Tell me about my Marlin 444S

[rcn11thacr]

6pt-sika, Thanks for the info. I've been looking in local gun shops, but 444's are now as rare as hens teeth, and priced accordingly! Thanks for the idea of shortening the barrel. I was under the impression the 45/70 was the "Guide" gun and the 444 was the "Outfitter".

When they first came out i bought the marlin (i believe it was model 1895) 18.5 inch barrel 444. It was stamped "guide gun".

[6pt-sika]

6pt: Thanks. The crescent butt plate is Marlin with Logo and all, it's not the full crescent of the 19th century guns but very definitely crescent. The stock is cut crescent, not just the butt plate. Very sharp toe on the stock. I'll see if I can get a pic up.

Attachment 91710Attachment 91707Attachment 91708Attachment 91709

thats the style stock and buttplate they used on the Marlin 1895 when they brought it back out in 1972 . They actually called it "The New Midel 1895" since it actually used the 336 action . That gun used the stock you have from 1972-1979 . So I would assume someone who owned your rifle either liked the stock you have better then the original or broke the original and that's what they replaced it with .

[Corvus]

http://oldguns.net/sn_php/marlinlookup.php

Subtract the first two numbers of your serial number from 100.

[enoch59]

rcn11thacr , I use a .432 sizing die in tandom with the Lee 430-310 2 bullet mold. This 310 grain bullet has replaced all others for my Marlin 44 CL and my Marlin 444S.
It's like they're old friends together. I shot my first buck with the 444 last fall. One shot in the head and slam, down he goes. Both rifles are deadly accurate to 100 yards with Williams peep sights. I picked up the 444S for $450 last winter when my neighbor died and I bought it from his widow. I sold off about a dozen rifles for her and gave her all the money and I know that he would have wanted me to have the 444. At the time that was the going rate. It had a 4x scope on it which I sold on Ebay for $150 and I put on a set of Williams peeps with the TK knobs on it. Anyway, I have put all of my other guns on hold as I shot and shot and shot the 444 working on formulas for the 310 WFNGC bullet. I've got it worked up to two loads. One for Elk and Bear at 45.0 gr. Re7 and the other is 49.0 gr. IMR 4895.
Both loads shoot to POA to 50 yards and a slight adjustment on the hold will take them to 120 yards. The 44 uses 21.5 gr. H110 with the exact same aiming specs. My favorite guns to shoot by far and both are tack drivers. My last seven bucks have all fallen to head shots with zero loss of meat.