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I'm buying a marlin .44 today, and i'm putting a burris 3-9x33 timberline on it.

i've never handled a .44 lever gun before, but i'm familiar with 30-30's and 45/70's.

What can i expect performance wise? I plan to use it for hog killin. How far out would you expect it to be effective?


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My old microgroove one will shoot 5 hardcast 300 gr in front of a max load of H110 into 1.5" @100 with a Leupold 1-4.
The Barnes bullet is also a good choice although the hard cast will out penetrate it.
I'd replace the 3-9 with a 1-4 especially for somthing that can bite (Hogs)
IMO it's a 200 yard rifle. (It would no doubt kill at 500 but the trajectory would be a rainbow)

Judging by the current prices for used ones, prople are catching on to what a great rifle/cartridge this is.

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Yep....bought a coupole recently myself....prices are definatley sky rocketing.

Great 150 yrd gun IMO.

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Originally Posted by 257wthbylover
Yep....bought a coupole recently myself....prices are definatley sky rocketing.

Great 150 yrd gun IMO.


Yes, with the demise of cheap/available Win 94's and Remlin's wonderful new QA program, lever-lovers have decided now is the time.

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Chalk me up as another big fan. I like the 45 Colt a tad bit more. But I also realy like the 44 magnum. 200 yards shots should be no problem for a guy who knows his rifle. I really like mine because I cast my own bullets and I can cast and load over 1,000 rounds for less than $100. How can you beat that?? Cast and load up a couple of thousand and put them down range. Then you will have no problem with a 200 yard shot. Tom.



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Originally Posted by Beprepared
I'm buying a marlin .44 today, and i'm putting a burris 3-9x33 timberline on it.

i've never handled a .44 lever gun before, but i'm familiar with 30-30's and 45/70's.

What can i expect performance wise? I plan to use it for hog killin. How far out would you expect it to be effective?



As someone said before, put a 1-4 scope on it if you buy one. Despite all the glowing reports, look at the ballistics of this pistol round in a rifle and decide for yourself whether it is what you need for your hunting. Because of the rapid drop in velocity and subsequent drop in energy I wouldn't use one beyond 100 yards.

I bought a new 1894 years ago, made in the late '70's. Worst rifle I ever bought. It was an honorary shotgun at 100 yards with the myriad types of ammo used in it. The barrel was so thin where the sight dovetail cut was that there was a visable dent from the sight. Wouldn't feed anything reliably, either, till I saw the carrier was not going high enough, took the carrier out, bent it up in a vice and then it would finally feed the ammo, at least. I sold it, gladly and would obviously not get another. I replaced it with a Marlin 336RC Marauder in .35 Remington which is shorter and lighter and vastly more powerful and accurate. So that is my 1894 44 Magnum story, not pretty.


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Originally Posted by HOGGHEAD
Chalk me up as another big fan. I like the 45 Colt a tad bit more. But I also realy like the 44 magnum. 200 yards shots should be no problem for a guy who knows his rifle. I really like mine because I cast my own bullets and I can cast and load over 1,000 rounds for less than $100. How can you beat that?? Cast and load up a couple of thousand and put them down range. Then you will have no problem with a 200 yard shot. Tom.



What do you shoot at 200 yards with cast bullets? Here are the ballistics:

http://www.rifleshootermag.com/ballistics/44_rem_mag.html

With a MAX. load JACKETED 240 gr bullet you have 660 ft/lbs of energy at 200 yards.

Last edited by XLTFX4; 04/11/11.

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
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I really like mine and would still use the iron sights if I could see them. I ahve a cheap 1-4 zx scope on it because that scope is very short and looks/handles better than the std scopes.Mine will do better than 3" at 100 yds with std Speer flat nose semi jacketed bullet. It has dropped on elk so far at about 60 yards ( 1 shot, DRT).It sure isn't a 200 yd gun


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I shoot the 250 Nosler Partition.....EASILY a 150 yd gun as I still have over 1000 lbs of energy. But, I am not hunting elk and stuff with it either. We have a doe season in Iowa that allows rifles and this is the fun lil gun to use at that time. I am probably in agreeance that 200 yds is pushing the envelope. I shot the heavy, long (24 inch) octagon cowboy bbl and that seems to help as well. Shoots lights out for a lever gun! It is just a plain fun gun to shoot, lil recoil in this heavier gun, plenty of gun for for all the small stuff and fun as heck to drop does with. I bought it for just something diffrernt then all my laser flat shooting stuff and I am having a blast with it, but respecting what it is as well.

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With a 270 gr Speer over 21 grains of H110, using XS sights, my Marlin will keep them in a can of Copenhagen @ 100 yards. Milk Jugs @ 150-200 is no big trick. Only thing I've killed with it so far was a coyote @ 100 yards so far, but I'm taking it along for my spring bear hunt here in MT. I've all the confidence in the world in that combo.


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I had my 1894S to the range this morning. The cloverleaf on target below was at 50 yards. At 100 yards, the carbine will keep a group under three inches, usually around 2.
Load was the Speer 270 grain GDSP over H110 powder.
Velocity, 10 shot average, was 1620 FPS. I use a Leupold fixed 2.5X 20mm tube.
I have killed 7 deer with this combination. Longest distance was less than 75 yards. This load kills hogs real dead.
I really don't think you need a high power scope on a short range lever gun.
[Linked Image]

Last edited by Mannlicher; 04/15/11.

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Great speed along with a hog killing group.

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Our experience with the .44mag in a Carbine rifle was 1-inch groups with our handloads and around 1.5 with factory ammo at 50 yards. Now at 100 yards I shot 2.5 to 3.5 inch groups using iron sights and factory ammo was closer to 4 to 5 inch groups.
We never shot at any deer futher away than 75 yards and at that range and less, they died quickly using our handloads.


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I agree with you on your observations Tonk. When I went to a scope on the .44 mag, my groups shrunk. At 100 yards, with the factory irons, I just could not see the aiming point clearly enough to keep the groups tight.
The Leupold fixed 2.5X made the difference
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I had a crossbolt safety marlin 44 mag with a leup 1-4 on it I could produce 3 shot 2 inch groups with it off the bags. I sold it and now have a 357 mag because that's the caliber my revolvers use. I don't have a scope on it but I can bust tennis ball chunks of concrete at 40 yards with it using the Remington 180 grain magnum ammo it seems to like those cartridges.

The new Marlins I don't know, I am wondering the same thing about what will happen to them.


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Originally Posted by XLTFX4
Originally Posted by HOGGHEAD
Chalk me up as another big fan. I like the 45 Colt a tad bit more. But I also realy like the 44 magnum. 200 yards shots should be no problem for a guy who knows his rifle. I really like mine because I cast my own bullets and I can cast and load over 1,000 rounds for less than $100. How can you beat that?? Cast and load up a couple of thousand and put them down range. Then you will have no problem with a 200 yard shot. Tom.



What do you shoot at 200 yards with cast bullets? Here are the ballistics:

http://www.rifleshootermag.com/ballistics/44_rem_mag.html

With a MAX. load JACKETED 240 gr bullet you have 660 ft/lbs of energy at 200 yards.




Did you miss the part about putting a couple of thousand rounds down range and learning your rifle?? For about$200?? I can shoot a FL with PRB to 150 yards with no problem and open sights.

But if you must know. I cast a 240 grain bullet from straight WW. And push it with 21.0 grains of 2400.

Only problem with me is I do not read ballistic charts. And internet posts. I shoot my rifle. and I can guarantee you that a 240 grain bullet cast from straight WW will completely penetrate a deer(through and through) at 200 yards with no problem. And if you are the least bit concerned about mushrooming the bullet then add 50% pure lead to the mix to improve mushrooming.

You need to remember that a 44 magnum is a hole .429 going in. so 25% expansion on each side yields almost a one inch hole coming out. I am not sure what deer could walk away from that. If you only received 1/4" expansion on each side that is a 3/4" hole coming out. That is the idea behind a big bore. They do not depend on shock to kill, the big hole does the job. That is why I am constantly dropping the velocity on my 45-70. Speed in that ifle does not kill. The mass of the bullet kills, regardless of velocity. 1200 fps can be real deadly. You do not want to be hit by one going 1200 fps.

However I did not learn that from a chart. I learned that from picking up dead deer. Charts are useless to me. Except for fire starting kindling to fry deer steak on.

Heck I shoot ground hogs with my lever actions and FL rifles. You have to practice and know your weapon. If not then limit yourself to 75 yards and read some more charts.

However I will admit that I like the 45 Colt better than the 44 magnum. For two reasons. First the 45 Colt is an even bigger hole going in. And second I believe the recoil on a 44 magnum is a little more snappy than on the 45 Colt. I seem to have a tad bit more rifle control. And alot more revolver control with the 45 Colt. And you definitely do not want to be standing 200 yards out in front of my 45 Colt. Tom.

[Linked Image]

Last edited by HOGGHEAD; 04/19/11.

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I have had several .44 magnum rifles from five different manufacturers and absolutely cannot get what I deem acceptable hunting accuracy from the caliber in a rifle.Those who claim 1" groups or anything less than 4" groups at 100 yards are using a much different ruler than I have.
I so desperately wanted a .44 magnum rifle as a mate to my Ruger Super Redhawk so I didn't enter into the search with less than high expectations.
Factory ammunition nor my handloads would give me what I want in accuracy from a rifle.My pistol is great at 100 yards.
I disbelieve any consistent close accuracy claims from a .44 magnum rifle at range of 100 yards.

Stan in SC

Last edited by Stan_in_SC; 04/24/11.

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45/70,it's almost a religion.

If you have to take a second shot then you probably shouldn't have taken the first shot.
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Then either you've got some terrible luck, or maybe you need to learn how to shoot a rifle. First load I tried in my marlin is the only one I've used so far, and like I said earlier, it'll keep them in a copenhagen can @100.


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Yeah sure.If you say so.

Stan in SC


The more I listen,the more I hear....and vice versa.

45/70,it's almost a religion.

If you have to take a second shot then you probably shouldn't have taken the first shot.
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I have target hanging on my wall here that is a solid 1 1/4" group at 100yards using 22 &1/2gr of H110 with a speer Jacketed Flat Point,240 gr. This has been duplicated several times.I use a cheap $50 NcStar 2-6x scope as I wanted the small size.Iron sights, best my old eyes can do is about 3"

Last edited by saddlesore; 04/25/11.

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