# 444 Marlin



## Marshloft (Mar 24, 2008)

Stopped in at a pawn shop today lookin to find a tool box for my truck and decided to see what they had in rifles. Been searching for one for well over a year.
Been too undecided what I really wanted. Been to the gun and knife shows. And have checked out everything from a 270 to a 45-70. Just was never satisfied and or felt comfortable with what I've seen.
Well, this pawn shop had a nice little 444 marlin that seemed to fit me perfectly. Held it up and aimed both left and right handed. It felt good.
The ammo is going to cost a mint I've since discovered.
You might ask why a 30-06 or maybe a 30-30 wouldn't work for me. And I'd say, it might, but I'm a rebel at heart, and I just want something different.
That being said. Anything you can tell me I should be on the look-out for in this gun?
They are asking 550.00 That price seems to be in range from what I've discovered online anyway.
Thanks
GH


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## littlejoe (Jan 17, 2007)

That being said. Anything you can tell me I should be on the look-out for in this gun?

Never had a marlin. but kind of the opinion that any/most guns are good to have. And I'm really trying to limit myself to dies, brass, and powder, I have on hand.

I've had a fancy for the same, just went with the 44 mag at the time being? Now I've got two 44 mag rifles, and wanting a pistol?


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

The 444 marlin is a great gun. Shoots very well. It's a 150 yard and in gun. Great for thick brushy areas. 550 is a bit high. Around here they average about 400 in great shape. But your area may have less of them so it could be right. Marlin makes great guns. They alyways function well and are more accurate than their winchester counterparts. Personally I like the 35 Remington marlin. It's different, gives the same yardage and cost less to shoot. 444 ammo can be hard to come across at times. But so can any ammo right now. Lol


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

run your SN# it may be that it is a Marlin and not a Remlin
Remington bought out Marlin and some people saw QA drop 

safety or pre safety some people also don't like the safety

444 marlin is one of those cartridges that start a fella reloading a single stage press powder measure , scale could probably be paid for in 200 rounds of savings , you can make up lighter load also for when you don't need full power 
.440 round balls and a tiny charge of fast pistol powder and you have a inexpensive bunny buster or gallery round 

444 is supposed to be .427 but you can either size down .429 and .430 bullets or often the microgroove rifling easily accepts the larger bullets you need to slug the barrel with a brass rod and a well lubed .440 round ball and measure to know 
using these bullets and lighter combinations you can do a lot with it and if you have the brass shoot for very little a round for practice 25 cents a round would be reasonable while factory hunting ammo is likely more around 1.50 to 2 dollars a round


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## Dutch 106 (Feb 12, 2008)

Hey Guys, 
I had one for a few years but it was one of those guns fun to play with but no real utility in my collection. I reloaded a few hundred rounds, if your thinking of reloading a bit of research. with the Micro groove rifling you cannot use cast bullets they just don't spin down the bore, it took me a bit to prove that to myself the round ball round doesn't work with this one but a good thought. reloading straight sided rifle cartridge's isn't the easiest round to start with if you want odd, find one of the 307 win lever action guns ought to be weird enough for anyone but bullets will be cheap.
but that's not what has the monster on your back. Or a BLR 358 win round.
If you go after it I'd offer them $400 and let them try and dicker you up, as long as you use humor this will get you father than you think and doing it with the boss will also get you further.
Have fun, good luck,
Dutch


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

dutch what size was your groove

I shoot cast from a micro groove 30-30 I size to .311 as a .308 bullet would not grab the rifling enough and strip, you must slug the bore and see how much over sized the bullet will need to be

if you have a tight chamber and a loose bore lead can be an issue , and the gun might take modifying to make it shoot lead and that may not be worth it


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## Marshloft (Mar 24, 2008)

Thanks for your input. I just have a desire for a big bore rifle. The 45-70 just didn't feel right and can't afford a 50cal.
I'll get the SN saturday and look at it a little closer. I could be talked out of easy enough. But then again, I'd be back to lookin again.
GH


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## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

The .444 shoots like a motar round. 100 yards it drops a lot but if you want to shoot elephants at close range its a good caliber. Not practicable for a combat gun or deer hunting for that matter.

I've got a friend who has a .588 if you want a large caliber LOL


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

oldasrocks said:


> The .444 shoots like a motar round. 100 yards it drops a lot but if you want to shoot elephants at close range its a good caliber. Not practicable for a combat gun or deer hunting for that matter.
> 
> I've got a friend who has a .588 if you want a large caliber LOL


it may not be laser strait but it is hardly a mortar at 100 yards 

even pistol rounds are fairly flat to 100 yards 

hornady puts their 444 ammo at 4 inches high for a 200 yard zero 

even 2 3/4 inch slugs from a smooth bore shotgun that are drag stabilized get to 100 yards on a calm day , now in a stiff wind I have had them start to tumble around 80 yards 

I have taken a lot of deer with 12ga slugs from a smooth bore , where we hunt one can hardly ever even see to 80 yards all deer have been shot under 100 yards often 30-50 is most common I have shot them as close as 10 yards 

I would consider the 444 as a "woods rifle" but if one sighted it at a 100 yard zero 4 inches low at 200 is not bad at all or better yet 2 inches high at 100 and 2 inches low at 200


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## Dutch 106 (Feb 12, 2008)

Hey Guys,
Greencounty it was 10 + years ago I remember slugging the bore, but not the dimensions I even tried softer bullets with gas checks but the accuracy never got better than yards (at 100yds) and it was easy to clean the bunch's of lead left in the bore. 
But I'm one of those accuracy snobs if I cannot get them under minute of angle I lose interest I was never able to do that with my rifle. As much fun as it was I have kept my eyes open for a 45-70 or 375 win for that mater but neither has wandered up and bit me on the --- . 
I'm getting better results from the coating I've got a 80 pounds of powder coat paint coming from eBay one of those I bought it for $3 and 100 bucks in shipping idiot deals. I really hope I get some use out of it white, aqua and tan so not super neat colors but should be a life time supply. And of course failures like with the 444 makes me squirm with the new technology among my next projects is to see if I can get a lead bullet with gas check and coated to work in the M1A.
Cheers,
Dutch


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

there is a user Bruce over on cast boolits that did exactly that got cast boolits with a gas check working in his M1A he documented it well and had a very nice write up 

you can't push cast as hard as jacketed but you can definitely get it to shoot in most things


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