Feeding the 1894 Marlin

[Big Blue]

I'm just starting to reload for the .44 mag. and was wondering what overall cartridge length can be fed into the 1894 in .44 mag. I've heard of some problems with feeding larger 300 + grain bullets. I'd like to go with as big of a bullet as the action would allow. Do any of you have any experience with this problem that you could share?

[John A]

Blue, In our experience the Marlin 94 in 44 seems to be one of the harder calibers in the 94 to feed cast bullets, the 45 Colt being the easiest! We developed a 265gr TCW bullet specifically for the 94 action. This bullet is plenty heavy enough for 90% of the game in North America. I'm not sure why everyone is gravitating towards these super heavy cast bullets, there is a point of demenished return, most notably velocity. If one is gonna hunt big bear then by all means go with heavy bullets, but then I'm pretty sure you most likely won't be using a 44 Mag.


John Anderson
www.rockislandballistics.com

[daddywpb]

I use the Speer 270 grain Gold Dot soft point over 19.8 grains of 296, crimped in the cannelure in my 1894P. Very accurate, plenty of power, and it feeds perfectly every time.

[Triple4]

Theres a very easy modification you can do to the lifter that will let you load a little longer length in a Marlin 1894 and then you can use some of the bigger bullets if you wish. I have played with bullets up to 330grWFNGC@.432 out of our 1894 44Mags with no problems with cycling.
One of our favorite bullets is Beartooths 290LFNGC@.432 at around 1600fps it is one heck of a whitetail bullet out of the Marlin.

[Jim n Iowa]

Could you explane this mod to the "lifter" for better feeding, or point me to more info?
TNA
jim

[Jim n Iowa]

Blue I just bought a 1894p and was interested in the feeding problems. The rifle does not feed well with flat point or soft point jacketed bullets. It will feed round nose lead, pmc tcsp, and hornady xtp's fine. I ordered some RockIsland bullets from John A to reload with as I want a hard cast bullet for this rifle. the bullets I refered to were factory loads, at this point oal is not my focus.
Jim

[eroyd]

I'm shooting 300 grainers hard cast from the Lee mold. Lubed and gaschecked but not sized. It is a very flat nosed bullet yet I have no feeding problems and it is very accurate. About a 1.5 inch group at 50 yards with stock iron sights.

Haven't had much luck with the 270 Gold Dot yet. At about 1650 fps I'm getting crappy 8 inch groups at 50 yards?? Maybe I'm pushing them to hard?

[John A]

Jim N Iowa, I think the modification he is talking about is the filing on the cartridge stop on the lifter. This will allow a slightly longer OAL of the cartridge.

[Triple4]

John A got it, file off about .100 it helps.

Eroyd,
          It sounds like you need to clean your barrel and get rid of the copper/lead fouling, Your rifle should shoot much better then that you may even think of Firelapping it.