Author Topic: 444 (Read 1231 times)

8point · « **on:** February 17, 2007, 01:28:18 PM »

anybody know the good and the bad about the new nef 444! thinking about buying one!!

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2007, 01:32:05 PM »

Bad....confirmed by H&R to be a 1:38" twist, if it's also overbore like the 44mag, not good either.

May not be available for another month.

Tim

darat100 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 17, 2007, 02:05:21 PM »

quick

i have heard lots say they are unhappy because of the overbore and the twist rate on the new 444. However, I understand from the other guys that have 445s (haven't gotten to shoot mine yet) that the extra speed seems to fix some of this. Won't the 444 have that extra speed as well. Am I way off base here? I am definately not an expert in this area, just personal observations.

stimpylu32 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 17, 2007, 02:21:39 PM »

darat100

Just did a side by side at Ammo Guide , they show the 444 at about 550 FPS faster than the 445 SM and with the right cast bullet the 444 should be a deasent shooter , the down side will be the twist rate .

They both list 240 gr. bullets as best also the 444 has about 50% more case cap as the 445 .

stimpy

Ditchdigger · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2007, 04:04:00 PM »

Stimpy,that ammo guide must have shown pistol vel. because the 240 gr. bullet will do 2240 fps. in a rifle barrel in the 445 supermag.I t vary's some with the bullet's but the 300 gr. bullet is 250 fps slower in the 445,with the 265 gr. its about 140 fps slower . I've seen 2500 fps plus with the 180's. According to the Speer book no. 12 there 300 gr. bullet was the most accurate of all there bullets at 2250 fps with a 1 in 38 twist Marlin test rifle. I hav'nt shot any 300 gr. bullets in my 444,but it shoots the 265 gr. into less than 1" at 100 yds. How the 444 will shoot in a Handi is anyones guess. Digger

quickdtoo · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2007, 08:01:02 PM »

I dunno Josh, that remains to be seen since no one has one of the new .444s yet. Seems those that have the original .444s are happy tho, but there aren't many of those around. $:-\$ Hopefully the new ones won't be overbore, then at least bullet selection won't be an issue, specially cast.

Tim

ONE HOLE 4570 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 19, 2007, 01:30:49 AM »

My original 444 will shoot the 265 into about 1.5 inch with my 444p load haven't tried anything else or cronied it have to try it next time. I haven't bothered too much with the 445 as of late may have to trade her for something I might shoot more only time will tell

Gunsmith 01 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 19, 2007, 04:52:12 AM »

Folks, I spoke with H&R and they advised that Marlin is making this barrel blank for them with the Marlin current twist which is 1/20. Apparently, the spec. for the 44 mag was copied for the catalog and is incorrect. I also brought up the issue of overbore.
They stated that the bore is.425 +/- .001 and the groove is.431 +/- .001 which is the SAAMI specification. My research shows that SAAMI specs the 44 magum RIFLE barrel with a larger bore and groove than the SAAMI 44 magnum PISTOL probably due to the differences in pressure. Is this what leads people to believe they are overbored?
SAAMI 44mag pistol: Bore .417 +/- .001, Groove .429 +/- .001
SAAMI 44 mag Rifle: Bore .424 +/- .001, Groove .431 +/- .001

quickdtoo · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2007, 05:19:14 AM »

I think maybe you got some mis-info, or hopefully, they changed their mind. I sent em an email a week ago asking the twist rates of the new rifles....their short reply was: "The 444 is 1 in 38 and the 45 1 in 16 " This is the same thing others have been told in the past month or so. $:-\$

Tim

Quote

The 444 is 1 in 38 and the 45 1 in 16

-----Original Message-----
From: quickdtoo [mailto:quickdtoo at comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 11:45 AM
To: customer service
Subject: 444 and 45 Colt Carbine Twist rate

Hi,

Can you tell me what the rifling twist rates are for the new 444 Marlin
Handi and 45 Colt Carbine are? :-)

thanks,

Tim

Gunsmith 01 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 19, 2007, 05:37:53 AM »

Actually, that was confirmed on Friday from someone other than the Service department. Like most companies, the info. probably has not filtered down yet.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #10 on:** February 19, 2007, 06:18:16 AM »

I sure hope you're right, maybe they got the message finally!! That would sure make a lot of people happy, me included!

Thanks for the update!!

Tim

quickdtoo · « **Reply #11 on:** February 19, 2007, 06:28:14 AM »

On the bore size issue, didn't know about the different SAAMI specs for rifle and pistol, but the question to ask now is, will the 1:20" twist with the larger bore improve accuracy to an acceptable degree? Apparently it indeed will since those that have 44Mag Marlin leverguns are happy.

Tim

Gunsmith 01 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 19, 2007, 06:31:48 AM »

I guess the best way to answer this is to ask Marlin 444 owners with 1/20 twists how their guns shoot since Marlin will be making the blanks and I assume the same tooling will be used. There is a 444 section on MarlinOwners.com. Perhaps, the answer lies there.

ONE HOLE 4570 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 19, 2007, 06:50:12 AM »

My 444p with the 1:20 ballard rifling 18in barrel shoots better then I do. Under an inch with a peep & firesight front sight if I can hold it steady usually 1.5 inch with this set up. My original H&R 444 with a 1:38 does 1.5 with a aetec 3-10 scope.
so I'm happy with them

quickdtoo · « **Reply #14 on:** February 19, 2007, 06:53:00 AM »

That sure is encouraging!!

Thx,

Tim

quickdtoo · « **Reply #15 on:** February 19, 2007, 07:20:13 AM »

Here's a link to the MO 444 Marlin forum that Gunsmith01 referred to.

Tim

http://www.marlinowners.com/board/viewforum.php?f=52

8point · « **Reply #16 on:** February 20, 2007, 04:35:23 PM »

when will the 444 go on sale? can you get one now or later on in the year?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #17 on:** February 20, 2007, 04:38:55 PM »

The barrels haven't even been made yet, that's 3 weeks out, after that, H&R has to build them, you won't see any until late March, early April at the earliest.

Tim

8point · « **Reply #18 on:** February 20, 2007, 04:42:16 PM »

thanks!!!

millwright · « **Reply #19 on:** February 21, 2007, 12:37:36 PM »

My Marlin 444 with 22in barrel has a 1:20 twist and is very accurate with Hornady 265 gr.

Cookiemann · « **Reply #20 on:** March 12, 2007, 11:52:16 PM »

Welll, Tim, with your action already there, you may get the first COMPLETED 444barrel to go out from the Barrel Accessory program. Good Luck, I hope it all works out.

cookiemann