Winchester big bore

[matt56]

I have seen 2 big bore 375s in person while actively looking to buy one. The first was $1000 at cabelas and the other was a guy at a show asking $1200 and wouldn’t budge. I tried arguing with him that you couldn’t even buy ammo for it but he wasn’t having it. I should have bought the one at cabelas, it was basically new.

[williamiorg]

I shoot a .444 Marlin Winchester Timber rifle with 17 3/4" barrel.
I have killed many deer with it using a variety of bullets. For deer it is a toss up between the 270 grain Speer Gold Dot or the various 240 grain jsp bullets. Our West Texas deer are light framed. The 240gr bullets work very well on lung shots. The 270gr bullets work well from any angle.
I like the 310 grain Lee gas check bullet. My rifle is a cross bolt with a 1-12" twist.
The Winchester does not have the relief cut in the reciever wall like the Marlin so wide meplat bullets must be seated deeper. The 310gr Lee bullet seated to the crimp groove has a COL of 2.560" and will not make the turn from the loading gate into the magazine. If you pull the magazine cap and load them like a Henry, they will cycle trough the action.

Seated to a COL of 2.530" the cartridge will make the turn and enter the magazine tube. 40.0 grains of IMR or Hodgdon 4198 is heavilt compressed and pushes the 310gr bullet a tad over 1,950 fps from the 17 3/4" barrel. Cast soft the Lee bullet puts deer down quickly and leaves a good exit wound.
While not bad hunting, this load will push you around on the bench.

[bradshaw]

Feb 23, 2019 14:16:02 GMT -5 wasatchjack said:

 so my local gun store has a mint condition model 94 big bore in 444 Marlin . Not a scratch on it anywhere . Can't tell if it was ever fired ? No box .  looking on Gunbroker lately, I can't hardly believe what is being asked for these nowadays . My very first rifle I bought was a Marlin 444ss about 30 years ago . Should have kept it . Asking price $949.00 .  So my question is that it has a tang safety , not a crossbolt.  Is this unusual ? Earlier model ? Later ?  Thanks 

*****

There was a time, worth remembering, when Winchester management decided all a rifle needs to sell is the WINCHESTER trademark. There followed a plunge every bit as narcissistic as Colt's in the aftermath of World War II, when Colt management decided the trademark is what sells. (Colt basically said “to hell with civilian sales, we’ll live off the government tit.”) In the case of Winchester, the infamous 1964 cheapness campaign resulted in Model 94’s with crap-metal parts, a flat cartridge lifter that didn’t understand John Browning’s brilliant forged and machined lifter, and a cookie-cutter lever contemptuously made to shred your fingers. A "Model 94" that didn’t work; often shipped with tilted front sight or both sights tilted. Et cetera. As Winchester struggled to make real rifles, Smith & Wesson----under the ownership of Bangor Punta----dipped its toe in the toxic water. Bill Ruger watched these happenings as he had set his ship on innovation to market guns which would generate repeat buyers. In other words, guns good enough to get people shooting.

That Winchester strengthened the Model 94 for cartridges more potent than the .30-30 did not offset the insult to shooter loyalty, nor did it compensate for the invasion of bolt actions into hunting. Hunting increasingly involved longer distances and flat-shooting cartridges----numerous of these rounds beyond the capability of any lever action.

Tradition, fortunately, gives strength to civilian armament, for which guns represent the HARDWARE of HISTORY. Thus, it is appropriate that traditional arms evolve to serve today. I hope we catch a few shooting reports from the .444 and .375 revival.
David Bradshaw

[500fksjr]

Thanks Mr.Bradshaw its the truth....

[jgt]

In my younger years, I just never got the lever action bug. Mainly, because I thought the 30-30 kicked more than it should for the cartridge, grouped poorly, and the ones I tried had terrible triggers. So I shot plenty of revolvers and shotguns, but only had one bolt action center fire rifle for many years. It was only after reading some stories written by Paco Kelly that I took another look. With great skepticism I might add. I'm glad I did. I love all things 44 so my first was a Marlin 1894 in 44 magnum. That rifle put me on the hunt for a 444. That lead me down the rabbit hole.
I have gotten some great deals on 444 rifles from Winchester. Mostly because of the myth that "it will tare your shoulder off". The first Winchester big bore I shot, I had expected to feel extreme punishment. It was anti-climactic. I pulled the butt up close and was pleasantly surprised with the light rifle. I sold it later for a decent profit. Then one day I came across a Timber Carbine. It was short, light weight, and fit me very well. From past experience watching people in the gun shop that had tough luck at selling a big bore Winchester, I figured they were not fairing well trying to sell the carbine. I made them a somewhat low, but fair offer and they jumped on it. Since then I have read complaints of them falling apart on a couple of shooters, but thank goodness,I haven't experienced that. I use it to shoot heavier than 44 magnum loads, but lighter then common 444 loads. It works well in that role and I suspect it will last my lifetime if not stolen by thieves or the government.

[Rimfire69]

Mar 24, 2019 10:58:46 GMT -5 williamiorg said:

I shoot a .444 Marlin Winchester Timber rifle with 17 3/4" barrel.
I have killed many deer with it using a variety of bullets. For deer it is a toss up between the 270 grain Speer Gold Dot or the various 240 grain jsp bullets. Our West Texas deer are light framed. The 240gr bullets work very well on lung shots. The 270gr bullets work well from any angle.
I like the 310 grain Lee gas check bullet. My rifle is a cross bolt with a 1-12" twist.
The Winchester does not have the relief cut in the reciever wall like the Marlin so wide meplat bullets must be seated deeper. The 310gr Lee bullet seated to the crimp groove has a COL of 2.560" and will not make the turn from the loading gate into the magazine. If you pull the magazine cap and load them like a Henry, they will cycle trough the action.

Seated to a COL of 2.530" the cartridge will make the turn and enter the magazine tube. 40.0 grains of IMR or Hodgdon 4198 is heavilt compressed and pushes the 310gr bullet a tad over 1,950 fps from the 17 3/4" barrel. Cast soft the Lee bullet puts deer down quickly and leaves a good exit wound.
While not bad hunting, this load will push you around on the bench.

Thanks for the triple 4 info, I am just about to cast some of those LEE 310s for a buddy of mine.