Fo r sale a very special Ruger #3 chambered in 444 Marlin. You have to wonder why Bill Ruger never chambered the #1 or #3 for such a performing straight walled rimmed cartridge but that is another story. Anyway my late Brother knew and used Parker Ackley for quite a bit of gunsmithing in his Salt Lake shop years ago. They came up with the idea of a #3 chambered 444 and best I know the gun was built in the mid to late 70’s.
About the gun. It has a Ackley 25” mild taper sporter barrel with 1-18” twist and old style blue-black deep bluing. Action was worked and barreled by Ackley. The stock is high grade California Claro or Bastogne oiled walnut classically carved with pistol grip cheek comb and very little drop. Nice checkering on pistol grip and forearm both of which are capped with lighter colored oak. Buttstock has a Neidner checkered steel but plate. Rifle includes a classic Weatherby rare German twin top turret 2-7 Scope with European style post cross hair reticle on a custom front base with the name RL Phillips ? 1 “ rings. Barrel muzzle is .650” and there is a custom long ramp front sight with fine anti glare checkering and gold bead. Rifle is in very nice condition overall, no red flags.
Gun weight: 8.75# LOP: 13.5” Trigger: 3.25 lbs 300 gr Barnes 2250fps 265 gr Hornady 2360 fps
Ackley was a great barrel maker and the three Ackley rifles my Brother had all shot great and consistently with different weight bullets. This rifle is no exception and shoots well under MOA with either 265 Hornady or the big Barnes 300 grain FP’s. If you want better long range performance with pointy bullets this is the gun. I once broke up the fore and aft shoulders at close to 200 yards on a 900 lbs moose that needed to drop before going into a NH swamp with very little meat loss.
I don’t know of another rifle like this that shoots so well and looks so nice. Those 444 fans will be amazed at its performance. I want what I think is a fair price for such a piece and a friend at Amoskeag Auctions agrees I’m close but tells me in the right auction it could bring much more. He recommended a 1800.00 reserve. Sorry for being so long winded but I’ve had this rifle forty years and it’s hard to sell ( reverse shoulder surgery ) so I’m asking $2100.00 for something special. I will split cost of transfer and shipping. Email or text me for photos I have a hard time attaching here
All the reloading info for the 444 Marlin is based on lever actions and flat point bullets so listed performance is skewed. I’ve only run into one guy years ago up in Maine who told me he had a custom Browning 1885 Hi Wall Re-barreled for the 444 and he claimed with Hawk 275 gr spritzers the gun was better than he ever expected and deadly out to 275 yds and as he said probably good medicine to 300 yards. I never tried these bullets but the Hornady 265’s would hold easily 3” or less at 200 yds. This rifle really opens up a whole lot of longer range possibilities with pointed better flying bullets. I’ve got lots of brass, bullets including the 300 grain Barnes and dies and loaded ammo. Which I’ll let go with the rifle as they have no use once the gun is sold. The loaded ammo shipping I’d need compensation for. In my mind it’s only fair
I guess a rifle like this doesn’t appeal to this crowd but I’ll try once more. Kinda thought a nice custom Ackley in 444 would appeal to any hunter rifle crank types that use to hang around here. Maybe they are all out hunting ?
Man, I wish. I love the 444 cartridge and a #3 had been on my list forever. But I can't afford this beauty, no matter how sweet. Excellent rifle. A bump, and good luck with your sale. PM me two years from now if this isn't sold 🙂
Last edited by Epochelyptikal; 11/06/22. Reason: Grammar
This one is extremely tempting but I would have to sell some of mine before I could take a shot at it. I think a lot of younger shooters won't appreciate this rifle unless they do a little research. I'm 61 and, apart from my little Marlin 39M, didn't start shooting or hunting until I was in my early 40's and didn't really know about P.O. Ackley until I did a little research after running across some Ackley improved cartridges at a gun show a few years ago. I just shot my .444 Marlin at the range on Saturday and now I'm really drooling over this one.
