Marlin 1894 .44mag--What's a good gp?

[Shuz]

Folks--I've been messing around with a Ballard bbl'd 1894 in .44 mag for a couple of years now, kinda half heartedly because I couldn't get it to group within 3" at 100 yds right off the bat. Well, I started playing around with it again lately and have found that this particular gun needs .432 boolits in order not to get any leading. Today I shot Lyman's 429215GC'd at .432 and Saeco 6 hardness with 20.3g of 2400. The load did not lead at all, but the group's were non-existant at 100 yds. Most were in the 4 to 5 inch range. I have a 4x Leupold mounted on the gun.
I got to thinking............maybe this is as good as it gets with cast boolits in this 1:38 twist lever rifle. Am I expecting too much? I was hoping for 3" or better groups once I got the leading issues resolved by going to .432 diameter. What say ye?

[AnthonyB]

Shuz:
I have a Browning M92 44 Mag with a 1:38 twist and solved my accuracy problems by sticking with the buckhorn sights - the rifle shoots as well as I can see!
Tony

[felix]

Ray, I LIKE Tony's answer! None better. Perfect conclusion for the configuration, no doubt about that. Just fit the chamber with the biggest boolit in town, and then plug your beer cans before sending them to the recycler. ... felix

[Moondawg]

I have a Marlin 94, with Ballard rifling, in 44 mag. I have pretty much had the same problem as you have. At 100 yards my best groups average 4-5 inches, sometimes if the sun is just right I get a 3" group. I have tried powders slow to fast, lead boolits sized .432, light to heavy, with and without gascheck. My rifle has peep sights. One problem I know of is that there is a constricted area in the bore that is right at the dovetail for the rear sight. I think when Marlin cut the dovetail, they cut it small and instead of taking time to fit the rear signt, they forced it into the dovetail, causing a barrel constriction. Between the barrel in general being oversize and then having a constriction about six inches in front of the chamber, 4" is probably as good as it is going to get. I have also heard of larger caliber Marlins that have the reverse of the role marks show up inside the barrels. These barrels are not that thick to start with and when you cut undersized dovetails or really whack them with rool mark stamps, the displaced metal is going to go somewhere.

[TCFAN]

Try a RD 432-265 with IMR 4227. I size mine at .433 in a Lee size die after I lube and gas check in a Lyman 450 with a .4345 die with BAC. My marlin is the 20 inch cowboy and will stay in or around 2 inch at 100 yards. It also shoots the Lee 200 gr. round flat nose boolit with 9.5 grs of unique very well also.......Terry

[Nobade]

That same RD boolit shoots quite well in my Marlin without the gas check over 13gr. 10B101, around 2 inches. It's even better with the NOE black powder boolit or the Keith boolit #429427?? and FFFg black powder. These pistol caliber lever guns seem to really love black powder! Way easier to get them to shoot with that, just not as powerful and more fragrant.

[runfiverun]

you know they got the twist rate from the 44-40 right??
the 44-40 happens to use 200 gr boolits.

if i short roll the nose, and hollow point my home swaged 240's, my browing 92,and model 94 will shoot jaxketeds very well sized at 430.

[Shuz]

Here's the boolits I've tried: Lee 200 RNFP--427098HP and solid,Beagled to .431,--429215gc,--Lee custom plain base 225RNFP,--429421 of several configurations,--Mihec 503 clone,--429667,--Ranch Dog 265gc@.431, and perhaps some others I've forgot. Powders used have been:Green Dot, 2400, and WC820. I'll cast up some RD 265's and size them at .432 since I now know this rifle doesn't show any leading at this diameter and see what happens. I'm about outta patience with this rifle, but thanks for the help.