Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting anyone use their 444 Marlin on elk sized game?

i figure the Hornady 265 grain interlock flat point factory load is up to the task, but a 300 grain XTP or a 270 grain Speer handload might give more assurances...

Under what circumstances are you going to hunt? In the dog hair exclusively you are well armed, if you need to stretch out over an open meadow or band open bowl there are better choices.

I'm no expert for the 444 ,but figure it should work just about as good as a 45-70.

I have never hunted elk with mine but I can tell you that it will bang flop a moose with off the shelf 240 gr Remington's.

I have hunted with the 444. Never took a shot. Range limiting for sure due to trajectory. Sectional density limited due to microgroove barrel, the dogma is under 300 grains for accuracy. The 270 grain Speer gold dot is highly touted for penetration. I have a personal stash of Barnes original 300 grains. I think my 45 70 would be a better choice, but if you are hunting an any weapon hunt and want to use a lever, there are way more cartridges that could double or even triple your maximum effective range.

Within it's range, it's bang flop specialist. You just have to find out what that range is.

I do not, but I have 3 friends that do. All use hard cast 300 and 320 grain gas-checked LBT bullets and they love them. Super good performance on elk.

elk are pretty rare in the part of east Texas
where i hunt, but everything else i've shot with
the .444 has expired pretty fast. i use the hornady
#4300 bullet and H4198 powder. really good load
for sweet gum saplings and mature sasquatches too.

444 doesn't kill elk like a .270, but it'll work.

Killed a 6x6 bull with my Marlin 1895 .45-70. Range was 213 lasered yards, full broadside. Would have taken the shot out to 300, the extent of my practice at the time (-22" the way it was sighted in).

The bullet was a 350g North Fork launched at 2181fps. It obliterated a section of the left front leg bone and a near side rib, shattered a far side rib and came to rest under the hide. The bullet or a piece of bone nicked the heart pretty good.

The bull just stood there for a few seconds so I readied another shot. Before I could get it off the bull toppled over.

I was actually looking for a .444 when I found the .45-70 at a price I could not refuse. Under the same circumstances I would use a .444 without hesitation.

The same trip I shot a mulie buck at 197 lasered yards, quartering away. The 350g North Fork passed through leaving buckets of blood in the fresh snow. Didn't need the blood to track as the buck made a tight circle and went down.

Lots to be said for fat, heavy bullets.

No elk yet but did kill 2 whitetail does with one shot, bullet was lodged in far side rib cage of second deer. Bullet was factory flex tip.

Ken

I agree totally ......under 300 yards the 444 should be golden.

Friend use one on several Moose with no complaints I think with 265 grain loads. I would fill slightly handicapped in open country as many elk are shot at 300+ yards. In the timber where most elk seem to be in daylight hours the 444 would shine.