44 mag max length for the various lever guns?

[lar45]

Hi guys, I'm looking at drawing up some 44mag boolits and need a little help as to what will fit and function. I'm looking for some input as to the max COAL for 44 mag in the various lever guns.
Also what would be a max Meplat that might feed well?
I tried using the search but came up with lots of answers, 1.595", 1.610", 1.75" ...
Thanks, I appreciate the help
Glenn.

[bikerbeans]

I had a marlin 1894 44 mag and a marlin 336-44 mag. 1.61" was max length for cycling in both guns. Both cycled round nose and HPs just fine.

BB

[Themoose]

I had a Marlin briefly and found somewhere on the internet how to modify the carrier(IIRC) to feed longer cartridges...you had to carefully file it and again(IIRC) you only took off a max of .05" and it allowed longer cartridges to be loaded...I looked at a Henry the other week and took up a dummy round to check cycling in a 45-70... they didn't let me do it, but were happy to have the gunsmith do it... well it was too long to eject(bullet was still present) and gunsmith started disassembly when I him the bullet was not crimped and only slip fit and he used a pair of needlenose to pull the bullet out so he could cycle the action.

[Static line]

I have a Henry Big Boy Steel 44 mag. and I use this bullet from Accurate Bullet molds at 1.594" C.O.L. and they feed fine in my rifle.I get 1-1/2" to 2" groups at 100 yards with it and W-296 powder.
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=43-275MG-D.png

[longbow]

Filing the cartridge stop on a Marlin is easy. IIRC I took 0.090" off so it should feed about anything! Mind you with the 1:38" twist it won't stabilize much over 270 gr.

Factory COAL at 1.610" is what unaltered Marlins will feed so anything with longer nose to crimp groove has to be seated with crimp groove below the case mouth unless the cartridge stop is modified. My first hint was when I went and bought a Lyman 429421 mould for my Marlin and had feed problems both due to length and due to being SWC. My gun didn't like either aspect.

Like with the slow 1:38" twist you got to wonder why Marlin would hamper the ability for a rifle to shoot same ammunition as a handgun and many handguns are shooting 300 gr. + boolits that exceed factory COAL.

Oh well.

Longbow

[longbow]

And to better answer the question, like BB my unaltered Marlin cycled factory rounds and RNFP's reloads with COAL at or less than 1.610" (actually it would take a bit longer but not much) no problem.

Meplat on RNFP's didn't seem to cause a problem in my gun but it sure didn't like the Lyman 429421 or the H&G #503 SWC.

The Ranchdog design moulds at NOE would be a good choice as they are designed specifically for Marlins... if you have or get a Marlin anyway. The Ranchdog boolits have a large meplat. I don't know what the max meplat is for Marlin or other brands but the Ranchdog has plenty and it works so a good basis for comparing other designs.

Longbow

[Drm50]

I have a few Marlins, newest about 1970 model. From m39- 1895. None of these Marlins have given me trouble
feeding as long as Kieth type boolits aren't used. Even 39 wants to hang up with Rem Yellow Jackets. No problem with RN, FN or HPs. I have several 1894s brought in jammed with a hand load that was over spec OAL.
Never with factory ammo.

[Hickory]

I have an IMI Timberwolf 44mag and for it to operate smoothly the maximum OAL can not exceed 1.605 or else I have a lot of problems with it failing to feed.
I might explore the possibility of opening it up to allow for a longer cartridge.
Ten thousand of an inch maybe an achievable goal.

[Liberty1776]

I'm casting 200 grain RNFP (Round Nose, Flat Point) bullets using a Lee 6-cavity 429-200-RF mold. I then powder coat with Harbor Freight Red, and size to .430 using a Lee push-through sizer.

https://leeprecision.com/mold-6-cav-429-200-rf.html

235460

235461

235462

The boolit has a crimp groove. I seat to that groove. Brings the COAL to 1.5540".

Cycles fine in my 1894 Marlin and in my S&W 629.

But I built this boolit for Cowboy Action in the 1894. 6 grains of Trail Boss in the .44 Mag case.

[jimmyhat1978]

I've got a Henry BBS .44 mag and 1.610 is about the limit. Cycles pretty much everything under or at that no problem.