444 Marlin

[white eagle]

Does anyone have one?
Does anyone hunt with one?
I am getting the 444 bug and was curious how it performed in hunting
deer sized game or bigger
thanks

[Moleman-]

Only ever shot deer with mine. It'll put the thump on em.

[Winger Ed.]

Its sort of one more step going up the ladder from a .44Mag on your way to a .45-70.

[versa-06]

- I know all about that 444 bug, I had it. It should be a Texas heart shot specialist with a heavy boolit. I finally went with an 1885 454 casull due to powder consumption with the lighter loads, & also I would want a faster twist than most older 444 rifles had to offer. It would be costly to re-barrel an already expensive levergun.

[todd9.3x57]

i have a tc encore with a 23" MGM barrel in 444 marlin. i have killed deer with the 250gr penta hp, 255gr Kieth, 280gr wfn and lfn gc and 300gr fn gc, not to mention the 265gr hornady fn. its a good, if not great cartridge. i think it was 60-65 yards was my furthest kill with the 300gr fn gc and 2400/tuft of dacron. the furthest i tracked a deer was about 30 yards(and furthest kill). they mostly go 15 - 20 yards or they are drt.

[Moleman-]

I had a doe take a couple sideways steps, drop and then slide down a hill about 80yds. It was about a 120yd shot with a 265fn Hornady and Imr4198. Most drop right away or very quickly

[BamaNapper]

Personally, I like the 444. I was going to trade it a couple years ago and downsize to a 44 mag to save my shoulder. Thankfully the folks on here talked me out of doing it. Since then I've seen just how versatile the gun is. As they told me, you can load the 444 from mild to wild, and I tend to spend most of my primers down in the mild range. This year my deer stand is in the woods and I'll be shooting 60 yds tops. A full-up 444 load is not needed for these small Alabama deer so I'm using a load that's right at, or a bit north of 44 mag. I'm shooting a 250 gr SWC over Unique. I've had good luck with this bullet and velocity in 44 mag but have yet to have an opportunity with the 444. When deer season is over I'll probably bump the load up a bit and try for some of the bigger hogs on the property. Maybe average 150 lb deer (live weight) and 250 lb hogs.

As for cons with the cartridge, I have two. First is that the length of the case requires a serious swing of the lever, at least on the Marlin rifle. I had the Marlin in 44 mag years ago and it had a nice short swing. The second con would be the same with any rifle using a tubular magazine. To unload the rifle and climb out of a tree stand safely you need to empty the magazine by cycling the rounds through the chamber. It's a challenge every time to not drop more than maybe one round into the leaves and pine straw below.

[quilbilly]

I have taken both deer and elk with mine which I have had for well over 25 years. It is a grand cartridge. At the risk of offending our 45/70 enthusiasts, I bought mine all those years ago because I considered it to be more versatile than the 45/70 given all the .429 jacketed and cast boolits available for it. Nowadays I hunt with muzzleloader because the seasons are more pleasant here. After my experiences with muzzleloaders on elk, I actually downloaded the 444 a bit to be just slightly hotter than my 50 cal ML which has been so "definitive" on elk. Surprisingly (or maybe not), my microgroove 444 really likes both the 310 gr Lee at hunting velocities (1700 fps approx. for me) as well as 255 gr SWC-pb at fun-to-shoot velocities (1200 fps approx). Both feed well. Worth noting, however, is that in my neck-of-the-woods, a long shot on deer or elk is less than 100 yards and occasionally bayonet range.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I've shot one elk with the 444, a 6 point at about 55 yards in timber. Hit point of shoulder angling to go out rear edge of opposite shoulder. Wobbled, start to run and went down after 40 yards. Used 265 Hornady and max load of H322. This load is under MOA in my rifle, might be my most accurate at 100 yards except for a Savage 99 .243. I would not use the 265 Hornady on elk again, came apart with about a hundred grain chunk of lead under the hide. I've shot elk with the 45-70 and .358 Win, I like either one a little better. My 45-70 and .358's are all 1/2 to 1 pound lighter and might kill better due to better bullets available. I do get good cast bullet accuracy. Probably a good 300-325 grain gas checked bullet would work very well for stuff bigger than deer. H322 gave remarkable accuracy, better than Reloder 7, H 4198 or 2015 in my rifle. For black bear or deer the 265 Hornady or most any of the 250 to 300 grain bullets would work fine.

[white eagle]

I have a 27" MGM barrel that I have sent to Jes to rebore
depending on the depth of the screws for the forearm he is going to make it a 444
or if they are to deep for that a 35 Whelen
I really want the 444 though so I hope he can do the rebore for that

[Cast_outlaw]

I have one I use for dangerous game defence it’s a ruthless beast with the 310 lee and big charge of rl7 at 2000fps it’s in a winchester model 94 it’s accuracy is good enough for what I want at 100 yards at under 4”

[todd9.3x57]

I have a 27" MGM barrel that I have sent to Jes to rebore
depending on the depth of the screws for the forearm he is going to make it a 444
or if they are to deep for that a 35 Whelen
I really want the 444 though so I hope he can do the rebore for that


what caliber barrel do you have(that you are sending to JES)?

i like the 444. thats why i did sooooooooo much reloading for it. most of my loads are mild(i'm disabled), although i have shot her wild!!!!!

[white eagle]

I had a 22-6mm or a 224 Texas Trophy Hunter as it is otherwise known as
didn't like it in the Encore platform and it's my belief that they should not
chamber that round for it

[versa-06]

w e; What barrel length & twist rate are you going for?

[Moleman-]

My 444 Marlin is 1:38 and I wish it was a faster twist to work with heavier bullets. It'll shot the 310gr Lee's ok if run at the upper end, but slow then down and they don't shoot well. I have several wildcat 44's that match the 444 velocity up to 270gr bullets with twists from 1:16-1:20 that can shoot the 310's accurately at a lower velocity than my 444 can.

[Gundogx2]

I’ve got the short 444 with the faster twist and Ballard rifling shoots everything great bang flop short 18 in barrel handy and fast
only down is the porting but I’ll put up with it buy how it shoots


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[white eagle]

The barrel is 27" and I hope I can get a 1-20 twist
but don't know if he has that available

[Lee-fan]

Great caliber. I have an early Marlin .444 that has been my go-to since Ohio allowed it for gun season...devistating on deer. I have a Handi-rifle in .444 for my 10 year old boy. I have him practice with a lee 240 swc and Trail Boss all summer, then switch to the Lee .430 310gr. Over 2400 powder for the season. He's killed a small buck and 2 does so far. It's an accurate and versatile cartridge if you handload. It can go from cottontail to whitetail to T-rex. Absolutely love the .444!

[todd9.3x57]

Great caliber. I have an early Marlin .444 that has been my go-to since Ohio allowed it for gun season...devistating on deer. I have a Handi-rifle in .444 for my 10 year old boy. I have him practice with a lee 240 swc and Trail Boss all summer, then switch to the Lee .430 310gr. Over 2400 powder for the season. He's killed a small buck and 2 does so far. It's an accurate and versatile cartridge if you handload. It can go from cottontail to whitetail to T-rex. Absolutely love the .444!


just gotta luv that 2400 powder!!!!! i use 2400 with a tuft of dacron in my 444 and 35/30. dacron makes it shoot better. i forget exactly, but my 444 would go 1 1/2 - 2" at 100 yards(5 shots/bench) without dacron. it would go 3/4 - 1" at 100 yards(5 shots/bench) with dacron. that 300gr fn gc and 2400/dacron going 1624fps has killed some deer. my friend's late father(dad #2 to me) used(444 marlin) 280gr wfn gc and 2400/dacron that i loaded up for him. it does kill deer too!!!

[tmanbuckhunter]

444 has become one of my favorite cartridges. I push a modified Accurate 43-300FG out of mine, which matches XTP nose profile. The meplat is a little small and next year I'll be designing something else for my short throated Marlin 444P with a much wider meplat, but dead is dead. There is nothing I have shot with that rifle that wasn't dead within 50 yards or less.

[white eagle]

have the barrel with Jess now
he thought he could rechamber to 444 Marlin
but all depends on depth of forearm holes
so I can either have a 444 Marlin or money back and a 35 Whelen
either way it's a win

[versa-06]

W-Eagle; Maybe a 400 Whelen or a 405. Just a thought.

[white eagle]

Yeah I thought about the 405 but wanted a bigger bore
Gave some serious thought to that one, after all Teddy used that one
was starting out to get a 45-70 but have one and wanted
something a bit different and thought hmmm why not 444 Marlin
so here we are

[missionary5155]

Howdy Eagle
We have a 405 Jess. Groove is .412. Uses 444Marlin Brass. There is no animal that will get thwaped with a FN 300 grainer at same velocity that would ever be able to tell the difference.
But it is another caliber and as we already are 41 Mag / 414 SM rich we decided why not.
The 35 Whelen is a fine caliber... but once we got our first 375-06 the 35 was just no longer fitting our needs.
A .400-06 may yet be a part of our future. But we have a 405 Winchester so I just do not know....
But caliber .40 something rifles do a real fine job.

[versa-06]

Well maybe Jes will have some good news & 444 won't be a problem. May all go well for you!

[white eagle]

they are all exciting
aren't they?

[eastbank]

293192my 45-70 likes 4198 and puts three into this 100 yard group.

[todd9.3x57]

when i was going for a MGM barrel, i decided i should go with either the 338 federal or the 405 win. i was really into the 405 but i couldn't find the brass or the dies. my brother said the 444 marlin and my dad says in the late '60 to the '70s, that the 444 was real stomper for deer. i have a handi rifle in 45-70 that just doesn't impress me much.

i spent the next few days researching the 444 and i was impressed. i noticed a sell ad on another site that said they have 444 lee dies, 100 pcs of brass and 50 pcs of short brass that he could sell. i couldn't find anything (dies or brass)online and at my local gun store.......so i bought it. called MGM and told them to make a 444 marlin and the rest is history. i have shot them mild to wild, from 220gr wc to 300gr fngc and i burned alot of trial boss, unique, h4198, rel7 and 2400 to fill a ship. the 100pcs of brass is now 500 pcs and i'm good. i still have the 50 pcs of short brass, i hoping to build a 1898 spr armory in 405 JES that i could use in it.

[OFFSHORE]

when i was going for a MGM barrel, i decided i should go with either the 338 federal or the 405 win. i was really into the 405 but i couldn't find the brass or the dies. my brother said the 444 marlin and my dad says in the late '60 to the '70s, that the 444 was real stomper for deer. i have a handi rifle in 45-70 that just doesn't impress me much.

i spent the next few days researching the 444 and i was impressed. i noticed a sell ad on another site that said they have 444 lee dies, 100 pcs of brass and 50 pcs of short brass that he could sell. i couldn't find anything (dies or brass)online and at my local gun store.......so i bought it. called MGM and told them to make a 444 marlin and the rest is history. i have shot them mild to wild, from 220gr wc to 300gr fngc and i burned alot of trial boss, unique, h4198, rel7 and 2400 to fill a ship. the 100pcs of brass is now 500 pcs and i'm good. i still have the 50 pcs of short brass, i hoping to build a 1898 spr armory in 405 JES that i could use in it.

How did your loads work out with the Reloder 7? I have a 44 caliber wildcat I'm working with and RL7 is something I'm considering. This will be with 275/300 grain bullets. Thank you.

[todd9.3x57]

it worked out so good, that i gave up on h4198. rel7 is great for 20vt, 30-40 krag, 35/30, 7.65x53 and 30 remington.

[Tazman1602]

265 grain, DRT. Period. Got two!

Art

[white eagle]

good news
Ol Jess made my x-mass he could safely convert the MGM barrel to 444 Marlin
have two boxes of Remington ammo to use for brass and all
kinds of suitable molds in 44 caliber plus powder and primers galore
:Fire:

[missionary5155]

You will enjoy that 444. His barrels are excellent cast shooters.

[todd9.3x57]

you will luv the 444!!!!! i do!!!!

[versa-06]

Good News! JES is a working machine, probably won't have to wait very long. Congrats! But we wanna see a photo of the gun & a target sometime in the future. LOL

[Nazgul]

I have a Winchester Timber carbine and a Marlin (JM) stainless in 444. Very nice caliber. Settled on a 290 gr FNGC from NEI as the best round. Loads of fun.

Don

[KWJohnston]

I think there used to be a series of articles on loads for the 444 Marlin on Beartooth Bullets site. I can't find it anymore. Does anyone have a link ?

I might have the website confused, but seems like it was geared towards Heavy boolits in the 444.

Thanks.

[white eagle]

I think Beartooth is gone
I am working on a 308 gr ( air cooled WW + a touch of mono )
Accurate molds boolit and I just ordered a 330 gr GC boolit mold from Tom just the other day
site says 6 wks. out I hope not, but I will take what I can get :Fire:

[Tazman1602]

I miss BTB site greatly, I did find an archive of tech notes located here, it’s going to nag you for donations and if I could figure how to download the entire thing and make it public I would. Some of those heavy loads will blow through an 8” diameter maple no problem, hope this works for you.

https://web.archive.org/web/20181210202204/http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/index.htm

Don’t know how long they’ll be there….

Art

[Tazman1602]

Does anyone have one?
Does anyone hunt with one?
I am getting the 444 bug and was curious how it performed in hunting
deer sized game or bigger
thanks

Hey WE — check my latest post, found an archive of BTB tech notes a while back:

https://web.archive.org/web/20181210202204/http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/index.htm

Hope it works for you!

Art

[Ford SD]

I think there used to be a series of articles on loads for the 444 Marlin on Beartooth Bullets site. I can't find it anymore. Does anyone have a link ?

I might have the website confused, but seems like it was geared towards Heavy boolits in the 444.

Thanks.
What are you looking for ?

https://www.handloadermagazine.com/444-marlin

https://leverguns.com/articles/paco/444.htm

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?32969-444-Marlin-Pet-Loads

[Beerd]

I hope the attached files come thru okay:

[Tazman1602]

I hope the attached files come thru okay:

THAT WAS AWESOME THANK YOU!

Always loved my 444’s but those articles are priceless!

Art

[white eagle]

got them printed and saved
thanks

[PhatForrest]

My neighbor up in Maine loves his 444, and has taken moose and deer with it.

[versa-06]

---W.E. ; Is Tom cutting you a mold from his catalog, if so which one is it?,or is it one you drew up? He did one about a year ago (360-254C) for me that I drew up & it only took about 2-weeks.

[white eagle]

I am getting this one but I am having a gas check shank put on
so I guess it one I drew up, not sure if he will catalog it but that is the one I decided on
https://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=43-330D,
check it out

[versa-06]

--W.E.; That's a nice heavy, bet ya can't wait to hear the smack!

[KWJohnston]

Thanks for the link to the Articles! Had assumed the ones from Beartooth were long gone!

[versa-06]

---W.E. ; Have you heard anything from JES about your barrel, Curious about your project.

[white eagle]

oh yeah got the barrel back around x-mas
been shooting remington 240's and some
308 gr plain base cast but now am waiting on Tom
from Accurate with the 330 ggr gas checked mold
I just bet it will shine with cast then

[geezer56]

I have a 1-20 twist H&R handi rifle in 444. I shoot the Lee 310 GC boolit. It will make fist size holes in both sides of a 300 pound pig. I read all of Paco Kelly's writing on the caliber that I could find. He is a brave man. And in Factory ammo, the Hornady FTX is accurate as all get out, but the bullets are very frangible. The cast heavies are much more effective.

[versa-06]

Good to hear all is well with the project. Be nice to see photos of gun, boolit, & target in the future.

[white eagle]

not sure how to post pictures anymore
but will try

[versa-06]

I can't do it either, Not of this digital generation. Grand Kids R 2 Bizzy 2 show the old man.

[white eagle]

having a hoot with 17.0 gr Unique and a 260 gr Keith

[versa-06]

white eagle; Are ya gonna go & whack a critter with that Hoot Load?

[white eagle]

Yeah I think that will be rite around 1700 fps
might be a bit hot for 20-1 but I bet it would be near
perfect for wheel weight alloy
and a pleasant shooter to boot