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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 218
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 218 |
Warhawk, very nice!
I went round and round with myself between 444 and 45-70. Eventually I went 45-70, but since I'm a 44 Mag shooter, I have had a few regrets not going 444 just for logistics.
I like the older Marlins, but would prefer the 1/20 twist ballard rifling on the newer 444s. Thanks, I've had a 45-70 Marlin for about 20 years now. Added a stainless guide gun and a Browning 1886 more recently. I've killed a few deer and a few hogs with the .45-70 and it certainly does the job. But I'm a .44 Mag shooter, and just couldn't resist getting a .444. Now that I have this cusom 444 I have sent off a check for a stainless 444 XLR and am thinking about having one of my 30-30s rebored to .444 by Jess at www.35caliber.comThe XLR has the 1:20 twist, and that's a big reason I bought it. The older gun may not shoot heavy bullets well, but I'll bet the XLR does. And the rebored gun can be any twist rate I want (I would specify a 1:20 twist).
"I'd rather wake up in the middle of nowhere, than in any city on earth" ... Steve McQueen
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 21,700 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 21,700 Likes: 3 |
I bought this one earlier this year. It's a 1965 gun, customized by John Gallagher. Very slick setup. Love the button mag. I have a 444 in layaway at a local porn shop. Would really like to do trimming on it.
"The number one problem with America is, a whole lot of people need shot, and nobody is shooting them." -Master Chief Hershel Davis
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,761
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,761 |
I bought this one earlier this year. It's a 1965 gun, customized by John Gallagher. Wow....nice snag. Doc
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 30,926 Likes: 20
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 30,926 Likes: 20 |
T R U M P W O N !
U L T R A M A G A !
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 10,896
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 10,896 |
Bought mine from a campfire member over a year ago and hadn't regretted it yet.A great shooter it is with cast bullets and ballard barrel.. not gonna let this one go like the one I did years ago!
You better be afraid of a ghost!!
"Woody you were baptized in prop wash"..crossfireoops
Woody
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,761
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,761 |
Bought mine from a campfire member over a year ago and hadn't regretted it yet.A great shooter it is with cast bullets and ballard barrel.. not gonna let this one go like the one I did years ago! Flyboy, That nice lumber on your 444. Doc
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 218
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 218 |
Check out the price and availability of brass before you pick up a .444. Brass is bringing about a buck each, *IF* you can find any. I got lucky and found a guy getting out of the .444 business and bought him out.
"I'd rather wake up in the middle of nowhere, than in any city on earth" ... Steve McQueen
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 218
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 218 |
Bought mine from a campfire member over a year ago and hadn't regretted it yet.A great shooter it is with cast bullets and ballard barrel.. not gonna let this one go like the one I did years ago! Gorgeous Marlin, one of the nicest I've ever seen.
"I'd rather wake up in the middle of nowhere, than in any city on earth" ... Steve McQueen
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 17,283 Likes: 4
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 17,283 Likes: 4 |
I went through hell to get mine! Not a remlin either.
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 282
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 282 |
Nice rifle I wonder what it costs?
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 21,700 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 21,700 Likes: 3 |
Congratulations on finding a .444. I know you were looking for one for awhile.
"The number one problem with America is, a whole lot of people need shot, and nobody is shooting them." -Master Chief Hershel Davis
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 17,283 Likes: 4
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 17,283 Likes: 4 |
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,187
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,187 |
I carried a .444 Marlin in Alaska while working on the mainland in SE. It was hard to find the right bullets in those days for handloading. I sold mine for about $250 back in around 2000. I miss the gun, and would like a .45-70 this time. What bullets work well for heavy boned animals for the .444?:
The only cure for life and death is to enjoy the interval. George Santayana
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 21,700 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 21,700 Likes: 3 |
PPine, I think that most folks would say that the hardcast models are the best. I say that based solely on the articles I have read from others who have tested them extensively. I am mostly interested in shooting whitetails and possibly a black bear.
Found a box of the discontinued 250 grain Nosler Partitions on a store's shelf today. Still thinking hard on grabbing those. I have a suspicion that they might fill the bill for me.
"The number one problem with America is, a whole lot of people need shot, and nobody is shooting them." -Master Chief Hershel Davis
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 9,536 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 9,536 Likes: 2 |
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 17,283 Likes: 4
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 17,283 Likes: 4 |
They would as is the 265 Hornady.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 9,536 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 9,536 Likes: 2 |
And one more bullet I like in the trip-4 is the 270 Speer.
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,666
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,666 |
300gr Speer UC and 300gr Hornady XTP have been very accurate as well in mine.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 9,536 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 9,536 Likes: 2 |
BCSteve, I know it's not the same bullet, but I use the 300 grain UniCor in my .45-70, and if anything, the .429 version would be better, having a little more sectional density.
Nonetheless, the .458 version is a helluva bullet.
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,612
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,612 |
For me, the 300gr XTP shoots very well, and the 270 Deep Curl / Gold Dot right behind it. Something in me tells me the Gold Dot is a better bullet, but the few things I have killed with the 300 XTP have been deaded just fine.
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