Hello from Scotland~

I always wanted a "BIG BORE" really fancied a double English side by side (Tiger rifle) my Grandfather grew up in India and i loved the tales of Tiger hunters.....

Not being a man of endless means,and also my wife says..... They are too expensive ! So i looked for an alternative " BIG BORE " and in 1993 i read an article in a British Deer magazine by a gentleman who was trying out a custom .444 Marlin lever rifle for British Deer.

Well i finally got me a 1988 Marlin .444ss 22" micro groove barrel- Boy ! I love this gun !
Whilst researching reloading data (NO FACTORY .444 in UK)i also got into bullet casting and have found that properly sized cast gas check bullets can shoot really well in my micro groove barrel.

Im currently using 325 gn at around 2000 f.p.s + with N133 but ive just started load work with this powder. I started with H4895 getting 3" groups at 200 yards scoped ! I was impressed, no leading and that load gave the impression that it would fell any creature on the planet !

The scopes off and ive fitted Ashly gost ring set, but have not tried it yet as it stripped down to refinnish the stock.

I have not had a chance to try it on our Britsh Deer although im sure they will be impressed.
Every one at the range has commented on the report of the .444, they all say its the loudest rifle on the range the guys marking at the butts say it sounds like the "crack of doom"! They all reckon the "BOOM" is enough to drop a deer!

Every one who has plucked up courage to pull the trigger, (that includes the .223 lovers) just couldnt help buy smile after squeezing the trigger

Any more .444 lovers here ? Would like to here what your putting them though and your favourite fodder ?

Regards Englander

I had a Marlin 444. Traded it to get my guide gun in .45-70. If they'd had a .444 Outfitter, I'd have traded for that.

I think the .444 is a great caliber.

I'll bet with some work you can get better accuracy. I got 1" groups at 100 yards with my .45-70 not even trying.

Best,
QD

Englander, I built a 444 marlin on a p14 action with a Shilen 1:20 twist barrell. Contoured it to a tapered octagon. It is quite heavy but is the handsomest(sp) rifle at the range most days. It will shoot 1 inch groups all day if I do my part and you should see what it does to a milk jug full of water. Smokey

I love the feel of my 444ss Marlin in my hands...points so dang well!!!!! I wish Remington offered a better selection of factory ammo, although I can hit anything I aim at with the factory 240gr soft points, I've heard horror stories as far as their performance on game. I shoot 300gr Speer and 330gr cast bullets out of mine, and she definitely loves to digest them. I haven't scoped her yet, so I have no groups to brag about, but you should see the fist sized hole a 300gr bullet will create on a mule deer doe!!! Yes, I love my 444

Englander,
I bought a 444ss two years ago and have yet to hunt with it. The first year it ate a Tasco scope just a few days before deer season. Last year I put a peep sight on it and I was not confident in my ability. I bought the 444 to try and wean myself off my 7x57 Mauser, it hasn't worked. Bryan

Myself and my two mates all shoot Marlin 45/70's neaaly the same as your .444 and we love them. Glad to hear you love your Marlin as well. They work great on pigs, I load 300 gr sierra HPFN's to 2150 fps.

looks like something else i have to get my hands on.

[ 09-07-2002, 00:37: Message edited by: Curtis_Lemay ]

One of my projects is a .444 on a vz24 action. I picked the .444 because the body diameter is the same as the 8x57; .470" and feeding issues should be easier for an amatuer like me. Also, the rim diameter is much smaller than say a .45-70. I plan on a 24" barrel w/ 1 in 18" twist for the heavy stuff. I've found cast bullets as heavy as 405 grain. Too bad the levers require such a short OAL.

I want a marlin cowboy in .45-70 only I'd really like a 30" barrel. yet another project?

I really like the way the Marlins feel and shoot. I have one now in .444 short otherwise known as .44 mag. With handloads that darn thing is as much a tack driver as a lever action can be.

-Mike

Got three, and I love mine.

I bought a 444 Outfitter a couple years back and don't regret buying it over the 45-70. They both perform well. My dad owns a ruger 44 bisley so they are compatible. My favorite is the 300 grain cast performance (very large frontal area), and the beartooth 330 grain. Both very accurate. The brass for the 444 is also very strong. The one thing I don't like is the ports in the marlin (LOUD), but I love the straight grip. I hope they offer the 24 inch barrel with a straight grip soon.
P.S. It was my first big rifle too.
300H&H

Technical point:

The original 444's had a rifling twist set up to shoot a 265 grain bullet.

The past couple of years Marlin changed the twist to be suitable to use 300 grain bullets.

240 grain bullets out of 444 will likely break apart, but might be good on small deer.

There is probably a better selection of bullets for the 45/70, especially those surplus rem 300's & 405's they work great.

I had one and I loved it. I now have a 1895 Marlin in 45-70. For the 444 I used the Hornady max of H322 for 300 gr bullts st 2050 fps. Another great load was 57gr of H335 under a 300 gr anything for 2150 fps and great accuracy.

After shooting my 416Rem Mag and 470NE, I love to plink with my 444. Question, Am I the only one with a M94 chambered for the 444 Marlin?

No, I have a regular straight stock with full magazine 444 marlin big bore. It holds six in the magazine and is probably good training for a bigger bore as the little buttplate kicks the snot out of me. I have since put on a small slipover pad that helps a lot.

Do you know the bore twist rate on yours? I think mine is 1 in 20 in. Besides the timber carbine, there was a black shadow version that had a half magaine, pistol grip, and syn stock. Also a 22 or 24 inch barrel. I almost bought one but for the same price sitting next to it was a mint older marlin 444. I got and still have the Marlin.

The timber carbines didn't sell well, but everytime I mention I have a 444 94 everone wants to buy it if it is a timber carbine. I can imagine how those babies kick.

I've been using win 240 grain hollowpoints through my Marlin on smaller game for practice. Works like a varmint projectile.... A fox hit through the withers as he looked back over his shoulder had nothing left above the jawline that wasn't loose and flapping. A rabbit at close range,,,,,, well here's one leg, there are another couple and there's the head 8 feet up a tree. I kid you not.
I'd use these pills on light-framed game but not on anything requiring penetration.

While I'm here, has anyone tried the 350 grain cast projectiles?

Cheers....... Peter

Mike, sounds like we have the same '94. I put on a Decelerator Pad which really helps as the recoil can be nasty with such a light rifle.

For plinking I use a 200 gr hollow point with 42 gr of 4198. A very civilized round.

Jim

As much as I LIKED my .444 I just didn't need it when I got my 45-70, now I'm in LOVE!!!!!!!!

With another hunting season in the books its time to look at the bullets of choice in the 444 Marlin. As with most seasons some say the Remington Fac. loaded 240's kill like thunder, some curse them as they blow-up on another shoulder. Some say the Hornaday 265 SP's are a death-ray, some say they shed there jackets when they touch the fir on a jackrabbit. Almost all rejoice when reporting on the Speer 270 gold dot and Speer 300 uni-core. As a shooter of the 444p I say, WHAT SAY YE ??........

I enjoy the 444S, mine does very well with the Lee C430-310-RF over near max doses of RL-7, AA2015BR, W680.
Tho` it has trashed a couple of older Weaver scopes, a few of us at my club can ring a 9in steel swinger at 250yds with it. What cheer!!
For plinking, I use the Lee C429240 with 15grs Unique.
A most enjoyable rifle and cartridge.

I have had 4 or 5 of them and I kept letting people buy them of off me after they tried them. Foolish move! I liked all but one of them(it wouldn' group) and now with our anti-gun laws I will probably never have another one unless our new PM cancels the new anti-gun laws. Some hope. derf