June 2010 I picked up a new blued with beautiful Walnut stock Marlin with the Ballard rifling. Using quick release low rings I mounted a 15 year old Nikon 1.5 x4.5 20 mm scope. This rig is rock solid.
I only reload and was not happy with the 240 gr lead swc That I use in my Smith model 29. Load A= 240 gr. Speer Gold Dot jhp , Load B = 240 gr Hornady xtp-jhp and Load C = 200 gr.Hornady xtp-jhp. Loads A and B were 24 gr H-110 powder with magnum pistol primers. Load C used 28 gr. H-110
After standard range time I had 1" groups at 75 yds and called it good. So 3 weeks ago we had a four day early doe season to cull. First morning big doe at 50 paces quartering towards me front shoulder, deer collapsed from Load A. Fourth evening seven does out at 150 yards aimed behind shoulder a few inches high deer flipped on back with 4 legs sticking in the air with load A again. The bullet hit where I aimed clipping scapula and just under spine with exit.
Today I went to shooting area on back 40 with targets set at 50, 100 and 150 yards.
Bulls are 2 x 2 inch squares with 1 " black dot in center. For this repore a bull is in the orange square. First shot at 150 then 100 then 50 with all 3 loads.
Load A 150 bull, 100 3" high, 50 bull. Load B bull at 150, 2.5 " high at 100 and bull at 50. Load C with 200 gr bullet and 28 gr powder was 3' high at 150, 2.5 " high at 100 and2 " high at 50.
Basically this proves to me that the 44 Marlin is a 150 or better yard deer gun with no holdover. Load A ( my favorite ) velocity was chronoed at average of 1760 fps. Just trying to lend a little experience.
