That's what I did when they past the law, I contacted Des Moines to get there definition of a expanding bullet. The gave me the number of my DNR officer and ask them since they had no real definition. The officer said no FMJ or hard cast. Hollow point, jacketed soft point and lead was suitable.
I heard another little tidbit that I hope is true, that they are wanting to do away with the party hunting or driving deer. I hope they do.
I had the same rifle and it would group (10 shots) about 1 1/2" with cast bullets at 30 yards. I bought it for CAS and decided to sell it as .38 was more competitive.
Quite a few reports of poor accuracy in the .44 Marlin so it may take a bit of bullet/load development but if you shoot BR that will not be a challenge for you.
Making the action smoother and easier to cycle is never a bad thing but can be over done. I have one lever gun that will not fire anything but Federal primers as the hammer spring was lightened too much. Not a big deal to change out if you go too far. BTW, check how the gun functions in the cold before use it to hunt. JIC.
I hope you reconsider your decision to take head shots. It is not a big target and can produce a horrible wound that kills very slowly. Remember you are shooting a cartridge that has more of a rainbow trajectory and range estimation can be tricky in the woods. If stand hunting, you can range kill spots ahead of time so less chance for an error.
Nothing wrong with the 240 gr bullet and good advice already given above by others.
Don Verna
432-640 Milhec, 270 grain, small HP, G/C 50/50 alloy, lube with 50/50. 21 grains of 2400. I have yet to recover a bullet, properly placed, a deer will not go far.
“Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.”
― Mark Twain
W8SOB
I killed my first deer with a .44 mag, 240 gr Federal factory hollowpoint out of a marlin 1894. It went right through the heart and exited the off shoulder. When I cleaned him, the heart was turned into a 5" doughnut shaped ring. I have every confidence that a good stout 220-240 gr cast load would have the same effect.
I have not hear that one yet. But like they do.but from someone I had talk to that it been that way for as long he had know and was brought up and born here. It would not matter to me because so far I got the early muzzler season. But if it come to a time I am not able to I would go with this of the rifle. I also have the 357 rifle also beside the 44mag.
Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA
I took a doe with Hornady's 44 Mag Leverevolution the first year it was introduced, with my Marlin 1894 carbine. Shot was about 40 yards and deer dropped with a behind the shoulder shot. That was the one and only time I hunted with it. I'm currently using NOE's 265 RNFP solid cast from air cooled CWW alloy. I push it with 2400 at 1540 fps. It and other cast bullet combinations work but never produced very good blood trails, when shot just behind the shoulder. Even with two holes, one in and one out. Yes, I recovered all the deer but it involved long tracking and sometimes even a bit of luck. I have never purposely aimed to break the shoulder.......must be the bow hunter in me. But I 'm seriously rethinking that option. The last two bucks I shot with the 265 RNFP traveled almost 200 yards....with little or no blood trail. The last one, I didn't find till well after the meat had spoiled.
This off season, I working on load development, for a HP version of RCBS 300 SWC.....in hopes of better blood trails and quicker kills.
Winelover
Last edited by winelover; 03-23-2018 at 06:29 AM.
guntecholsters -- Welcome aboard. You'll get lots of good info from the folks on this site. Some conflicting, but then, of course, there are several ways to skin a cat. You will learn that the bore size in the .44 will be slightly different from a revolver to a rifle. You can make cast loads work for each, interchangeably, but it might take a little work. As you are looking for a good mold for your .44's, there are many good ones out there. Any of the "RD" molds (stands for Range Dog ~ he was the designer / promoter of the type) should be top shelf for your purposes. Also, I like the Lee 310 mold. Have fun in your search.
guntechholsters,
Welcome to the forum.
I had a 1894 in 44 Mag.
The slow twist rate that Marlin uses isn't the best for heavier boolits, and the larger bore size (.431) requires larger sizing than pistol boolits. I used the NOE 432-421 HP (a Keith style SWC), with standard HP pins, the boolit drops at 234gr and worked well in the Marlin sized to .432
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001
Head shots work really well, UNTIL you shoot one through the jaw or through the eyes and the they run off or fall down then get up. The brain is a small target that moves around a lot. A center shoulder shot is my preference, break the shoulders, maybe catch the spine, down they go, lots of room for animal movement and shooter 'error'. I have at least half dozen Marlin's including a an 1894 in 44 Magnum. I DO NOT lighten mainsprings in any firearm. I want to hear BANG when I pull the trigger with any ammo/primers in any weather. I load for my lever guns using 'benchrest' techniques and expect very good accuracy from any rifle in decent shape. Depending on caliber, well under 2 MOA, with 'rifle' calibers much less usually, Marlin 336's usually go close to MOA. A good trigger, 2.5-3 lbs helps a great deal and can be done with the Marlins, WITHOUT weakening any springs.
I have the Rossi and 44 magnum it has a 20 inch barrel and I shoot only the lee 310 grn over 21 grain of Winchester 296 it is accurate out to about 150 yards and about five years ago I killed a nice little seven point with that at about 85 yards it was a bang flop
As pointed out you are hunting not playing cowboy games. I would go slow on modifying your gun. I too have a marlin 1894 and a couple of revolvers. My revolvers enjoy long (1.7+) boolits . The carbine requires boolits that do not exceed 1.6+" If you plan on making multiple shots without reloading. The Lyman Keith SWCs are too long for my rifle. 240 gr RFN that load to 1.6col work great and will kill Bambi.
Wow.
So much info, were to start to respond.
THANK YOU ALL...
Dvema, thay makes me feel better, I currently have a 310 lee mold that perhaps I can run soft...
Jeff, anyway I can buy a few of this boolits off ya, lol.....
725, thank you..
Duck, taken to heart and I thank you..
I'm going to reread comments and take it all in.
Thank you all very much, yall are awesome...
"We take a thousand moments for granted thinking there will be a thousand more to come. Each day, each breath, each beat of your heart is a gift. Live with love & joy, tomorrow is not promised to anyone......"
unknown
Some hvac alum tape to beagle the mold?
Hopefully I get a chance to slug the bore tonight.
I have quit using anything in my .44 guns other than the NOE version of the Ranch Dog 265gr FN. It was designed to work in a lever gun and feeds perfectly. Accuracy is great. NOE’s pin system makes it easy to cast hollow point boolits nearly as fast as flat point.
It is boring and all my other .44 molds get lonely but neat little one hole groups out of my 1894 at 50 yards are worth some sacrifice.
I use a Ranch Dog design in every gun I own. They just work
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |