A quick recap:
January 2019: I find a ratbag Marlin 336 for cheap on Gunbroker.com and acquire it.
February 2019: My best buddy of nearly 40 years dies. Bob was a retired gun mag editor. Our last conversation together was what to do with the Marlin-- Our decision: make it a 38/55
June 2019: Bob's widow sells me Bob's Model 44 Carbine (44 Mag) and I fall in love with it. The Marlin project gets put on hold.
November 2019: I nail a nice buck with the Model 44. I also hunt with it on a Boar trip to Georgia in December.
August 2020: I get the Model 44 out to check zero and the darn thing eats itself. It's from a known design defect of early Model 44's. The trigger group is toast. The gun is probably now just a wall hanger.
September 2020: I'm in a hurry to fill the hole, and I score a 7mm08 on the cheap. It's a long story, but basically, I'm going to use it as a sub-100 yard gun this year to fill the gap left by the Model 44, and then wring it out over the next year.
Meanwhile, the Marlin 336 is still sitting in the safe. I never sent it off to JES for the rebore, and now I'm starting to reconsider the idea of turning it into a 38-55.
I really (REALLY!) liked hunting with the 44 Mag Carbine. I'm not as enthralled with the semi-auto part of the deal. Honestly, I'd have much rather had Bob's Ruger Model 96/44, but it went to his nephew. 44 Mag seems just this side of perfect for a close-in treestand gun for whitetail where the max range is inside 100 yards. However, I've got this Marlin 336 project to do.
JES could rebore to 38/55. . . or he could rebore to 444 Marlin or 405 JES. If I went the 444 Marlin route, I could load a MIN load of H4895 and 240 grain Hornady XTP and have nearly the same performance-- just a tad hotter. I could do lead Cast for it as well. I already have the mold and the gas checks.
405 JES also is starting to sound intriguing. However, that may be just a little too looney.
38/55 is still also a viable choice. I'm sure Bob wouldn't mind if I changed things up. He and I used to go on like this for hours. I miss the old bugger.
Let me lay out what I really want:
1) Ohio Legal. Ohio has a PCR rule that basically allows straight-walled cartridges with a 35-cal or bigger bore. 357 Mag is in. 35 Rem is out. 44 Mag and 44 Marlin are legal. I don't regularly hunt Ohio anymore, but it would be handy to have an Ohio-legal rifle laying about.
2) I don't need a semi action. I love my other good Marlin 336 in 30-30, but I can't hunt with it in Ohio.
3) I'm all set up for 44 Mag. I'd just have to buy brass for the 444 Marlin
4) A cast bullet option is a big plus.
5) 100 yard operating range-- this is for my treestands.
Whatcha think?
