# .444 Marlin



## DeerHead12 (Feb 4, 2005)

I was wondering if anyone had a .444 Marlin or knoes anything about them. I want a good high power rifle for some deer hunting and targeting. I know this is not a very flat shooter but I think it would be cool. Any opinions???
-thanks


----------



## Militant_Tiger (Feb 23, 2004)

You should really consider recoil and price of ammunition. The .444 is huge overkill for deer and targets.


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

DeerHead12

A few years ago I had a hard time deciding between the old 45/70 and the 444 Marlin. I finally went with the 45/70. I guess nostalgia won. I had considered the 444 because I always have 44 mag bullets on hand.

Friends that shoot it use the soft point. A 240 gr hollow point moving at 2350 fps is overly destructive for deer if you strike an area other than ribs, even though the energy is comparable to a 165 gr factory 30-06. People I know prefer the 265 gr Hornady.

A hard cast 240 gr with 11.5 to 17 gr of Unique makes a pleasurable load to shoot. It will give you 1200 to 1600 fps and recoil is light. Keep in mind that when you already have .430 diameter the bullet really doesn't need to mushroom like the small calibers. A .430 diameter 240 gr hard cast at 1200 fps will cleanly take deer. If you use this load use flat nose, and not round nose. Round nose can detonate the cartridge in front of it in a tubular magazine, and a flat nose imparts more energy transfer than a round nose when you use them for game.


----------



## BIG LOST (Feb 2, 2005)

DEERHEAD,,I became a devotee of the tri-quad a long time ago,,,and the loads and loadings avail. today are miles ahead of what they used to be,,,choose a 300+ grn. load,,mout a low power shotgun scope and LEARN IT,,practice,,practice and more practice and anything to 250 yd.s is meat.Unless you like paying for dental work,,keep the target loads lite of slug and powder,,,.444's off the bench in a Marlin is tuff!!!some guys single load .44 mag.s to shoot off the bench,,,sometimes it;s good ,,sometimes not.GOOD LUCK!!! :beer:


----------



## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

I sold mine Had a marlin lever gun in .444. Kicks like a mule but the good news is the ammo is expensive so you may not shoot it much. I am going to get a Remington Model 7 in .243 and enjoy shooting again.


----------



## Hawkseye (Nov 21, 2005)

Merry Christmas!!!


----------



## volunteer63 (Nov 18, 2005)

I have a .444 Marlin and it is one of my favorites. I have killed a number of deer with it. Mine is zeroed at 100 yards and I've never shot one at a range outside that. Shoot them in the neck and you won't ruin shoulders and you won't have to look for them, they'll be laying right where they were standing when hit. I shoot the Hornady 265 grain and have never had any reservations about the recoil. When you are looking through a scope at a good eight or better and pull that trigger you are not going to realize there is any recoil. Of course if you are afraid of it and know you'll flinch then buy another gun.


----------



## TN.Frank (Nov 12, 2005)

I'm kind of an old fashion guy so I've got a soft spot in my heart for these big, straight walled ctgs. The big Marlins in 444, 45/70 and the new 450 and excellent on deer under 200 yards and if you get one with the button rifling you have the added advantage of using cast bullets that are almost as effective as the jacketed counterparts. If I had to pick between the three above I'd probably go with the new 450 and load it down to managable specs. using a good cast bullet. If you ever want to go for elk or big bear you can load it up using jacketed bullets and have something you'll work great too. Another option would be one of the Marlin lever guns in 38/55 Win. It's a good under 200 yrd deer ctg. and an excellent target ctg. that'll kick a lot less then any of the 44/45 caliber ctgs. Here's a link.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/leverActionCB_rifles/336Cowboy.htm


----------



## Hawkseye (Nov 21, 2005)

Merry Christmas!!


----------



## TN.Frank (Nov 12, 2005)

Yep, a big chunk of lead will put a large hole in what it hits and let out a lot of blood making a clean, fast kill with less blood shot meat then the hi-vel. calibers. The real key to killing game is placement, placement, placement. If you can put the bullet where it'll do the most good(or most harm,LOL) then you'll bring down game cleanly. Also, not being all that rich, I generally end up having to cast bullets for whatever I shoot. At the moment my only rifle is an Austin & Halleck flint Mt. Rifle. As long as I have powder and flints I'm in business. I cast my own .490" round balls for it and have a few yards of patch cloth that I picked up at the local Wally World(enough for several hundred patches.) and I've even found some local flint that will work in a pinch should I run out of store bought flints that I picked up from Dixie Gun Works. Anyway, everyone have a happy Turkey Day, talk to ya' later.

:beer:


----------

