Ladies and Gentlemen:

I would like to buy a Marlin 444S for deer and black bear hunting here in Pennsylvania.

What has been your experience with this round, including the best bullet weight for deer and/or bear, optimum velocity and type of bullet?

I have read that the 444 Marlin pushing standard 44 magnum 240 grain bullets at 2200-2400 fps causes the bullets to over expand, since they were designed for 44 magnum velocities. Is this a valid concern, and do certain types of .429 bullets hold up better in the 2200-2400 fps velocity range?

Also, is it better to step up to the 265 grain Hornady, 270 grain Speer Gold Dot, or 300 grain Nosler for black bear?

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

Chris, I may have a NIB 444 for sale. Btw, I love mine. It really makes those critters absorb lots of energy!!

.444 is a great close range round, more than adequate for bear. I carry mine on the horse from time to time, and I have killed an elk and numerous deer with it. I use the 265 grainers.

265 LE at 2000 fps, zeroed at 150 yds will be down about 8 inches at two hundred yards. This should cover what you will need for deer and bear in woodland hunting. If you get the velocity Hornady lists on the box of Leverevolution, which is 2325 fps, you should be up three inches at 100 yds and down -1.4 at 200 yds and down -18.6 at 300 yds. Be sure to share your results.

Dear Bull Snake:

Thank you for your response.

Hodgdon shows a load with the 265 grain bullet at 2273 fps using H-4198.

That should about do it, I would imagine.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

Dear Kudu 56:

Thank you for your experience.

I have wanted either the 1895 Marlin in 45-70 or the 444 Marlin since the late 1970's. I should have bought one back then, but used the "all purpose" 243 Winchester instead.

Recently, that unfilled hole in my psyche is clamoring to be filled, so, its time to do something about it.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

Install a Wild West( Happy Trigger ) on it.Gets rid of all the gritty 5 to 7 lb trigger to about 3.5 lbs and crisp.The 444 has stout recoil,not unmanageable,but you know it aint a 30-30!!!!

Chris, I'll let you know today on the 444 about its safety.

Based on my experience with 44 mag revolver loads on deer, elk, bear and a moose I'd suggest you try 250gr. Nosler Partitions.

I also load for a friend who shoots a 44mag Marlin, he reports that the 250gr NP at about 1800fps blow through everything on deer. He has some modility issues and like his deer to drop "DRT". The NP's seem to do it.

Expencive bullet? Yes. But I've also experienced bullet "failure" (did not penatrate into chest cavity) with 240gr. Hornady XTP on a small black bear at 20 feet or so. Not a happy situation but one remedied by two NP's that were "next up" in the revolver and tore through the bear as predicted.

As for LBT hard cast stuff. Penatrates like mad, also doesn't expand for shit and animals hit well with them tend to go further than I'd like in my experience. This was the case with a moose, an elk and a bear. All traveled cansiderable disatances after being hit. The bear had more than enough gas left in him to rip me up but chose to run nearly 300 yds in the "right" direction after a hit that penatrated him lengthwise.

I believe you are correct in assuming that many 44 bullets are intended to work well at say, 1000 to 1400 fps. Since some don't hold together at the higher end of those velocities I think it would be better to use a tougher bullet on game.

I have found that Remington Bulk Pack 240gr JSP, NOT HP's work on deer (have only used them on broadside shots and then only a couple of times) and are cheap and an excellant full power practice bullet for both revolvers and my friends Marlin having close to the same POI as the NP's. My friend has never experienced any problems with the few deer he has shot with the Remingtons, preformance being the same as the NP's on broadside shots, but he's happier with the NP's and well IF a bear happens along...