what bullet mold will work for 44 caliber marlin

[straightarrow]

I purchased a Marlin 1894 lever action in 44 caliber this weekend hoping be able to shoot the same ammo(Lee 240 SWC) I use for handguns but the owners manual warns against using semi wadcutter. Hickok45 has a video on this gun in which he said he had accuracy promlems using his handgun ammo. He started using cast bullets that were .431 and this fixed his problem. Does anybody cast their own for this gun and can they advised which mold I need or what works for them.

[waksupi]

The thing is, although you may be able to shoot the same ammo in both guns, one will most likely have to suffer in the accuracy department. The chances of having a load that works equally well for top accuracy for both firearms, probably won't happen. This leaves you in exactly the same spot as the old timers with interchangable chamberings. It can be done, but you have to recognize the limitations.

[longbow]

I have a Marlin 1894 that has been a problem for me. Not knowing SWC's might be a problem, the first mould I bought was a Lyman 429421.

I had feeding problems right off the bat partly due to OAL being too long and partly due to the shoulder. I seated these deeper to the edge of the front driving band which helped some but they still hung up on the shoulder when chambering.

In the end, I did some modifications:

- modified cartridge stop to allow longer OAL
- modified carrier to center the round in the chamber mouth better (helps avoid should jamming on chamber mouth)
- smoothed things up a bit

Now it feed SWC's pretty well but not 100%.

Also, my Marlin had the typical Marlin maladies:

- large groove diameter at 0.4315" so needs a boolit of at least 0.432" (my moulds cast 0.433" and 0.434")
- tight spots in the barrel that I hand lapped out

Now I get good accuracy and feeding of H&G #503 (245 gr. SWC) and Mihec 434640 (RNFP at 270 gr. solid).

I also have a RanchDog 265 gr. mould which is specifically designed for Marlins and works well but I haven't shot it enough yet to see if it is any better than the Mihec 434640

Some Marlins seem to be picky on boolit for feeding and some don't... mine was.

So, the short story is that your Marlin might feed and shoot SWC's okay but you are likely better to use RNFP or TC design that seats at correct OAL for the Marlin and you will probably need a boolit that casts at about 0.432" or better then size to suit groove diameter.

Then there is what waksupi says too ~ what works in the Marlin may not in the handgun and vice versa. You would have to try the boolit and loads in both to find out. The handgun will likely be less picky than the rifle.

Longbow

[straightarrow]

Longbow - did you ever have any concerns over detonation inside the tubular magazine with the SWC. The tips of my Lee 240 grn SWC are about the same size as the primer?

[longbow]

I have not worried about for two reasons:

- The SWC meplat on most of my boolits is larger than the primer
- Recoil of the .44 is not enough (in my opinion) to cause a primer to fire unless the boolit was very pointed, then with a lead boolit I believe the point of the boolit would flatten before a primer was set off (again, my opinion). With a heavy recoiling gun like .45-70 I might be a little more cautious but I used to shoot full loads using a RN boolit in my Marlin 1895 with no problems.

I now have an Accurate Mold with a meplat of 0.180" for the .44 and am not worried about it either.

Others might be concerned but I am not with a blunt round nose or smallish meplat.

Longbow

[Chihuahua Floyd]

I have two 1894s in 44 Mag. Both feed SWC very well. I am using the Lee 200g tumble lube SWC, which is not very long and has fairly rounded edges, almost a RNFP. Have also several thousaand 240g LSWC, various jacked hollow points and flat points.
As pointed out above, try to stay away from POINTED bullets, round nose and flat points are OK. Think about it this way, how sharp is your firing pin vs. the bullet you are thinking about.
CF

[izzyjoe]

i use the lee 310gr. they work very well in mine, but i want to get the RD 265gr. as they are made for the marlin.

[Ed in North Texas]

I used the 429244 SWC in my '94 with no feeding problems. Bought that rifle about 35 to 40 years ago, I think.

[Packy]

I have used the lee 310 with good results. I have had better luck with the Lyman devastator, that I made a pin too cast a solid instead of a hollow point. It seems to shoot better than the hollow point in my pistols too. And it is pretty good at putting deer down too. Will be trying it in the 444 that I pick up a few months ago, as soon as it cools down some.

[Grapeshot]

I purchased a Marlin 1894 lever action in 44 caliber this weekend hoping be able to shoot the same ammo(Lee 240 SWC) I use for handguns but the owners manual warns against using semi wadcutter. Hickok45 has a video on this gun in which he said he had accuracy promlems using his handgun ammo. He started using cast bullets that were .431 and this fixed his problem. Does anybody cast their own for this gun and can they advised which mold I need or what works for them.

The best bullet for the .44 Mag in your marlin will be the Lyman .44 Cowboy, Lyman 2-Cavity Bullet Mold #429667 44 Special, 44 Remington Magnum (430 Diameter) 240 Grain Flat Nose Bevel Base. It served me and my friends well for Cowboy Action and Hunting. Cast 16:1 Lead Tin and a 20 grain charge of Alliant 2400, it will put down a hog or white tail deer with no problems.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=284547

[Heavy lead]

My Marlin .357 won't feed a 358429 at all, it'll lift it up but catches on the drive band, single loaded it's simply accurate more so than the WFN that shoots in my revolvers like a house of fire, however they feed fine. Expecting the new .44 I bought would be the same was a mistake, it feeds the 503 Mihec H and G clone perfectly without a hitch. My model 94 feeds anything I feed it now that I modified the lifter even that Blammer NOE330 grain boolit with the .47 nose, I'm thinking the Marlin is going to get modified too as it'll feed the Lee 310 on the upper groove but not quite on the lower groove.

[EDK]

I've had at least one 44 MARLIN for almost 40 years...and S&W and RUGER revolvers too. If you go to lasc.us and read Glenn Fryxell's article on 1894 MARLINS, you'll learn a lot of things I learned the hard way!

Most 44s will feed some semi wadcutters....429421 is problematic; 429244 works in mine. A round nose flat point is the optimum shape for trouble free feeding. The LYMAN 429667 is good; the RANCH DOG TLC 432 265 is also good...he designed it for MARLIN rifles.

Basic MARLIN loads are .432+ diameter boolit, hard alloy, gas check, and high end velocity. What works in your rifle might be a little rough in your pistols. I size to .432 if I can on everything, but I'm casting/reloading for a number of 44 RUGERS and several rifles, ballard and micro-groove rifled.

:cbpour::redneck::Fire:

[MakeMineA10mm]

THE boolit for the Marlin 44-cal 1894, is the ole Lyman 429640 RNFP (NOT the Devastator HP, which, unfortunately is the only way Lyman sells it these days... Single cavity...).

The first group buy I jumped on here at Cast Boolits was Boomer Mikey's Lee 6-cavity run of the old solid-nose version. It's a fantastic boolit! Use it in my 444 Marlin as well as the 44 1894.
http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=179&pictureid=1033

Load it fast/hot, and you'll have a thumper load that'll kill anything imaginable in North America (and most other places on our planet). Load it moderately, and you have a pleasant shooting load that still has good terminal ballistics.

Feeds great in my Marlin (although I might have just gotten lucky, as mine feeds Keith SWCs great too). Also shoots well in my S&Ws.

[longbow]

Yeah, I would like to know why some Marlins feed SWC's no problem and others just won't.

It has to be a tolerance issue that positions the carrier either right or wrong.

As mentioned, mine had the same problem as Heavy lead's ~ even if OAL wasn't a problem, then it would hang up on the shoulder of the front driving band.

It took a lot of "tweaking" to fix that but it seems now I have the Marlin timing problem feeding two through from the mag occasionally.

Well, I wouldn't want spare time on my hand so I got bored.

Longbow

[Packy]

Now all I have to do is find one of them lee six cavity molds of the 429640, and I won't have to make them one at a time.:bigsmyl2:

[EDK]

Now all I have to do is find one of them lee six cavity molds of the 429640, and I won't have to make them one at a time.:bigsmyl2:

RANCH DOG TLC 432 265 is d*** close...also the NOE plain base lube groove clone of same; LYMAN 429667 also.

BRP made a version of 429640, but they're out of business. MIHEC did a hollow point and possibly a solid. I'd like one myself...four cavity brass CRAEMER hollow point with reversible pins please.

:Fire::cbpour::redneck:

[phaessler]

Lyman 429640 or Mihec 432 640 (solid or HP), with 2400. water-dropped WW, sized 0.432"

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=123374

Pete

[Lloyd Smale]

my two wont feed the 421429 but both will feed the rcbs 240 swcgc and its actually the most accurate bullet ive found in both of them.

[MakeMineA10mm]

Without searching through the group buy forum to see if one is running by MiHec or someone else, you can check the swapping forum to see if someone is selling one, or go with the Ranchdog mould.

I wouldn't mess with the Lyman version. It is offered only as a HP, and that makes it weaker around the mouth (very thin mouth at the tip of the HP, which can get deformed as it is fed through the action). I have one, cast them fairly soft, and use them almost totally in my revolvers. (But they can work in the Marlin, I'm sure.) The biggest problem is how slow they are to cast... Can't get much production for lever-action fun with those one-cavity moulds.

There's nothing wrong with the Ranch Dog. It's designed to fit the throats of the Marlin and will give you awesome accuracy, in all likelihood. Since the solid-nose version of the 640 bullet isn't always available, the RanchDog would probably be the better recommendation.

[EDK]

I have to apologize to MMA10MM...his group buy clone of 429421 has feed very well and been accurate in my MARLIN Cowboy Rifles, as well as my 44 pistols. I got in on his group buy from LEE and then MIHEC came up with his version...got them both delivered about the same time MIHEC'S brass mould "trumps" the aluminum LEE...it ain't cheap, but the quality is outstanding.

There are TWO group buys currently on the MIHEC version of 429 640. One is a solid and the other a CRAEMER system hollow point....both of them four cavity brass. You can switch the pins around in the CRAEMER and make solids....so I ordered one as soon as I heard about the group buy.

I ordered my last few moulds in .434...CYA... and just received a .433 die for the STAR lubri-sizer from Lathesmith. No opportunity to try that diameter in the MARLINS since it has hovered around 95 for the last couple weeks, but every step larger in diameter from .429 improved accuracy.

:cbpour::redneck::Fire:

[exile]

I have been seriously thinking about getting a Marlin 1894 in .44 magnum. I passed on a .357 model the other day, since .357 magnum in a rifle is not legal for deer in Nebraska. Not to change the thread, but;

This rifle would be mostly a plinker for me. Does anyone know if a 200 grain RNFP boolit seated in a .44 Special case would feed in these rifles, or would the OAL be too short?

I ask because that is mostly what I shoot through my Smith and Wesson Mountain Gun.

I know I could change it if it did not feed but I am just curious?

Thanks.

exile

[TCFAN]

Don't know about 44 special cases but the Lee 200RNFP works great in my Marlin Cowboy with Mag case and 9.5grs of unique. About the same velocity as a 44-40. All the power I need for general shooting ..............Terry

[exile]

Thanks. I have that mold, guess I'd just have to buy some .44 mag. brass. That's o.k., I love a new box of brass from Starline.

exile

[MakeMineA10mm]

I have to apologize to MMA10MM...his group buy clone of 429421 has feed very well and been accurate in my MARLIN Cowboy Rifles, as well as my 44 pistols. I got in on his group buy from LEE and then MIHEC came up with his version...got them both delivered about the same time MIHEC'S brass mould "trumps" the aluminum LEE...it ain't cheap, but the quality is outstanding.

There are TWO group buys currently on the MIHEC version of 429 640. One is a solid and the other a CRAEMER system hollow point....both of them four cavity brass. You can switch the pins around in the CRAEMER and make solids....so I ordered one as soon as I heard about the group buy.

I ordered my last few moulds in .434...CYA... and just received a .433 die for the STAR lubri-sizer from Lathesmith. No opportunity to try that diameter in the MARLINS since it has hovered around 95 for the last couple weeks, but every step larger in diameter from .429 improved accuracy.

:cbpour::redneck::Fire:

No apologies EDK. I love a brass mould as much as the next guy, and don't blame you a bit! :)

[1kshooter]

Ranch dog .432-265gr and no looking back for me ...the thing is awsome and I have been making hits on ground hogs out to 300 yards with it ...it preformed so well in my new 1894 44mag that my hunting buddy called every stor that sold guns in Canada to get a 94 in 44mag and ended up finding a used one!
this gun is so accurate I have a hard time grabbing anything eles out of the vault now!

the Ranch Dog molds are so well made and cast so well even if you are a novice caster you will be getting great results fast and as it is a 6cav mold for less money then most single cav molds you will be in buisness for a lot less coin to!
Jonathan

[kidmma]

TCFAN, I have had no problems feeding 200gr RNFP with 44sp cases. I have a Marlin 44s.

[cabezaverde]

TCFAN, I have had no problems feeding 200gr RNFP with 44sp cases. I have a Marlin 44s.


My Winchester 94 in 44 mag will not feed these in 44 Special cases.

[rhouser]

I shoot a Marlin 94cb with 24" barrel, a ruger vaquero, and a S&W 29 all in .44 mag. I am using the Ranch dog .432-265gr. I use the lee bullet luber size .430 for my Ruger Vaquero based on .430 being a tight finger push out of the cylinder bore. I use the Ranch Dog custom sized .432 Luber for my Marlin. The rifle LOVES the ranch dogs at .432 with H110 powder. The 94 will shoot the .430 sized RD's well but Clearly likes the .432 better. The Vaquero loves the RD's at 430 also the H110 load indexes well with the sights. The Smith doesn't love any full house CB's as much as jackets. When I slow it down, the Smith shoots all 240 grain swcs like a champ.
I know this is long, but, my point is that the Ranch dog .432-265gr mold will support both Cowboy Guns as long as I use the right sizer. Note that I am a hunter, varmint shooter, and part time paper puncher. My guns do it all with this boolit, the sizers, and H110.
thanks for the great forum. rc

[greywolf444]

ditto on the ranch dog 265gr. I load mine crimped in the first lube groove. feeds perfect,shoots perfect. wacks deer like no bodies business. anything larger than an orange is in serious trouble. I used the lee 310 and it was really too much of a good thing. neded to be run fast for best accuracy and I prefer a general load of around 1200 fps for everyday use. they penetrate like crazy though. a full tube of max loaded 310's is more than enough fun for me most days. I load the 265 by the bucket full and they are just right in rifle and pistol for all day shooting.

[1kshooter]

ditto on the ranch dog 265gr. I load mine crimped in the first lube groove. feeds perfect,shoots perfect. wacks deer like no bodies business. anything larger than an orange is in serious trouble. I used the lee 310 and it was really too much of a good thing. neded to be run fast for best accuracy and I prefer a general load of around 1200 fps for everyday use. they penetrate like crazy though. a full tube of max loaded 310's is more than enough fun for me most days. I load the 265 by the bucket full and they are just right in rifle and pistol for all day shooting.

X2 for me I did buy the Lee roll crimp die and as it sizes the outer case after loading and rools the crimp perfect i use it for all my M94 bullets!

[MakeMineA10mm]

this gun is so accurate I have a hard time grabbing anything eles out of the vault now!


This is exactly what has happened to me! The Marlin is in the front, center of the safe, because it ALWAYS goes. Even if I don't plan on shooting it much, it's there.

I think the other things combined with the accuracy that make it a "go-to" gun are:

1) ease of loading straight-walled pistol cases, and
2) makes me feel just a little bit like John Wayne! [smilie=w:

[1kshooter]

This is exactly what has happened to me! The Marlin is in the front, center of the safe, because it ALWAYS goes. Even if I don't plan on shooting it much, it's there.

I think the other things combined with the accuracy that make it a "go-to" gun are:

1) ease of loading straight-walled pistol cases, and
2) makes me feel just a little bit like John Wayne! [smilie=w:

no kidding:shock:....I fought the lever bug for a long time and now that I have two 1895 45-70 and the 1894 44mag I am shoked that more people don't find them to be there go to gun!
never again will I dought the powers of a wel mad lever!
I am hitting ground hogs at 300 yards of my knees from a sitting position..with a darn pistol cartrige!! ...that same gun I think, with the 265gr Ranch dog bullet has enough energy to take anything in North America at 200yards or less and I bet it has more then enough to take every one of the big five at 50yards or less!
all in the compact 20" ...6.5lb extention of my arm lol

[Hogokansatsukan]

I had a Marlin .44 in blue a few years back and that fed Lee 200 RFN just fine in 44 special cases. I even tried to feed it 44 Russian, but that was a no go. Bullet shape made a huge difference in that particular rifle for feeding. The Lee 310 wouldn't feed nicely. The Lyman Devastator would not feed nicely (one had to work the action a bit). SWC of any type just made one want to turn the gun on themself. I ended up selling the rifle.
Then last Friday, I went and got another one. This time in SS, and it feeds the Devastator just fine, but I went ahead and ordered an Accurate Mold 43-240L, which Tom designed for the Marlin. I love a nice big flat meplat. I'll be testing this boolit with my 5.5 RSBH as well. Have a Freechex gas checker maker coming in the mail as well since I plan to use this boolit for both the Ruger and Marlin, I'll just try to head off any problems right away by checking them.
I thought my .32 H&R Marlin would prevent me from wanting another in .44, but alas, it did not.

[1kshooter]

Hogokansatukan, glad your bake in the .44 game:Fire::-D

[seabreeze133]

I have a New Model SBH 44 mmag and a brand new safe queen 1990 mfg Marlin 1894s in 44 mag. My loads are:
SBH - Lyman 429421 at 267 gr (4 pb and 1 WW) w/9 gr Unique. Accurate and should work well on Mr Piggy and Bambi.
Marlin - Lyman 429244 at 262 gr. WW water queched and sized to 432. 24 gr H4227. Lee liquid alox. Accurate and feeds w/out a bobble. Kinda warm for the lt wt SBH. :o)
This is my sillywet load from the early 80' and will drop the 50 # steel ram at 200 meters....right now. Killed a mule deer at 150 yds (measured) from a 10" SBH w/iron sights.

I have the RD 265 that I used in a long gone 444. VERY accurate w/the Beartooth recommended load of H335.

The Keith boolit nose is to long for reliable feeding.

DB

[Leadforbrains]

Picked up a used Marlin 94 in .44 mag awhile back. It feeds the Lyman devastators fine and it feeds Mihec Keith SWCs fine.

[PacMan]

seabreeze hit it on the head.
Real Keith bullet nose's are to long. Now some of the SWC which some confuse with the Keith will feed in some 1894s. The length not being the big problem but the front drive band hits on top of barrel when feeding. A little honning at the proper location cures a lot of the problems with swcs.

[MakeMineA10mm]

I have a New Model SBH 44 mmag and a brand new safe queen 1990 mfg Marlin 1894s in 44 mag. My loads are:
SBH - Lyman 429421 at 267 gr (4 pb and 1 WW) w/9 gr Unique. Accurate and should work well on Mr Piggy and Bambi.
Marlin - Lyman 429244 at 262 gr. WW water queched and sized to 432. 24 gr H4227. Lee liquid alox. Accurate and feeds w/out a bobble. Kinda warm for the lt wt SBH. :o)
This is my sillywet load from the early 80' and will drop the 50 # steel ram at 200 meters....right now. Killed a mule deer at 150 yds (measured) from a 10" SBH w/iron sights.

I have the RD 265 that I used in a long gone 444. VERY accurate w/the Beartooth recommended load of H335.

The Keith boolit nose is to long for reliable feeding.

DB

Hard to go wrong with either of those loads.

9.0grs Unique is a classic, and I totally agree: it wil slay deer fabtastically!

The 4227s are a sleeper powder in 44 Mag. I, along with others, get to far into 2400 or H110 and forget that the 4227s are fantastically accurate and quite powerful without the super-critical pressures. I need to go buy another can of 4227...

[edler7]

I'm going to bite on the MIHEC 429 640. My only questions are... do you fellows run GC or PB out of your Marlins ?

My barrel slugs at ~.43120, so I am thinking a .432 should work, but I can always size down a .434, and a .433 might work even better than a .432 ....opinions on this line of thinking, please ?

I love the gun, bought it like new...had maybe 3 boxes of shells ran through it, paid $300 for it. I would really like to come up with a load that would make my buddy with his Henry Big Boy turn green with envy, and I think bullet diameter is one of the keys ! [smilie=1:

[W.R.Buchanan]

How soon we forget. I ran a thread several months ago that I thought cleared up the SWC feeding problem in Marlin Rifles.

You put a .040-.060 chamfer on the sharp chamber mouth and the problem goes away. Simple as that.

This one feeds anything as fast as you can work the lever. I mainly shoot 429244 and Mihec /H&G503.

Randy.

[Leadforbrains]

How soon we forget. I ran a thread several months ago that I thought cleared up the SWC feeding problem in Marlin Rifles.

You put a .040-.060 chamfer on the sharp chamber mouth and the problem goes away. Simple as that.

This one feeds anything as fast as you can work the lever. I mainly shoot 429244 and Mihec /H&G503.

Randy.

Beautiful!!!
I was lucky as the previous owner must have done that with mine. :bigsmyl2:

[EDK]

I'm going to bite on the MIHEC 429 640. My only questions are... do you fellows run GC or PB out of your Marlins ?
.................................................. .................................................. ..............................and I think bullet diameter is one of the keys ! [smilie=1:

I'm 63012 on the 429640 hollow point group buy....434 PB, but I also have a LYMAN two cavity gas check version. BESIDES which, this boolit is so good that it will keep being resurrected in group buys. I just got a .433 sizer die for the STAR from Lathesmith...and he will cheerfully make a bigger one if necessary. But I'm primarily a pistol/Cowboy Action shooter who wants generic ammo for the rifle also.

For the primarily rifle shooter, gas checks are the way to go. Go to lasc.us and read Glenn Fryxell's article on 1894 MARLIN and the new one on boolit casting. Glenn is THE MAN on castboolits.

If we had to pick someone who has contributed the most to boolit casting in the past few years, you'd have to nominate Glenn Fryxell, Miha Previc (Mihec,) and Swede Nelson. I'll probably never meet any of them, but if I do lunch is on me.

:Fire::cbpour::redneck:

[edler7]

...Go to lasc.us and read Glenn Fryxell's article on 1894 MARLIN and the new one on boolit casting. Glenn is THE MAN on castboolits.




Went there last night and read Glenn's articles. I ordered the .434 GC after reading them. This bullet will be exclusively for my rifle, I don't have a pistol in that caliber.

Thanks for your input.

[1kshooter]

I read Glenn's articles as well..very good read!

[1Shirt]

All depends if you want them to function, load single shot, if they will chamber, etc.etc.etc. That said, I am partial to the big lee, and the Ranch Dog's. Kind of like they work, so why try to fix them.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[Irascible]

I used my 1894 in 44 mag as my first cowboy gun. I used the RCBS 200gr RFN and then switched to the 200gr Saeco RFN. Firing as fast as I can I would have an occasional hang up with 44 specials, but not with 44 mag cases, so I now stick with mag cases. If I Work the lever more slowly, it will feed either as well. I have not tried the 429421 nor the 429244, but the 429215 feeds fine as does the H&G #243GC. Jacketed bullets are Sierra 240gr JHC. They feed fine also. I got some sample 250gr slugs from Dixie Slugs they look like a cylinder with a slight champher on the edges of the nose. I didn't think they would feed, but in the mag cases, they feed as well as anything else. The designer claims he did a lot of work with OAL length and crimp groove to nose length to make them work and darned if they don't. What a hammer they must be when they hit.

[EDK]

There are a lot of good boolit designs available NOW. It wasn't so good years ago...LYMAN or LEE were pretty much the only multi cavity moulds available UNLESS you went custom on a H&G, etc...and then shot your allowance for a year!

I bought four cavity LYMANS in 427666 and 429667 years ago..used them in special and magnum brass pretty sucessfully. After I got the computer and stumbled into castboolits, my mould collection has blossomed. The RANCH DOG TLC 432 265 is a great design, as is the lube groove NOE clone. I really like the original LYMAN design of 429640, but it is a two cavity...now discontinued...and the superior MIHEC in a four cavity looks good to me, so I ordered one and am toying with the idea of a second. The round nose flat point works in your lever gun AND you have a wide range of boolit weights to choose from.

If your gun feeds semi wadcutters reliably, more power to you. My 357 MARLIN will also reliably feed FULL wadcutters...I've got three different full wadcutter moulds for the 44, but no luck in getting them to feed in my rifles so far. "BUT they sure make an impressive hole in the targets" if your goal is to impress people at the public range.

:Fire::castmine::redneck: