Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers 444 Marlin Rifle Production

Now that Ruger has Marlin do you think they will reintroduce the 444 Marlin in at least one model if not two? Winchester opted to dump the 444 Marlin and the 94AE Big Bore series and now has sluggish sales in their 450 Marlin Takedown Short Rifle. Do you think a compact takedown or no takedown in 444 Marlin would be a better seller for Winchester?

Personally I believe the 444 Marlin is a valuable cartridge in the field. For NA hunting it can be loaded for a wide variety of game from 200 gr to 355 gr (405 Cast GC are offered and will perform at around 1,750 fps, but rifle twist, gate feed alteration and possible neck turning are typically needed). .430 gr bullets are offered in jacketed HP, jacketed SP, Barnes Solids, Woodleigh SP and a full realm of Cast Bullet GC weights.

I think it’s a shame that this potent, easy to reload and easy to cycle cartridge is not supported well. It’s always compared constantly to the 45-70 Gov. and I think that’s why Winchester opted for the 450 Marlin as a way to sell a .458 that would compete with Marlin’s 1895 45-70. Now Henry has the 45-70 chambered in their Big Boy too. In my way of thinking the 444 Marlin offers more versatility and more pleasure to shoot on a wide variety of game. No it doesn’t offer the upper end performance of the 45-70 Gov., but it does offer enough to dispatch pretty much the same game in the field if loaded correctly matching bullet to game. I always look at the comparison of the two as choosing a .416 vs a .458 turn bolt gun, both are killers and both serve in the field for a Hunter, but as a Guide you’d probably opt for the larger frontal area as a stopper under duress. At distances of 200-275 yds with scoped rifle using a 225gr and 240 gr HP bullets/loads the 444 Marlin is an energy dumper on game in the 300 lbs class making it very pleasant and accurate to shoot at distances and very deadly on game.

What say the Big Bore Lever Shooters, should Marlin, Winchester and even Henry support new production of the 444 Marlin? Is it worth saving, I sure think so.