Rossi 95 in 444 marlin??

[mickbr]

When did Rossi sneak this model in folks. Has anyone heard of them before? Assuming R95 will be a 1895 copy.

[wvfarrier]

I had no idea!!!

[EG73]

Screw it I’ll get one when they come to Aus.

[Bill in Oregon]

Wonder what barrel twist.

[Steve in MO]

I just saw the ad about it, haven't seen one in the wild yet.

[mickbr]

https://rossiusa.com/rifles/lever-actio ... -444marlin

Says twist is 1:12....surely not... would that effect pistol weight bullets adversely, eg over stabilsing at high speed?

[Twodot]

per the Rossi site:
"From the moment you chamber a round to the split second before the shot, the R95 in .444 Marlin offers a thrilling experience ............"

I know a 300 grain handload at 2100 ft/sec in my Marlin can be pretty thrilling after after I squeeze the trigger too
..

[Griff]

When did Rossi sneak this model in folks. Has anyone heard of them before? Assuming R95 will be a 1895 copy.

If you mean as in 336, you'd be correct:

[mnmarlin]

20" barrel? Looks like a handy woods gun for bears and elk. Nice to see another manufacturer pick up the .444 Marlin, its a fine versatile cartridge.

[JimT]

I was watching Paco shooting his .444 one day and the report was quiet and the recoil was almost non-existent. I walked over and asked him what load he was using. He levered out the empty and handed it to me. It was a .44-40!

They fit fine and shoot well. You just cannot feed them from the magazine. But what a neat little practice load!

[Bill in Oregon]

[AJMD429]

I was watching Paco shooting his .444 one day and the report was quiet and the recoil was almost non-existent. I walked over and asked him what load he was using. He levered out the empty and handed it to me. It was a .44-40!

They fit fine and shoot well. You just cannot feed them from the magazine. But what a neat little practice load!

LOL - reminds me of accidentally firing a 444 Marlin in a 45-70 - 'light load, but not very accurate, and the brass tends to split...'

I think the 444 Marlin is an awesome cartridge. Yeah it isn't a 45-70, nor is a 44 Mag a 45 Colt, nor is a 308 a 30-06.... but it IS a hard-hitting and versatile round. Maybe not good to use soft hollowpoint pistol bullets in if you want penetration, but that's a BULLET problem not a CARTRIDGE problem.

I think the 444 Marlin is also better suited to the 336 or 'Marlin 1895' action than the 45-70, due to the much larger holes in both the receiver and barrel shank required for the 45-70, with an action just not designed for that when combined with 'modern' loads. I like the 444 Marlin in the Marlin rifle, and if I want a bullet with a big flat meplat and tons of velocity, I skip past the 45-70 and go to the 500 S&W anyway.

And as far as penetration with 'pistol bullets' - the 240 grain JSP Winchester makes, at 100 yards, will go through my 5/16 soft steel gong like a crisp paper-punch. I wouldn't hunt deer with them because "they say" the bullets explode on the skin and won't even penetrate the shoulder blade if you hit there, and the deer will wander off and die a slow death. Not sure I believe that tale, but I would use hard-cast lead solids most likely anyway.

[mickbr]

Part of me wonders how strong it might be, whether it can be loaded up hot like a Winchester 94 bigbore 444marlin. Its where we need Paco figuring this out for us.
Im not expert enough to expirement to that level with lever actions.

[AJMD429]

Part of me wonders how strong it might be, whether it can be loaded up hot like a Winchester 94 bigbore 444marlin. Its where we need Paco figuring this out for us.
Im not expert enough to expirement to that level with lever actions.

At least a 'normal factory load' in 444 Marlin is pretty tough, and doesn't need much amplification, versus trying to decide with the 45-70 between 'Trapdoor' or 'Marlin' or 'Ruger' loads. I think it is awesome that the 45-70 still is a good hunting, bear-defense, and even home-protection round, plus just fun for long-range target shooting, and is what now, 150 years old...!!! But I decided long ago to stick with just 'one level' of loadings for safety reasons - I have a Marlin '1895' (336) and 'Guide Gun', but no older guns, and although I have an Encore Rifle barrel that could probably handle a 'Ruger' load, I stick with the 'Marlin' level loadings.

For the 444 Marlin, I have only the Marlin, so just use 'normal' loads and they are flat enough and powerful enough for my needs - they seem a bit more of both than the 'Marlin' loads for the 45-70, but realistically I can't see whitetail telling the difference - an ordinary 44 Mag drops them immediately, as does a mid-range 45 Colt.

The 45 Colt suffers from that same potential issue, and if I had pre-1900 firearms plus S&W's plus Redhawks in that chambering, it would be too complicated for my simple reloading-brain, but fortunately my only 45 Colts are rifles and Redhawks, so I can load 'stout' if I want.

From a purely LOGICAL standpoint, I'd think that IF (big 'if' though) the gun were machined the same, from the same materials, that anything made in both 444 Marlin and 45-70 would be able to handle at least the SAME level of pressure (to the extent that can be truly determined) from the smaller cartridge, and logically since there is thicker metal around the smaller round (not just in the chamber and receiver around the barrel, but the magazine opening I think), one would expect the 444 version to handle even more pressure.

BUT I've always felt like it is better to just stick with what a given gun was 'designed for', and if I need more power, well then that is a GREAT EXCUSE to buy another bigger more powerful gun.... (...but that philosophy has gotten me some dirty looks from the boss/wife over the years, I'll admit...I say "It's all about my safety, dear - you wouldn't want me to over-load that 30-06 and blow it up, so I just HAVE to get that 375 Ruger, right...???" Her response - "Your life insurance is paid up, dear, and you really don't NEED any more guns..." ).

Fortunately we have a 'tolerant' marriage, so she hasn't killed me in my sleep, and evidently the money she'd have to spend on a hit-man is less than the money I spend on guns, so I usually get my way.

I'd load the WInchester to 'normal' 444 Marlin levels, and if the Rossi is chambered in 444 Marlin, I'd do the same with it, personally.

But a few years back, when I thought I saw Cape Buffalo tracks back by the pond behind our house (in Indiana), I just HAD to get that 375 Ruger - for the safety of our kids - in case it attacked.

I don't know of a 'big' 0.430" cartridge surpassing the Marlin, but I'm thinking 0.408" is pretty close, so perhaps a good excuse to get a 408 CheyTac Intervention...