Marlin 1894 SS .44 Mag

[Grizz]

I love my stainless guns.

I have a stainless redhawk 5.5" 44 mag. I am developing a 405g cast load for my court of last resort. It pairs up with my stainless guide gun which shoots either 425g or 525g cast. I think this is about a perfect combination.

I know it's tempting to want to shoot a revolver and carbine in the same caliber, BUT I have not been able to make a satisfactory SINGLE load for both guns. I've taken a lot of deer with 325g cast bullets in a superblackhawk, but that round will not cycle thru the Marlin 1894. We've made a lot of venison with the 1894 shooting 240g jsp, but that's not a load I consider good for hand gun hunting. And it's certainly less than optimal for stopping bear charges.

Since it's two 44 loads if I go that way, there's no reason not to use the 45/70 with the 44 mag.

You can conceal that redhawk, just [carefully] slide it down inside your pants. And don't bend over to tie your shoes afterwords. Seriously, I've gone to dinner or just walking the creek bank with the redhawk riding 'shotgun' and no one's the wiser. The worst part is the hammer, but it does encourage good posture.

[Travis Morgan]

The state intended to get long guns into cops hands they would stand a better chance, its worked.

The State did that? I'm jealous, and congrats. Good deal.


Also, this brings up the whole pistol caliber vs rifle caliber thing. Some Depts have left the MP5s and switched completely over to .223s. I don't know why some of those same reasons couldn't be used to Irish_Cop's advantage too. It would be interesting.

It hasn't been that long since our State prisons used the M94/30-30; I don't know about patrol use here.

About time they did something that makes sense. Those MP5's ain't cheap!

[Travis Morgan]

I wear George Strait relaxed fit jeans, and my 4 5/8" Vaquero and Blackhawk both fit in my pants pocket. This is for emergency, only, BTW, I use a pocket, otherwise.

[MikeS.]

I was just talking to a SWAT member from Central Illinois who told me that there was some discussion for urban police departments to consider a lever action rifle/carbine in a pistol caliber (.357 or .44 Mag) as a patrol car rifle.

Seems that it is more politically correct to get out of the patrol car with a "John Wayne" type of gun rather than a black gun (AR, etc.).

I personally hold LEO's who dress in black ninja suits with their faces covered behaving as though they are in a military unit in high contempt. If they want to play the part of a soldier, the federal government has a place for them in the military. Civilian law enforcement agencies should remain civilian, not paramilitary.

I totally agree with this post. Cops should not ever be wearing Ninja gear. You are a public servant. Not some Rambo wanna-be. If you do undercover work then you don't need to be in a raid. Absolutely no reason to have your face covered.

The 4th has been stretched all to hell.

[Travis Morgan]

I can just see you guys refusing to be rescued because of the rescuer's wardrobe.

[Knothead]

Cops should not ever be wearing Ninja gear. You are a public servant. Not some Rambo wanna-be. If you do undercover work then you don't need to be in a raid. Absolutely no reason to have your face covered.

Sometimes the size of the agency dictates the need for the uc to be part of the raid team. We all don't have 10,000 sworn.

We're levergunnin from our patrol cars here the great state of Oklahoma. By the way when I teach lever gun I call a retro week, and we carry single actions or N-Frames that week on the range.

There was another post on qualifying with a single action. Its not hard to make the times on any course thats 6 or less with a single action. I often shoot my 4 5/8 Ruger 44 with the birdhead conversion on our states course. Makes the newbys go hummm.

[Travis Morgan]

Cops should not ever be wearing Ninja gear. You are a public servant. Not some Rambo wanna-be. If you do undercover work then you don't need to be in a raid. Absolutely no reason to have your face covered.

Sometimes the size of the agency dictates the need for the uc to be part of the raid team. We all don't have 10,000 sworn.

We're levergunnin from our patrol cars here the great state of Oklahoma. By the way when I teach lever gun I call a retro week, and we carry single actions or N-Frames that week on the range.

There was another post on qualifying with a single action. Its not hard to make the times on any course thats 6 or less with a single action. I often shoot my 4 5/8 Ruger 44 with the birdhead conversion on our states course. Makes the newbys go hummm.

Knothead,

If the young guys start calling you a dinosaur, PM me. I'll tell ya why.

KINDA in a similar strain, well, not really...... a friend of mine that had just come back from the desert told me that the enemy would pee their pants if you were holding an M-4, would weren't at all concerned with the M-249 SAW. As a SAW gunner, he found this distressing.

[Iron_Marshal]

I met a local man that has a .444 for sale. I have been leaning towards the .44 but I need to see what kind of offer the guy might make. If the price is right for the used rifle I may purchase it. I know the .444 has roughly twice the velocity of the .44 and is comparable to the 45-70. Would you “wizened onesâ€

[Knothead]

fwiw you will find 44's far more often then 444, plus 444 is pricey if your not reloading. We just got our 285gn rnf group buy molds on the castboolits site (castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?f=37). This should be great out of the 444. I cast 250 of them last night they fell at 285.6 average and are .433 the larger cast bullets flu better out of microgroove marlins for me.
We've got one at the range, its punishing with the factory ammo, just fantastic if loaded along the lines of a 40-65.
You can't go wrong though cause they're like lays potato chips, ya cant own just one!

[Travis Morgan]

That's like comparing .22LR and .22-250. You can get the smaller one anywhere, due to it's popularity. The other,..... not so much.

[Iron_Marshal]

So, since I am looking to eventually pair the rifle with a revolver, and I don't reload, it would seem that I should buy the .44 for ease of ammo sharing. I realize I am giving up potential velocity, etc, by firing standard factory ammo from the rifle, but for ease of buying just one load it seems to be the best option. If I ever learn to reload I could then make this a moot point by increasing the load for the rifle...Correct?

[Poohgyrr]

If I ever learn to reload I could then make this a moot point by increasing the load for the rifle...Correct?

Handloading can definitely get us much better results, and there aren't many animals in North America that can't be taken with the proper .44 magnum load out of a rifle.

That said, I think the .444 Marlin will offer more power if you want it.

And companies like Buffalo Bore offer pretty stout factory loads too.

Casting also gets us some proven loads that the big companies don't sell.

The Cast Boolits forum is one place with quite a few guys having tons of experience doing this.

[AJMD429]

If I ever learn to reload I could then make this a moot point by increasing the load for the rifle...Correct?

Don't be hesitant to reload! The first gun I ever reloaded for was a Super Blackhawk, and all you need to make your first batch is a mallet (I just used a broken hatchet handle) and this tool. Buy a can of powder, a box of primers, and a box of bullets, and you're ready to go. No "reloading bench" or "press" or "dies" or "neck reamers" or other stuff needed (if you decide you like to reload you will get them later so you can reload MORE, but they are totally unnecessary for the basics).

midwayusa.com
Lee Classic Loader 44 Remington Magnum
Product #: 696271
Manufacturer #: 90260
Our Price: $19.99

If you decide you're picky about which powder you use and don't want to use one of their loads that their 'dipper' dishes out, here's the easy way around that.

midwayusa.com
Lee Improved Powder Measure Kit
Product #: 943305
Manufacturer #: 90100
Our Price: $7.49

Have some fun - spend the $20 on the reloader kit, and reload a couple hundred rounds sitting on the livingroom floor watching a movie. For the cost of a can of powder, a box of primers, and a box of bullets, you'll see how easy it is to get started, and you'll probably pay for the cost of the kit with your first session.

I used the kit for probably the first 5,000 rounds I fired out of that gun, and got it out the other day to make a couple dozen rounds of 180 grain bullets I found in a 'leftover' bin, because it was faster than setting up the Dillon.

[Travis Morgan]

Look around, and you'll be able to find an RCBS Rockchucker kit for about $75, used. Possibly with some dies. It's a single stage, but it's what you really ought to start with. I DO NOT load rifle ammo on a progressive. It's a personal choice, but I use rifles for precision.

[Iron_Marshal]

AJMD429, I will definitely have to look at this. You are right. I AM INTIMIDATED by the mere thought of reloading. You make it sound …well…at least manageable…LOL

This sounds like a decent way for me to dip a toe into the deep waters of reloading. There is a guy here at the department that reloads and has all of the equipment and when I saw all of the equipment, bench, HECK…an entire room…it was an imposing set up and I did not think I could do it.

[AJMD429]

AJMD429, I will definitely have to look at this. You are right. I AM INTIMIDATED by the mere thought of reloading. You make it sound …well…at least manageable…LOL

This sounds like a decent way for me to dip a toe into the deep waters of reloading. There is a guy here at the department that reloads and has all of the equipment and when I saw all of the equipment, bench, HECK…an entire room…it was an imposing set up and I did not think I could do it.

Yep - using the Lee 'classic loader' vs. a whole bench setup is like the difference in making pancakes from a mix, vs. a three-course dinner from scratch. You'll spend very little money (100 bullets, 100 primers, 1 can powder, and the $20 tool) and by the time you can watch 'Hang Em High' you'll have 100 rounds loaded.

Of course - you'll probably like it enough that you'll want to EVENTUALLY get the whole kaboodle, but there are plenty of folks who only use those little kits. My neighbor when I grew up used a Lee tool for .243, and that was the only gun he ever used to kill deer, coyotes, groundhogs, etc. His ammunition worked well enough he never seemed to miss or need a second shot!

Try it and let us know, but I'm sure you'll find it was easy and fun. The only caveat in leverguns is loading the huge cast bullets you have to watch overall length as far as feeding. For revolvers, anything works, but for leverguns I'd personally start with some 180 to 240 grain factory jacketed soft points. Feed and shoot well.

[Texican]

...and reload a couple hundred rounds sitting on the living room floor watching a movie.

I'd recommend when reloading, do it to the exclusion of all else. Particularly if you're just starting out.

Just my two cents,