winchester 94 bigbore 444 marlin

[mickbr]

Anyone have one of these? I have never seen one in the flesh and wondered how rare they are. Also when they went out of production

[Old Savage]

I have one. Excellent shooter.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

I'm thinking that's got to be the most powerful round chambered in the 94 action. Did the .450 Marlin ever make it onto the 94 platform?

[RIDERED350r]

I'm thinking that's got to be the most powerful round chambered in the 94 action. Did the .450 Marlin ever make it onto the 94 platform?

Winchester currently offers the 94 in 450 Marlin. The model 94 Trails End Takedown.

[JBowen]

I have one. I bought it about 15 years ago and never used it except firing a couple of times after purchase. I decided that this year it would get it's turn
in the deer woods. I put a Leupold 2x7x33 scope on it and took it to the range and sited it in with Remington Factory 240 grain loads. I was surprised
how accurate and consistent it shoots. I put a slip-on recoil pad on it for the site in for these light rifles have quite a bit of recoil. I need to give it a
good cleaning internally because I had 2 light hammer strikes out of 12 shots. It has that infamous rebounding hammer and safety set up of the Angle Eject
models.

I have a box of Hornady 265 grain Flat Point bullets that I plan to work up a good load before deer season.

And to answer your question about how rare these are, I don't know the specific production numbers, but I have only seen a couple others.
Mine is the standard 20" carbine. They also made the Black Shadow model and the ported barrel Timber carbine.

JBowen

[Grizz]

we have experience with the 444 round in a Marlin. one note is to be aware that standard 44 mag bullets are not suitable for the 444 full strength loads, there is a tougher bullet in the factory ammo. . . and the recoil of that combo mocks my 'I am not recoil sensitive' routine. might as well be a 2x4 . . . LOL

[JimT]

Don't know anything about production of them, but I do know that you can shoot .44-40's in them just fine. They will not feed through the action but they do eject just perfectly.

Some years ago at The Shootists Holiday I was walking down the firing line and saw Paco shooting his .444 .. and there was no recoil. He was single loading the ammo and shooting. Then I saw when he ejected the fired cartridge it was really short! Of course I had to ask him what he was doing.

He used .44-40's to do a lot of offhand practice!

[Grizz]

Don't know anything about production of them, but I do know that you can shoot .44-40's in them just fine. They will not feed through the action but they do eject just perfectly.

Some years ago at The Shootists Holiday I was walking down the firing line and saw Paco shooting his .444 .. and there was no recoil. He was single loading the ammo and shooting. Then I saw when he ejected the fired cartridge it was really short! Of course I had to ask him what he was doing.

He used .44-40's to do a lot of offhand practice!

good to know. Marlin 444 will also feed and fire shorter 410s. the pattern on plywood at about 10 feet is two perfectly concentric circles with something like a total blank spot a foot in diameter. I disposed of an entire box that way. . . .

[mickbr]

Don't know anything about production of them, but I do know that you can shoot .44-40's in them just fine. They will not feed through the action but they do eject just perfectly.

Some years ago at The Shootists Holiday I was walking down the firing line and saw Paco shooting his .444 .. and there was no recoil. He was single loading the ammo and shooting. Then I saw when he ejected the fired cartridge it was really short! Of course I had to ask him what he was doing.

He used .44-40's to do a lot of offhand practice!

Good to know things like that Jim. I heard 44 mag can be fired safely in 444 as well, though it ruins the cases. Not sure what accuracy is like with either. I also know folks who have run 44-40 and 44 special through 410single shots.Not something I have tried myself.

[buckeyeshooter]

I'm thinking that's got to be the most powerful round chambered in the 94 action. Did the .450 Marlin ever make it onto the 94 platform?

Yes, I had a packer (18 1/2 bbl) 444 with porting and a 450 the same set up. There were very few of both made (less than 2000). When I got offered crazy money for them I let them go.