Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers Why should/shouldn't I get a .444

Sounds like you like the big stuff. My kinda guy.

Without looking it up, I'd guess the 444 300s had about same SD as the 350 in the 450 Marlin. BUT, the Gold Dot/Uni-Cor is a FAR better/tougher bullet than the XTP. It absolutely drives deeper and retains more weight. Especially at higher velocities.

My general feeling on the 444 is that if a 350gr won't do it, I'd rather step up in caliber than weight.......

for about 20 years I hunted deer with a marlin 444,one of my elk hunting camp friends bought a marlin 444 to camp one year , it was one of the early models with the longer barrel and cheek piece stock,I loved the rifles looks and the way it shot,so I bought one that year, I think it was 1965, a few years later hornady started making the 265 grain bullets available for hand loading, never felt I had any reason to change

btw the load we found worked the best on elk in those marlin 444 rifles was the hornady 265 grain bullet over 45 grains of imr 4198 and a 215 fed primer, at about 2100fps and resulting 1" 100 yard groups

I think they were only available that way for a couple years before the barrels were shortened and the stock was changed.
I stupidly sold it when a friend offered me more than I paid for it brand new,after 20 years of use.
I felt like I was missing something after selling the marlin, but after I purchased a BLR in 450 marlin I,m even happier with that,rifle, its throwing a 405 grain bullet at about 1800fps and easily shoots 1" 100 yard groups, with a load of 50 grains of imr 3031 powder over a 215 fed primer , and now comparing the two I can,t see why I like the marlin nearly as well.