Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters And I Can't Get it Out of My Head

cra1948: The problem with my Model 44 was it was an early-early version that had a design defect in the receiver. Ruger redesigned it shortly after its introduction. It was in pristine condition, but it took 3 trips to the smith before I could get it to cycle more than 1 round. I will give it this: it did come up easily. Mind you, I'm not running down the 44 Mag or the Model 44. I like both.

The thing of it is, I can think of several chamberings that can clobber a deer at short range. Probably the best I ever had was my Rem 1100 12 GA with the rifle sights. I used to shoot skeet with that barrel. If I was going to go crawling through cedar thickets right now, I'd probably use it or my new 7mm-08. Heck, my mini-14 or the Mini-30 would also do a fine job. Bigger deer? Grab the 7600 in 35 Whelen.

The other thing is, I haven't had to crawl through a cedar thicket in 10 years. I send my sons in after them and then stay at the edge and clobber what runs out into the pasture. Sadly, they're wising up as well and starting to adopt Dad's habits of shooting them close to where we can pull the truck. I can't seem to get anyone to use that stand where I got the buck with the Model 44. It's s sure shot to the bottom of a ravine between two cedar thickets. Nobody wants to schlep another deer out of that hole. We've all gone soft.

You've given me an idea though. Maybe what I should do is pull out my other acquisition from Bob: a double-barrel Stoeger with Mauser rifle sights welded on. That would definitely be old school.

.... Or to stay with 44 caliber single shots, CVA also chambers the 444 Marlin in the Scout V2 takedown model. I picked one up back in Feb. and it's a shooter for sure. Looks like that model is out of stock now also but they ought to do another run of that chambering. Gonna be my woods whitetail gun this fall. In a single shot you don't have to worry about cycling stuff like the pointed Hornady 265 gr. XTP through a lever gun because the O.A.L. isn't critical in a single shot.

Be weak and give into the desire. My wife would. I’ve seen her do it. Over and over again.

I have a Ruger No 1 44 mag and it is great fun. You can burn thru a lot of 44 special level loads in an afternoon even with a single shot. You can easily handload from around 900 fps up to around 1850 with 240 gr bullet.

The Henry is a pretty nice looking rifle. Just saying.

Pretty sure I am not helping you with your situation. However that was never my intention.

Admit to your rifle loonyism and get thee to a gun shop. You know how this will end.

Mr. Shaman,

A man who’s beaten cancer gets whatever he damned well wants! If you’ve been though that mess, and still have an interest in rifles, then go man, go! Shoot .44's, drive Cadillacs, & drink THE Macallan - life's too short.

This itch of yours is, indeed, a gift. Accept it with gratitude & reverence, & savor it fully.

FC

Of all, I think you have the most intimate of knowledge of my struggle with 44 Magnum. I remember one night in Georgia. . . was it a butterknife or a dinner knife I used? Ah time passes and the mind blurrs.

I suppose if you're saying to give into the temptation, then I must yield to the voices.

But I think I am going to hold out for a new Ruger/Marlin.

No love for the Browning B92 ?

I do recall that episode! I know you like Mac...gregor (Clan - the "fruit o' the well"), and you really appreciate Mac...allan (THE), but in the aforementioned instance you had your least favorite: Mac... guyver.

Perhaps your quest for another 44 can involve Mooselette - she can cherish the memories of hunting FOR a rifle with Grandpa, and later hunting WITH the rifle from Grandpa.

FC

shaman,

I have considerable sympathy with your plight, having suffered from similar symptoms for many years.

One of my long-time semi-wants was a handy little "traditional" lever-action rifle in .45 Colt--the cartridge many call the ".45 Long Colt." Dunno why this yearning arose, except perhaps that I've had such good luck with the .45 Colt in revolvers. But I didn't do much about it, partly because over the decades I've learned that if some such yearning was meant to be, eventually the rifle will usually appear somehow.

This one happened in December, when the rifle shown below (a Winchester 1892 reproduction made by Miroku) showed up on the Campfire Classfieds. It had a 20" octagon barrel, some figure in the wood, and I knew from previous experience that the "Japanese Winchesters" are usually very good rifles.

Nothing defines a rifle loony more than irrational desires. My advice is to keep looking and hoping, and your desire will probably be fulfilled, without all the wrenching around with theoretically rational thought.

Wow what a beaut!!

I had a lever gun in .44 Mag. Loaded for it, the whole bit. My son used it one year for W.T. We were posters on a drive, and a nice buck came his way. He shot the buck close behind the front shoulder at about 40yrds. The deer left, and we tracked it about 200 yrds down to the Menominee River, across which is Mi. Couldn`t see the deer. Lucky I had my bino`s, and looking to the Mi. side down river, saw a curve of something, sticking out of the water. The buck, dead in the water! Son was happy. Had to get a canoe to retrive it...took some pictures and the story and pics made the local news paper.

But son and I never used that rifle again for deer hunting.

My peer hunting group isn’t quite in the loony category like the Campfire cyber peers, but one of them showed up with a .44 Magnum Ruger one deer season and the stricken look on his face when I posted him by a big opening told the story. The next year he showed up with a .300 WSM Browning Short Track. You can shoot a close deer with a rifle that shoots far, but you can’t shoot a far deer with a rifle that shoots close.
Inside a hundred yards I’m told a .44 Magnum is quite effective. Even hunting in the heavily wooded Midwest, under a hundred yards doesn’t always happen.

I use my 44mag Lever action for its open sites on up close fast shots. Handles so well for this. Few deer and mainly hogs. Performance has been so so - like others. My thought was it bullet choice. I don't load for this rifle and used 225 grain Lever Revolution Hornady factory ammo because it shot well. Others have since mentioned this particular bullet (maybe not other calibers) just didn't open much. I have since moved to Hornady XTP. Sample of one so far but promising.

I am curious but suspect other pistol rounds shot from rifles may share a characteristic. In particular, when trying lighter bullets, say under 200 grain, accuracy not only went south but down right wild. Wondering if this is a known or common thing with pistol rounds through rifle barrels.

Ah! Here is the nut of what I've learned. Now, if you've got some deep reason to be shooting . . . say a 44 Mag that my recently deceased mentor owned, it kind of makes sense. When that's no longer an issue, I'm inclined to grab something with a bit more reach.

It is just this silly itch. I wish I could get rid of it.

Oh well, 100 rounds of 270 WIN brass just showed up in the mailbox. I guess I'll have to divert my attentions to knocking the gay out of them and turning them into 25-06. It always tickles me. It will help me to forget.

Duty calls!

I know. Found a beauty Marlin 94 in 44 mag. So wanted to make it work. Jammed twice, the second so tight a ‘smith had to take it apart. Secondly, I could throw rocks more accurately. Just my experience.

I know the itch. I have two 44 lever guns, one inherited from dad, the other from brother. Also a 444 from late sibling. A Rossi 45-70 completed the lever big bores. Problem is that in my state while the cartridges are legal they must be used a single shot.
So, I have added a Henry 357, A CVA 44 and a NEF 45-70.
Whichever one is grouping the best by November gets to go with me.
I might plug the Win 94-44 but am, at 78, needing optics. Marlin 94, same issue but it is scoped already.
Lots of range and loading bench time on the agenda after my knee replacement on June 28.
Good luck.

Dear fellow addict,

Does this help?


https://www.gunbroker.com/item/990663473

Or this?



https://www.gunbroker.com/item/990969016

Or maybe an old Winchester



https://www.gunbroker.com/item/989973323

It is shocking to me, what folks are paying for the old Marlins. Damn! I am glad I got my 1894FG when I did at $500 from Sportsman's

Oh crap, this one is pre safety.


https://www.gunbroker.com/item/989502816

At $900 now, and 36 hours to go, who knows what it will finish at. But I bet the new ones will be over $1000 when and if we ever see them.

I almost wish I had a use for this Rem 788. It is a prime piece. https://www.gunbroker.com/item/990749473 But it would have to be a 41 to pique my interest.

And another old Winchester. You would have no worries packing this one through the pucker bushes.



https://www.gunbroker.com/item/989628545

Hope I helped!

Shaman....you are a Lulu.

Why did I have to look at this thread before having my second cup of coffee? Y'all are just mean.

I was out at Bass Pro the other day and saw a new Henry in 44 Mag. It was . . . compelling.

After years of yearning, I finally found a very clean B92 at a very fair price. It failed to satisfy in the accuracy department, even with the barrel sights upgraded with a aperture rear from Williams, a proven combination for me past and present. I let it go to another dreamer. Meanwhile, my 1885 Low Wall Traditional Hunter continues to please, and with dual sights, offers no-fuss usability with full-power and plinker loads. I paid more for it than I had for anything else prior, but it has very nice wood and is altogether a very classy number. Ain’t going anywhere, and if the time comes when I can’t see the sights, it’ll get a set of Talleys and a low-power scope. It is after all a reproduction (of sorts), and mine all mine, and being able to continue to use it trumps any potential loss of “collector value”. Those LW THs are well-worth seeking out and paying the price for, and came in not only .44, but also JB’s .45 Colt and the very desirable .357. Actually, the .45s are the most commonly seen.

As to the question of range, while there are a few open stretches on the public patch I hunt, only one of the dozen + deer I’ve killed there so far has been at over 50 yards, that with an iron-sighted ML, so I’m not concerned much with missing an opportunity, and if I do, so be it. I don’t have to kill them all, even though I usually shoot what I see….