For deer out to 200 yards on federal land which would you pick? I'm having a fit trying to decide.

I'd go with the .358 Win. Properly sighted in using the 200 gr. Hornady spire point, you be good to 250 yards easy. The BLR has the proper twist rate for bullets up past 250 gr. should you want tus one that heavy while I believe the .444's twist rate is too slow for bullets over 300 gr.
The .358 is a great little (?) round that like Rodney dangerfield gets no respect from the "egg-spurts" in the gun rags, although that seems to be coming around to a small degree.
I don't know if it is still there, but there was an article by Paco Kelly on his work with the .358 on sixgunner.com or leverguns.com, I forget which. You might want to take a look at that.
How can I be so enthusiastic about the .358? because I have five rifles chambered to that round. I live out here in the wide open spaces of Arizona and don't find it to be all that much of a handicap for hunting deer. Thinking over my 56 years of deer hunting, I can only think of three deer that would have needed more than a 30-30 to take. Even out here in the wide open spaces.
I have an original BLR, the one with the magazine hanging down, and it is a one inch rifle with selected handloads and 1.25-1.50" with factory ammo. My bullet of choice is the above mentioned Hornady, at least for deer. Where I hunt elk, when I'm lucky enough to draw a tag, I choose something with a lot more long range capability due to the fact that once the shooting starts, the elk head out into the middle of very large meadows, some of which are two miles wide and five or more miles long. Not the .358's cup of tea. Still, if you can get to within say 200 yards, a good 225 gr. .35 caliber bullet certainly will do the job.
Paul B.

For the coice between the cartridges -- .358 all the way.
If you factor in the guns--- a toss up for me. I am not fond of the BLR-- now if you have a Savage 99-- its a no brainer! Take the 99 and the .358!

animal: I've hunted with a .358 BLR for the last 24 years, so you know which one I am going to vote for. Factory ammo choice is limited to just one load (and it can be both difficult to find and expensive), but if you reload you can really expand your options. My BLRs like the 180 grain Speer Flat Point in front of IMR 3031 for eastern whitetail hunting and the same bullet or the 200 grain Hornady Round Nose in front of IMR SR4759 for recreational shooting with reduced recoil. Both will group around 1" and I am not a great shooter, accuracy-wise. I really like both the cartridge and the rifle.

For Deer out to 200 yards,Either one will do you fine.The Marlin 444 is quite abit cheaper than the BLR's,like almost 1/2 the price.The Hornday Lite Mag load of a 265 grain bullet at over 2300 fps is not something to scoff at, for critters bigger than Deer also and then theres the Hardcast bullets that will anchor just about anything you will run across.

Good luck on your choice...Jayco

there is a rumor of marlin making the 50ak in stainless...might want to hold off incase this is true. anyone know when they announce new products?

Paul B:

I can't argue with you - since the guy asked about hunting deer. I'll tell you a little story and a lot of people can laugh at me.

I was sitting out for black bear in north central Ontario. I had already shot a 300+ lbs bear several years before and had been sitting out regularly every Fall for bear. An absolutely huge black bear (he had to be 500 lbs) appeared. He stepped up on a log -and all of a sudden looked directly at me at perhaps 40 yards. I had a 35 Remington. I quailed. I feared that not only couldn't I kill him -but that he would come for me. I didn't dare face him. (My first bear I shot with a 7x57 Mauser) Only hunters who have been in real woods late at night would understand my feelings. My point is that the next year I sat out with a 444 Marlin. Just easing those big cartridges into the magazine was a morale booster! That's my technical recommendation for the 444 Marlin!

I shoot both calibers. The .444 is in a Marlin lever action and the .358 is in a BLR. I always leaned toward the .444. They both kill deer cleanly and the recoil is about the same in the prospective rifles. The BLR is lighter and handier but the Marlin is slightly more accurate on paper. The .444 has more loaded ammo choices (I do not handload) especially the hot stuff (Buffalo Bore, etc.). There is something about pulling out those big, straight-cased cartridges at the hunting camp and the other hunters going "Damn!"

I own a 444 Outfitter (discontinued??). I've only practiced out to 100 yards and it hits great at that distance but 200 seems far for me...

It's a wonderful cartridge. I use the Cast Performance 300 gr. and Beartooth 330s and it's very acccurate, and very compact.

I have a 44 mag bisley, and they eat the same thing, which is nice.

If you are a handloader, I'd find a Marlin 336SC, sporting carbine, in 35 Remington and try the new Hornady lever action ammo. If that doesn't work, you could get Regan Nonneman to rechamber your 35 Rem to 356 and that would give you a nice 200 yards deer rifle.

Jeff