[Charles Christensen]

I have tended to be more interested in handguns and when I went to an auction last Saturday I was interested in a s&w .38 special snubby - I think it may have been an early Chief's Special - and a SS Colt Combat Commander. Unfortunately, both went a bit higher than I was willing to go. But, they got to the last rifle and I had been looking at it so I threw out a couple of bids - just to keep the rest of the yahoo's honest. If anyone had made one more bid they would have had it.

Today, the next Saturday, I am going to the gun dealer that handled the legalities to pick up my Marlin 444. It looked to be in mint condition - not a scratch on it. The checkering is so sharp it hurts the hands. The action is tight as a drum. It is possible that it has never been fired outside the factory. The bid was $425 for a total of $487.50 after buyers premium and FFL fee.

I have no idea what I'm going to do with it. It seems inappropriate for squirrels.

 

[dad2thebone]

At least you didn't go home empty. I always say im not getting anything at the gun store but....it happens! I end up buying something.

 

[carver]

I have tended to be more interested in handguns and when I went to an auction last Saturday I was interested in a s&w .38 special snubby - I think it may have been an early Chief's Special - and a SS Colt Combat Commander. Unfortunately, both went a bit higher than I was willing to go. But, they got to the last rifle and I had been looking at it so I threw out a couple of bids - just to keep the rest of the yahoo's honest. If anyone had made one more bid they would have had it.

Today, the next Saturday, I am going to the gun dealer that handled the legalities to pick up my Marlin 444. It looked to be in mint condition - not a scratch on it. The checkering is so sharp it hurts the hands. The action is tight as a drum. It is possible that it has never been fired outside the factory. The bid was $425 for a total of $487.50 after buyers premium and FFL fee.

I have no idea what I'm going to do with it. It seems inappropriate for squirrels.

Charles, we do have a buy/sell forum here at TFF. You nevre know, someone might be looking for that gun!

 

[3/2 STA SS]

UNLESS you really hate tree rats...444 would vaporize them.

 

[gvw3]

Ammo for that is big bucks. I had one in the 70's. Sold it as it cost to much to shoot.

 

[JLA]

Thats what reloading presses are for. The .444 marlin is a great round. Very close in on game performance to the .45/70. Loaded with .430" 300 gr XTPs at 2200 fps it is a fantastic squirrel rifle, that is if the squirrels youre after are elks..

 

[Charles Christensen]

I have ordered a Weaver base and quad rings and a Redfield Revenge 2-7X. As I did not get a factory box and other accoutrements with it I have also found a hammer spur on eBay.

 

[JLA]

I got that same scope on my Marlin 1894 .44 mag. Cept its in a DNZ gamereaper base. Excellent scope for a leveraction. 2X for quick woods work at close range off the shoulder and just enough magnification at 7X for a precise shot off a rest at 100+

 

[Alpo]

You could pretend you're Dan'l Boone or Davy Crockett, and bark the squirrels. Should work fine.

Or you could keep it for "just in case". Maybe some little girl playing witch?

 

[Charles Christensen]

JLA: Yea, I figure the .444 is something you take into the weeds. It's not for busting goats on the other side of the valley.

Alpo: Squirrel dragons??? I'm ready.

I can just see me barking squirrels with this thing. They would die from the fall after I blew the limb out from under them.

 

[JLA]

Once you get to shooting it you will fal in love with the round. The .444 is like a .44 mag on steroids when loaded with 225 - 275 gr bullets, and with 300-405 gr bullets is equal to .45/70.

 

[BETH]

good looking gun

 

[Charles Christensen]

I checked with Marlin and they say it was manufactured 5 years ago. From the looks of it it has been on some gun shop rack for that 5 years.

I gave the exterior a going over with Renaissance wax and ran a patch of CLP down the barrel to get things started for a tear-down and cleaning this next weekend. After two passes the patch was only slightly discolored. This is not a dirty gun. Looking down this thing's barrel is different than other rifles: this is like looking into the maw of an 8 foot diameter storm sewer.

 

[JLA]

is it microgroove or is it traditional deep cut?

 

[Charles Christensen]

Not sure about the grooving. I'll get a good look this weekend. Didn't Marlin get away from the micro grove on their bigger guns?

 

[Alpo]

They went back to the traditional "Ballard" cut, on the 45/70, because the cowboy shooters were bitchin' and raisin' hell. But the 444 ain't Cowboy-legal, so they might not have changed it.

But then again, they changed it on their 44 magnums rifles, and it would make sense to use the same barrel stock. So maybe they did.

I guess that means, "I don't know".

 

[JLA]

They did microgroove up til about 5 years ago, then supposedly went to deep cut. problem is the lazy twist rate they use on the .44 cal barrels. I wish it was 1:20 but its 1:32 which makes it marginal for 240 grainers at 1800 fps (.44 mag velocity) you can probably get away with 300 grainers with the .444 because it pushes em faster.

 

[Charles Christensen]

The advertising says Ballard cut and 1:20 twist. I'll get a good unoiled look this weekend.

I got the base, rings and scope in and I just put the hammer spur on that I got off eBay.

 

[Alpo]

Just FYI, that's a "hammer extension". It attaches to the hammer spur.

 

[Charles Christensen]

Getting lazy with my wording. I should have known that.