Handloader Mag and the Marlin 1894 .44 Mag

[JesterGrin_1]

I found this to be interesting and odd. On page 12 of the new handloader Magazine june there is a small article where by someone asked questions about the bad accuracy of the Marlin 1894 in .44 Mag while he praises all of his other Marlins. And the response to this from writer Brian Pearce as with many other people both professional writers and the general public is the bad twist rate of the 1-38 twist rate should be changed to a 1-20.

I do not know why Marlin will not listen to all of these people and produce the rifle with a 1-20 twist rate to make them shoot. Heck even Winchester had a 1-20 twist rate as does Rossi and Puma. So there must be something to it.

But at least after many years they did change the 444 from a 1-38 to a 1-20 twist rate go figure.

[Nobade]

Brian Pierce also misses the fact that most Marlin 44 barrels measure about .433" in the grooves and it's hard to find commercial made bullets that size. If you use the right size bullets they can be made to shoot quite well. But I have also wondered why the slow twist rate, it's hard to get them to shoot well slow. Now that the 444 has a faster twist rate and people are using 400gr. bullets in them it is a whole 'nuther rifle compared to what it was when you had to use 265's.

[45 2.1]

Brian Pierce also misses the fact that most Marlin 44 barrels measure about .433" in the grooves and it's hard to find commercial made bullets that size. If you use the right size bullets they can be made to shoot quite well. True But I have also wondered why the slow twist rate Do a little history on this. The 44 Henry Flat has a 200 gr. healed boolit in the 1:38 twist. This has carried on till now. It works for 180 to 240 gr. usually. Tradition is a hard thing to change., it's hard to get them to shoot well slow. True, but several people on the forum here get it to shoot quite well fast with some very heavy boolits. Ask Dutch4122 about it. I believe he can show you a nice bug hole group shot with the irons that came on the barrel. Now that the 444 has a faster twist rate and people are using 400gr. bullets in them it is a whole 'nuther rifle compared to what it was when you had to use 265's.

[JesterGrin_1]

Some people that may call one group good and there are some that will call them bad lol.

My other two Marlins in 45-70 and .357 Mag will shoot under an inch at 100 yards. The 45-70 guide gun will shoot 3/4 of an inch and better at 100 yards as will the .357 Mag. Where as the Marlin in .44 Mag will only shoot between 2 and 2 1/2 inches at 100 yards.

The best and most consistant groups I have gotten with my Marlin 1894SS in .44 Mag is with the Lee 310Gr sized .432 which hovers around the 2 to 2 1/2 mark at 100 yards. And that is with 21.OGr of either H-110 or W-296.

And I have tried many loads in the .44 Mag Marlin with boolits ranging from the 240Gr up to the Lee 310Gr and the Group buy mold here for the 44/444 which in my blend is a 308Gr HP/GC. I have thrown over 500 rounds through that rifle to find a load till I am sure that this is just the best the rifle will do. Which for me does not give me enough confidence in the rifles ability to place shots to hunt with.