.44 Mag or .45 Colt in Marlin M-94?

[Graybeard]

I have an old Marlin 336 in .44 mag. that shoots very well. I bought a Marlin 1894 Cowboy in .45 Colt that sprayed bullets like a shotgun. If I were making the decision you are today I'd get a .44 mag based on my personal experience with the two calibers in Marlins.

GB

[Buckeye]

I'd wait for the 500 S&W !

[Advocate]

Already am using a friend's .44 mag in m-94.    Really enjoy it.  Lots of fun.    But you're right about the .500 S&W.  That will be a lot of fun too.

[MONGO]

I have finally have a SS 4.5in and Blued 7.5 in SuperBlackhawks and just shot in my 1894 Marlin all of them in .44, all are great shooters. The rifle is out to 100yds, no prob but maybe my eyes aren't that good I do scare the paper though so I will get a scope. as for the .357 easy to re-load as the .44 as for the .45 LC not enough poop. You can always load down a .44, but never load up a .45

Good luck and have fun with what ever you get. :-)

[Steve357]

I just got a Winchester lever in 45LC that I intend to try on whitetails.  So for the last couple of weeks I have been doing some research into the .45. As it turns out, If you reload, the .45 will do a quite a bit more than the 44mag.  Most notably with the heavy bullets.  Most factory ammo for the .45 is loaded way down so that old revolvers and new replicas built to the old standards wont come apart with use.  One load I found is shows a 325 Kieth-Style bullet at 2121fps.  That is right up there with a 45/70!  The point is the .45LC can be loaded up, way up.

Check out this website Advocate.........

www.sixgunner.com/paco/45coltrifles.htm

[Advocate]

Thanx for the info Steve

[Castaway]

Steve, I'd double check that load and make sure it wasn't for a model 92.  Seems pretty stout for a 94.

[Steve357]

Howdy Castaway,


It is for a '92.  I was just using it for an example that the .45lc could be loaded hotter than the current factory loadings....


thanks

steve

[exflatlanderNH]

If you just want a lever action plinker for indoor shooting - buy the .357.

I've previously owned a Win 94 in ,357 that I used for just that purpose and you can't beat the price of .38 special ammo if all you want to do is punch holes in paper, and recoil is barely more than most .22 rifles.

I've also previously owned a Marlin .44 that shot both magnum and specials well - but the price of amm is much steeper, and if you are not going to hunt with it why waste money on .44 ammo unless you just want to make big holes in paper.

[Sixgun]

I had a Marlin 94 in 357 mag.  It shot most jacketed bullets pretty good but was really bad with jacketed bullets.  

I have also had and still do have a 357 in a Rossi 92.  It isn't as pretty as the Marlin but it shoot circles it with bot cast and jacketed bullets.  It is about 100 dollars cheaper also, for the carbine.

If you want a pretty gun, Navy Arms 92s are made by Rossi and with either the Rifle or short rifle you get a really nice looking and shooting rifle.  

If you want to get a good shooting lever action you may want to check out a Rossi.

Sixgun

[daddywpb]

I've got a Marlin 1894P in 44 Mag, and a Winchester 94 Trapper in 45 LC. They're both very accurate, easy to load for, and just plain fun! You can't go wrong with either rifle in either caliber. I've never shot the 357 Mag in a rifle, so I don't know about that one. My 12 year old daughter can shoot the 1894 comfortably with full house 300 grain loads. She's gotten very good with it, and I think she will be able to use it for whitetail next season. Have fun with it!

[Advocate]

I  ended up getting a .44  M-94 Trapper.   Lots of fun.  Am going to start loading for it soon. Best.