[dlanc]

Hello everyone, I am looking for opinions on the Marlin .444. I have the opportunity to get one at a pretty decent price, and am curious if anyone has any experience with these rifles. I intend to use it on deer and black bear mostly, but I am also wondering how it would fare against some of the big Alaskan grizzlies. I plan on taking a trip up there in the near future and am wondering if it is enough gun for the job. Thanks for reading.

Dave

 

[1canvas]

deer and black bear yes, alaskan grizz no, 450 marlin.

 

[wjv]

It's basically a .44 Magnum ramped up in power.

Not that many choices in other bullet configurations. Perhaps a 300 grain hard cast is available on the top end.

The .450 Marlin has 400 grain bullets available.

Here is a: 444 Marlin v. 450 Marlin v. 45-70 thread

http://www.shootersforum.com/leverg...eral/64318-444-marlin-450-marlin-45-70-a.html

I have a 444 BTW. . .

 

[HAMMERHEAD]

IIRC, twist rates are very slow, and some (most?) of them have micro-groove rifling, so performance with heavy cast bullets might not be good.

Ask these guys;
http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php?board=52.0

 

[wjv]

I thought that Marlin had moved away from micro-grooving in all of their new guns.

 

[dlanc]

I appreciate all the input gentlemen, by the way the gun I am looking at was made in the early 70s so it has the micro-groove rifling I believe if that changes any opinions on it.

Bill the thread you posted really helped out, thanks and that's beautiful rifle you got there.

 

[wjv]

Buffalo Bore Ammo:
Heavy .444 Marlin Rifle Ammunition
Heavy .444 Marlin Ammo - 335 gr. L.F.N.-G.C.(2,025fps/M.E.3,049 ft.lbs.) - 20 Round Box
$59.96

Hornady LEVERevolution Ammunition
444 Marlin 265 Grain Flex Tip eXpanding Box of 20
# Muzzle Velocity: 2325 fps
# Muzzle Energy: 3180 ft. lbs.
$33.99

Hornady
444 Marlin 265 gr InterLock® FP Superformance®
2400 fps
3389 ft/lbs
$47.40

 

[byf43]

.444 Marlin????


Whatever floats your boat.

I thought that I wanted a .444 many years ago. I held out, and bought a .45-70 "Gummint".
From little piggies to BIG. . . . BIG. . . . Bears, the .45-70 has 'em covered.

We don't need no steeen-king .450 Marlins, neither. The .45-70 has it covered.

:supergrin:

 

[HAMMERHEAD]

45-70 is a nice round.

 

[off road]

It is what I carried for bear defense, back in the day when I lived in SE Alaska. Rust prevention was always an issue, in that rainy climate!

Today however, I would carry the .45-70 Marlin 1895SBL, backed up by a Ruger Alaskan in .454.

 

[SmokeRoss]

I have the .444 and .45-70. Love that .444. Used to be able to buy 265 gr. factory loads. All I see now in factory stuff, is the 240 which is a pistol bullet. The 265 is harder lead with less exposed and a thicker jacket. I load that same bullet in mt .44 magnums. The .444 with the right bullet is suitable for bears and moose. Lots of folks carry them up here. I have an old one with the Ballard rifleing that I had the barrel cut to 18 1/2 inches years before the guide guns came out.

 

[dkf]

Had a .444 Marlin Lever action some years ago. Loved the round, hit hard and was accurate for closer ranges. Wish I would have never traded it, was a great gun. For deer and black bear it will drop them no problem. For Grizzly bears, maybe with the proper load but other larger rounds are more ideal for those big guys.

 

[wjv]

.444 Marlin????


Whatever floats your boat.

I thought that I wanted a .444 many years ago. I held out, and bought a .45-70 "Gummint".
From little piggies to BIG. . . . BIG. . . . Bears, the .45-70 has 'em covered.

We don't need no steeen-king .450 Marlins, neither. The .45-70 has it covered.

:supergrin:

I've always heard (don't know if it's still true) that the .444 marlin had better choices of OTC ammo, while the .45-70 was much better if you reloaded. The argument was that since the .45-70 has been around for Soooooo long, there are a lot of guns out there that can't handle the higher pressures, hence most modern .45-70 OTC ammo is downloaded because of this.

:dunno:

(OTC = over the counter)

 

[off road]

I have the .444 and .45-70. Love that .444. Used to be able to buy 265 gr. factory loads. All I see now in factory stuff, is the 240 which is a pistol bullet. The 265 is harder lead with less exposed and a thicker jacket. I load that same bullet in mt .44 magnums. The .444 with the right bullet is suitable for bears and moose. Lots of folks carry them up here. I have an old one with the Ballard rifleing that I had the barrel cut to 18 1/2 inches years before the guide guns came out.

http://www.hornady.com/store/444-Marlin/

 

[byf43]

I've always heard (don't know if it's still true) that the .444 marlin had better choices of OTC ammo, while the .45-70 was much better if you reloaded. The argument was that since the .45-70 has been around for Soooooo long, there are a lot of guns out there that can't handle the higher pressures, hence most modern .45-70 OTC ammo is downloaded because of this.

:dunno:

(OTC = over the counter)

In my experience, the OTC ammo is generally safe for Trapdoor guns, but, I've mostly seen ammo that states for use in "Modern" lever action rifles.
Federal, Winchester, Remington, all make 'modern' lever action ammo.
300 grain, 350 grain and 405 grain ammo, OTC.
Buffalo Bore (and others) make some 'really hot' .45-70 stuff.

You won't be disappointed, if you go with a .45-70, as long as (if a Marlin), it is pre-2010 and is an actual "Marlin" levergun.

 

[Nutt51]

.444 Marlin is a great deer, black bear, hog gun.
I own several 45/70's and that is my big bore gun of choice.
It's very versitile and you can load or buy pre loaded
hot ammo for it. It will put down Elk, Moose, and Big Bears
within range, but the .444 is a good round for medium game,
if that's what you want go for it, Marlins are fine guns.