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Post by tjtraylor on Jan 20, 2014 17:41:38 GMT -5
Hey guys finally got my hands on a Marlin 1894 .44 lever action for a good price the other day.  Now the ? is before I go ordering lead for this rifle [1978]. I am lost as to what size bullets to go with . [.430 .431 .432 .433 .434] or is this a case of slugging the barrel although I have heard of tons of people having good luck with .432 gas checks? Any input would be great as I really dont want to waste tons of money on lead I cant shoot :\ |
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tgc
.30 Stingray
Posts: 142 
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Post by tgc on Jan 20, 2014 19:35:25 GMT -5
I can't answer your question... But,, Congrats on the new rifle though. Wish I could run across one for a good price on a good quality gun like a marlin.
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dmize
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,834
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Post by dmize on Jan 20, 2014 20:13:40 GMT -5
Will be much more economical to drive a 5 cent fish sinker thru it than add the .001 (I believe) than to just up and spend $50 on something that works for everybody else.
Mine is a 2004 model I believe and it shoots .430's just fine
Only thing else I can add is regardless of the size you end up with I would strongly suggest a gas check bullet.
I shot untold numbers of cast/gc bullets out of my 30-30 and 35 Rem with complete satisfaction before I was informed that Micro Grooves wont shoot cast.
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Post by tek4260 on Jan 20, 2014 20:36:17 GMT -5
I thought everyone knew that Micro Grooves wouldn't shoot cast  |
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Post by keyston44 on Jan 20, 2014 21:34:43 GMT -5
It doesn't matter if your gun is micro-grove or ballard. Correct bullet fit is what is needed for cast bullets to work. Also keep in mind that SAAMI specs for 44mag is different in rifles from handguns. 431 for rifles and 429 for handguns. I use Ranch Dog 265gr plain base and gas checked bullets sized 433 in my Marlin 1894. They work equally well in my Ruger Super Blackhawk.
Key
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Post by tjtraylor on Jan 20, 2014 22:04:55 GMT -5
Thanks guys !!! Tomorrow they are calling for 6" s of snow so Ill set back and slug it to be sure !!!
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tgc
.30 Stingray
Posts: 142
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Post by tgc on Jan 21, 2014 19:38:36 GMT -5
It doesn't matter if your gun is micro-grove or ballard. Correct bullet fit is what is needed for cast bullets to work. Also keep in mind that SAAMI specs for 44mag is different in rifles from handguns. 431 for rifles and 429 for handguns. I use Ranch Dog 265gr plain base and gas checked bullets sized 433 in my Marlin 1894. They work equally well in my Ruger Super Blackhawk. Key I DIDN'T know that. Man, you learn something every day. I was always under the impression that you could shoot, (and I guess you could) your revolver loads in a .44 mag rifle. Probably accuracy would suffer though. What about .357 and .45 colt?? Don't mean to change the subject. |
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Post by keyston44 on Jan 21, 2014 21:10:13 GMT -5
To the best of my knowledge, Only 44mag is this way.
Key
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jfe
.240 Incinerator
Posts: 17
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Post by jfe on Jan 23, 2014 8:56:38 GMT -5
I would use the largest bullet diameter that you can still feed and chamber. I would also suggest using a GC.
44 rifle chambers have a long throat (approx .22) and the bullet of a cartridge that feeds through the action will never touch the rifling. The reason for going to the largest diameter is to use the snug chamber fit as a means of starting the bullet on its way concentric to the barrel. The impact on pressure is small as measured by velocity increase.
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jgt
.327 Meteor
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Posts: 816
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Post by jgt on Jan 25, 2014 10:28:47 GMT -5
First, you don't have to worry about twist rate because all Marlins 44 magnums are 1/38 twist. The microgroove barrels had a grove diameter that was suppose to be .4315 and a bore of .423. In most of their rifles Marlin had switched to Ballard rifling by 1998. The ballard barrels were closer in size to .430. BUT, there are other factors that need to be addressed in some guns. Tight spots. Marlin had tight spots at the threads where the barrel screwed into the action, under the rolled markings, and under the dovetails. Right about now your mind is probable doing what my mind did when I was told there were tight spots under the dovetails. Hard to believe, right? Well it seem Marlin didn't cut dovetails in a milling machine. They were broached. Anyway, when you have a rifle with these tight spots you have a choice of thee ways to address it. One, ignore them, two, trade or sell the gun and let someone else deal with them, or three, firelap them out. Slugging the barrel will help you find where these tight spots are but you will not know the proper size to make cast bullets until you have a barrel with a consistant size down the majority of the length of the barrel. Once a barrel is firelapped and the proper size bullet loaded you will wonder why anyone would have avoided the process given the results. It's not rocket science. If you can pore yellow liquid from certain cowboy apparel with the instructions on the heel, you can firelap a barrel. In the mean time, a person can try a small sampling of several different size bullets and may find one that gives a group that is acceptable to them. Good luck.
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Now the ? is before I go ordering lead for this rifle [1978]. I am lost as to what size bullets to go with . [.430 .431 .432 .433 .434] or is this a case of slugging the barrel although I have heard of tons of people having good luck with .432 gas checks?
