Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers Accuracy expectations from Marlin 1894 in 44 mag?

Thinking of picking up an 1894 for a home defense/plinking/hog and deer hunting at close range fun gun. Can I expect 2" accuracy at 100 yds with peep site or 4x scope or is this an unrealistic expectation? Any particular models or version to look for for better accuracy/shoot ability? Not concerned with collector value.

my brother has the 1894p with 16.5" barrel and cheap bushnell 4x scope. with factory 240 grain xtp's it will do 2" at 100 yards. it is really good at 50, usually cloverleafs. probably the scope and our older eyes cause it to open up at longer ranges.

Yup Sometimes they do better than that!

I get 2" groups at 100 yda with a 4x scope....thats without a stable shooting rest

Lot of guys do, but I need more time with my current one. I got rid of one that was a great shooter (kicking myself).

Mine shoots sub 1.5" at a hundred. It's four years old with Ballard rifling. 240 gr. jacketed bullets.

Marlins will surprise you. You should be prepared for accuracy as good as you'd get from a decent bolt action rifle. I have a Ballard rifled Marlin 45-70 but haven't really wrung it out from the bench. It looks promising from a seated position, resting across my knees, sometimes cloverleafing at 50 yds. My microgroove 45-70s and 444 have all been sub-moa shooters from a stable rest, and cloverleafs at 100 yds are commonplace. All with handloads and scope of course.

Ended up buying a 444 ss made in 1989. I felt I needed a little more reach as shots at my place can get up to 200 yards.

Excellent choice! Congratulations! Photo??

My experience the rifling twist that Marlin uses in the 44 mag will limit bullet weight to 250 grains or less. 300 grain bullets pattern not group.

I was told the same thing, and with a 1 in 38 twist barrel on my 1894 44 Mag I had no reason to doubt it. But my rifles favorite load is a 300 grain WFN cast bullet over W296 velocity is around 1550 fps and I couldn't be happier. I've taken a few hogs with that load, longest shot was 150 yards on a 120lbs boar.

I have noticed that with the 300 grain bullet, it only shoots well at max or very near max load. It will shoot right at 2" at a hundred yards. Its one of my favorite rifles.

that depends on the bullet design and twist rate, I don,t know what twist rate my marlin 44 carbine has but it shoots the LEE 300 grn cast bullets in side 1" off the bench at 100 yards with 20 grains of h110

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/51...0-diameter-310-grain-flat-nose-gas-check

Mine keeps them under 2" at 100 yards with factory Magtech ammo, and a Redfield receiver sight.

Mine musta sucked. Never could get it to do better than 3-3.5" with anything.

I had a 1894 that shot horrible patterns at 100 yards. I would not have called them groups, I would have loved to see that gun shoot 3.5 inch groups. When you looked down the bore the rifling looked shiny but faceted. That is the only way I know how to describe it. I got the rifle used and had it re-barreled with a faster twist barrel and it does great now. I have had several 1894 and 336 44 magnums and that was the only one that wouldn't shoot 1.5 inch groups or less.

doubledown: Thanks for specifying the 300 grain bullet type. I used a 300 grain LFN. I will have to try the 300 gr WFN because it is shorter in length and rifling twist is all about length. The WFN feed ok in your Marlin without lengthening the cartridge lifter?