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Thread: Marlin 1894 44mag

  1. #1
    Boolit Master MGySgt's Avatar
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    Marlin 1894 44mag

    Long story short - I sent my 1894 44mag off to have a new barrel put on it 16 1/4in and 1 in 20 twist. It has been gone a long time, however the little brown truck delivered it back to me today. Cleaned the barrel and slugged it. .430 with no constrictions. Most of the time it will be shot with cast.

    The real question is - What is the best way to break in this new barrel? The old tried and true of shoot 1, clean for 10 shots, then shoot 2 and clean for 20 shots, then shoot groups of 5 and clean for the last 20 rounds out of 50?

    Or just shoot 50 rounds through it to burnish the barrel, clean it down to bare metal and shoot my cast?

    I know that it will not be an MOA rifle, but I do want good consistant groups at 100+.
    Big Bore = 45+

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    I'd polish it with Butch's Bore Paste then head to the range with my favorite cast loads. After I'd slicked it up further that way for a while I might try some jacketed, but then again it might never have anything but cast in it which means my grand children could shoot it many years from now as long as it's kept clean and oiled. GF

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    Boolit Master

    LUCKYDAWG13's Avatar
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    Me i would just Clean it and go to the range and shoot it I like to run about 500 rounds of jacketed bullets first before I shoot cast
    kids that hunt and fish dont mug old ladies

  4. #4
    Boolit Master

    Hickory's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MGySgt View Post
    The real question is:
    Who did the work for you?
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  5. #5
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    Very nice groove diameter.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    Do you still have the original pulled-off barrel? Is it for sale?
    The ENEMY is listening.
    HE wants to know what YOU know.
    Keep it to yourself.

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    Quote Originally Posted by MGySgt View Post
    Long story short - I sent my 1894 44mag off to have a new barrel put on it 16 1/4in and 1 in 20 twist. It has been gone a long time, however the little brown truck delivered it back to me today. Cleaned the barrel and slugged it. .430 with no constrictions. Most of the time it will be shot with cast.

    The real question is - What is the best way to break in this new barrel? The old tried and true of shoot 1, clean for 10 shots, then shoot 2 and clean for 20 shots, then shoot groups of 5 and clean for the last 20 rounds out of 50?

    Or just shoot 50 rounds through it to burnish the barrel, clean it down to bare metal and shoot my cast?

    I know that it will not be an MOA rifle, but I do want good consistant groups at 100+.
    I wish I knew how they “broke in” a new gun back in 1880.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master MGySgt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hickory View Post
    Who did the work for you?
    Nonneman Custom Rifles
    Regan Nonneman

    Although I wouldn't send him anouther one - quoted me 7-8 months and it was 13+ months.
    Big Bore = 45+

  9. #9
    Boolit Master MGySgt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Outpost75 View Post
    Do you still have the original pulled-off barrel? Is it for sale?
    No I don't have the original barrel. Didn't ask for it back, plus I didn't get the 5 dummy rounds I sent with the rifle. The old barrel, microgroove, was .431+ too big for a .432 boolit. Maybe go to a .433-.434, but then they wouldn't fit my SBH and it would defeat the purpose of one load for both guns.
    Big Bore = 45+

  10. #10
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by MGySgt View Post
    Nonneman Custom Rifles
    Regan Nonneman

    Although I wouldn't send him anouther one - quoted me 7-8 months and it was 13+ months.
    I've been waiting over 40 years for Marlin to produce a 44 magnum with a faster twist rifling, I guess I could wait 13 more months.
    Political correctness is a national suicide pact.

    I am a sovereign individual, accountable
    only to God and my own conscience.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    You and me both!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hickory View Post
    I've been waiting over 40 years for Marlin to produce a 44 magnum with a faster twist rifling, I guess I could wait 13 more months.
    My .41 mag Henry has a 1:18.75” rifling twist...what is the sweet spot for heavy-for-caliber cast loads? 1:12?

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    That sounds like a very nice rifle now!

    I can’t fathom why rifle makers doggedly stick to the sorely outdated 1:38 twist. One of them could make a pile of money by simply updating the barrels on existing models to 1:20 or faster. There is absolutely no benefit to that slow of twist, and real limiting inaccuracy with the very popular heavy weight bullets, especially all copper ones that are longer for weight.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master


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    I know I wouldn't sent that guy one of my Firearms,

    He OWES you your old bbl back, that's a given. Unless he states in BOLD LETTERS, like RUGER does that they Don't return the old bbl. I think they recondition them for future sale.

    Fact his I think he stole your old bbl.
    I HATE auto-correct

    Happiness is a Warm GUN & more ammo to shoot in it.

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  15. #15
    Boolit Master MGySgt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Walks View Post
    I know I wouldn't sent that guy one of my Firearms,

    He OWES you your old bbl back, that's a given. Unless he states in BOLD LETTERS, like RUGER does that they Don't return the old bbl. I think they recondition them for future sale.

    Fact his I think he stole your old bbl.
    Maybe he did, but the cost was $525.00 including return shipping. Others that I contacted for the same work was $1,000 and up. Nothing was said about returning my old barrel.

    The old barrel was useless to me. Yes, I know there are companies out there that could rebore it to 45 Colt or bore it out and put a liner in it. If he either kept it for another project gun or sold it to someone else, I really don't care.

    My concern is will this barrel be a lot more accurate than my old microgroove barrel. I sure as heck hope so or I just wasted $525.00 and SWMBO will be real pissed when I tell her I am selling it and buying a Henry or Mossberg or what ever.
    Big Bore = 45+

  16. #16
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    A good friend told me his trick to break in/polishing new barrels. Clean it first, then run 50 dry patches on a tight Jag and scrub the barrel till it shines. Pay particular attention to the throat and lead.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master MGySgt's Avatar
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    Right now I am using the shoot 1 and clean for 10 rounds, shoot 2 and clean it for 20 rounds then shoot 5 round groups to finish off the 50 rounds and it should be good to go.

    Went down to my range after dinner, only got 5 rounds fired cleaning between each one before it was geting to dusk and I ran out of patches I took down with me.. God that is slow!
    Big Bore = 45+

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    Seriously, how hard is it for the manufacturer to just polish the barrel’s rifling at the dang factory?
    Seems like an unnecessary expense for the consumer, unless you’re having fun doing it, in which case I can relate.

  19. #19
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    My suggestion is to just shoot the burrs and boogers out of it. WAY more fun than cleaning.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  20. #20
    Boolit Master MGySgt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dangitgriff View Post
    Seriously, how hard is it for the manufacturer to just polish the barrel’s rifling at the dang factory?
    Seems like an unnecessary expense for the consumer, unless you’re having fun doing it, in which case I can relate.
    I don't think we want to pay what it would cost for the lapping of the barrel like they did way back when. Most manufactures do a good job right out of the gate. Like Ruger and Savage - the both produce excellent accurcy right out of the box - just go shoot them.

    I have seen with this barrel, that as I worked through the first 10 rounds - the first 2 or 3 rounds were all over the paper at 25 yards. 8 9 and 10 ragged hole. I am half way through the 2 shot group and the grouping is gettting better. I took plenty of patches down this moring, but when I finished the first 5 sets of 2 rounds between clening, I was starting to run out of bore cleaner and I was getting tired of cleaning the rifle layed accross my lap. :>)
    It may be Tuesday afternoon before I am able to finish this process, rain coming in this afternoon and all day tomorrow, (yes I could shoot on Mothers Day and not get in trouble).
    Big Bore = 45+

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BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
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