Marlin 1894 44 mag

[Brad]

The rumors onlne are that these rifles have too slow a twist and won't group with anything at 100 yards.
Anyone here have first hand experience with a 44 mag Marlin? What loads worked well?

The throat will take a long seated 300 gr bullet. The carrier needed a tiny bit of work to let it feed from magazine to chamber but it works well.

I will be trying the MP 300 gr 44/444 bullet and the NOE version of the HG 503. Powders will be H110 and 2400. Will likely try a few 44 specials with Unoque too.

 

[williamwaco]

I have never fired one and have no idea what I am talking about.

That said, I am voting too slow.

The Marlin is 1/38

The Ruger handguns are 1/20

 

[Brad]

That is what most say. A rifle will get more velocity than a handgun but is it enough?

I plan to see what the targets say no matter what. Never know until you try, right?

 

[Winelover]

My hunting load for my Marlin 1894 Carbine is 16 grains of 2400 behind a NOE 265 RNFP ( plain base solid) sized .432 and lubed with Carnuba Red, set off with a WLP primer. It does under 2" at 60 yards, off a tripod.

 

[Brad]

That is the kind of information that I was looking for. I have lots of 2400 so that isn't an issue. I mght need to look at a few more moulds.

 

[Winelover]

I remembered you like 2400, as do I.......I could live with it and Unique to cover all pistol / revolver reloading.

 

[Ben]

" I plan to see what the targets say no matter what "

That makes more sense to me than all the formulas.
My old granddaddy always said........." Boy that paper won't lie ".

Brad,

If you want to try about 20 or 30 of these heavy SSK's , they are sized .432 and ready
to load. Just give me a green light and I'll head them your way.

 

[williamwaco]

That is what most say. A rifle will get more velocity than a handgun but is it enough?

I plan to see what the targets say no matter what. Never know until you try, right?

If one in 20 is correct at 1300 fps in a pistol, a rifle with 1/38 will have to push the same bullet to 2400 fps to achieve the same rpm.

Again I don't know what I am talking about.

If you didn't have to spend money to try it I would say let the targets speak for themselves but I would not buy the rifle just to find out.

 

[freebullet]

I have no experience with that gun. It would seem weird they'd make it with a twist that just plain won't work. I bet with some tinkering you'll have some worthwhile targets to post.

 

[Brad]

If one in 20 is correct at 1300 fps in a pistol, a rifle with 1/38 will have to push the same bullet to 2400 fps to achieve the same rpm.

Again I don't know what I am talking about.

If you didn't have to spend money to try it I would say let the targets speak for themselves but I would not buy the rifle just to find out.

I wouldn't buy the rifle to find put either. The rifle was a gift from Khornet so all I have to invest is some time, lead, and powder.

I don't know either. What I do know is that there seem to be two distinct groups. Some swear by these rifles, others swear at them. I need to see which group I will be in.

 

[freebullet]

What a gift!!! You most certainly hit the fil jackpot. All diamonds I tell ya all diamonds.

 

[Brad]

What a gift!!! You most certainly hit the fil jackpot. All diamonds I tell ya all diamonds.

No, I hit the wife jackpot. He was just an added benefit.

 

[waco]

I have had one for 17 years. It still wears the factory sights. To be honest, I've never shot it off a rest for groups. I can bust clays offhand up to 75 yards pretty regular with it. Mine feeds the 429421 just fine. I've never fooled around much with the Lee 310 in this rifle. It has the proper crimp groove though. Fun is really all I use this gun for. The 429421 sized to .431" lubed with BAC over 8gr of Unique works like a champ for me. That's kinda my go to load until present. My new Accurate mold drops a plain base copy of the Lee 310 and a nice little 240gr RNFP with TL grooves. I thought this bullets in conjunction with BLL sized to .432" should fit the bill nicely in this rifle. I'll have to try the 310 and see how it works. I still have the two cav. Lee molds that uses a GC. This may be the one to try if I want to ramp up the speed. Only thing is it only casts out to about .430" tops. My new Accurate mold was cut to drop bullets at .433"

 

[waco]

 

[Brad]

I can easily borrow a 265 RD mould from Khornet. That should work well.

Waco, have you ever sized over .431? I assume your 8 gr Unique /429421 load was in mag cases?

Worst thing of all is having snow on the ground and a forecast that isn't favorable to outdoor range trips for the near future.

 

[waco]

Only just recently. I just lapped out a lee push through die to .433" for the TL bullet just for the Marlin. Have not shot them yet.yes. Mag case.

 

[freebullet]

Your gunna loose your man card talking like that Brad. I'm going hunting all day tomorrow. Have some star lube sized loads ready to try against my old tl standards soon as I have time.
Maybe that rifle should come with me I'll test your ammo in it no matter the temp. and the suburban goes through any snow we get here. I'd need a scope though, still having a hard time open sights. I would probably have to go shoot a deer with it in the late season.

 

[Brad]

My man card doesn't come with a heater! I will shoot over snow but I want temps around 30 and little to no wind.
Some call me a wuss, I call it intelligence. Bet Ian will agree with me!
Now heat, I will shoot in about any heat. Don't like it but I tolerate it better than I do cold.

 

[freebullet]

Little to no wind-lol. I didn't even know tumble lube smoked bad till I read it. Had been using it a few years and never even seen the smoke till one calm day. No wind on our range is like snow in july.

I really am thinkin a good part of your collection should winter with me. Poor neglected guns they just want to shoot, and go afield.

 

[Brad]

We get some low wind days. I just don't get to shoot those days!
I prefer the 100 yard range as it is better protected from wind. The 300 and 600 yard ranges are wind magnets!