Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin Talk Just added another to the barn

1979 pre safety 444. The wood has been off this old girl before, and it STILL looks like it grew there. This BS about fit and finish of the Rugers being better is just that, BS IMO. Better than Remington? Hell yeah, Cerberus couldn't even build an AR. But I'll take a JM over Ruger lever any day

Just bought a '77 model 444, had to take off, plug holes, drill new holes to fit limbsaver recoil pad. Built like a tank, can not tell it has been apart.

I've regretted letting mine get away a few years
back right after it went away. I don't know what
TF I was thinking. I came by this other one a
short while back, and it does shoot really good
and has the holy JM, but it has a short barrel
with holes and a blankety blanking push
button safety. Haven't yet but I don't doubt it'll
make meat, but I sure miss the old friend

If you ever get a good one you like, do whatever
you have to do to keep it in your hands

I have two JM 1894s in 38/357 and in 44 magnum. They both cycle any ammo I care to feed 'em and the 357 is an absolute hoot to shoot. It has Ballard rifling and so groups well with all ammo I've tried in it. The 44, on the other hand, has Micro-groove rifling and keyholes Remington 240 gr. magnum factory loads with the .429 scalloped jacket hollow point bullets. I tried white box Winchester 240 gr. soft points and that solved the problem. I measured the Winchester bullets and they seem to measure .430-.431. One of these days I'll try some Hornady FTX handloads in 240 and 300 grain weights and maybe the LeveRevolution ammo.

Both have the unpopular cross-button safeties. Those don't really bother me; I can just leave them off and use half-cock if I really want to. I agree with Ranger; these guns aren't going anywhere and my two sons may have to decide who gets which when I am gone.