back in the early 1970s one of the guys I know rather well, had purchased what at the time was a rather interesting marlin lever action in caliber 444 marlin.
Back in the mid 1960s marlin introduced the 444 marlin rifle,
the original factory load used a Remington 240 grain pistol bullet that was devastating on deer
, if hit in the chest/lungs/heart area,as it expanded rapidly,
but it had less than ideal penetration.
Soon after , Hornady rapidly produced a much improved thicker jacket 265 grain that was exceptionally accurate for the rifles.
on one hunt I saw him drop two deer in mere seconds at about 120 yards, shooting off hand,
each dropped instantly when hit...
I was very impressed, but I was about 21-23 years old at that time.
those big bore marlins were handy and accurate, but I was not all that happy with the micro groove rifling,
as I like shooting cast bullets. many guys I know purchased those rifles,
most people loved the 444 marlins,
but a few objected to the recoil levels, and lack of flat trajectory much past about 200 yards.
recoil at that level is similar to a 30/06 or milder 300 mag loads,
Accuracy was rarely an issue with the marlin lever guns,
but some old scopes are not as well made, as some of the more modern versions.
and I've found defective or loose,scopes and mounts are much more likely to be the source of accuracy issues that appear using rifles that previously were known to produce good tight groups.
.444 Marlin Reloading and Ballistics Data
Test-Fire: Marlin Model 444 18-1/2” .444 Marlin
Bullet Load MV
Barnes 275 gr. JFP 48.0 gr. H322 1945 fps
Barnes 275 gr. JFP 46.0 gr. Re-7 2081 fps
Barnes 275 gr, JFP 45.0 gr. Re-7 2030 fps
Hornady 265 gr. JFP 46.0 gr. H322 1787 fps
Hornady 265 JFP 48.0 gr. H322 1925 fps
Hornady 265 JFP 51.0 gr. H322 2030 fps
Hornady 265 JFP 45.0 gr. Re-7 1951 fps
Hornady 265 JFP 51.5 gr. H4895
1894 fps
Hornady 300 XTP 46.0 gr. H322
1884 fps
Hornady 300 XTP 48.0 gr. H322
1974 fps
Hornady 300 XTP 45.0 gr. Re-7
2105 fps
Hornady 300 XTP 51.3 gr. H4895
1927 fps
Sierra 300 gr. JFP 46.0 gr. H322
1833 fps
Sierra 300 gr. JFP 48.0 gr H322
1939 fps
Sierra 300 gr. JFP 51.5 gr.H4895
1894 fps
Sierra 300 JFP 45.0 gr. Re-7
1957 fps
Speer 270 GDHP 46.0 gr. H322
1833 fps
Speer 270 GDHP 48.0 gr. H322
1938 fps
Speer 270 GDHP 45.0 gr. Re-7
1944 fps
Speer 300 JFP 49.5 gr. H4895
1791 fps
Speer 300 JFP 51.5 gr. H4895
1823 fps
Speer 300 JFP 46.0 gr. H322
1882 fps
Speer 300 JFP 48.0 gr. H322
1939 fps
Speer 300 JFP 45.0 gr. Re-7
1846 fps
CAST BULLET LOADS:
Bullet Load MV
NEI #295.429GC 49.5 gr. H4895 1831 fps
NEI #295.429GC 51.5 gr. H4895 1900 fps
NEI #295.429GC 48.0 gr. H322
2060 fps
CPBC 320 LBT 45.0 gr. Re-7
2065 fps
RCBS #44-300GC 49.5 gr. H4895
1906 fps
SSK 310 FP 51.3 gr. H4895
1918 fps
keep in mind minor changes like swapping to a different powder charge, different brand of bullet,where the case is crimped,
primer used,or over all cartridge length can effect accuracy,
most marlins love the ammo loaded with the hornady 265 grain bullet and
IMR 4198, VARGET, RL7 powder, and a 215 federal or Winchester mag primer,
many don,t shoot good groups with the 220-240 grain bullets.
btw 45 grains of RL7 , under that 265 grain hornady bullet with a federal 215 primer,
is a very well known accurate load in the 444 marlin,
I've loaded for 4 decades for guys using a 444 marlin in our elk hunt club.
the 444 marlin was at the time one of the first new larger bore lever action rifles, available for decades.
a couple months later he was in a tight financial bind and offered to sell me the rifle,
for about $175, which at that time was about $30 less than it cost new, and it had a 4x weaver scope mounted, that went with it.
I scraped up the cash,(a couple weeks pay back then) and purchased the rifle,
it shot very good , & consistently tight 1" 3 shot 100 yard groups , off a solid bench rest,
I used that rifle for 25-27 years, then I was offered $350 for it,
I sold it only because I found I could at the time purchase the newer version in 45/70 and I knew the 458 caliber 45/70 had a much better selection of cast bullets available....
well that and the rifle had developed a nasty habit of shooting about 3" groups,
( I did not think the bore was worn out as the cartridge is known for ,
being easy on bore wear,
and the rifle had less than 1000 shots fired,)
but I had a dozen guys suggest the bore was shot out or worn out,
The guy I sold it too, was well aware of this,
and was drooling, and thought it was a loose scope mount,
he was thrilled, just waiting too own that 444 marlin as all the new versions ,
were considerably different.
after he purchased the rifle he mentioned the rifle was only shooting about 4" hundred yard groups
I felt rather bad, and offered too refund his purchase price,
but before he decided, ..to sell it he wanted to do a test,
he purchased a 2.5x leopold scope and replaced the weaver scope it had had for decades,
as a result, instantly the marlin was again shooting 1" 3 shot 100 yard groups,
as a test he swapped scopes back again, and even 40 plus years later it still shoots 1" groups off a good bench rest with hand loads at 100 yards,
and as expected the result was 4" groups , he gave me the weaver scope,
I mounted it as a test on my 45/70, that resulted the 4"-5" groups,
the scope got sent back to weaver to be rebuilt,
and once it was back it shot well for about 5 -6 months then it started to throw shots rather randomly,
I it was returned to weaver and sold on its return, to a guy with a 39a marlin 22LR.
where as far as I know its still working ok.
BTW that 444 marlin with its 2.5X leopold scope has been on at least a dozen elk hunts in the past 48 plus years and, its killed at least 3 elk and its well re guarded and well trusted.
keep in mind most elk in the area WE hunt are killed at well under 250 yards.
I eventually traded my 45/70 for a browning 450 marlin caliber BLR and consider it to be both more accurate and considerably smoother and stronger than the marlin lever actions./
typical elk hunting terrain
Back in the mid 1960s marlin introduced the 444 marlin rifle,
the original factory load used a Remington 240 grain pistol bullet that was devastating on deer
, if hit in the chest/lungs/heart area,as it expanded rapidly,
but it had less than ideal penetration.
Soon after , Hornady rapidly produced a much improved thicker jacket 265 grain that was exceptionally accurate for the rifles.
on one hunt I saw him drop two deer in mere seconds at about 120 yards, shooting off hand,
each dropped instantly when hit...
I was very impressed, but I was about 21-23 years old at that time.
those big bore marlins were handy and accurate, but I was not all that happy with the micro groove rifling,
as I like shooting cast bullets. many guys I know purchased those rifles,
most people loved the 444 marlins,
but a few objected to the recoil levels, and lack of flat trajectory much past about 200 yards.
recoil at that level is similar to a 30/06 or milder 300 mag loads,
Accuracy was rarely an issue with the marlin lever guns,
but some old scopes are not as well made, as some of the more modern versions.
and I've found defective or loose,scopes and mounts are much more likely to be the source of accuracy issues that appear using rifles that previously were known to produce good tight groups.
.444 Marlin Reloading and Ballistics Data
Test-Fire: Marlin Model 444 18-1/2” .444 Marlin
Bullet Load MV
Barnes 275 gr. JFP 48.0 gr. H322 1945 fps
Barnes 275 gr. JFP 46.0 gr. Re-7 2081 fps
Barnes 275 gr, JFP 45.0 gr. Re-7 2030 fps
Hornady 265 gr. JFP 46.0 gr. H322 1787 fps
Hornady 265 JFP 48.0 gr. H322 1925 fps
Hornady 265 JFP 51.0 gr. H322 2030 fps
Hornady 265 JFP 45.0 gr. Re-7 1951 fps
Hornady 265 JFP 51.5 gr. H4895
1894 fps
Hornady 300 XTP 46.0 gr. H322
1884 fps
Hornady 300 XTP 48.0 gr. H322
1974 fps
Hornady 300 XTP 45.0 gr. Re-7
2105 fps
Hornady 300 XTP 51.3 gr. H4895
1927 fps
Sierra 300 gr. JFP 46.0 gr. H322
1833 fps
Sierra 300 gr. JFP 48.0 gr H322
1939 fps
Sierra 300 gr. JFP 51.5 gr.H4895
1894 fps
Sierra 300 JFP 45.0 gr. Re-7
1957 fps
Speer 270 GDHP 46.0 gr. H322
1833 fps
Speer 270 GDHP 48.0 gr. H322
1938 fps
Speer 270 GDHP 45.0 gr. Re-7
1944 fps
Speer 300 JFP 49.5 gr. H4895
1791 fps
Speer 300 JFP 51.5 gr. H4895
1823 fps
Speer 300 JFP 46.0 gr. H322
1882 fps
Speer 300 JFP 48.0 gr. H322
1939 fps
Speer 300 JFP 45.0 gr. Re-7
1846 fps
CAST BULLET LOADS:
Bullet Load MV
NEI #295.429GC 49.5 gr. H4895 1831 fps
NEI #295.429GC 51.5 gr. H4895 1900 fps
NEI #295.429GC 48.0 gr. H322
2060 fps
CPBC 320 LBT 45.0 gr. Re-7
2065 fps
RCBS #44-300GC 49.5 gr. H4895
1906 fps
SSK 310 FP 51.3 gr. H4895
1918 fps
keep in mind minor changes like swapping to a different powder charge, different brand of bullet,where the case is crimped,
primer used,or over all cartridge length can effect accuracy,
most marlins love the ammo loaded with the hornady 265 grain bullet and
IMR 4198, VARGET, RL7 powder, and a 215 federal or Winchester mag primer,
many don,t shoot good groups with the 220-240 grain bullets.
btw 45 grains of RL7 , under that 265 grain hornady bullet with a federal 215 primer,
is a very well known accurate load in the 444 marlin,
I've loaded for 4 decades for guys using a 444 marlin in our elk hunt club.
the 444 marlin was at the time one of the first new larger bore lever action rifles, available for decades.
a couple months later he was in a tight financial bind and offered to sell me the rifle,
for about $175, which at that time was about $30 less than it cost new, and it had a 4x weaver scope mounted, that went with it.
I scraped up the cash,(a couple weeks pay back then) and purchased the rifle,
it shot very good , & consistently tight 1" 3 shot 100 yard groups , off a solid bench rest,
I used that rifle for 25-27 years, then I was offered $350 for it,
I sold it only because I found I could at the time purchase the newer version in 45/70 and I knew the 458 caliber 45/70 had a much better selection of cast bullets available....
well that and the rifle had developed a nasty habit of shooting about 3" groups,
( I did not think the bore was worn out as the cartridge is known for ,
being easy on bore wear,
and the rifle had less than 1000 shots fired,)
but I had a dozen guys suggest the bore was shot out or worn out,
The guy I sold it too, was well aware of this,
and was drooling, and thought it was a loose scope mount,
he was thrilled, just waiting too own that 444 marlin as all the new versions ,
were considerably different.
after he purchased the rifle he mentioned the rifle was only shooting about 4" hundred yard groups
I felt rather bad, and offered too refund his purchase price,
but before he decided, ..to sell it he wanted to do a test,
he purchased a 2.5x leopold scope and replaced the weaver scope it had had for decades,
as a result, instantly the marlin was again shooting 1" 3 shot 100 yard groups,
as a test he swapped scopes back again, and even 40 plus years later it still shoots 1" groups off a good bench rest with hand loads at 100 yards,
and as expected the result was 4" groups , he gave me the weaver scope,
I mounted it as a test on my 45/70, that resulted the 4"-5" groups,
the scope got sent back to weaver to be rebuilt,
and once it was back it shot well for about 5 -6 months then it started to throw shots rather randomly,
I it was returned to weaver and sold on its return, to a guy with a 39a marlin 22LR.
where as far as I know its still working ok.
BTW that 444 marlin with its 2.5X leopold scope has been on at least a dozen elk hunts in the past 48 plus years and, its killed at least 3 elk and its well re guarded and well trusted.
keep in mind most elk in the area WE hunt are killed at well under 250 yards.
I eventually traded my 45/70 for a browning 450 marlin caliber BLR and consider it to be both more accurate and considerably smoother and stronger than the marlin lever actions./
typical elk hunting terrain
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