A quick recap:
January 2019: I find a ratbag Marlin 336 for cheap on Gunbroker.com and acquire it.
February 2019: My best buddy of nearly 40 years dies. Bob was a retired gun mag editor. Our last conversation together was what to do with the Marlin-- Our decision: make it a 38/55
June 2019: Bob's widow sells me Bob's Model 44 Carbine (44 Mag) and I fall in love with it. The Marlin project gets put on hold.
November 2019: I nail a nice buck with the Model 44. I also hunt with it on a Boar trip to Georgia in December.
August 2020: I get the Model 44 out to check zero and the darn thing eats itself. It's from a known design defect of early Model 44's. The trigger group is toast. The gun is probably now just a wall hanger.
September 2020: I'm in a hurry to fill the hole, and I score a 7mm08 on the cheap. It's a long story, but basically, I'm going to use it as a sub-100 yard gun this year to fill the gap left by the Model 44, and then wring it out over the next year.

Meanwhile, the Marlin 336 is still sitting in the safe. I never sent it off to JES for the rebore, and now I'm starting to reconsider the idea of turning it into a 38-55.

I really (REALLY!) liked hunting with the 44 Mag Carbine. I'm not as enthralled with the semi-auto part of the deal. Honestly, I'd have much rather had Bob's Ruger Model 96/44, but it went to his nephew. 44 Mag seems just this side of perfect for a close-in treestand gun for whitetail where the max range is inside 100 yards. However, I've got this Marlin 336 project to do.

JES could rebore to 38/55. . . or he could rebore to 444 Marlin or 405 JES. If I went the 444 Marlin route, I could load a MIN load of H4895 and 240 grain Hornady XTP and have nearly the same performance-- just a tad hotter. I could do lead Cast for it as well. I already have the mold and the gas checks.

405 JES also is starting to sound intriguing. However, that may be just a little too looney.

38/55 is still also a viable choice. I'm sure Bob wouldn't mind if I changed things up. He and I used to go on like this for hours. I miss the old bugger.


Let me lay out what I really want:

1) Ohio Legal. Ohio has a PCR rule that basically allows straight-walled cartridges with a 35-cal or bigger bore. 357 Mag is in. 35 Rem is out. 44 Mag and 44 Marlin are legal. I don't regularly hunt Ohio anymore, but it would be handy to have an Ohio-legal rifle laying about.
2) I don't need a semi action. I love my other good Marlin 336 in 30-30, but I can't hunt with it in Ohio.
3) I'm all set up for 44 Mag. I'd just have to buy brass for the 444 Marlin
4) A cast bullet option is a big plus.
5) 100 yard operating range-- this is for my treestands.

Whatcha think?

Get a Winnie 1895 .405 WCF and hand load it from 210 to 400 grain bullets of .410 and .411 diameter. Small game to African DG.

Nice rifle, and 405 WIN is legal in Ohio.

However, that doesn't solve the problem of what to do with the Marlin 336 donor I've got in the back of the safe.

If you opt to go the 444 route: the 444 isn't a longer 44 Mag case. It is a slightly tapered design. You will want a set of full-length 444 dies in case you desire firing full-power loads. I do get away with using a 44 mag carbide sizing die to resize the portion of the case that holds seated bullets sometimes. I use this for plinking ammo, about the same power level as 44 Mag stuff out of a carbine.

I should also add that H4895 starting loads may not perform as you'd hope in 444. Your pressure is going to be very low, as it's about as slow a burner as you'd use in that case. Picking the slowest powder for a reduced load is not generally a recipe for success, and this is only magnified by the lower MAP (maximum average pressure) of the 444 compared to standard bolt gun rounds like the 30-06. My "reduced" loads in 444 use powders from Unique to 4198, and 4227 is a favorite. Blue dot has also done well, but working up is essential.

Winchester 1895 in .405 WCF was “Big Medicine” per Teddy Roosevelt.

Marlin 1895 45-70

I'd have JES rebore that 336 to 444 Marlin, Shaman.

I had a great 336T years ago and if I can find another that don't break the bank, I'll do just that.

444

If you want something unique do the 405 JES.
I have a 444S and it's a great gun. I picked up a Glenfield 30 cheap for a donor to convert to 405 JES.
You don't have a very good selection of bullets for the 444. Lot's of good cast bullets for the 405

With a 1/20 twist, go heavy, young man.

The .444 is in another league with heavy hardcast.

405 JES really intrigues me, but I have not been able to find much information on it.

AMEN! Love mine!

If it’s an early 336 in 44, I thought they were regarded as collector’s rifles?

If I had a 44mag carbine already, I'd be tempted to do the 38-55 as it had been the plan originally.
My 375win was sold some years ago but it would have been great for the deer here in NC.

There's no wrong choice and you'll remember your buddy every time you take it out!

Curious as to why you wouldn't just find a nice Marlin that was born a 444. Seems like that would be the more economical way to go.

FWIW....I have found the 240gr XTP to be quite explosive running along at normal 444 velocities. Probably better off with a heavier, harder bullet. JMO.

Puma 454 Casull

My prejudicial first choice would 45-70. My 2nd choice is 444 Marlin. The 444 Marlin because I don’t have one, and I think it is a cool cartridge.
My lever gun acquisitions went somewhat in reverse. 45-70’s first, a 30-30 next. Somehow let the 30-30 be traded away. Years later realized we did not have one in the house, bought a used Winchester Model 94 Trapper. Then a Marlin 1894 in 45 Colt.
And then, the addiction to revolver cartridges in lever guns began. I may never use any of them except for fun. But fun they are !
If a 45 Colt or 44 mag rifle shot sufficiently accurate at 100 yds, I would personally have no hesitation using either on whitetails. I think, I would use either a heavier hard cast flat point, a copper flat point, or a heavier A-Frame or partition type bullet.
——————————————

445 SuperMag.

Starline has cases, 44 Mag dies work since they are dimensioned off the 44 Mag.
The 444 Marlin isnt.

Sadly, that is not one of the options that JES offers for a 336 conversion. It does sound interesting though.

The 336 is a sunk cost and it was a steal. I'd planned on sending it to JES anyway. The JES rebores are fairly cheap-- much cheaper than even a used 444.

Marlin chambered the 336 in 44 mag once upon a time. Does JES not offer that option? Or you can make it a 444 if you want some extra oomph.

I don't think JES does, at least not with a 336 chambered in 30-30. As I said, I like the 44 Mag, but I'm sure I could get a 444 Marlin working just as well. I'm just not sure if my original plan for a 38-55 is still not the better plan. There's also 405 JES. That looks interesting. What I'm looking for is a 100-yard treestand gun for whitetails.

If the barrel is big enough, a .444 would be great. Not sure what, if any action mods might be needed.

No flies on a .38/55 loaded to its potential, and I expect the action will work without modification. Probably MY first choice.

I hunted with a Marlin 1894 in 44 MAG for three decades. But it would only shoot one particular bullet into decent groups at 100 yards. That is, Hornady's 200 grain hollow tip. Many deer were toppled with this hand loaded outfit and I was impressed by the ghastly wound channels through the chest organs. But I wanted to shoot much heavier bullets. So I traded for a new Ruger 96 when they first came out. This is my primary hog rifle shooting 270 grain Speer bullets. Typical accuracy is 2 inch groups at 100 yards. I really like the features of my Ruger 96 except the plain hardwood stock.

My hunting partner carries a CVA break open single barrel rifle in 44 MAG. It is slightly more accurate than my Ruger or maybe adjusting the "nut" behind the butt plate is the solution.

Sherwood