1894 .44, good or bad, Help please!

[Ranger J]

I didn’t get any bites on the slugging of the 1894 .44mag barrel.  Let me put another way.  I am about to put the down payment on a Marlin 1894 in .44 mag. so it will be ordered.  Has anyone had any bad experience accuracy wise with this gun?  A while back I ask if anyone really liked their .44 mag and no one answered that post either.  That sort of scares me.  I’ll bet if I ask if anyone liked their 1894 C .357 the positive answers would fill the page and if I hadn’t started the post I would concur.  Someone must have some thoughts good or bad about the accuracy of the .44 mag.  I’m not worried about feeding as I will take a selections of dummy handloads with me and run them through the gun before I accept it.  Help please, as I will probably order this gun tomorrow.
RJ

[gould]

You will love your new Marlin 44 mag. I have had 2 and about to buy another. In all cases both shot every thing but the PMC ammo great. The best in my guns is the Speer gold dot 240 grain bullets. To get it broken in use the winchester USA white box ( they are cheaper) they shot good also. They do seem to lac the full power of others but are great for paper punching.
Have fun with it it's a great gun
Jason

[markc]

Ranger J, sorry you haven't received many replies.  I have an 1894 CB II in .44 mag and love it.  It is my main bump around the woods gun and I have taken one whitetail and a number of feral hogs with it, plus one large Jacobs ram.   I use the original iron sights and after a lttle work moving the front sight over, it shoots quite accurately out to a little over 50yds.  I have other guns for longer distances.   I use factory ammo, both the plain white box Winchester 240grSP and the PMC SP.  I have loaded some 300 gr SP, but mainly use the PMC on feral hogs...  Hope that helps some.

[moontroll]

I'v had my 1894 SS 44 mag for about 7 months now with no complaints.I put an XS ghost ring site on it and shoot the 240 grain winchester white box ammo,its the only ammo I have tried yet but its very accurate.

[Hairtrigger]

I owned one in 44 mag for several years. I was suprised that a couple of my friends got bit by the scopw while shooting it, I guess they thought it was just a pistol cartridge!
With the microgroove barrel you may have to play with the sized bullet diameter to find a cast bullet that it likes.
I nolonger have the 44 mag but have a 41 mag and a 357. The 44 mag was traded on a Browning 92 in 44 mag.

[Ranger J]

Thanks for the repllies.  Looks like I need to go down and order one today if I can get loose for a while.  Now if I can just convince Sue that it is not a new gun but really my old 1895.
RJ

[De41mag]

RangerJ;

I've got an 1894S in 44 mag and it is as accurate as gun you could ask for.
Mine likes the Speer 210gr Gold Dot in 44mag and what is strange is that it shoots 44 Specials with 180gr. XTP's with the same load i=I shoot in my Freedom Arms model 97 44Special.
It's a great rifle and a lot of fun.  So enjoy that 44mag, I do mine.

Dennis 

[Mikey]

RangerJ - order that rifle and have a ball with it.  I noticed in all the responses that other shooters preferrred jacketed ammo and factory ammo.  If you are any sort of a reloader your Marlin 44 magnum will come alive like you wouldn't believe.  You also mentioned slugging the bore - go to the Beartooth Bullets website for incredibly informative data and write-ups on using heavy cast bullets with marlin rifles - it will amaze you and add a spectrum of variety to your rifle that you may not have imagined.  HTH.  Mikey.

[dubber123]

I have an 1894P, 16-1/4" bbl.  i have shot handloads from day one.  I got a nice 8 pointer with it a few years ago with a 240 XTP bullet and wasn't quite happy with the penetration, but wasn't too keen on changing loads.  ( the XTP's shot under 1/2" at 50 yds.)  I eventually tried Speers 270 gr. Gold Dots, and they shot equally well.  This little lever is amazing.  I have many more expensive guns, but this will be one I will always hang on to.  If mine is any example, you will love yours.