Anyone have a Marlin 44 Mag?

[WyrTwister]

Hey there WyrTwister,

I note you say your .44 Marlin is a thumper.

Maybe it as I found, a case of a short stock.

Just added a thick recoil pad and no more thumb slamming into the nose.  What a defference!

Keep em coming!

     I put a slip on recoil pad on it .

     No problem with the thumb , I hold my head way back on the stock , ear touching my sholder .

     I since have added a .45 LC and another .45-70 to the heard .

     I have ordered a Williams FP peep from Midway , for the new .45-70 .  Mounts on the rear 2 scope mount screws .  If it works out , I may order sights for the other Marlins .

     Any of you all load the government surplus powder ( that is suspose to be equivelent to H110 ) for .44 Mag ?  Load suggestions , please .

     I normally use 4227 for my S&W M29 .

God bless
Wyr

[GatCat]

I've got an early one. 'bout ten years ago each of my two sons got a boar each in California, over dogs. One shot each, down they went. A couple of years later my youngest son got his first deer, a 180 Lb ( dressed ) Blacktail, which is very big for western Washington. Mine has a reciever sight, making it light, easy to carry, quick to get on target. Plenty of gun for anything in lower 48, using proper bullets and proper range.
Mark.

[daddywpb]

If ya buy a Marlin and plan to use the sights , look down the barrel to make sure they are on straight !

Yep. The factory rear sight on mine was sitting crooked - dovetail was cut wrong. i didn't notice it right away, but then I couldn't keep my eyes off of it. One of the reasons I went with the williams.

[Reese]

Great shooter and with reduced loads my kids and wife love shooting it.

Anyone have experience shooting a black bear with one?  What load would you recommend?

[Greenhunter]

The 45-70 is not legal (yet) in Indiana for hunting deer with a rifle. You can only use pistol size bullets in a rifle.
BUt you can use the 45-70 in a pistol configuation, ala T/C contender pistol.

I don't know why it is different, but it is. 

[Ranger J]

I got my .44 back from the gun smith and it no longer has the Marlin Jam.  I am having problems in that the screws shoot loose and then gun jams again.  As long as I keep the screws tight everything works well.  I guess I need to put some lock tite on them.  The gun is all over the place with Mag tech bullets but really likes Hornady 180 and 240s with a heavy load behind them.  Hornady 300 gr are only so so.  While at the gunsmiths I had a Limbsaver pad put on it and the gun is now pleasant to shot with even the heaviest loads.  Still I am afraid I am never going to like the gun greatly.  The 1895 in 45/70 is another thing.  It is a much more 'substantial' weapon.  While you can shoot it at either Trapdoor level or Marlin level I have found out this deer season that the heavier  level is not really necessary for the average deer where I hunt.  I had the gun loaded with Rem. 300 gr HPs at Marlin level and had the gun sighted in at  100 yards.  Both deer I shot were at about 45 yards and I forgot to take this into account and both shots ended up roughly in the tenderloin area.  Both deer had exit wounds that I could stick a tennis ball into.  Way too much beat damage.  Next year I am loading down to trapdoor level and may go to 405 Rem SPs.  I shot another deer with my Handi and 300 gr OT hard cast at trapdoor level and it flopped on the spot.  Trapdoor level bullets are a lot more fun to practice with also.  They probably won't allow the 45/70 in IN because it was originally developed as a rifle cartridge.  MS does allow you to  use them during their black powder season though.

RJ

[S.B.]

Ranger J, are you saying MS alows you to use smokeless powder loads ain their black powder season?

[Old Grizz]

Just an FYI for all you .44 mag shooter, Hornady has now came out with a Leverevolution in .44 mag and .357.  These are made for rifles more so than pistols. Years ago I shot my first black bear with a Marlin 336 in 44mag. Back then, Marlin had a real problem in that model with the dreaded "Marlin Jam". I don't have that rifle anymore, but I wish I did. Own a CB and a Henry now and love both of them.

[Ranger J]

You better check on this as I could be wrong but I believe they allowed any cartridge that was originally developed for use in a black powder gun to be used in an original or a replica of that type of gun.  Among these was the Handi rifle and the BC I think.  I believe the cartridge did not have to be loaded with black powder any more and could be loaded with smokeless.  I know there was a lot of talk on the forum about this about a year or so ago.  You might run a search on this as I have slept since then and I may have my facts wrong.  They may not even call it black powder season but a historic firearms season.

PRIMITIVE WEAPONS
"Primitive firearms" for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; single shot, breech loading, cartridge rifles (.38 caliber or larger) of a kind and type manufactured prior to 1900, and replicas, reproductions or reintroductions of those type rifles; and single or double-barreled muzzle-loading, shotguns with single ball or slug. All muzzle-loading Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with either percussion caps or #209 shotgun primers or flintlock ignition. Breech loading single shot rifles must have exposed hammers and use metallic cartridges. Cartridges may be loaded either with black powder or modern smokeless powder. Scopes of any magnification are allowed on primitive weapons. Sidearms are not allowed during primitive weapon season.

RJ

[mattmillerrx]

I got one at a gun show a few months back, it is a 74 model.  I have not yet had a problem with the marlin jam.  It shoots 2-3 inch groups at 100 yds that's off hand.  I added a scope a few weeks back and it did not seem to help a hole lot with the groups but I needed it since my eyes are getting worse.  Move back to 50 yrds and this thing is really pretty accurate 1-2 inch groups off hand.  I wanted to do the peep site too but thought my eyes will only get worse.  This is my new favorite gun.  I did get a deer with it this year at 55 yds. with the open sites.  It was two bad shots  and part of the reason for the scope.  Gut first shot and neck 2nd shot on the run.  Thought it was my eyes but turn out to be some inconsistencies in the PMC ammo ( finished off the box of ammo target shooting the next day and it was all over the place).  It shoots the cheap Winchester great ,magtech and hornaday just fine as well.  Those two shots still bug me.