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Joined: Jun 2011
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There's an article in "Precision Shooting", April or May relating to accurizing leverguns. Biggest issue seems to relate to the bearing of the locking bolts. If they bear unevenly as in Winchesters(family; 92'ss, 94's, etc) with 2 lugs/bolts. The Marlins with only one bolt seem to be more consistantly accurate. The Winnys can be so tuned to good accuracy, by bringing the bolts into even bearing.
precision is group shooting, accuracy is hitting your intended target.
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Of all the Marlins I've had over the years the 1894 in 44 Mag is my least favorite. Seems like the bores on this particular model are oversized more than other calibers. I ownd a couple and never could get either to shoot a group of less than 1.5" @50 yards with jacketed bullets.
Since I own a 444 & 45-70 both of which will shoot a 3 shot group less than an inch @100 yds the 44's departed my company.
Last edited by Ghostman; 06/27/11.
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Marlingtons are getting spendy!
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Northeast Texas, 240gr Nosler JSP over 24gr H110 with a CCI mag primer. Blew through both sides at 70 yds and splattered pink blood and lung tissue for a 5ft behind the sow. I estimate the weight at 325lbs. That's my 1894 leaned up against her.
...on earth as it is in Texas.
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Joined: Oct 2010
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currently i own three .44 mag rifles, 1 win 94 AE and two ruger 77/44 bolt guns.
I have owned two different marlin 94's in 44 mag.. all were/are reasonably accurate at 100 yards.
Probably killed a dozen white tails with them, mostly at 50-80 yards, but one at just over 150 yds and a 140 class at 193 yards.. All broad side rib cage shots, and i was particular about that shot.
Never had to follow a blood trail, DRT.. H110 Max load 240 gr Hornady JHP..
Shot a lot of practice rounds at 100-300 yards.. 150 is my max without a rest, 200 with a rest.. 300 yards i just plain couldn't make it happen with any consistency.. The gun will do everything you are capable of.
my .02 worth
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Effective range is limited by shooter ability. The 44 mag will kill game out beyond 500 yards but most of us can not control the rainbow trajectory at more than 200 yards. My range limit is about 150 yards.
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Joined: Feb 2008
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I had a marlin 1894 in 44mag and at 50 yds it would would make almost 1 ragged hole.I never shot it at 100yds,but I imagine it would have shot atleast a 2 inch group.That was with the winchester 240gr JHP.Only shot 1 deer with it at 60 yds,spined it complete pass thru.I regret getting rid of it,im in the process of trying to buy another,thats why im in the "lever action" forum..LOL
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I clobbered this coastal blacktail and many others with my Marlin 44 MAG. Longest shot was about 90 yards or so. Hornady XTP bullets in 44 MAG make BIG HOLES in deer and I'm not exaggerating. This ugly scope was an antique Weaver K4 but replaced it with a Bushnell 1.5X - 5X. The old Weaver used to fog up occasionally although it retained its zero perfectly. Sherwood
FIRE UP THE GRILL - is NOT catch and release!
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I read an article yesterday from Handloader magazine that had a load using 2400 that actually outperforms the classic H110 load for the 240gr bullet. This would cut about 1-2" of drop at 200yds and add another 150fpe at impact.
In all my experience with the 44mag rifle except one large boar shot at 10yds, the Nosler 240gr JSP fully penetrates deer and hogs even when both shoulders are hit. Although it's only got about 700fpe left at 200yds, there's no question in my mind that a hit to the shoulders or boiler room will drop the deer/hog in place. Hell it's still traveling at nearly 1200fps. If you stuck the barrel of a 4" Model 29 in a deer's ribs and pulled the trigger, would you expect it to die? That's essentially the same thing the rifle does at 200yds.
Yes, hitting the target is the key, but if you know your rifle and can learn to judge distance, 200yds for the 1894 is a no brainer.
...on earth as it is in Texas.
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5 shots @ 100 yds 18 gr 'LIL GUN, 270 gr Gold Dot @ 1455 fps. Got a nice 5 point with it @ 60 yards last year...
Old Fishermen never die, we just get reel tired.
May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung. May you stay......Forever young
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Yep....bought a coupole recently myself....prices are definatley sky rocketing.
Great 150 yrd gun IMO. Yes, with the demise of cheap/available Win 94's and Remlin's wonderful new QA program, lever-lovers have decided now is the time. No doubt! Anyway I agree 150 yards for deer with a good load is fair...
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I've taken whitetails and hogs with mine using nothing but Winchester White Box Value Pack 240 grain jacketed soft points. IMHO they are the best all around load for most 44 leverguns. Effective range is probably more than 100 meters but since I use open sights and my eyes are getting older I limit my shots on whitetails to inside of 80 meters ... I may stretch that for pigs but I rare have to around here. They usually like to come in close and that 44 will knock them down in a hurry.
Last edited by SCRooster; 03/22/13.
What you think about, you do ... what you do, you become. In a nation where anything goes ... eventually, everything will. We're almost there.
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My little Marlin shoots great. I've shot several deer with it mostly with plain old Nosler JHP, and the occasional 240 XTP. Never over 75 yds, but I wouldn't hesitate to jack any critter to speak of at 150 yds.
I hit the jackpot on some 200 Nosler HP a couple years ago, but haven't had the opp to kill anything with them yet.
Joseph
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