Author Topic: marlin 44 mag 1894 (need advice for new rifle) (Read 2422 times)

nasem · « **on:** November 28, 2006, 02:37:00 PM »

I am more of a bolt action / semi auto junky. I don't have much experience with leaver actions and my first Leaver action I would like it to be a 44 mag.

The reason why I want a 44 mag is (I might be wrong about this) because I think you can sit down at the range and shoot it all day long without worrying about over heating the barrel and I find that to be pretty fun. My bolt actions and semis I have to wait 1-2 minutes every 3 rounds. And also, If I find it having nice accuracy up to 100 yards, I might use it for deer hunting.

Whats everyone's thoughts on the marlin 44 mag ? is this a good choice ? Im looking for something under the 400-450 range

jimmyp50 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 28, 2006, 03:54:30 PM »

I like mine, decent accuracy (3 inches) at 100 yards with 240 grain softpoints, Leupold 1.5 x 5 scope in Weaver mounts, very handy, has almost no recoil, is not too loud. It is my go to rifle for thickets right now, I would not sell it.

hardertr · « **Reply #2 on:** November 28, 2006, 04:50:21 PM »

I just picked one up from Big 5 for $300. The ONLY thing I don't like about it is that I am having troubles with the feeding. I've read a few other complaints about the 240 grain and smaller bullets having problems. It may just be that the gun is new (less than 20 rounds so far), but this could be a big problem if I can't figure out how to fix it.

I bought it for a brush gun and companion for my 44 mag pistol. I'm getting 3 inch groups at 50 yards with the open sights...off the back of my truck (no bags or real gun rest), so it works just fine for me.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #3 on:** November 28, 2006, 10:33:02 PM »

if your benching a lever its no differnt then a bolt the barrel needs to cool or your groups will open up.

nasem · « **Reply #4 on:** November 29, 2006, 03:06:42 AM »

Quote from: Lloyd Smale on November 28, 2006, 10:33:02 PM

if your benching a lever its no differnt then a bolt the barrel needs to cool or your groups will open up.

Is that so? But it woun't get as hot as often as, say, my 7 mag? I mean, I usually shoot 2-3 rounds with my 7mm or 30-06 and I have to put it aside for about 2-3 minutes just until the barrel cools off (or my groups will open up 2-3 inches easily). With the 44 mag, I was hoping to get 10 rounds in before it gets to the point where it needs to cool off, am I wrong about this?

Mikey · « **Reply #5 on:** November 29, 2006, 06:33:54 AM »

nasem: The barrel of a lever action will get just as hot as that of any other rifle! If you are shooting jacketed ammo your barrel should heat up just about as fast as any other barrel, maybe a bit more slowly with cast bullets but I'm not so sure. If, after trial and error and establishing group size, you find you can put 4 or 5 downrange without your barrel becoming as hot as that of one of your other rifles then you may have established the limit for your lever action at which you should let the barrel cool. As to your thought about 10 rounds - hey, who knows might be but I don't think so. Every time I have benched a lever action I follow the same rules as with any other rifle. 1 shot/minute to allow cooling between shots. After that process and establishing a group size for that particular rifle/load, then I go and shoot a bunch and see how, or if, the group opens up.

As to going to the range and shooting it all day long - oh yeah, that's what they are made for. You may get some opening of the groups but those shorter barrelled lever rifles (shorter than long rifle) stay pretty rigid and even though hot or warm to the touch your groups may stay just fine.

I have found with my Winchester lever actions that after grouping I can fire a complete mag tube as fast as I can obtain a sight picture and pull the trigger and although warm/hot to the touch they will still hold their groups.

In the 44 mag caliber you have the Marlin rifles, Rossi, maybe Winchester (yes, I think) and the Henry Rifle. There are probably more but a Gun Tests Magazine review gave the Henry a very good rating. If you are going to scope the rifle then I believe you may be limited to the Marlin and Winchester. The Marlin is a rock solid rifle that will eat up just about any 44 magnum round I can think of. Some may need some breaking in or a bit of polishing here and there to get flat nosed slugs to feed smoothly but that is about it.

hardertr: I think you may just have to shoot the snot outta that rifle and break it in HTH and good luck. Mikey.

LEO · « **Reply #6 on:** November 29, 2006, 08:00:02 AM »

Hardertr, if the problem doesn't resolve itself after a couple of hundred rounds (break in). Don't mess with your rifle, if you will send it to Marlin and tell them what load you want to use, they will fix it for you.

gould · « **Reply #7 on:** December 20, 2006, 10:33:27 AM »

I have had 2 Marlin 1894's and a Winchester 94 in 44 mag and about to buy another Marlin soon. I have shot about 3,000 roundes in the last one and it shoots every thing except the PMC ammo good the best in mine was Speer gold dots 2 inch at 100 yards some times better. I shot every thing with them even wood chucks. Lots of them! If you get one you wont put it down.
Jason

Blackhawk44 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 21, 2006, 05:29:53 AM »

Having owned and used the Marlins, Winchesters and Rossi's in various calibers, I would offer that you give more thought to both the .357 for caliber and Rossi rifles (EMF and Navy over Legacy) for your purposes. The .357 with big loads will accomplish about what the .44 will while offering greater availability of discounted ammo for a non-handloading plinker. The Rossi's have offered far better feeding, smoother lever operation, more consistant accuracy and fewer problems in general than Marlin and Winchester. At the effective range of pistol length rounds, a good receiver sight is fully as effective as a scope. This has been my experience with 4 Marlins, 2 Win '94s and 4 Win/Rossi '92s. The '92 action wins hands down.

WyrTwister · « **Reply #9 on:** August 28, 2007, 01:49:44 PM »

Quote from: hardertr on November 28, 2006, 04:50:21 PM

I just picked one up from Big 5 for $300. The ONLY thing I don't like about it is that I am having troubles with the feeding. I've read a few other complaints about the 240 grain and smaller bullets having problems. It may just be that the gun is new (less than 20 rounds so far), but this could be a big problem if I can't figure out how to fix it.

I bought it for a brush gun and companion for my 44 mag pistol. I'm getting 3 inch groups at 50 yards with the open sights...off the back of my truck (no bags or real gun rest), so it works just fine for me.

I have both Marlin & Winchester .44 Mags . Neither want to feed ( very well ) the SWC's that I have cast and loaded for my S&W .44 Mag .

I bought a Lee 6 cavity RNL , with a flat nose , mold for these rifles . Both rifles feed these bullets , as slick as greased lightning .

If you shoot much , reloading is the only affordable way for me to go .

Wyr
God bless

handirifle · « **Reply #10 on:** August 28, 2007, 02:12:13 PM »

I think what you need is a bull barrel 22 LR. That's about the ONLY rifle I've ever fired that didn't heat the barrel up within 5-6 shots.

Uncle Ji · « **Reply #11 on:** August 29, 2007, 08:05:41 AM »

I must agree with the suggestions of a 357 mag (38 Special) and/or a 22 rimfire rifle, shoot all day on the cheap, the 44 mag is not an all-day rifle, your shoulder will let you know that after a couple boxes of ammo.

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #12 on:** August 29, 2007, 01:02:44 PM »

I must be a wus, as I have a Marlin 1894 p, 16.25" barrel that is ported. At the bench you snuggle up to this piece and you are in instant pain with the first shot. I mean your eyes are crossed, nose is running, your jaw has developed pain as though you have been slugged. The first thing I did was count my fingers on the trigger hand. I shoot similar weight bullets in a 338 mag that is ported that my grandson could handle at the bench easily. The short barrel are great for carry in the brush, and once the rifle is sighted in the off hand shooting is easier. I use 240-265 hard cast fp/gc in it at about 1200. I anticipate shots out to 50 - 60 yd range, I use receiver sights.
Jim

Graybeard · « **Reply #13 on:** August 29, 2007, 06:01:01 PM »

Apparently so Jim. In our Marlin such loads are considered quite mild by me and my wife shoots them with no problems at all. Her load when using it is a 240 XTP over 24.0 grains of W296 and it's definitely moving way more than 1200 fps.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #14 on:** August 29, 2007, 11:17:49 PM »

ive got the same gun a 44p and to me its a pussycat with loads like that but everyones perception of recoil levels is different. Shoot a heavy loaded 4570 or 444 for a while and switch and youll swear your shooting 22s! A good limbsaver pad will do wonders for a gun that bothers you. My p has allways ran 240 rcbs swcgcs very well. I had a buddy just do an aciton job on it and it runs them like butter now. The thing with barrel heat and a lever gun is that it actually effects them as much or ever more because of the way the mag tube and barrel are hung. Nice thing is that a guy is not usually trying to get 1 inch groups out of them so it doesnt really matter and in the hunting field your never going to shoot any gun enough that barrel heat matters other then maybe a varmit rifle. But I guarantee you if you run a mag tube full of 44s through that gun fast you wont want to touch that barrel. IVe got scars to prove that. My p is one of my favorite rifles and id sure like to find an unported p but there tough to find.

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #15 on:** August 30, 2007, 02:52:37 PM »

What can I say? You guys and GB's wife can take more abuse than myself. I don't have a problem shooting it in the field (off the bench) is a head ache. However i will master the beast.
Jim

WyrTwister · « **Reply #16 on:** August 31, 2007, 11:31:29 PM »

Quote from: Jim n Iowa on August 29, 2007, 01:02:44 PM

I must be a wus, as I have a Marlin 1894 p, 16.25" barrel that is ported. At the bench you snuggle up to this piece and you are in instant pain with the first shot. I mean your eyes are crossed, nose is running, your jaw has developed pain as though you have been slugged. The first thing I did was count my fingers on the trigger hand. I shoot similar weight bullets in a 338 mag that is ported that my grandson could handle at the bench easily. The short barrel are great for carry in the brush, and once the rifle is sighted in the off hand shooting is easier. I use 240-265 hard cast fp/gc in it at about 1200. I anticipate shots out to 50 - 60 yd range, I use receiver sights.
Jim

I was surprised at the recoil from my .44 Mag Marlin , after all , it is a pistol caliber ?

Well , I did what is SOP for me , put on a slip on rubber recoil pad .

After all , these little rifles are light ( somewhat heavier if you add a scope ) and have a skinny butt plate . And I was shooting off of sand bags .

Wyr
God bless

WyrTwister · « **Reply #17 on:** August 31, 2007, 11:37:11 PM »

Quote from: Jim n Iowa on August 30, 2007, 02:52:37 PM

What can I say? You guys and GB's wife can take more abuse than myself. I don't have a problem shooting it in the field (off the bench) is a head ache. However i will master the beast.
Jim

Recently bought a Puma in .45 LC . Much more pleasant to shoot . Used the 230 grain RNL lead & 250 grain RNFP lead ammo I had on hand for my S&W M25-5 . These feed and shot OK . 8 grains of Unique .

Mu next batch may have a little more powder .

God bless
Wyr

victorcharlie · « **Reply #18 on:** September 01, 2007, 01:48:05 AM »

Quote from: Jim n Iowa on August 30, 2007, 02:52:37 PM

What can I say? You guys and GB's wife can take more abuse than myself. I don't have a problem shooting it in the field (off the bench) is a head ache. However i will master the beast.
Jim

No, your no Wus....

My guess is the rifle doesn't fit you well and that's why you feel the recoil so much.

Try mounting the gun differently and see if that helps.

A limbsaver recoil pad would help quite a bit.

jcn59 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 05, 2007, 07:01:53 AM »

I like my 94p. It feeds & shoots anything I put in it. I had to scope it because I can't see the itty-bitty sights that they use these days. It doesn't kick as much as my 45-70, but it's no .30 carbine by a long shot. I got bored with the factory wood & bought some nice Ebay stuff & sent it to Gunstocks in Iowa who did the rough shaping. I finished it myself.

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #20 on:** September 17, 2007, 02:03:40 PM »

GB: I am not buying it. I had a couple shooters at the range try some 240 Mag tech on the bench, and they were surprised by this recoil ( 1 shoots a 416) at the bench (braked). It probably does not fit right, but I shoot 338's 250 alot/brake and its a pussy cat.
Jim

Oldtimer · « **Reply #21 on:** September 18, 2007, 02:52:54 AM »

I find that my daughter's Winchester 94 Trapper kicks like a .30-30 with hunting loads. I don't think that a problem at all, but then the gun fits me pretty well. My Marlin 94 in .357 Magnum kicks just about as much with full power 158 grain loads. For cheap shooting, I would go with the .357. I prefer the way that my Rossi 92 in .44-40 carries in the field. Loads pushing 1800 f/s come back pretty hard, too, in the .30-30 class, but BP loads are like shooting a big .22. A friend had a beautiful .45 flintlock, and let me shoot it once. That was all I wanted, because the way the comb was made, it uppercut me under the cheekbone and brought tears to my eyes. This was with forty grains of powder and a round ball. It fit him fine and I saw him win shoots with it. I bought a Winchester Big Bore in .444 Marlin, with a ported barrel. When I picked it up in the gun shop, I put it to my shoulder with my eyes closed, opened them and was looking right down the sights. I knew that gun had to go home with me. The recoil is stout, but because the gun fits me, it is not at all uncomfortable. In the end, fit is the clincher.

Graybeard · « **Reply #22 on:** September 18, 2007, 03:29:12 AM »

Well Jim you might be right of course. Recoil is a very subjective thing truly it is. Our rifle is an older 336 made before Marlin brought back the 1894s for use with .44 magnum and that might be part of the reason it seems to recoil less. Dunno really but all who have shot it seem to think recoil is rather mild from full house .44 magnum loads with it. Can't say I've ever shot one of the newer 94s in .44 magnum but have in .45 colt but don't recall loading it as hot as I do for this 336.

I do know my shoulder needs surgery badly even tho I refuse to have it done and it sure don't take much recoil to be too much for me. Even my 20 gauge O/U is too much with factory level target loads and I consider a PAST recoil pad mandatory when shooting any of my bolt action rifles on the range but not so with the Marlin.

Once many many years ago back when they first came out I had one of the Ruger semiauto .44 magnum carbines and there are only two things I remember about it. One was that it kicked like a mule and the other was that it sounded like a cannon going off. To me at that point in my life at least I thought it once of the worst kickers I'd ever fired even tho I did a lot of shooting with heavy loaded 12 gauge shotguns.

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #23 on:** September 19, 2007, 02:08:16 PM »

GB: It is a fun gun for the truck when riding the section roads, my first lever, thought my first grand son could use it. Well I have others that he can use, and I can load some 44sp to get it close to zero.
Jim