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Joined: Jun 2018
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OP
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Joined: Jun 2018
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Thinking on my next purchase, anyone done a bunch of hunting/killing big NE white tail with these? Been wanting a companion cal rifle for my .44 mag revolver. Been wanting another lever. Been wanting a big bore lever. Been wanting an 1894 Marlin, I think.... opinions? For hunting and just schitts n grins. Would be a still hunting piece in Northern New England woods. Probably the thick stuff. Probably a snow tracking specialty purpose. Probably shots inside 75 yards. Think it would fill a hole in the short distance end of my spectrum. I know it’s “old school”. I know a 30-30 is a more versatile choice. I prefer to make the jump to .308
They perform/kill well on Big bucks inside 100 yards?
Thanks for your input. And any commercial ammo suggestions are welcome too as I don’t load my own.
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 56,274 Likes: 37
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2004
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Sadly, the .44 Mag will only kill a critter once per shot.
Don't know if you hand load or not, but if you do and like cast bullets.. They do have Ballard rifling, but the twist is a bit slow for my liking at 38:1 It will work well enough for most .44 bullets but is iffy when they start reaching up to the 300 grain range.
Mine is a Ruger 77/44 plastic and stainless w/20" twist. Thor's hammer on deer and pigs.
I am..........disturbed.
Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold that there isn't any. But this wrongs the jackass. -Twain
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 9,546 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2002
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I had a 77/44, and with 300 grain LBTs, big deer were not a concern. It handily shot through any deer I shot with it.
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Joined: Jun 2018
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Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2018
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Sadly, the .44 Mag will only kill a critter once per shot.
Don't know if you hand load or not, but if you do and like cast bullets.. They do have Ballard rifling, but the twist is a bit slow for my liking at 38:1 It will work well enough for most .44 bullets but is iffy when they start reaching up to the 300 grain range.
Mine is a Ruger 77/44 plastic and stainless w/20" twist. Thor's hammer on deer and pigs. Is there a better lever option you’d recommend, perhaps with a faster twist? Like maybe a BLR or something? Not really wanting to hunt (and pay) for an old Winchester.
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,633 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,633 Likes: 1 |
My wife's Marlin does very well with 300 grain jacketed bullets and lead bullets. Surprised me a bit with all that I had read.
I would imagine a 240 grain bullet would not bounce off a deer if a Marlin would not work well with the 300 grain bullets.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 14,224 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2004
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Poachers use 22’s , I think 🤔 a 44 would suffice!
Well we're Green and we're Gold, and we play better when it's cold. All us Cheese heads have our favorite superstar. We love Brett Favre.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,936 Likes: 23 |
Hornady ammo loaded with a 240 grain XTP ought to do the trick.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,433 Likes: 10
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,433 Likes: 10 |
Is there a better lever option you’d recommend, perhaps with a faster twist? Like maybe a BLR or something? Not really wanting to hunt (and pay) for an old Winchester. Opinions vary widely on whether they are better or even as good as Marlin but the Henry Big Boy .44 Magnum has a 1:20 twist. They also make a 16" carbine model. Had a Marlin 1894 with a 16" barrel which was extremely fast handling, and 16" will still get you all the usable velocity you could want from a straight walled pistol case like that.
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery. Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,086
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,086 |
There's been a Ruger semi auto used for exactly your purposes in our hunting camp since the early '80s. It's fed with 240 jhps and works well on WI bambis.
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,690 Likes: 3
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,690 Likes: 3 |
Never killed anything huge, but if you can shoot the heavies (300), they don’t stop easy.
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Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,653
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2019
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Ruger carbines are the ticket. Stop [bleep] NOW
GOD Bless America
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 69,612 Likes: 38
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 69,612 Likes: 38 |
I personally prefer a Win 94 Trapper in .44 caliber. Mine has worked well on numerous big deer and feral hogs here at the Ranch with a 280 gr WFN LBT Hard Cast bullets over a stout load of WW 296. I’ve yet to catch a bullet in any of them. Although I could easily live with a Marlin or Ruger LA rifle. Personally, I don’t care for the Henry’s.
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: Jun 2018
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OP
Campfire Regular
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Thanks guys. I’m hearing a lot of the same from someone close to me who has them all. Put it up for question to see. The Fire confirms.
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,256 Likes: 4
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,256 Likes: 4 |
Back in the mid-1960's my Father and Bearrr264's Father killed several big ME whitetail bucks in the area between Lake Umbagog and Lower Richardson Lake and a couple of big NH whitetails in the back country around Dummer, NH, with Ruger .44 carbines. I've hunted off and on with a .44 International over the past 50 years using 240 grain semi-jacketed HPs and SPs with good success.
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 2,296 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 2,296 Likes: 1 |
Back in the mid-1960's my Father and Bearrr264's Father killed several big ME whitetail bucks in the area between Lake Umbagog and Lower Richardson Lake and a couple of big NH whitetails in the back country around Dummer, NH, with Ruger .44 carbines. I've hunted off and on with a .44 International over the past 50 years using 240 grain semi-jacketed HPs and SPs with good success. Thank you. I troll up in there. Love Richardson. And Rangely. I’ve been told the Win Trapper (from a guy who is an unabashed win hater) and the Henry (which I don’t want either) both. Sounds like the Early eighties Marlin is what i’m Looking for. This site is great. Thanks all.
Last edited by Mr_Harry; 10/01/19.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 28,739 Likes: 13
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 28,739 Likes: 13 |
Sadly, the .44 Mag will only kill a critter once per shot.
Don't know if you hand load or not, but if you do and like cast bullets.. They do have Ballard rifling, but the twist is a bit slow for my liking at 38:1 It will work well enough for most .44 bullets but is iffy when they start reaching up to the 300 grain range.
Mine is a Ruger 77/44 plastic and stainless w/20" twist. Thor's hammer on deer and pigs. I guess you cannot read.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 28,739 Likes: 13
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 28,739 Likes: 13 |
Hornady ammo loaded with a 240 grain XTP ought to do the trick. This bullet is any deer’s worst nightmare inside 75 yds out of a long gun.
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 56,274 Likes: 37
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 56,274 Likes: 37 |
Sadly, the .44 Mag will only kill a critter once per shot.
Don't know if you hand load or not, but if you do and like cast bullets.. They do have Ballard rifling, but the twist is a bit slow for my liking at 38:1 It will work well enough for most .44 bullets but is iffy when they start reaching up to the 300 grain range.
Mine is a Ruger 77/44 plastic and stainless w/20" twist. Thor's hammer on deer and pigs. I guess you cannot read. Can't thank you enough for the kind words.
I am..........disturbed.
Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold that there isn't any. But this wrongs the jackass. -Twain
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,468
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,468 |
Yes indeed, I hunted the Pine Ridge area for several years. My BIL was the District Ranger. I used a CZ550 in 9.3X62. All shots were in the "woods" 50 yards was a long one. Now if you get towards the fields then some long shots can present themselves. In a carbine the 44Mag can hold it own, but not a longer range proposition. Ideal as a woods gun.
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Joined: Jun 2010
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 14,021 Likes: 7 |
Big deer? Hell, I know a guy who killed a Moose with one. 240 JSP's to boot. Marlin 1894 rifle.
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