New Marlin 1894 44mag is on it's way!

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Last Post 06 August 2011

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1kshooter posted this 09 July 2011

man I am bit bad with this casting bug!

I ordered a 1894 Marlin 44mag today and it will be here Monday or Tuesday...well Six point Sika ...and Mr. Harris.....I am going to be on you for more load info:P as well as mold info powder and on & on lol thanks guys for all your help....you too Michael you know I will be ordering a mold from you for this bad boy lol

now the funny part ...I am getting this gun for ......are you ready for it ...ground hogs lol :jawdrop: I am having so much fun shooting them with the 45-70 I thought I would get something that was a little bit soffter on me ...and them lol and also a bit cheaper to load ...oh shit who am I kidding I just wanted it ...your not my wife I don't have to make stuff up:nawnawnaw:

I can't wait to get it out to the range and let some lead fly!

anyone have any fav loads,powder, mold or bullet thay would like to share?

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6pt-sika posted this 09 July 2011

About all I shot in the last Marlin 44 MAG's I had was the Ranch Dog 432-265GC with 23 grains of H-110 and the Ranch Dog 432-300GC with 21 grains of H-110 .

These are max loads .

I had started with 2400 because I had a supply on hand . But after Ranch Dog told me the success he was having with these two loads in his rifles I changed over and of course I started below this and came up !

I shot both these loads in a crca 1967 Marlin 336-44 Micro Groove , a Marlin 1894CB 24” ballard rifled and a Marlin 1894P 16 1/2” also ballard rifled and they all did well with these two loads !

BUT AGAIN work up to this as max !

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CBA Member

6pt-sika posted this 09 July 2011

Incidently both those molds mentioned work equally well in the 44 Maximum ( aka the 444 Marlin) .>

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1kshooter posted this 09 July 2011

LOL, Idid not know the 444 Marlin was ever called a 44 Maximum! ..very cool ....guess you don'twant to sell the mold then huh lol the 432-265GC is still on back order and I dont think I could swing the price of a new Ranch dog right now and stay married lol new gun new Ranch dog 45-70 mold on it's way as of last week ..new 44mag dies man I am honey do list for like months hee hee

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1kshooter posted this 09 July 2011

I am going to get a 444 Marlin in the future so i am glade to hear that the Ranch dog molds will work for both guns as that will be a huge savings for me in the long run!....if you have any used 44 molds that cast .431-.432 and want to part with them let me know brother!

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hunterspistol posted this 09 July 2011

:coffee You just wanted it? You aren't the only one. I have a 44 Special Flattop revolver, that levergun is one of my dream rifles. I'll be watching this adventure.

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1kshooter posted this 09 July 2011

Hunterspistol, i would have more then a few Ar's and hunting handguns if it were legal to use them for such here in Ontario Canada that is not possable as they are considered restricted firearms and can only be used for papper punching!

I will be posting a lot of picks with this bad boy and might even get a few g-hog hunts on video and figure out how best to share that with the masses.....got to addmit it is a bit of a change for me after training and shooting extreme long range and extreme uber accuracy firearms and ammunittion....like this

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delmarskid1 posted this 09 July 2011

it's good to try new things. It keeps the juices flowing. I enjoy anything that sends things through the air.

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1kshooter posted this 09 July 2011

delmarskid1 wrote: it's good to try new things. It keeps the juices flowing. I enjoy anything that sends things through the air. that for sure!....I am going to make a cannon one day just for fun...and maybe the odd ground hog .> lol

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CBA Member

6pt-sika posted this 09 July 2011

1kshooter wrote: LOL, Idid not know the 444 Marlin was ever called a 44 Maximum!

I'm not sure it was just sort of a joke on my part !

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CBA Member

6pt-sika posted this 09 July 2011

1kshooter wrote: I am going to get a 444 Marlin in the future so i am glade to hear that the Ranch dog molds will work for both guns as that will be a huge savings for me in the long run!....if you have any used 44 molds that cast .431-.432 and want to part with them let me know brother!

Just a hint !

When I started with the 44/444's I cast and sized at .430” because I thought that was the only sizing die I could get . Later RCBS started selling the .431” die and I got one and it improved my group size a bit !

About 1 1/2 years ago now I called Buffalo Arms and ordered a .432” and .433” dies from them . Since recieving them I've used the .432” die exclusively and if accuracy issues should start to crop with a load that worked in other rifles I still have the unused .433” die to fall back on in case the bore is a hair large .

Incidently after the success I had with the .432” die I called Buffalo Arms and got a .461” die for my 45-70 . And as you may imagine that seemd to tighten my 45-70 groups up a touch as well !

All of the latest custom molds I've order drop at .432” or better ! I'd prefer they drop no more then .4345” but one cannot have everything they want all the time . But one things for sure , if the molds a touch large you can remove lead but if it's a touch small you're SOL !

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CBA Member

6pt-sika posted this 09 July 2011

1kshooter wrote: I am going to get a 444 Marlin in the future so i am glade to hear that the Ranch dog molds will work for both guns as that will be a huge savings for me in the long run!

It was my understanding that the original Ranch Dog idea was botht he 265 and 300 grainer were built specifically for the 444 and later he found they worked nicely in the 44 MAG as well !

When he does a mold he usually takes chamber casts from specific rifles and sends them to his layout buddy . Matter of fact when he decided he wanted to do one for the 338 Marlin Express I sent chamber cast from one of the 338 Marlin Express rifles I had at that time because Michael had not decided whether he wanted a rifle in that cartridge or not . When he did the molds for the 25-20 and 32-30 I helped with some fired cases from different generation Marlin's in both calibers as well as chamber casts from most of the guns I sent fired cases from !

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1kshooter posted this 09 July 2011

6pt-Sitka as always my friend you are a welth of information ....man I wish you lived closer I would love to feed you some fine bourbon or beer and sit down on the porch with a note pad...and a poket full of pens!! does this Buffalo arms have a web site? can you recomend anywhere that I can buy a good used mold for my new toy as I would like to get one for a little less then new so the wife does not pack my bags lol

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CBA Member

6pt-sika posted this 09 July 2011

Here's a link to Buffalo Arms ,

http://www.buffaloarms.com/Default.aspx>http://www.buffaloarms.com/Default.aspx

And here's a link to a place you “may” be able to pick up a used mold or two .

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/>http://castboolits.gunloads.com/

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CBA Member

6pt-sika posted this 09 July 2011

1kshooter wrote: LOL, Idid not know the 444 Marlin was ever called a 44 Maximum! ..

Out of my “accumulation” of old 444 Marlin's I have one that was made in 1964 . Supposedly production was started in 1965 but I'm sure they started their production run in 1964 . However the gun that seriel numbers to 1964 thats in my possesion , has a rather unique rollstamp for the cartridge designation !

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1kshooter posted this 09 July 2011

great you are the only one in the world that has the 444 magnum!....lol

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1kshooter posted this 09 July 2011

I am a member of that fine site as well and I just posted a WTB add and will do the same here! thanks again for the insight! Jonathan

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6pt-sika posted this 09 July 2011

1kshooter wrote: great you are the only one in the world that has the 444 magnum!....lol

I'm pretty sure more then just this one were made in 1964 and rollstamped the same .

I would think atleast 20 or so . Possibly a good many more .

I got that one off Gunbroker this past February while I was in the Philippines !

This internet email thing works wonders !

I bid on it at the buy it now price , then sent my gunsmith buddy an email telling him what I did as I bid thru his call name . And told him either call my dad and he would bring a check or if he wanted take care of it and I would cover it when I got back in a week or so !

Think I paid $450 for that rifle with a period Marlin 4x scope and the rings and bases Marlin used to offer in their package deals when you got the scope as well !

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1kshooter posted this 09 July 2011

wow! what a deal bro...I think that gun could be worth a fortune with the thought of only 20 or so being in the market place! I have heard of some crazy stuff with low # guns like 1911A1 built by singer sewing mechine company ...in the millions brother!!!

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6pt-sika posted this 09 July 2011

1kshooter wrote: wow! what a deal bro...I think that gun could be worth a fortune with the thought of only 20 or so being in the market place! I have heard of some crazy stuff with low # guns like 1911A1 built by singer sewing mechine company ...in the millions brother!!!

Supposedly this model 444 was made from 1965 to 1971 and I have atleast one rifle from each of those years to prove it !

However I also have the aformentioned 1964 rifle as well as another that seriel numbers to 1972 . As for the 1972 rifle I know of one other that dates to that year and I've tried half sarcastickly to buy that one a couple times as it belongs to a friend in Texas .

So If I had to trim down the 16 first model 444's I have I think I'll keep three . The 1964 rifle , the 1972 rifle and the 1966 rifle I made a retro 444P out of !

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1kshooter posted this 10 July 2011

he who dies with the most toys ...wins lol if you sell it it's gone for ever...now if you can get enough to buy lots of new toys,well then it is tottaly worth it lol

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6pt-sika posted this 10 July 2011

1kshooter wrote: he who dies with the most toys ...wins lol if you sell it it's gone for ever...now if you can get enough to buy lots of new toys,well then it is tottaly worth it lol When I sell toys usually the proceeds go towards a trip to the Philippines to vist my significant other and our daughter !

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1kshooter posted this 12 July 2011

I would love to see the Philippines one day! from every pic I have seen i think I would love it....I watched an eppisode of Anthony Bordaine when he visited and he said of all the places he has been the Philippines is the only spot he could think about spending the rest of his life!

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6pt-sika posted this 13 July 2011

1kshooter wrote: I would love to see the Philippines one day! from every pic I have seen i think I would love it....I watched an eppisode of Anthony Bordaine when he visited and he said of all the places he has been the Philippines is the only spot he could think about spending the rest of his life!

Here's a picture taken in January 2011 !

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6pt-sika posted this 13 July 2011

Here are a few pictures I took at the beach in 2009 !

This was on the island of Mindano in the Philippines not to far from Cagayan de Oro City !

You can see Camigiun Island in the distance , that island has an active volcano !

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1kshooter posted this 15 July 2011

wow great looking family you have there my friend and thank you for sharing the awsome pic's with us all! I willingly stry off course all the time ...this site is more about fine guns and bullets...it's about the wonderful people that make and own them! Jonathan

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docbob posted this 16 July 2011

Hey 6pt-SIKA, Thanks for sharing the pictures. Nice looking bunch. Brings back old memories of my time in the Navy. Went to Subic Bay, Manila Bay, Cebu City and Zamboanga. Lots of scenery, friendly people but very warm and humid!

Docbob, U.S. Navy---1958-1962

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docbob posted this 16 July 2011

1kshooter, You certainly had the equipment and skill to pick up those medals! That's an impressive looking rifle/scope. How do You like your Redfield scope on the Marlin?

Best Regards, Docbob

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6pt-sika posted this 16 July 2011

docbob wrote: Hey 6pt-SIKA, Thanks for sharing the pictures. Nice looking bunch. Brings back old memories of my time in the Navy. Went to Subic Bay, Manila Bay, Cebu City and Zamboanga. Lots of scenery, friendly people but very warm and humid!

Docbob, U.S. Navy---1958-1962

Thanks !

I've been to Manila plenty and Makati on Luzon !

Never been to Olongapo/Subic (on Luzon) or Cebu !

But I have been around on Mindanao some !

Cagayan de Oro City , Bukidnun , Gingoog and Butuan . But the state department kinda gives a dim view of American citizems visiting Zamboanga anymore as it's kind of a stronghold for the muslim rebels in the Philippines !

Although about every 6 months I get an email from the state department informing me of the present political/rebel conditions in the Philippines and the state department view on travel in the country ! And ever since I started going there in 2008 they have pretty much been of the opinion that american's should stay the heck out of western and central Mindanao ! So to date I've stayed pretty much in the north/northeastern part ! Plus the family there doesn't want me going anywhere close to the muslim areas LOL's !

Anyway so far every time I've been there it's been great ;)

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6pt-sika posted this 16 July 2011

You know I had three Marlin lever guns that were chambered for the 44 MAG cartridge !

And I sold them all about 2 years ago now .

The first I got was a 1894CB with the 24” octagon barrel and checkered walnut stock and forend . That one was pure poison out to 100 yards with a Lyman tang sight and the Lyman 429244 bullet and H-110 !

Next I picked up a LNIB 1894P that one also liked the 429244 . But I ended up hunting this one using the Nosler 250 grain Partition bullet .

The final 44 MAG I acquired was a very nice old Marlin 336-44 of 1967 vintage . This one preferred the Ranch Dog 432-265GC and 432-300GC loaded with stiff charges of H-110 .

All these rifles liked the RCBS and Lyman SWC GC bullets that they still make .

Anyway to my point of this post , you've kinda got me intrested in finding another 336-44 !

At the moment my 44 MAG collection is comprised of the S&W 629 4” I bought new 15 years ago , a Ruger Blackhawk Falttop of 1957 vintage with a 7 1/2” barrel and a Ruger 44R Carbine my grandmother gave my grandfather for Xmas in 1973 or 1974 .While I'll shoot cast in the two revolvers I don't plan on ever firing a cast bullet in the little Ruger Carbine , hence my desire for another 336-44 . Then I'd have a use for the 400-600 44 MAG cases I have stored away .>

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1kshooter posted this 16 July 2011

Docbob, i like the Redfield...I have pounded the heck out it while I hade it on a slug gun and also with the mag loads in the 45-70, I did however take it off the rifle and put XS tactical winged peep sights on it as where I hunt bear a shot from five feet...is a deffinate reallity!! the scope is strong and has no flaws that I have found!...as for the other gun well I have done a lot of long range stuff....on both side of the Department of National Defence gate as I shot at privet and Millitary ranges ..a shooter is a shooter more money and training you got into a rig the better it works lol

6ptSika, I like the idea of the 44mag for deer and bear also I am going to get a 444Marlin and the same molds will work in it as well! man I wish you lived closer I would find something to trade you for some of the 44mag brass you have squirreled away lol

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6pt-sika posted this 17 July 2011

1kshooter wrote: Docbob, i like the Redfield...I have pounded the heck out it while I hade it on a slug gun and also with the mag loads in the 45-70, I did however take it off the rifle and put XS tactical winged peep sights on it as where I hunt bear a shot from five feet...is a deffinate reallity!!

I've gotten a pair of the NEW Redfield Revolution scopes in the last year !

I have a 3-9 with a standard duplex on my 2001 vintage 444 thats only been used with 400 grain hammer loads to date !

And I have a 4-12 also with the plain duplex on a Ruger #1B in 270 Weatherby that seems to do an okay job as well !

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6pt-sika posted this 21 July 2011

FWIW , here's a picture of a doe I killed in 2008 on a Damage Control Permit !

And you may wonder why I am posting it here ?

Well I'll tell ya ! I used a circa 1968 Marlin First Model 444 loaded with the Ranch Dog 432-285GC bullet and pushed it with 34 grains of XMP5744 . Gun has a old Weaver K2.5 on top . Shot the doe at a stepped off 42 yards and she dropped like a stone !

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1kshooter posted this 21 July 2011

lol nice thanks for the pic...love it ..something about that lush long green grass?!? ..well it just makes the beauty of the deers hide and features pop!

lol no I am not gay....not that there is anything wrong with that lol I just have a very deep respect for the animals that I harvest and that grace my table!

thanks so much for sharing the pic brother

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1kshooter posted this 23 July 2011

Well my friends as those of you that have have chated with(indulged)me you so know that the first kill for this babby would be a ...G-Hog! lol....ya I know I ned to get out more! well I got out this morning and took the 44mag 1894 to the prooving grounds and all in all I am real impressed....12 g-hogs withit today at ranges from 35 yards all the way to 137yards!

I flipped one in the air at 265yards but it got back down the hole and another at 302 yards that ran and my friend smoked him with a well placed 6.5x284 when he stoped to check out his new body piercing lol...here are a few pics for you all and thanks to all for the help!

I thinks she's a keeper...the gun that is lol

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1kshooter posted this 24 July 2011

as a side note the only isue I had with the 1894 yesterday was that loaded with 240gr hornady XTP bullets at moderate vol..the sight elevator does not go low enough to zero the gun..I had to shoot under the feet of ground hogs at 50yards or at leest burry the sight bead under the buckhorn notch so I could just see the tip of it ..should be just about perfect for the heavier 265gr RD's ??? any thoughts

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1kshooter posted this 26 July 2011

oh snap! ...the ground hogs are not happy today....I just got my Ranch Dog .432-265gr mold today in the mail..I have a couple hundread Hornady gas checks from a friend till my Sage Outdoors aluma checks come in the mail...loaded some tonight and I am going to hit them this weekend ....hard! Jonathan

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1kshooter posted this 31 July 2011

well here are some of the first Cast bullet kills for this gun!....432-265gr Ranch Dog! ...just a few of the 20-25 or so g-hogs from yesterday! I am loving this gun

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Brodie posted this 31 July 2011

Very nice 1kshooter, but then I used to think that a .458 Win was a good jack rabbit gun. At least no one can accuse you of being “under gunned". Brodie

B.E.Brickey

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1kshooter posted this 31 July 2011

lol very true....and some of these things are huge and dangerous..a guy could trp and fall over one and get real dirty!

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6pt-sika posted this 31 July 2011

Old Coot wrote: Very nice 1kshooter, but then I used to think that a .458 Win was a good jack rabbit gun. At least no one can accuse you of being “under gunned". Brodie

You know for several years I had Interams Mark X's in 375 H&H MAG and 416 REM MAG . When I got into RUger #1's again I sold or traded them off and got Ruger #1H's in the same calibers which I dearly love !

Shortly there after I ran up on a great deal on a early 80's Ruger #1H in 458 WIN MAG LNIB ! So I grabbed that one up also and got dies , brass and bullets for a song from another source !

Got the reloading stuff from a fellow I knew and trusted and since it had some already loaded ammo with the Hornady 500 grain RN SP and some loaded ammo with the Speer 400 grain FN SP that one would use in the 45-70 I went ahead and shot them !

With open sights at 50 yards off the bags that 458 would shoot either load inside an inch for 3 shots and at 100 yards with opens at a big black bull I could keep 3 in 1 1/2” .

But without a doubt that SOB kicked like the proverbial Kentucky Mule !

Hence the 459 WIN MAG Ruger #1H went down the road PDQ and for a slight profit I might add ;)

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6pt-sika posted this 31 July 2011

1kshooter wrote: well here are some of the first Cast bullet kills for this gun!....432-265gr Ranch Dog!

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1kshooter posted this 31 July 2011

it does but I don't mind it ...I can afford to loose a few pounds of that massive 230pound frame lol back at them in the morning and that will be it for me until I get back from New Jersey in a month or so!

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1kshooter posted this 05 August 2011

well I got some sample gas checks for the Ranch Dog .432-265gr bullet and thay are nice....I won't have a chance to try them til I get home from N.J in a month but I am sure that they will do just fine as my 45-70 checks have!

to all those I talk to on a regular basis thanks for all the help and take care of your selves for the next month and to the lucky ones that will be hunting..like 6ptSika best of luck on your hunts....if I can get pc access where i am staying I will touch base or mightonly be able to view and keep tabs once in a while! Jonathan

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6pt-sika posted this 05 August 2011

1kshooter wrote: 6ptSika best of luck on your hunts

We got the Damage Control Permits for this year just yesterday !

We have permits for 5 bear abd 50 slicks to be taken anytime from now until Spetember 30th !

We're gonna go up and trim some brush and check stands sunday morning and then start it up monday afternoon !

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1kshooter posted this 05 August 2011

oh you luck dog....I have been tring for a bear for 7 years! ...I always get to small or with cubs(non shooters) I would love to be there to help with the deer tags lol!

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6pt-sika posted this 06 August 2011

1kshooter wrote: oh you luck dog....I have been tring for a bear for 7 years! ...I always get to small or with cubs(non shooters) I would love to be there to help with the deer tags lol!

One I killed last year was small . And I felt pangs of guilt at first . But after the fact the landownder said if it doesn't have cubs with it I could care less shoot them as they are tearing my trees up !

New Marlin 1894 44mag is on it's way!

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