Im looking at buying a .444 marlin at a local outdoorsman shop and was wondering if anybody knows a little about them.
Using it mostly for moose and black bear. Drop a line if you know a little about them or recommend a similar firearm.

 

The .444 marlin is a good gun and a good cartridge for what you want to use it for. Packs a pretty good whallop on both ends.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] I personally think everyone should have at least 1 lever gun in they collection anyway.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Frankly, the 444 is nice and will get your job done, but I wouldn't have one.

Instead I strongly recommend / urge you to consider a 45-70 and Marlin offers several. This 132 year old cartridge will take anything on the North American continent and is FAR more available than the proprietary 444. It's also a far, far more versatile round. I have 2 lever guns and a Shiloh Sharps chambered in 45-70 and they are deadly accurate out to 225 yards. And with the Sharps, I can hit anything I can see out to 600-650 yards...... but that's the value of having a Sharps.

Now, I'm an old dude and I've been a gunner for more than 50 years, but DO NOT thake my word on this! Do your own research and if you are honest with yourself, I'll bet you end up with a 45-70.

BTW: for big game I prefer BIG bullets - BIG diameter and heavy (and 45 simply leaves a bigger hole than 44). My favorite all around 45-70 bullet is 405 grain lead. The 45-70 will easily handle 500 grain bullets.

 

Lot of folks believe the 45-70 to be the all time top dog. Then again a lot of folks feel the same about the 444. The honest truth of the matter is either will do the job equally as well in the proper hands. I have a Marlin 1895G and a Marlin 444P and prefer the 444P. You won't go wrong with the 444P as it has been discontinued and will do nothing but go up in value.

 

Getting into this kind of late but been spending time where the internet aint.

The 444 and 45-70 will both do the job you need done as mentioned before. Availability of bullets, if you handload, favors the 45-70. Both are easy to get brass for and both are available in modern rifles.

Many loadings available over the counter for the 45-70 are held to a lower pressure because of the older rifles that would not handle the high pressure loads. ie the "Trapdoor Springfield" and others.

Might I suggest you take a look at the Marlin Guide Gun? Can't recall the calibre designation right now, I suffer from CRS, but they came up with a cartridge in conjunction with Hornaday that is the same as the 45-70 but built on a rimless, belted case. Makes for a short, handy lever gun with major knockdown power.

 

The 444 is the best shooting rifle for accuracy I have ever shot. With Nosler 240 gr hollow points it will consistently shoot patterns under the diameter of the bullet, thats measured center to center of 3 shots, .330 of an inch. one hole group looks like a clover leaf.
I did have some trouble with 265 grain Hornady as they were coming apart on impact. so I changed to nosler and will stick with them. only goog out to about 200 yards then starts to drop fast. but under 200 yds it will drop any northamerican game cleanly. some great loads for 300 grainers out there also.

Keep your powder dry
Gordy

 

they will kill about anything