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General 444 Marlin

Nice score dvdgeorge. I've already posted these links on another 444 thread today, but here they are again. Marshall Stanton has a three part tech note series at Beartooth Bullets and he does extensive load work for them with a broad range of powders and bullet weights. Of course, these loads are with hard cast bullets, but still great info and background on the 444.

Links to 444 tech notes (Part III covers heavy loads):

444 Marlin - Part I

444 Marlin - Part II

444 Marlin - Part III

DVD, Ive had good luck with both H322 & H4198 in my sons Marlin 444p. Has yours got the microgroove rifling ?

Yes 1:38 microgroove

Nice rifle I picked up a1976 444 last week the wood is not as nice as what you have there, I got some dies in the mail two days ago and a box of core locks can't wait to hit the range

Very nice rifle! You are definitely on the right track with the Hornady 265g & H4198 or RL7. You're gonna like that rifle!

Congratulations!
Dan

Thanks Dan and Welcome to the campfire!

Finally got the .444 Marlin today.
As soon as I got it home I had it full disassembled for a once over and cleaning,it was pretty spotless but I went over it completely and stoned the trigger to lighten it up some.It probably could use a little more but I'll call it ok at about 4 1/2 to 5 lbs. Leupold VX2 2x7 is mounted and bore sighted and I hope to hit the range tomorrow and see what happens!

Love this 444 Marlin ! Hit the range and this was the first 3 shots at 50 yds with Crimson Tides hand loads he forwarded me


My hand loads with 265 gr Hornady FP and H 4198 at 100 yds!


Fun to shoot recoil was a no issue was expecting much worse
Fired 42 rounds(all I had loaded) was busting clays at 100 yds with ease!

Having shot three different 444's over the years two of which were mine all were inherently accurate especially with the 265 Hornady.The one I have now has the Ballard barrel and shoots cast bullets almost to the same hole if I do my job...Great shooting Dan the fun is only beginning!

Was at the range all alone but still had an ear to ear grin

The Hornady Superperformance 265 is the most accurate load in my 444S.

I am working with 305 gr. cast from an NOE mould at the moment. 4198 is proving to be a nice balance of density and burn rate- currently getting 2040 fps with the big 305 grainer.

really need a 444 marlin...........

Alla youze guys need to stop talking about 444's!

Thats the way mine shoots, with Hornandy lever ammo, and with TAC powder and 240 grain XTPs.

Almost everyone says the 444s shoot good groups. My question is why can't their 1894 44 mags shoot half as good as the 444s. I am thinking it has to be with their barrel configuration. Lighter, and the barrel bands with full length tubes most play a huge part of their finikiness.

You could make the same statement on the Marlin 336's in .35 and 30-30.

Most .35 and 30-30 are 1 1/2 and 2 inch shooters with out doing so work to the bedding and barrel bands. As with any rifle platform there are always exceptions to this.

Doc

A buddy of mine has a Marlin .444 in the XLR configuration, which is stainless/laminated with the longer barrel. That thing shoots as well as most bolt actions and it actually came with a descent trigger. it is a blast to shoot and it is his primary hunting rifle.

I got a 444. It was ugly due to a strange custom job on the wood. Bought some used 1895 wood for Canada had Jim Brockman of Brockman rifles fit the wood work the action trigger and make a glove sized lever. Shoots as good as any rifle I own. Speer 270 grain gold dots are highly rated but hard to find. My favorite load is the 300 grain Barnes original or Hornady 300 grain xtp. Using 41 grains h 4198. It is a microgroove pre safety action. I really like the 444. Beware of some Hornady ammo as the brass is shorter as compared to most.

I helped a friend put his back in use that was sitting in the cabinet for probably 20 years. Scoped it, and made up some moderate handloads. His is also a micro grooved probably late 70's or early 80's. Tried the Barnes 200 grain XPB bullets and it hated those. Foamed the barrel and let it soak overnight, then switched to 240 XTP's and it could almost be called a tackdriver. 44.0 H4198 is the charge. Not a top book load, but plenty. I don't think the long all copper bullets do well in that slow twist and they probably weren't catching the microgrooves really well either.

Just picked up 5 boxes of the Superformance 444 ammo.My dealer had ordered it for me a few weeks back before I had worked up my load,figured it would get me started shooting and some brass. He cancelled it so we thought but it showed up yesterday. I had a couple hundred$ credit so told him I'd take it any ways. I'll see how it shoots and have another 100 pc of brass

i've used the Superformance 265 FP factory ammo was very accurate and works well on deer