.45 LC vs. .44 Mag/Spl (yeah - another opinion loaded threa

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:33 am

Since i am the author of the .30-06 vs. .405 thread of recent manufacture as it applies to Winny 1895's, i thought i would throw another one in. I fully realize that both ammo platforms have their ups and downs , --- but i have rarely had such a bountiful harvest of used firearms pass across my desk at decent prices (at the time i want a new '06 1895 carbine) --- i wont go into it, but i have a very good line now on a .44 Mag Marlin and wish to compare the performance against a .45 LC if possible.

I am already set to go with an S-load of .45 brass, dies etc., but a recent trip to the range netted a boatload of .44 brass too. .44 brass is what .429 ? 45 LC is .454" and 45/70 is .458, so i would have to stock 3 different bullet sizes (vs 2) Sounds somewhat confusing.

but the 45's and 44's can use close to the same loads for plinking ammo can't they?

Currently i only have one .45LC firearm, a 7.5" Blackhawk. I could easily replace it in rotation with a ,44 Blackhawk of some form who knows if i decide to switch cartridge allegiance.

OK --- too much hooey ------ .45 LC or .44 Mag ? (i know --- sort of like comparing 36 C's to 36 D's huh?)

kooz · Post by **kooz** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:44 am

I think the .44 Marlins have a very slow rifling twist 1:38 I believe, so stabilizing bullets heavier than about 240gr will be an issue.

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:48 am

The Marlins do have a slower twist, but I have shot bullets as heavy as 310 gr. from mine with excellent accuracy. I had a 45 in a Winchester 94 that was a great shooter too. My brother has it now, I foolishly let him talk me out of it when I bought the Marlin in 44 mag. I suppose you could have better luck shooting bullets over 300 gr. in the 45, but I'd have to ask why you'd need to? To me, there isn't enough difference in the two cartridges when chambered in a levergun to make much difference in the field. Go with whichever one floats yer boat.

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 6:27 am

As Ted said, go with whichever one floats your boat. For the most part they can be loaded close to the same levels. In overall power though, shooting the 45 Colt will edge out the 44 in a Ruger handgun and I would suspect the same out of the rifle. Now, I don't know about the rifling twist in the Marlins between the 44 and the 45. But, again they're so close that I would stick with what I'm set up to shoot. Years ago I'd of said go with the 44 as the 45 was still loaded to old power levels. But now, with all the good smiths turning out burning 45's, that's not the issue anymore. Plus components have stepped up to support the 45. If I wasn't set up to reload I'd shoot the 44 as availability of factory loaded ammunition is generally more prevalent.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 6:34 am

I like the .44's because if you step up to a long action you can still shoot the same bullets - the regular old 240 grain ones just go way faster from the .444 but still do a good job. You can do the same 'stepping up' from .45 Colt to .45-70, but you change bullet diameters. Like the .45 Colt, you can have both carbine and a strong SA or DA revolver, but with the .44, stepping 'down' to a really lightweight .44 Special is also an option, whereas even the 'weaker' .45 Colts are usually fairly bulky (or expensive/custom) items. Oh yeah, and if you just have to have a semiauto pistol in the same caliber, they don't make .45 Colt Desert Eagles...

I just completed my little ".429 Family" and really like it (.444Marlin-336XLR, .44Mag-1894SS, .44Mag-Redhawk, .44Spl-Bulldog)

although you could do similar things in other calibers; how about a...

.38 Special snubbie DA revolver, (Charter Arms Undercover)
.357 Mag SA chore pistol, (Ruger Blackhawk)
.357 Mag carbine short action levergun, & (Puma Saddle Ring)
.35 Remington long action levergun, (Marlin XLR)

Post by **Hobie** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 7:01 am

Owning both, shooting both and having hunted both I agree, it is whichever floats your boat.

In real terms, the bullet weight limitation on Marlins due to the twist rate doesn't mean much. The 240 gr. bullet, even the common Remington SJHP, kills game well. Many CA hogs fell to my gun (in the hands of many different shooters) back in 1976-77.

Doc Hudson · Post by **Doc Hudson** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:05 am

There is nothing in the world that a .44 RemMag can do that a .45 Long Colt can't be made to do.

But that is the key term, MADE TO DO.

Sure you can load a .45 Colt to sling a 300 grain slug 1700 fps. That was whot Dick Casull used to do while developing the .454 Casull. And if you goof up and slip that puppy into an Italian SAA, that six-gun is coing to come to pieces in your hand.

You can even buy factory .45 Long Colt cartridges with power approaching that level. As a general rule the brass is headstamped something like .45 Colt Magnum, or .45 Colt +P+.

My point is that to make a .45 Long Colt act like a .44 Remmag you have to load it to non-standard pressures. Not unsafe pressure levels, just non-standard. We all know and accept that in strong revolvers the .45 Colt is capable of using much more than standard pressures safely.

I cannot honestly say that of the .44 S&W Special or .44 RemMag, or .45 LC one is more accurate than the others. My .45 LC experience is too limited, and I don't claim to be a world class pistolero. However some folks who are recognizes as world class pistoleros say that the .44 S&W Special in more accurage than the .45 LC, and some say that the .44 RemMag is more accurate than either. I don't know who is right. All I can tell you is that I've had and frequently carry .44 S&W Special revolvers since 1977, I currently own two .44 S&W Secials. I own no .45 LC revolvers and the only one I've ever owned, I kept only a couple of years before I sold it to someone with a greater appreciation for the caliber.

I guess that means you can count me in the .44 Camp.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:48 am

I own and use guns that shoot the .45 Colt in three different pressure ranges. The Colt SAA level, S&W 25-5 level and Ruger level.
I have no trouble keeping the appropriate loads in the appropriate guns. I fail to see how or why this is so hard to do, and why it causes such paranoia.

My choice between the .44 Mag and the .45 Colt ( no "long" to it ) was made decades ago. I'd fired 41's and 44's and did not like the sharp heavy recoil and the ear splitting blast. I wanted a big bore revolver that would kill what I wanted killed, be enjoyable to shoot, and not wrench my tendons loose.
That was and is the .45 Colt, and I don't need to load it hot to do the job.

In the years since I started shooting my experience has grown and I've fired other .44 Magnums and have learned to control them. But I still choose the .45 Colt.

Not sure why, I have .44 Mag dies and brass sitting waiting for a gun. Maybe I'm just a stick in the mud .....

Joe

alnitak · Post by **alnitak** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:56 am

I don't have the experience to really comment on what is best, so I'll just relate that a few years ago when faced with the same decision, I went with the .44. However, as a relative newbie, considerations like availability of factory ammo swayed the decision in the .44's favor. I like the fact you can load the .44 up and down (as you can the .45), though the .44 can shoot lighter bullets. The .45 can shoot heavier bullets, but I don't see me needing anything more than the Garret 320 grain Hammerheads in .44 to take any game I may hunt. One consideration that may make a difference is that a .44 special small revolver is a nice self defense weapon/kit gun. Unless you're going with a .45/.410 derringer, there is no comparable concealed carry options for the .45.

Post by **Old Savage** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:15 am

Joe it is not so hard to do. But Paco didn't manage to do it even if it was a friend involved. AND the Italian SAA came apart in his hand. The whole story is in his book in his pictures and words. Heavy 45LC loads are creating a potential bomb in the wrong hands or circumstances.

Doc Hudson · Post by **Doc Hudson** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:26 am

Old Savage wrote:Joe it is not so hard to do. But Paco didn't manage to do it even if it was a friend involved. AND the Italian SAA came apart in his hand. The whole story is in his book in his pictures and words. Heavy 45LC loads are creating a potential bomb in the wrong hands or circumstances.

I was just about to comment on the same incident.

Paco's blow-up is the very reason I quit loading .357 Magnum loads in .38 S&W Special cases and .44 RemMag loads in .44 S&W Special cases. I did not want any of my heavy loads to get accidentally stuffed into my Model 49, or my Mom's Model 37, nor did I want any rip-snorting .44 loads put into my 19-ounce Charter Bulldog.

IMO, if you load multiple power levels in the same case long enough for multiple weapons, eventually the wrong cartridges will get in the wrong weapon. That is the thing that frightened me most about my old Rolling Block Rifle, I was always afraid that someone would stick a 540gr. Garrett Hammerhead into a rifle designed for blackpowder. I knew I would not do it, but I also knew I'd have to watch closely to make sure no one else did.

Believe it or not Joe, I was not trying to convince anyone that the .44 RemMag is better than the .45 Long Colt. I was merely stating my opinion on the matter. As always, YMMV. And if we all had the same opinions about everything life would certainly be boring.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:04 am

I have not read that particular book I guess. Which one is it?
I'm sure there are situations where the wrong load can get in the wrong gun. But I refuse to get paranoid about it. I won't do it, and when I'm shooting with others I keep an eagle eye on my guns and ammo.
If however someone does blow up one of my guns, it won't be with my ammo.
That may sound arrogant but that's just the way it is.

99.95 % of my ammo is suitable for any good condition revolver. The other .05% is clearly marked what it's for. If you can read and comprehend English.

Joe

Idahoser · Post by **Idahoser** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:19 am

If you were to find yourself out of town and discovered you'd forgotten your ammo, you could find suitable .44 but probably would have difficulty finding suitable .45.

Just another factor to consider.

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:37 am

I went down the .44 path many moons ago and will probably stay there. If it had been .45, I wouldn't change a thing, either. I consider a mildly loaded 300 grain .431 a serious force, more than enough for anything I could ever run into or want to hunt.

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:21 am

J Miller wrote:I
I'm sure there are situations where the wrong load can get in the wrong gun. But I refuse to get paranoid about it.
Joe

This reminds me of my dad -- his guns were basically tools -- used for hunting and coyotes, etc. He took care of his firearms, but they weren't for recreational use. When he unloaded his rifles at the end of the day, he had a habit of tossing the cartridges in a spare drawer. No rhyme or reason, but he didnt have many guns, so it usually wasnt a huge problem-- just a model 94 and a model 100 semi auto, but not once, but twice ------- he ran out the door with a pocketful of shells from the drawer because he saw a coyote or something, and managed to load several .308's in a model 94 tube magazine.

Thankfully, the bolt wont close because the taper is all wrong on the front of the case, or he might have had a problem. Twice

i am laughing now thinking about that because both times, it jammed the action so tight he had to bring it to me to get the cartridge out as he didnt want to force it

I'm glad he didnt have a .32 Win Special laying around the house or the confusion could have been disastrous

Idahoser · Post by **Idahoser** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:37 am

Yep, Mr. Murphy is not a guy that waits for an invitation.

That's why I don't care so much for the concept of a rifle and pistol in the same chambering. Sure it would be nice to be able to share ammo, but you don't even wait for the thing to arrive before you start asking about loads the rifle can handle but the handgun can't.

The closest I'd want to get to that would be a rifle in the longer version of what the pistol or revolver can shoot, so the rifle could step down but the handgun couldn't step up (Rifle in magnum, pistol in Special, for example).

adirondakjack · Post by **adirondakjack** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:46 am

Unless yer tryig to shoot through the hole in a 1/2" washer, there is NOTHING a .44 is gonna do BETTER than a .45. Now there might be a time when a .452 bullet is better than a .429 bullet, like the time you JUST nick an artery in a trophy deer (and would only have "flesh wounded" with a .429 bullet......

2ndovc · Post by **2ndovc** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:11 pm

Streetstar wrote:
J Miller wrote:I
I'm sure there are situations where the wrong load can get in the wrong gun. But I refuse to get paranoid about it.
Joe

This reminds me of my dad -- his guns were basically tools -- used for hunting and coyotes, etc. He took care of his firearms, but they weren't for recreational use. When he unloaded his rifles at the end of the day, he had a habit of tossing the cartridges in a spare drawer. No rhyme or reason, but he didnt have many guns, so it usually wasnt a huge problem-- just a model 94 and a model 100 semi auto, but not once, but twice ------- he ran out the door with a pocketful of shells from the drawer because he saw a coyote or something, and managed to load several .308's in a model 94 tube magazine.

Thankfully, the bolt wont close because the taper is all wrong on the front of the case, or he might have had a problem. Twice i am laughing now thinking about that because both times, it jammed the action so tight he had to bring it to me to get the cartridge out as he didnt want to force it
I'm glad he didnt have a .32 Win Special laying around the house or the confusion could have been disastrous

My Grandfather in his later years went to a show and bought a box of shells for his '92/ 44-40.
He just saw .44 on the box and took it home.

FORTUNATLEY the .44 Magnum rounds would not chamber in the Winchester and a BAD thing was avoided.
This was a man that had many guns throughout his 95 year lifetime and was rarely without one nearby.

My Dad dropped an ammo bag unloading the truck one day when were out looking for woodchucks. Two boxes of shells hit the ground and broke. In the frenzy to pick everything up a couple of his .250-3000s got in my box of .257 Rbts. I didn't see it happen and got my box of 257s out and started loading my rifle. As I closed the bolt I noticed the bullet was a silvertip and I knew I didn't have any in .257R.
That particular rifle has a very tight chamber and I couldn't get the shorter round out of my rifle and since we didin't have a cleaning rod along my day was screwed. I don't think anything bad would have happened had I fired the round but you never know. Probably a separated and stuck case at the least.

I don't think being careful is being paranoid because you never know what may happen. Especially if your not around.

jb

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:11 pm

They're both good cartridges.I can't decide which is the better round , that's why I have more than one of each.
From the practicality standpoint as you already have the Blackhawk in 45 then the 45 rifle makes good sense as you can use the same belt full of cartridges in either or....
From the can't have to many guns side , you could go with the 44 and hope to bring in a 44 handgun to go with it in the future.

(but then that would sure cut into the 95 winchester wish list)

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:41 pm

Don McDowell wrote:They're both good cartridges.I can't decide which is the better round , that's why I have more than one of each.
From the practicality standpoint as you already have the Blackhawk in 45 then the 45 rifle makes good sense as you can use the same belt full of cartridges in either or....
From the can't have to many guns side , you could go with the 44 and hope to bring in a 44 handgun to go with it in the future. (but then that would sure cut into the 95 winchester wish list)

They say one can never have too many.

.44 Mag vs. hopped up .45's is much closer to an "apples to apples" debate than 30-06 vs. 405 ( alot of responders to that one said they liked the .30-40 better than either) -- A .44 carbine i can envision shooting weekly, while an 1895 would likely turn into a safe queen. If the 1895 has to wait a month or two, I can deal with that. What the heck -- a new die set for .44 is only 40 bucks and they should be able to use the same powder and primers as the .45 for my "can shootin' loads".

I have been getting prices online for lead ingots lately too, Widener's sells 56 pounds for 80 bucks (im sure better deals can be found if i do more in depth searching too) --- thats a lot of bullets for either if i learn how to cast my own ! Probably, i should master the basic reloading skills first before trying to cast my own, but 56 pounds of bullets for 80 bucks sounds good to me.

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 1:07 pm

Well for the most part folks the put down the 405 have little to no experience with it....... 30-40 is a good cartridge tho.

Yup 44 vs 45 boils down to pretty much whether you want to shoot .430 or .452 .
Check with www.rotometals.com pretty tough to beat the prices they offer on certified alloys.

Have fun and enjoy which ever cartridge/rifle/handgun combination you choose, there is no wrong answer.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 1:35 pm

Don McDowell wrote:Well for the most part folks the put down the 405 have little to no experience with it....... 30-40 is a good cartridge tho.

Yup 44 vs 45 boils down to pretty much whether you want to shoot .430 or .452 .
Check with http://www.rotometals.com pretty tough to beat the prices they offer on certified alloys.

Have fun and enjoy which ever cartridge/rifle/handgun combination you choose, there is no wrong answer.

Don, you sure???? I thought there might be a test on this somewhere

Joe

Doc Hudson · Post by **Doc Hudson** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:24 pm

Idahoser wrote:Yep, Mr. Murphy is not a guy that waits for an invitation.

That's why I don't care so much for the concept of a rifle and pistol in the same chambering. Sure it would be nice to be able to share ammo, but you don't even wait for the thing to arrive before you start asking about loads the rifle can handle but the handgun can't.

The closest I'd want to get to that would be a rifle in the longer version of what the pistol or revolver can shoot, so the rifle could step down but the handgun couldn't step up (Rifle in magnum, pistol in Special, for example).

There is an easy solution to that problem.

Don't load anything for the rifle that the six-gun can't handle. That is what I do.

86er · Post by **86er** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:51 pm

I have used both extensively, mostly out of handguns. Let me start off by saying I've used 240 and 250gr in 44 Mag and only 300 and 335 gr in 45 Colt. I've not lost any game due to caliber and in fact everything I shot with either ended up dead pretty quickly. I will say that my personal observation has been that the 45 Colt hits harder. That is to say I can see a visual difference in the immediate effect to the animal. Overall, the 45 Colt loads have penetrated more for me in same sized critters, but the extra weight can certainly be a contributing factor. I will not go so far as to say one is better than the other. I will say that when I consider stacking all odds in my favor from the perspective of professional hunting I often will take even a slight advantageous difference. I personally went with the 45 Colt and settleed on 260 gr Noslers PP's, 300 gr Cast Performance for all my handgun hunting.

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:52 pm

Yes Mr.Miller there is a test on that, and the results will go on your permanent record young man.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 3:10 pm

Don McDowell wrote: Yes Mr.Miller there is a test on that, and the results will go on your permanent record young man.

I guess I best hit the books then. I don't wanna end up in detention

Joe

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 3:16 pm

Bogie35 · Post by **Bogie35** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:03 pm

The main thing I like about the 45 is the nostalgia that pairs it with the Colt SAA. And of course you cannot "hop it up" in that action. Therefore, the idea of making a 45 do what a 44 can do seems uninteresting to me.

Now the main thing I like about the 44 is that it comes already "hopped up". However, in most cases you can fire lighter 44 Special from the same gun. In fact, some 44 Special loads are very similar ballistically to the 44-40 that was so very popular in the SAA and Win. 73. Therefore, I can hunt big critters one day and "play cowboy" the next, all on the same platform......safely. Now THAT'S versatility!

bogie

dbateman · Post by **dbateman** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 7:54 pm

o.k so my personal favorite out of the to is the 45lc because thats what iv got if i had a 44 that would be my fav
i think the 45 to be a better choice if you are a hand loader but the 44 better if you are just buying factory shells
the only 45lc i own is a nice littel win94 trapper that shoots and carrys very well i have been looking for a
a colt anaconda?? for a wile now to go with it but have not been able to find a good one

o.k so you should get what ever one you like the most
i once got a 222 shell mixed up in my 223 shells and didnt notice chamberd the round and tryed to fire it
didnt fire.....i don't own a 222 still dont no where that shell came from

jd45 · Post by **jd45** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:38 pm

Old Savage..... You were a HANDSOME DOG back in the day.......and I am NOT a girley man!
Also, a 250gr bullet in either .44 or .45 caliber moving at 900fps in EITHER revolver OR rifle will kill anything you want it to kill! And my info comes from none other than John Linebaugh! Check it out! jd45

Lefty Dude · Post by **Lefty Dude** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:22 am

Bogie35 wrote:The main thing I like about the 45 is the nostalgia that pairs it with the Colt SAA. And of course you cannot "hop it up" in that action. Therefore, the idea of making a 45 do what a 44 can do seems uninteresting to me.

Now the main thing I like about the 44 is that it comes already "hopped up". However, in most cases you can fire lighter 44 Special from the same gun. In fact, some 44 Special loads are very similar ballistically to the 44-40 that was so very popular in the SAA and Win. 73. Therefore, I can hunt big critters one day and "play cowboy" the next, all on the same platform......safely. Now THAT'S versatility!

bogie

The above is my experience also.

I just traded off my last .357 Ruger 3 screw BH, straight across for a mint 1972 Ruger Super BH 3 screw. I now own only 44 caliber's in all handguns & Rifles except for 22's.
It has only taken me 35 years of shooting to realize the 44's are the most versatile of all.
I even have a H&R Handi-Rifle in 44 that is a tack-driven shooter.

Post by **Old Savage** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:22 am

Well thanks jd, wait a minute, back in the day????

Doc Hudson · Post by **Doc Hudson** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:13 am

I happen to be a .44 Fanatic. i am also sold on the merits of Marlin Model 39's, Model 336's and Model 1895's.

Never again will I permit a Marlin Model 1894 to take up room in my collection!

I've owned two Model 1894 Marlins in .44 RemMag. Both were traded in disgust after they proved to be incapable of feeding cartridges of any weight, shape or power level.

IMO, you'd be much better off with a .45 LC levergun than you would with a Marlin .44.

If you really want a .44 RemMag carbine or short rifle, get a Rossi M-92 SRC. There are plenty on the market. The action is stronger than a Marlin M-1894, or a Winchester M-94 for that matter. Heck if you are an adventurous soul you can load that M-92 in .45 LC to the lower edges of .45-70 power. And the action is designed around pistol caliber cartridges so it won't have the feeding problems some pistol calibere Winchester M-94's have.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:54 am

I happen to be a .45 Colt fan. however, the 1st pistol caliber levergun I bought was a Winch. mdl 94 in .44 Mag. I liked it... but it was stolen. I also happened, at the time to have a B-I-L that had a .44 Mag handgun, (Ruger SuperBH); I didn't like it. Since I had a couple Colt mdl 1911s and the new Colt 3rd Gens were out, and used the same .452 bullets, I bought one of them.

My next pistol caliber levergun came in the form of a Uberti 1873 clone in... yep, .45 Colt. Colt SAA and 1873 rifle in .45 Colt... a most excellent combination. Both a capable of handling the same power level ammo. Nary a problem.

Now... if I was to have a Ruger BH in .45 Colt and was thinkin' of a companion levergun... the Rossi 1892 clone would be HIGH on my list. I could handload ammo to Ruger levels and enjoy it in BOTH firearms.

Rather than dealing in "if's" & "maybes", look @ what you have: a handgun chambered in cartridge capable of a wide variance in power levels, from .45 Schofield to .45 Colt+P+. With a wide array of bullet weights, styles and designed for performance in that power-level range; in both cast, jacketed not to mention available molds if you decide to get into that.

On the .44Mag front, you HAVE: a handful of range brass. Sorry, but not worthy of a discussion, I'd already have the Rossi in .45 Colt on order!

leverlooney · Post by **leverlooney** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:45 pm

I like the 45 colt. Lower pressures and easier on the ears(and guns). You don't need to hop it up unless you like burning powder.

zack coyote · Post by **zack coyote** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:18 pm

Another vote for the .45 Colt. It looks mighty, and it's just darn fun to shoot. Mild or Wild, it's your choice.

jd45 · Post by **jd45** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:55 pm

Old Savage, OK, I was commenting on the pic in your avitar, but you're STILL a handsome dog, by goomya! jd45

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 12:54 pm

Doc Hudson wrote:I happen to be a .44 Fanatic. i am also sold on the merits of Marlin Model 39's, Model 336's and Model 1895's.

Never again will I permit a Marlin Model 1894 to take up room in my collection!

I've owned two Model 1894 Marlins in .44 RemMag. Both were traded in disgust after they proved to be incapable of feeding cartridges of any weight, shape or power level.

.

too late ---- the damage is done and the .44 1894 is on the way to my FFL. I hope i have a better experience than you did, but i only plan to shoot hard cast with a max weight of 225 grains (i have a bunch of 200gr to load too. I'll keep my fingers crossed

If my experience is the same as yours, i'm not out too much cash

Idahoser · Post by **Idahoser** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 3:11 pm

beat me up. I deserve it. I walked away from an old Interarms Rossi .44 Mag 92 at the show today. $425 or something similar. It's got the crescent buttplate, saddle ring, 20" barrel with front band/front sight unit. Send it to Nate Kiowa Jones to get shortened to 18" and dovetailed for a real front sight, slick it up... What the heck is the matter with me?

Post by **Old Savage** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 3:14 pm

Didn't some of those have the wrong barrel dimensions in the bore?

Idahoser · Post by **Idahoser** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:05 pm

Old Savage wrote:Didn't some of those have the wrong barrel dimensions in the bore?

I hope so. Some reason not to go back and get it tomorrow!

Lefty Dude · Post by **Lefty Dude** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:25 pm

Streetstar wrote:
Doc Hudson wrote:I happen to be a .44 Fanatic. i am also sold on the merits of Marlin Model 39's, Model 336's and Model 1895's.

Never again will I permit a Marlin Model 1894 to take up room in my collection!

I've owned two Model 1894 Marlins in .44 RemMag. Both were traded in disgust after they proved to be incapable of feeding cartridges of any weight, shape or power level.

.

too late ---- the damage is done and the .44 1894 is on the way to my FFL. I hope i have a better experience than you did, but i only plan to shoot hard cast with a max weight of 225 grains (i have a bunch of 200gr to load too. I'll keep my fingers crossed

If my experience is the same as yours, i'm not out too much cash

I hope you have better luck than I did. My 44 1894CB 24 " Limited had a bore groove of .4335". It shot jacketed all right. And Lead was terrible. I sold the piece last year, just was not happy with the piece.
I have a Rossi 92 44 that shoots 100 times better than that Marlin 94CB.
I paid $350.00, Sold it for $400.00 and kept the Marbles tang sight. Which is going on the Rossi 92/ 44.

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:55 pm

Now after reading all this ---- i think i need to load up a batch of jacketed bullets for comparison --- its no fun shootin' cans when you can't hit the can

txpete · Post by **txpete** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:21 pm

45 colt vote here but there isn't anything wrong with the .429 mag

WyrTwister · Post by **WyrTwister** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:56 pm

I have .44 Mag , .45 LC and .45-70 lever guns . The .45 LC is a rossi Puma , the other two are Marlins .

Was considering loading the .45 LC hotter than SAMI . But I read an article about doing this .

It recommended against it . It said .45 LC brass is not as strong as .44 Mag brass , buy a large margin . When loaded hot , , they said the life of .45 LC brass is much shorter than .44 Mag .

This made sense to me .

I shoot only home cast bullets .

As far as accuracy , oversize cast bullets are SOP . With big diameter bullets , accuracy is as good as I can see with iron sights .

God bless
Wyr

txpete · Post by **txpete** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:06 am

I think you will find out the brass thing is a bunch of horse feathers unless you using old balloon head cases from 1900

.do you really think starline makes weak 45 colt brass?.
pete

http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt45lc.htm

Post by **Old Savage** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:28 am

The brass isn't weak.

Modoc ED · Post by **Modoc ED** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:21 am

I don't have anything (handguns or rifles) in .45 Colt/Long Colt or .44 Magnum. However, if I were to buy a gun in one of those two calibers, it would be the .44 Magnum simply because I have a gazillion bullets in various weights and sizes (.429/.430/.431/.432) both cast and jacketed for my .444 Marlins.

gary rice · Post by **gary rice** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:50 am

WyrTwister wrote:I have .44 Mag , .45 LC and .45-70 lever guns . The .45 LC is a rossi Puma , the other two are Marlins .

Was considering loading the .45 LC hotter than SAMI . But I read an article about doing this .

It recommended against it . It said .45 LC brass is not as strong as .44 Mag brass , buy a large margin . When loaded hot , , they said the life of .45 LC brass is much shorter than .44 Mag .

This made sense to me .

I shoot only home cast bullets .

As far as accuracy , oversize cast bullets are SOP . With big diameter bullets , accuracy is as good as I can see with iron sights .

Ivr loaded both for over 35 years. 45 colt brass is not weaker than 44 brass and lasts just as long. the 45 colt can be loaded up to 30k psi in ruger and marlin guns with no ill affects, been doing it for a long time now.
God bless
Wyr