Anyone use a Marlin 1894 (44 rem mag) for deer? I was checking this gun out on Marlins website, thought it would be a neet little woods gun, and the 44mag out of a 20" barrel is close to saboted muzzleloader velocities. Anyone have any experience with these?

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Mark

I have the 1894P which is the short barreled version. I installed ghost ring sights on the gun and love it.

The only downside is the porting on the front that kicks up a lot of the jacket when you shoot certain bullets.

I have taken it hunting with me, it has just never made it to the field. I always grab the bolt gun insted.

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www.rifleshooter.com

anyone else?

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I haven't use one in 44 but I have shot sevral deer with one in 357 mag. nice handy rifle I have a 1.5 x5 scope on mine real like it.

Yes! Hornady 265 XTP's. Will be experimenting with Beartooth Bullets as well.
100yds and less. In Oregon, all the deer I've seen were less than 75yds anyway. Devistating power. Easy to pack around. Fun to shoot. I use the '94S, not the "P". I am not a fan of brakes as I tend to want to keep my hearing and the hearing of those I shoot with.

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God, Guns and Gibsons...doesn't get much better than that!

Mark G:

Several years ago Veral Smith of LBT bullet mould fame told me he used one for elk in Arizona. He also said his wife used one in 357 and he was very satisfied with the performance of both.

Good Shooting,
Ben H

I have a marlin 1894P with the short ported barrel, although I hate the noise it is very handy and great for pigs in lignum, I think the .44 rem mag kills much better out to 100 yards than does the 30/30. I have some 300 grain Hornady XTP's to try out on hogs over easter, (the power of the .44 rem mag really suprised me).

I am thinking of moving my red dot tasco propoint of my 45/70 on to my .44 and buying a vx-1 2-7x33 scope for the bigger marlin. I feel the red dot would complement the little .44 much better.

If you are hunting in thick bush I would choose a lever over a bolt any day. Get one you will not be dissapointed.

Regards PC

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I use a Ruger Deerfield auto in .44 mag for deer in thick areas and it has not been found wanting. I like a 240 grain JHP.
The Deerfield is a very nice hunting rifle with 18" barrel, good peep sight, and the soft recoil of a gas gun. The one very great drawback is the use of cast lead bullets is not recommended. They are prone to foul the gas port. Factory loads are clocking 1770 fps out of the Ruger.
Accuracy is quite good. It will shoot clover leafs at 50 yards, but I can only hold it just under 4 inches at 100. The front bead neatly covers the target black at that range.

I am thinking of buying a Marlin in .44-40 from my local gunshop as it has a really nice octogon barrel. I will likely be using cast bullets and blackpowder to duplicate the original .44-40 loads of the Old West.

The old .44-40(.44WCF) has taken down more deer than most modern rifles.

MARK, Yes, works great. Mine is an 1894S, 20" and has a Lyman tang sight. Although I prefer to hunt with muzzleloaders, this is a very fun and fuctional carbine. My first use of a .44 mag was in a Ruger Bisley handgun at 50 yds on a very nice 4 pt. buck (western count), which dropped him dead with a shoulder shot using Factory loaded Nosler 250 gr. bullets. You will not regret buying this rifle!

That's it I have been drooling over the little 44 for some time (1894P), I'm gonna get one and outfit it with a Ashley and a fiber optic front.

Dog