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Old 12-01-2022, 09:51 PM
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Savage Bacon Savage Bacon is offline
 
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Default Marlin 444

I was lucky enough to pick up a beauty of a lever rifle and was wondering if anyone has any favorite load combos, or recipes you've had good luck with.

I have one box of leverlution factory ammo, but I'd like to pick up some brass, powder and bullets.

I do have load data but I don't want to wear this thing out trying to find something that works.

I'll mostly use this for target fun but at some point I'd like to be able to take a deer, bear, moose, zombie or alien with it.

I'd also like to hear some of your stories, and experiences with this rifle if you have any.

It has iron sights. Missing the front hood tho. No scope but my vision is starting to get blurry so I'm not 100% opposed.

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Old 12-02-2022, 07:05 AM
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Post up some triple 4 pics please.....can’t help you there with regards to reloading and set up as I went with a JM stamped 44mag but luv the triple 4’s.

Might get one still

Kinda like the big brother to mine.
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Old 12-02-2022, 08:18 AM
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Sure tonight when I get home I'll post a few

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Old 12-02-2022, 08:55 AM
obsessed1 obsessed1 is online now
 
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Love shooting levers.. I have never had a triple 4 but have had and currently have 45-70s my neighbor has a triple four in a ported GG, That I helped work up a load with the ftx...that was years ago though and without going through my notes I dont recall what powder or charge was used... another friend had a std length 444 with perch belly forestock...nice gun.. first thing I would do if I were you is replace your sights. I'm a fan of reciever mounted peeps and a high vis blade or a fire sight front bead. I have been using a bulles eye rear sight from marbles on a 30-06 I have set up with irons and am really liking it as a barrel mounted rear sight paired with a red firesight bead. Fast and good even in low light. Skinner makes an unbelievable rear peep as well as their bear buster front blade ( i think it's called that) that are great and robust. I'm certain you will love that triple 4 and once your comfortable with a sight system you'll have a fantastic hunting rig.
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Old 12-02-2022, 12:18 PM
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Thanks obsessed I'll start shopping for some sights

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Old 12-02-2022, 12:38 PM
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Another option is the red dot sights

Other than making sure you have a good battery they are very user friendly
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Old 12-02-2022, 12:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Smoky buck View Post
Another option is the red dot sights



Other than making sure you have a good battery they are very user friendly
I had just seen a few on black Friday sales

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Old 12-02-2022, 01:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Savage Bacon View Post
I had just seen a few on black Friday sales

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I am no expert on them as they are something I just started to use myself but definitely do some research because from what I understand some cheap ones can’t handle the recoil of a big game rifle.

Nice for both eyes open and no eye relief issues in awkward positions
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Old 12-02-2022, 01:20 PM
Mavrick Mavrick is online now
 
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Good for you.

I have a triple 4 and 4570 both bought at the same time in 1976. I was there when my uncle bought the 444, and my dad bought the 4570. I was the only boy in the family that hunted so I got both.

I put Skinner sights on both( and many other guns) the last few years because my eyes need them. They are a great sight, and I have taken game with both.
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Old 12-03-2022, 09:11 AM
hunter64 hunter64 is offline
 
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I have several 444 marlin bullet moulds that I use, trick for the older microgroove ones is to push the bullet hard and the size has to be at least 2 thou over the groove diameter. It was given a bad rap when it first came out because the manufacturers were loading the ammo with 44 mag bullets that when driven at a way higher speed than designed they would literately fly apart on impact. Once they figured out how to make tougher bullets for the 444 marlin the damage as they say had already been done and people didn't buy the rifle anymore.

If I could figure out how to post pictures here I will show some examples of you "can't hit the broad side of a barn with a lever gun". Love it when you go to the range and beat a bolt action shooting factory ammo with my 444 shooting handloaded lead bullets.
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Old 12-03-2022, 10:34 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hunter64 View Post
I have several 444 marlin bullet moulds that I use, trick for the older microgroove ones is to push the bullet hard and the size has to be at least 2 thou over the groove diameter. It was given a bad rap when it first came out because the manufacturers were loading the ammo with 44 mag bullets that when driven at a way higher speed than designed they would literately fly apart on impact. Once they figured out how to make tougher bullets for the 444 marlin the damage as they say had already been done and people didn't buy the rifle anymore.



If I could figure out how to post pictures here I will show some examples of you "can't hit the broad side of a barn with a lever gun". Love it when you go to the range and beat a bolt action shooting factory ammo with my 444 shooting handloaded lead bullets.
I was going to get into bullet moulding a while back. I guess now I have an excuse to.

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Old 12-03-2022, 10:35 AM
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I was looking at some skinner sights last night. That would take care of my missing front sight hood.

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Old 12-03-2022, 10:42 AM
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I carried a 444 for years guiding

Zero issues with factory loads but was more economical to reload at that time

My fav thing was single loading .410 2.5" into it to take grouse or ptarmigan. It was a great dual purpose rifle for me.
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Old 12-03-2022, 11:26 AM
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It sure doesn't look like it's been fed too many rounds.

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Old 12-03-2022, 11:31 AM
brewster29 brewster29 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Smoky buck View Post
Another option is the red dot sights

Other than making sure you have a good battery they are very user friendly
Just mounted a quality pistol red dot on my JM 1894 in 44 magnum and I love it. Battery life is supposed to be 50k hours. My eyes struggle with irons so the red dot worked well for me.
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Old 12-03-2022, 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by brewster29 View Post
Just mounted a quality pistol red dot on my JM 1894 in 44 magnum and I love it. Battery life is supposed to be 50k hours. My eyes struggle with irons so the red dot worked well for me.
What did you use for a rail?

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Old 12-03-2022, 11:45 AM
Pioneer2 Pioneer2 is offline
 
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Default nice

No extra crossbolt safety.
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Old 12-03-2022, 12:24 PM
LateLifeCrisis LateLifeCrisis is offline
 
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Default Nice pics, Savage!

I DM"d you with some info, but I hadn't seen the pics when I did that (I'm the one with a JM 1977 model 444S plus the Winnie Big Bore 94 in 444 Marlin).

I'm guess that you've got a somewhat older rifle than my 1977, which would use the Microgroove 1:20 twist rifling (i.e. lots of very small rifling rather than just a few deep ballard-cut rifling). Easy to confirm, the Microgroove doesn't look like any other rifling out there.

I've tried the Leverevolution ammo for a box in my JM, but it seems like the Microgroove rifling didn't much agree with those longer pointy bullets, I couldn't get a good group for love nor money, where it's pretty much less than 3/4" to 1.0 inch @ 100 with the flat points. The other posts on Marlin Owners forum seemed to also find that same result, so I've stuck with the Hornady 265 grain flat points (thank goodness I stocked up well before this shortage started). On the Winnie with the Ballard-cut rifling, it'll shoot the Leverevolution stuff OK, but not much different than the flat-point Hornady bullets so I stick with that, which means I don't have to have brass in two different lengths.

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Old 12-03-2022, 01:08 PM
Pioneer2 Pioneer2 is offline
 
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Default 265gr Hornady

I think that bullet has been discontinued. The last .444 were made with a more sensible 1-20 twist instead of the 1-38 for heavier bullets. Nosler makes/made a 250gr HG Partition?Ken Waters in Pet Loads claims IMR 4198 is the powder for the .444

Last edited by Pioneer2; 12-03-2022 at 01:34 PM.
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Old 12-03-2022, 04:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Savage Bacon View Post
What did you use for a rail?

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I used an EGW scope rail, but think just using the front of a Weaver 48471 (336, 1894,1895) pair would have been cleaner. The pistol red dot is very compact.
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Old 12-03-2022, 05:17 PM
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If a guy uses the skinner bear buster front w the winged guide peep( only uses the two rear holes) you can put the weaver front rail on in front and run a red dot. Best of all worlds. I think skinner makes a peep and integral rail ( similar to a XS but shorter) that would also give lots of options. I ran a red dot ( tr25) off and on on a few lever guns( 45-70 and 30-30) but always found it lacking in lower light...I think even on 1x the dot was too bright and washed out the entire thing in a red glaze that didnt help in seeing targets at dusk... maybe a better quality red dot would be better?? Anyways I found the peeps to be just as good for my eyes and even a bit better in low light as long as that front sight had either a white paint stripe or a firesight bead..
Your rifle looks great. Looks like the stock has a comb suited for a scope rather than the irons??? Hard to tell, I have never tried one of those marlin stocks...look like a fabulous hunting rig
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  #22  
Old 12-03-2022, 05:21 PM
Smoky buck Smoky buck is offline
 
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Quote:
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It sure doesn't look like it's been fed too many rounds.

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You won’t like it you should just give it to me lol
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  #23  
Old 12-03-2022, 06:34 PM
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You won’t like it you should just give it to me lol
I have a 3 and a half year old I'll give you instead

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Old 12-03-2022, 06:40 PM
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I have a red dot on an AR that I haven't used in what seems like forever. Maybe I'll look for a mount and try it out on the triple 4. I'll have to see if it can handle the recoil.

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Old 12-03-2022, 06:57 PM
Smoky buck Smoky buck is offline
 
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I have a 3 and a half year old I'll give you instead

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Nope mine are 14 and 19 freedom is close I have no interest in starting at square 1 again lol
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  #26  
Old 12-03-2022, 07:48 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brewster29 View Post
Just mounted a quality pistol red dot on my JM 1894 in 44 magnum and I love it. Battery life is supposed to be 50k hours. My eyes struggle with irons so the red dot worked well for me.
What’s a “quality” red dot? 2 of my buddies just mounted an RMR on their new Ruger Marlin. I’m heading down that route but I am cheap and haven’t bought the sight yet. Already have a QD mount for the RMR. Looks pretty sweet on that rifle and the single point to focus on really helps for fast sight acquisition!
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Old 12-03-2022, 08:44 PM
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That’s a fine looking rifle, peep sights if needed, shame to put on some fandangled space aged eye ball enhancer
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Old 12-04-2022, 02:02 AM
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That’s a nice looking rifle there, Bacon.
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  #29  
Old 12-04-2022, 05:53 AM
Pioneer2 Pioneer2 is offline
 
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Default Front Skinner sights

http://www.skinnersights.com/front_sights_5.html
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Old 12-04-2022, 05:54 AM
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Default Rear Skinner sights

http://www.skinnersights.com/1895_sight_4.html
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