If memory serves me right didn't Winchester make a model 94 in 444 marlin, was it a big bore or regular 94, if so what kind of pressures does a 444 run at in 94.

It was the bigbore timber rifle. I'm not sure of the pressures but remember the bigbores also chamber the .307 & .356 Winchester cartridges which run almost as much pressure as a .308.

Big Bore Timber Carbine was a ported 16.5 inch barrel. I bought one new, but never shot it. The .444 runs at about 42,000 cup and the angle eject 94 big bores were factory chambered in 450 Marlin also which also ran the same pressure.
Did real well on the gun -- paid $550. and sold it for $1500. after Winchester closed. Thought a long time about selling it as it really handled well and was very light and handy. Production on this was about 1500 units. There was a 20 inch version also, about 2000 made of that one.

Thanks gentlemen for your info.

The .444 in the Big Bore (fat-belly) is capable of handling higher pressures.
Somewhere on the Internet, I forget now where I saw it, is an article in which the .444 Marlin in a Model 94 Big Bore is loaded with 300 grain bullets at around 2300+ fps. I imagine recoil would be bad enough to make your relatives hurt.

I think it was Paco Kelly who had an article on heavy .444 loads in the win. They didn't sound like much fun to shoot though.

I guess you could load it lower if you wanted or are more cautious about trying to get too much out a rifle with back-locking action.

On the matter of recoil, I suspect the problem with lever actions is mainly at the range, where we may shoot with an empty magazine to save cranking ammo out when the ceasefire bell goes. When hunting big game with a full mag, I bet you'd feel no kick at all.

Has anyone thought of wrapping lead flashing around the tube magazine to simulate the balance of a full magazine for sighting-in purposes? Apart from recoil comfort, I wonder if there might be a bullet-impact difference between shooting with full and empty magazines.