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Marlin .44 mag and .45 Colt questions...
3/2/2012 12:56:29 AM
A buddy bought a .44 and a .45 in 2006, and now wants to sell them. Both are like new or unfired... Not sure exactly which since the text wasn't clear. Now I'm thinking about helping him out by purchasing one from him. 
I don't know much about them other than they look fun to shoot. I was told that newer ones are lower quality than older ones, is this true? What about caliber? I'm starting to reload so can you safely shoot the hotter .45 loads from these rifles? Any input on what I should offer?
I don't know much about them other than they look fun to shoot. I was told that newer ones are lower quality than older ones, is this true? What about caliber? I'm starting to reload so can you safely shoot the hotter .45 loads from these rifles? Any input on what I should offer?3/2/2012 2:02:09 AM
If you want to shoot heavy bullets in the Marlins the 45 Colt is the better choice (due to the twist rate), it can be loaded to around 35K chamber pressures which makes it a perfect match for the large frame Rugers.
3/2/2012 4:57:38 PM
I paid $375 from a stranger for 1894 44mag in good condition.
3/2/2012 7:00:43 PM
Get the 44mag. Easy to find ammo and pistols to go with it. You don't have to worry about the 45 colt ammo you do find blowing up your cheap single action 45 colt. Reloading is pretty much the same but you can load and shoot 44 specials with the same dies and bullets.
3/3/2012 3:58:59 PM
I have 3 of the Marlins in .45 Colt.......you can handload them STRONG!!!........I call it my "45-70 Light" rifle
3/9/2012 3:21:26 PM
45LC definitely 
3/15/2012 12:37:18 PM
Quality has slipped on the newest Marlins, but 2006's should be fine . The problems started in the transition era guns and the current Rem manufactured guns 末- people who like Marlins say to steer clear of anything newer than '08 just to be on the safe side
(I unabashedly prefer the Winchester designs , but i have a Marlin 1894 in 44 mag and it is a fun plinker that can put a little bit of heat downrange 末末- mine absolutely will not work right with 44 Special length ammo though, so if i want milder loads, i have to load down standard mag length cases 末 in comparison, i also have 2 Winchester Trappers in .45 Colt 末- these get tons more range time 末 ok, ok, i am Winchester biased , but just leaving that aside, the main reason is the cartridge, . 45 Colt is my favorite cartridge because of its versatility, it can make a lot of energy at a lower pressure than .44 Mag, or on the flip side, powder puff loads are easy to make too ,
(I bash MArlins a tad, but truth is, year in and year out - my main go-to hunting rifle has been a Guide Gun –– doesn't mean i have to like it tho 
)
(I unabashedly prefer the Winchester designs , but i have a Marlin 1894 in 44 mag and it is a fun plinker that can put a little bit of heat downrange 末末- mine absolutely will not work right with 44 Special length ammo though, so if i want milder loads, i have to load down standard mag length cases 末 in comparison, i also have 2 Winchester Trappers in .45 Colt 末- these get tons more range time 末 ok, ok, i am Winchester biased , but just leaving that aside, the main reason is the cartridge, . 45 Colt is my favorite cartridge because of its versatility, it can make a lot of energy at a lower pressure than .44 Mag, or on the flip side, powder puff loads are easy to make too ,
(I bash MArlins a tad, but truth is, year in and year out - my main go-to hunting rifle has been a Guide Gun –– doesn't mean i have to like it tho
)3/16/2012 5:39:59 PM
I have Marlin lever guns in .22, .30-30, .357, .44 and .45. Keep it simple. Buy both.
3/18/2012 6:52:58 AM
45 Colt, ammo isn't any harder to find than 44. It's not like you're going to be looking for ammo day in day out any how. Heck, my Walmart even carries 45 colt now with all the Judges running around.
3/18/2012 8:00:07 AM
If you handload caliber doesn't really matter much.
Mine is a 44 because that is what I was set up for.
As said this gun is supposed to work with 44sp but it doesn't feed well,load to that power level with mag cases
The marlin is supposed to have a twist that doesn't work well with anything heavier than 240 but my standard pistol load or 240 lead
and a warmish load of 2400 goes wistleing down the barrel so fast I don't really care
Mine is a 44 because that is what I was set up for.
As said this gun is supposed to work with 44sp but it doesn't feed well,load to that power level with mag cases
The marlin is supposed to have a twist that doesn't work well with anything heavier than 240 but my standard pistol load or 240 lead
and a warmish load of 2400 goes wistleing down the barrel so fast I don't really care
3/18/2012 11:55:01 AM
Originally Posted By DEGOLDCUP:
45 Colt, ammo isn't any harder to find than 44. It's not like you're going to be looking for ammo day in day out any how. Heck, my Walmart even carries 45 colt now with all the Judges running around.
45 Colt, ammo isn't any harder to find than 44. It's not like you're going to be looking for ammo day in day out any how. Heck, my Walmart even carries 45 colt now with all the Judges running around.
Must be geographical, cause a couple years ago you couldnt find 45 around here anywhere and if you did it was a box or two of mis matched stuff... like one box of Hornady Home Defense and one box of blackpowder cowboy stuff.
44 Mag was not hard to find, just pricey as all hell
Its still not that easy to find, but its picking up some.
