New Here with Marlin Lever addiction.

[JesterGrin_1]

Well hello everyone. I will admit first off I am a new owner of a Marlin 1894 SS in .44 Mag. And I think I am addicted. :). And will ask I am sure a bunch of dumb questions very soon lol.

One of which would be are the FP-336 Williams sights any good? and since this is the Cast Boolits forum what would be a good 100 yard cast bullet to run through the rifle for Deer and General shooting.

I hope that you good people that have the same addiction as I do can help me attain good reliability as well as accuracy from this Nice Marlin.

[Newtire]

Hi Jester,
this is the right place to help you out. Welcome to the group. there's a guy named RanchDog who has alot of posts on .44 and came up with a couple of great designs and I shoot one of them (a 277 grainer in my alloy) in a Ruger .44 autoloader. The other one that shoots like a champ in that rifle is the Lee "310RF". I used 20.0 gr. Win. 296 with that Lee 300 gr. For some reason, I loaded 20 gr. H-4227 with the lighter 277 gr. boolit and both were inside 1-1/2" @ 50 yds.

[Jon K]

JG_1,

Welcome aboard.

Williams FP-336-TK, Merit # 3 Adjustable Aperture, & Lyman 17AHB Front, that's my choice. That's how my 1895CB is set up.
I like the Marbles Tang Sights, but I had trouble gripping the gun with my thumb on the side of the stock.

Lots of good 44 molds out there, slug the barrel both ends and size the boolit accordingly. The gun will tell you which one it likes best. I'm sure you'll get a lot of input here.
If you like the SWC, and it cycles well in your gun, I like the RCBS 240 grain SWC- works good out to 200m real accurate. For a lever I do prefer a RNFP for cycling dependability though.

Have Fun Shoting,
Jon
:castmine:

[Jon K]

JG_1,

If you are having trouble cycling the SWC, try a RNFP. Try some before buying a mold. You can maybe get samples from guys here or buy some from Leadhead Bullets- https://secure25.securewebsession.com/proshootpro.com/index.html
He has a 262 grain RNFP or a 300 grain FP, that may work well for you.


The FP-336-TK is a top mount, same as what you're looking at, but with Target Knobs. Brownells has it in stock.

Jon

[9.3X62AL]

I had the same idea for my 1894CCL in 32-20.......use the Williams FP-336. Problem is--it will overhang on the back of the receiver, or be weirdly way forward atop the receiver. Getting the receiver drilled and tapped for the side-mounted peeps is easy work for any gunsmith. I have no idea why Marlin stopped the D&T at the factory for these sights.

Welcome aboard, sir. The only "dumb" question is the one that goes unasked. EVERYONE here--at some point--had the same question(s) you have.

[Obsolete]

Nice lookin rifle ya got there ! What cha puttin the Rat Motor into ?:drinks:

[Jon K]

Overhang the reciever- yes, but it doesn't seem to bother anything.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l101/Jon_K_2006/DSC_0002-3.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l101/Jon_K_2006/DSC_0003-2.jpg

Al,
I'll bring it out Tuesday, and you can check it out.

Jon

[9.3X62AL]

Jon/Jester--

My bad--I was thinking of the WGRS base, not the FP. That IS a good-looking arrangement, Jon. Do you need the hammer extension to reach it easily?

[Jon K]

Al,

No need for the hammer ext...........even with my clumsy thumbs.

Jon

[Dragoon]

That sight will hang off the back more with an 1894 than it will with the 1895 in the picture. It is still workable, just realize it isn't going to be the same.

An XS ghost ring sight is another option.

[VTDW]

JesterGrin_1

You have come to the place for your casting, boolit, and mold questions.

Here is a site for your questions on the .44MAG:

www.marlinowners.com

Lots of folks have great success shooting hardcast out of that rifle and by the way, that is a very nice looking rifle.

Dave

[Obsolete]

Obsolete I knew I should have covered that thing up lol. I hope to put it into a 73 Corvette at some time in the future while we still have Gas lol.

It is a tiny little 468 pump gas friendly to make right at 550HP.

No need to cover it up ! I have a mildier 432 pump gas rat in my 69 El Camino.There is nothing quite like a BBC when it comes to propelling one down the road.

:drinks:

[44man]

Marlin .44 groups at 50 yd's. 310 Lee with 21.5 gr's of 296 and the Federal 150 primer. Left group is LBT Blue and right is Felix lube.
The gun will surprise you!
I tried Laser cast in my BPCR and was disappointed. You can't match the diameter you need by buying boolits.

[VTDW]

Dave Thank You for the link. But I did try and join the Marlinowner sight about 4 days ago and have not heard back from them to enable me to post. I even e mailed them on it with no reply. Oh Well. :(

I am an Admin there. Try again and I will be watching for you.

Dave

[EDK]

Run a search on Glenn Fryxell(sp?) and loading for Marlin 1894s. A lot of good stuff there. He's into high performance, while I am just plinking and COWBOY ACTION SHOOTING and woods walking. I've had 1894 44 Magnums for 35 years in most of the variations available. My choice is a COWBOY II with either a 24 (preferred!) or 20 inch barrel. Mine are old enough to have been factory drilled-and-tapped for LYMAN #66 receiver sights and I like a Lyman #17 in front.


I use the LYMAN #427666 (200 grain 44/40 type) and 429667 (240 grain for 44 Special/Magnum.) Get the HOGDON powder company COWBOY ACTION SHOOTING LOADING MANUAL (FREE!) and you'll find your data.

In 44 ORIGINAL SIZE VAQUEROS, SUPER BLACKHAWKS and BISLEYS, I like 4.5 to 5.0 TITEGROUP in 44 Special brass and 5.5 to 6.0 in 44 Magnum brass with either boolit. (357s get 3.8 TITEGROUP under LYMAN 358665.) I do 40 rounds(or more!)a day in either 44 or 357 CAS set-ups, so TITEGROUP looks real good to me--especially in an 8 pounder from GRAFS for $108 +tax that the wife picked up at the Mexico, MO warehouse and saved shipping and HAZMAT fees.

:castmine: :redneck: :Fire:

[EDK]

I'm using TITEGROUP in low end--cowboy action shooting--loads. My 2003 Hogdon "freebie" lists 10.0 for a 240 " J-word," but I think I'd start low and go slowly---watching for leading or accuracy problems or uncomfortable recoil/muzzle blast. I reload very generically--a hot load in a 4 5/8 inch barrel ORIGINAL SIZE VAQUERO would be more fun than I want! Lyman #429244 gas check semi wadcutters are a good choice for Marlins. Go to lasc.us/ArticlesFryxell for excellent information--the guy is a very advanced handloader and an excellent communicator. I'll buy his upcoming book in a second!

The beauty of the Marlin 1894--in any caliber!--is that it begs to be taken along and shot a few rounds. It's a pleasure to carry and shoot and cheap to reload for...about a nickle if you cast plain base boolits. You shoot it a lot, and with the good sights you bought, you are a lot better equipped than the guy who shoots a few rounds for deer season and then puts his rifle away until next year. If the 44 caliber 1894 won't do the job for me, there are 30/30 and 45/70 Cowboy rifles in the safe...and a 50/90 SHILOH SHARPS. But the little Marlins get a lot more time in the woods than the big guns.

TITEGROUP and 1894 MARLINS and cast boolits work for me.

:castmine: :Fire:

[HEAD0001]

I use my sight in the front holes. I have never had any problem's with it. The back holes hang the sight over the hammer too much IMO. I like a 240 grain bullet. The 300's do not feed well in my Marlin.

As far as powder is concerned I go with 2400. Works great for me. one to two inch groups at 100 yards, and four to five inches at 200 yards. I can normally keep all my shots in a five inch bullseye off the bench at 200(a few do stray). Tom.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o223/HEAD0001/IMG_0191.jpg

[HEAD0001]

Just a simple Lyman or RCBS 240 grain semi-wad cutter, with straight WW. IMO the RCBS mold makes the best bullets, but it costs more. Tom.

[Denver]

Check out these @ www.skinnersights.com No need for extra holes and has interchangeable apertures as well. Lower price too. :lovebooli

[9.3X62AL]

Denver--

That is a SLICK little sight. I can see in the pics how windage is set--how is elevation set?

[45nut]

http://www.skinnersights.com/2.html

There ya go Allen.

[9.3X62AL]

Ah, I see. Thanks, Ken.

[Denver]

Skinner's setup works much the same as the XS sight which I have on a couple rifles. The thing I like about the Skinner is being able to change apertures without having to change sight settings. With the XS sight, you have to remove the post and replace it with another.
:cbpour: