Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles How to reduce recoil?

Wondering how to reduce recoil. Specifically on a .444 marlin. I have never shot one but I am thinking about buying one. Should it be ported or not? I hunt with other hunters so I am wondering whether I should get a ported barrel or not. Any ideas?

My personal experience has been that most folks can handle alot more recoil then they think they can, if they want to. Personally, I won't put a muzzlebrake on a gun.<P>So, how does one deal w/ recoil w/o being hurt? #1 is a properly fit stock with a good recoil pad. If the stock is too short, you'll have your shooting hand wack you in the nose, been there, done that. Next is a shoulder pad, I'm partial to the past mag shield, works with every gun you have and is 1/4 the cost of a muzzle brake. <P>If you are shooting the gun off a bench rest, make sure you have a firm grip on the forend with your offhand, to keep the rifle from jumping up. I haven't shot a 444, but did pop a few in a buddies 45-70 co-pilot, and they really aren't that bad at all. If you are used to bottleneck rifle rounds, you'll find the 444 more pleaseant, as it has a strong push, not the jab of a bottleneck round.<P>By all means, if you want a 444, get it, just have the attitude that you want to shoot it, and you'll enjoy it.

Thanks for the info. Would you know anything about .444's and what model to get. I am considering the 444p by Marlin.<P>UP Hunter

Handloader had a recent article on the 444, and I'd recomend getting a back issue. As far as I know, marlin offers the 444 in a 22" barreled variety w/ pistol grip, and the guide version w/ 18 1/2" ported barrel and a straight grip. <P>Personally I like the straight grip, and would get the guide gun, and have the barrel cut back to ~17" to get rid of the ports, and fit an oversize lever. If you like the pistol grip, you could have the 22" barrel cut down, or leave it full length, whatever suites you. <P>Something to consider is an oversizer lever, I believe you can get them from Wild West Guns, and perhaps brownells. I haven't shot the std levers, but from handling them, find them cramped, and would be concerned of rapping my fingures with heavy loads.<P>If you handload, you can load down to 44 mag levels, or up to 300+ gr hardcast @ 2000 fps. The article in Handloader described the 444 as a 3/4 45-70, and thats not a bad thing, plenty of power, but not as much recoil. If I weren't enamored with the larger bores, I'd probably get one, but I have my sights set on a 50 Alaskan.<P>Maybe BW will respond to your post, he has a 444 and should be able to get you some better input. Here is a link to his web page <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/bw_99835/" TARGET=_blank>http://www.geocities.com/bw_99835/</A>

What bullet do you think is best for the .444 330,or 335grain. I was thinking of the guide gun to. I also prefer the straight grip. Do you think it should have a scope or not. I was thinking to have it without.

I seriously doubt you'll see any difference in performance between a 310-340 gr bullet. Just find the one that shoots best in your gun. If you cast your own, or are considering getting into casting, lee makes a mold that drops a nice heavy hardcast bullet that has been coming out 320 gr after adding the gas check and lube, and the molds are only ~$16. Cast from wheelweights and dropped into a pail of water, they are plenty hard, and can handle all the velocity you'll get from the 444.<P>As far as sighting, my preference for a short barreled lever gun is a ghost ring rear, ie AO, and a blade front. Thats how I'll set up mine. There are certainly advantages to scopes, but for what I'd want a carbine lever gun for, those advantages are a mute point. Really depends on what you are using it for, and what type of sighting equipment you prefer.

i wanted to add a comment to the original question...<P>for recoil management, i use pachymar decelerator pads on my rifles. by themselves they do a pretty fair job of taming an obnoxious gun. <P>also, since i have been known to drag my 7mm rem mag out to a prairie dog town, it didn't take me long to figure out that it needed something more, so i had a merc. tube put in. the tube seems to help quite a bit. i'm not sure, though, if this is from the extra weight of the tube, or if the stuff works the way it is advertised.<P>if you opt for a tube, keep in mind that it will make your gun heavier. the tube that is in my rifle weighs 8 ounces, and the butt of the gun had to be drilled out to accept the tube.<P>i chose the merc tube and decelerator pad because i find muzzle brakes obnoxious.