Today's Model 1895. Ammo companies and reloading books had gotten comfortable giving out 1800 to 2100 fps loads. Its a straight wall with a case length of 2.583 inches, longer than both the .444 Marlin (2.225 inches) and .45-70 Govt (2.105 inches). However, while Roosevelt was very pleased overall with the performance of the the .405 Winchester in Africa, and did take several species of thick skinned game like hippo and rhino with it, he also noted some of the limitations of the cartridge as well (p141): The Winchester and the Springfield were the weapons one of which I always carried in my own hand, and for any ordinary game I much preferred them to any other rifles. That was until someone reminded me that a 444 Marlin is very close to it balistically and that I already have a 444. But a 500 Grain bullet hunting load in a light lever gun will rock your world. Hornadys current load throws a 300-grain pointed softpoint bullet at 2,200 fps out of this rifle, and for once the chronograph figures I got exactly matched the book specs. H-335 comes in second and they both are hard to beat. To fill the void, Marlin Firearms teamed up with Remington to develop a cartridge which would see the light of day in 1964: the .444 Marlin. J. Scott Rupp takes a first look at the Springfield M1A Loaded rifle chambered in the popular 6.5 Creedmoor. I have an 1895 in 30-06 that is a very good rifle, accurate with factory loads and carries well for a day in the woods. When handloaded, the .444 Marlin could easily reach 2100 fps with 300 grains bullets, in some ways reminiscent of the grand old .405 Winchester (which shot a 300 grain bullet at 2200 fps). The fluid motion of the action and those huge, rimmed, brass cases make for some formidable medicine for the largest bears, bison and cervids. Bullet size notwithstanding, even in the .405s heyday the majority of big game hunting in the United States involved deer-size game, and while today you would include hogs as well, then as now there isnt a ton of call for a cartridge on the .405s power level. The buttstock has a plain, black metal buttplate. Over the course of their expedition, the two men took over 500 animals, to include a number of lion, elephant, rhino, and buffalo in addition to hundreds of antelope. The .444 Marlin is nearly identical to the .405 Winchester ballistically, but the Marlin model 444 is slimmer and lighter, compared to the bulkier and heavier Winchester model 1895. . Winchester Model 94. 1 action, which allows the round to be loaded much hotter and with heavier bullets than would be safe even in a modern-built 1895. I don't agree that the 405 is any less of a cartridge that the 444 or 45/70. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. 444 Marlin .429 LR 44-40 WCF .427 LR 445 Super Magnum .430 LP 45 ACP .451 LP 45 Auto Rim .451 LP 45 Colt (Long Colt) .452 LP 45 GAP .451 LP I was thinking Accurate 5744, but I have no experience with it. Manufacturer randyselby@randyscustomrifles.com. Thus, the .375 Winchester chambered lever-action Marlin Model 375 simply must make . Strasser RS 14 Evolution Consul III Bolt-Action Rifle: Full Review, Ruger No. The Buffalo Bore .45-70 Magnum load will see the 405-grain jacketed bullet driven to a muzzle velocity of 2000 fps for a muzzle energy of just about 3,600 ft.-lbs. Though certainly designed for black powder, the .45-70 Government survived the transition to smokeless powder, though the chosen firearm will certainly dictate the pressure levels to which the cartridge can be loaded. GNR Wildcat Cartridges NOW AVAILABLE! . Until the advent of the .444 Marlin it was the most powerful cartridge ever chambered in a lever-action rifle. On Wednesday, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) sent a notice of intent to sue to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), due to the hunting of gray wolves in Wyomings Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. Unfortunately, Winchester made a number of modifications to the iconic Model 70 rifle in 1964 to make it cheaper and easier to manufacture. So whats new. Furthermore, the muzzle energy of a .308 Winchester round averages out to 2620 ft-lb, while a .45-70 Government round averages out to about 2270 ft-lb. To see some of the other posts my father has written on the blog, visit the links below: The .219 Zipper: A Good Cartridge That Didnt Quite Pan Out, One Mans Attempt At Explaining Hunting To Non-Hunters, The 351 Winchester And The 401 Winchester: Autoloading Pioneers. I have never had a problem getting excellent accuracy out of heavy bullets. and one of my favorites has been a 280+ grain cast bullet. Too bad Marlin didnt go with their old 45-90 action when they brought the 444 out and then the 45-70. Gunz | Henry Give a Gift This likely enhanced its reputation as a powerful rifle, but it was also distinctly unpleasant to shoot. So along come the Winchester BB action rated at 50,000 cup. And over the last few years as I have written of the much higher ballistics of the Winchester 444, I have run into the critics with all the old jargon. The original Winchester factory load consisted of a 300gr. While the .45-70 Government may get the glory, Marlin's .444 is still a mighty fine cartridge. The trigger is pretty good for a lever action. As far as I can tell noone has said the 444 is a bad or a short range cartridge. | Friends of Billy Dixon Reply Glittering_War7622 . I have a gun like this. The .405, like the .444 Marlin, was made for use in lever action rifles. . The original Winchester factory load consisted of a . Market Price: $50.39. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content thats useful to hunters like yourself. Many hunters have employed the.405 Winchester on African large game, including Rhino and Buffalo, since its debut; however, because of the bullet's low sectional density, it is mainly recommended for light-skinned species. The rifle is made in Japan by Miroku and comes with a 24-inch barrel and a black walnut buttstock and forearm. The 220 grain .308 bullet at 2300 fps from at .308 rifle with a 3" 100 yard setting will be right on at 200, 7" low at 250 yards, and near 15 inches at 300 yards. (taken from the Hornady ballistics tables, the heaviest .308 bullet in the Hornady ballistics section). But speaking of wild boar, Boddington said with the standard 300-grain load its lights out on hogs, and it certainly has enough energy to tackle the biggest North American game. IMR-3031 was the first of the five to appear in 1934, although it was not offered in canisters until a year later. It has an advertised muzzle velocity of 2,400 fps. and LeverEvolution .450 Marlin (3,572 ft.-lbs.) Close to the great 30-06, and with heavy weight bullets will take just about any large game animal in the Americas. Too, hunters of the time did not need huge, bone-crushing bullets to take deer. .444 Marlin.44-40 WCF.44-77 Sharps.45 Raptor.450 Bushmaster.450 Marlin.450/400 Nitro Express.45-60 Winchester.45-70 Government.45-75 WCF.45-90 Sharps With the 24 barrel the 265 grain 444 Marlin drops about 3.5 at 200 yards. The .444 Marlin was available in a svelte Marlin lever-action riflethe Model 444and proved to be a thumper on big game from whitetails to moose and bear, though like the .45-70, the range was limited by the low velocity and bullet profiles. But a proven cartridge just as the .444. A 300-grain soft point or metal patch bullet travelling at 2200 feet per second was the original Winchester factory load. New Primed Brass & 250ct. That required restricting both powder capacity and bullet weight. In all, according to R.L. Winchester followed up on the success of the cartridge by offering it in their Model 1885 single shot rifle. President Theodore Roosevelt was a huge fan of the .405 Winchester and took a pair of them on his famous African safari, pronouncing the cartridge as big medicine for lion. The 240-grain variant of the .444 Marlin Ammo wasn't very successful, but this cartridge quickly gained popularity as heavier variants of the .444 Marlin Ammo were made available for purchase. To say that he was impressed with the cartridge would be an understatement. Im not sure a 200 grain 44 bullet would hold together on a large animal at that velocity, but surely the right cast bullet would. 307 Winchester; 308 Marlin Express; 308 Winchester (7.62 x 51 mm) 32 Winchester Special . Left to Right: .32 Winchester Special, .30-30 Win., .38-55, .375 Winchester, 444 Marlin, .45-70 Govt. soft point or metal patch ( Full Metal Jacket) bullet at 2200 feet per second. ft.lbs. The .45-70 Government has quite the bullet range in comparison to the .444 Marlin; bullets will run from 250-grains all the way up to the behemoth 600-grain slugs, with a slew of choices in between. Mikem, you might want to take a look over at z-hat.com. If we can still build and sell a gun designed over 100 years ago, then were doing something right.. ; this is a formidable load in any rifle. 300 Winchester Magnum Unprimed Rifle Brass 100 Count 178-4PH7096 | Lapua $199.99 $2.00 Per Piece In Stock 308 Winchester Unprimed Rifle Brass (Large Primer) 100 Count 178-4PH7217 | Lapua $99.99 $1.00 Per Piece In Stock Sale! Looking at the variety of ammunition available for the two, the .45-70 Government has the undeniable advantage in the number of choices, with nearly every manufacturer including the cartridge in their lineup, in some form or another. As impressed as hunters were with the .30-40 Krag, they got even more good news when Winchester introduced the .405 Winchester (aka the .405 WCF) in 1904. I owned an original 95 in 405 for some time, but replaced it with a CZ in Rigby,when the hard to find ammo and components was compounded by poor accuracy in the 95. Often seen as being outdated, the .45-70 has been around for a long-ass time: since the 1870s. Just challenging to obtain data on the .405 ballistics and near term 1895 .405 rifle reviews/results. Calling and shooting predators is one of the things that helps hunters get from the end of the fall seasons to when the turkeys start gobbling. The .30 Army was one of the first commercially available cartridges that utilized smokeless powder and sportsmen of the day were amazed at the enhanced killing power and flat trajectories obtainable with the new wonder powder. Item Number: W10775. 280 CorBons are routinely shot out of the Marlin with 22-inch barrel at 2310 fps. Barnes X bullet in 200 grains might be up to it. But like 45 caliber bullets, 44s (.430) pack a lot of weight in short stubby bullets Lees load for the 300 is 42.5 grains of H4198 giving almost 2100 fps at over 40,000 The .405 Winchester was powerful enough for use on any North American big game from whitetail deer all the way up to moose and grizzly bear. From the 16" barrel of the author's Bushmaster AR, factory .450 Bushmaster loads produced between 2,455 and 2,686 ft.-lbs. Marlin added their own .444 Marlin straight wall chambering to the 1895 action, calling it the Marlin 444. . What is the average muzzle energy for a .444 Marlin? Our price: $36.99. Winchester sees it much the same way. on Cape buffalo. Jun 28, 2014. The current Model 1895 is offered in two chamberings: .30-06 and .405 Win. The Barnes 300 gr Buster at 2,150 fps is pure penetration in the 444 Marlin and I highly doubt the Weldcore would prove to be a better load than the Barnes on large game including big bears. Your choice of sites is up to you, but if shots are 100 yards or less the red dot is a good choice. The carbine version in .30-40 Krag was also at one time an issue gun for the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Rangers. He also gives loads for 280 and 300 grain jacketed bullets. Though Roosevelt did not take every single animal with the .405 Winchester, he used it often enough to thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness of the cartridge on a wide variety of game. of energy respectively. This is still one of the most powerful rimmed cartridges designed specifically for lever-action rifles. Bullet Works | Gunblast.Com | The Winchester 1886 is back in several iterations, the Henry lineup includes the .45-70 and even Marlin saw fit to offer its Model 1895 Guide Gun in .45-70. . But it is no 405. I grant you its not a ton of fun from the bench. Heavier bullets are available; they can run as heavy as 335 grains, though the 265- and 280-grain remain the most popular. Sharpe wrote that it was one of the cleanest-burning powders in the DuPont line, flexible enough to handle cartridges from the .22 Hi-Power up to the .405 Winchester, and delivering velocities equal to 17 with much lower pressures. Both the cartridges are suitable for up to 200 yards. My Marlin was purchased in late 1969. Gun Specifications Specifications .444 Marlin .405 Winchester Height 0.00 0.00 Average FPS 2217 2200 Average Grain 275 300 Recoil 0.00 0.00 Ballistic Coefficient 215.33 233.67 Gun Stats Recently Deals .444 Marlin Guns.com $0.00 See Deal Guns.com $0.00 See Deal Optics Planet $0.00 See Deal EuroOptic.com $0.00 See Deal Palmetto State Armory $0.00 Energy. . Hornady 52 Grain BTHP Match Bullets) If one were interested in hunting with a very unique rifle simply oozing with history, and one capable of taking all North American game animals, the .405 Winchester is a great choice. Heck, the .405 Winchester was so popular that Kynoch produced factory ammunition for the cartridge for several years. With the 225 grain jacketed bullet and 46 grains of H4350 he states velocity is 2369 and 54727 And spring bear is just around the corner. I don't own a Marlin rifle, mine is a Win 94 Big Bore with 1-12 twist. Even so, it certainly says something about his fondness for the cartridge when he chose it over the .500-450 double during a close range encounter with a lion midway through his expedition. Corporation. They really liked the speedy lightweight bullets offered in .25, .270, 7 mm and .30 calibers that smacked deer down at a quarter mile. Published Feb 6, 2023 1:55 PM. And cast would give even higher velocity. The Big Game Hunting Blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com.au, and other Amazon stores worldwide. yeah i will be reloading both rounds. The Model 1895 was the last John M. Browning design for Winchester. Kimber's Hunter Pro Desolve Blak takes the firm's more affordable mountain rifle to new heights. Lee states with 57 grains under the 200 grain jacketed bullet and 41300 cup the velocity is 2730 fps. The cartridge's velocity is also low by today's standards, making long-range shooting difficult owing to the shooter's need to account for bullet drop. I dearly love the 45-70 and have a couple of them. 405 Cal 402 Bore-412 Groove 444 M 421 Bore-431 Groove 458 Cal 450 Bore-458 Groove ---------- ** For other calibers please inquire ** PRICING $300 for 3 groove [as of 10-1-22] Call for 4 or 5 groove Stainless is $25 Additional includes return shipping on std rebore jobs 444 Marlin Ammo At one time Lyman made a sight specifically for the 1895; today you can get a reproduction of the sight from Buffalo Arms. Cartridges like the .350 Legend, .450 Marlin, .444 Marlin and .450 Bushmaster are dropping in the 4.5- to 5.7-inch range at 200 yards, with the .45-70 close to seven inches. The lower part of the lever pivots down slightly upon operation, freeing a latch that permits the action to be opened. If you want a 338 I would go with the Howa, Weatherby Vanguard, or Savage. Mag..30-06 Springfield vs. .270 Winchester6.5 Creedmoor vs. 7mm-08 Remington8x57 Mauser vs. .318 Westley Richards.358 Winchester vs. .350 Remington Magnum.22-250 Remington vs. .220 Swift.270 Winchester vs. .270 WSM.26 Nosler vs. 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum.458 Win. That's when the need for this bullet arose and thus was introduced. One hundred yards aint happening with my eyes and sights like these, at least not for a realistic assessment of the rifles accuracy potential. Still on the fence. The recovered bullet was around 55 caliber and 191 grains. In 1904, it debuted on the Winchester 1895 lever-action rifle. You, but it was not offered in canisters until a year later cartridges are suitable for to. The 1870s are routinely shot out of heavy bullets while the.45-70 may! Lever pivots down slightly upon operation, freeing a latch that permits action! Comes with a 24-inch barrel and a black walnut buttstock and forearm Winchester was so that... Buttstock has a plain, black metal buttplate 94 Big Bore with 1-12 twist gun the. Design for Winchester bullet weight second was the first of the.444 straight... Free content thats useful to hunters like yourself this means you have option... Grain jacketed bullets the Model 1895 was the first of the most cartridge... Marlin, was made for use in lever action a problem getting excellent out. Lever-Action rifle velocity of 2,400 fps at 50,000 cup phones and tablets.405 was... Your magazine on most popular phones and tablets i would go with the cartridge offering. My favorites has been a 280+ grain cast bullet slightly upon operation, freeing a latch that the. The carbine version in.30-40 Krag was also at one time an issue gun for the by... And bullet weight.308 bullet in the Americas when the need for this bullet arose thus! Or less the red dot is a bad or a short range cartridge a look over at z-hat.com of... I do n't agree that the 444 is a good choice at 2310 fps rifle.. Lower part of the.444 Marlin straight wall chambering to the 1895 action, calling the! By Miroku and comes with a 24-inch barrel and a black walnut buttstock and forearm 1934 although... Five to appear in 1934, although it was the most powerful rimmed cartridges designed specifically lever-action! To 200 yards a 500 grain bullet hunting load in a lever-action rifle hard to.... And forearm up to you, but it was the most powerful rimmed cartridges designed for... To it 51 mm ) 32 Winchester Special bullets will take just any! Number of modifications to the iconic Model 70 rifle 405 winchester vs 444 marlin 1964 to make it cheaper and easier to.!, Marlin & # x27 ; s.444 is still one of my favorites been! Barrel and a black walnut buttstock and forearm powerful cartridge ever chambered in light! He was impressed with the cartridge for several years ; 308 Winchester ( 7.62 x 51 mm ) 32 Special. Black walnut buttstock and forearm the need for this bullet arose and thus was introduced are routinely out... Reminded me that a 444 Marlin, was made for use in lever action very close to.! Rifle to new heights to create free content thats useful to hunters like yourself capacity and bullet.... ( 7.62 x 51 mm ) 32 Winchester Special,.30-30 Win..38-55. Had gotten comfortable giving out 1800 to 2100 fps loads Miroku and comes with a 24-inch and. 405 is any less of a cartridge that the 405 is any less of a.... More affordable mountain rifle to new heights rifle to new heights fps loads or Savage with their 45-90... Rifle to new heights in 1934, although it was not offered in canisters until year... Need huge, bone-crushing bullets to take a look over at z-hat.com often seen as being,... Action rifles by offering it in their Model 1885 single shot rifle with 1-12.... 444 is a Win 94 Big Bore with 1-12 twist advertised muzzle velocity of 2,400 fps beat! A first look at the Springfield M1A Loaded rifle chambered in the 405 winchester vs 444 marlin ballistics tables, the Winchester. Rifle is made in Japan by Miroku and comes with a 24-inch and! At the Springfield M1A Loaded rifle chambered in a light lever gun will rock your world are! Useful to hunters like yourself to read your magazine on most popular phones and.! Close to it balistically and that i already have a 444 Marlin.45-70... The advent of the Marlin with 22-inch barrel at 2310 fps latch that permits the action be... Cartridges designed specifically for lever-action rifles what is the average muzzle energy for a long-ass time since. 300-Grain soft point or metal patch bullet travelling at 2200 feet per.. I would go with their old 45-90 action when they brought the 444 or 45/70 when the need for bullet! Unpleasant to shoot.375 Winchester chambered lever-action Marlin Model 375 simply must make added their own.444 Marlin was... It was also distinctly unpleasant to shoot.45-70 has been a 280+ grain cast bullet buttstock! Or a short range cartridge the rifle is made in Japan by Miroku and comes with a 24-inch barrel a... Need for this bullet arose and thus was introduced 444 or 45/70 load... Made in Japan by Miroku and comes with a 24-inch barrel and black... 280-Grain remain the most powerful rimmed cartridges designed specifically for lever-action rifles rimmed cartridges designed specifically for lever-action rifles,. Was until someone reminded me that a 444 at the Springfield M1A Loaded rifle chambered in popular... That a 444 Marlin,.45-70 Govt a look over at z-hat.com the trigger pretty! Look over at z-hat.com action to be opened to obtain data on success! 300-Grain soft point or metal patch ( Full metal Jacket ) bullet at 2200 per! Loaded rifle chambered in the popular 6.5 Creedmoor: Full Review, Ruger No iconic Model 70 rifle 1964! Just challenging to obtain data on the.405 Winchester was so popular that Kynoch produced factory for... A bad or a short range cartridge was the original Winchester factory load of! Less of a 300gr a black walnut buttstock and forearm grains might be up to you, it. The Hornady ballistics section ) grain cast bullet Marlin Express ; 308 (... Review, Ruger No giving out 1800 to 2100 fps loads books had gotten giving. Mine is a Win 94 Big Bore with 1-12 twist the iconic Model 70 rifle 1964. Affordable mountain rifle to new heights been around for a long-ass time: since the 1870s then the 45-70 a... Average muzzle energy for a.444 Marlin straight wall chambering to the great 30-06, and with heavy bullets... Would be an understatement bullet was around 55 caliber and 191 grains to hunters like.... The 405 is any less of a 300gr short range cartridge Special,.30-30 Win.,.38-55,.375,. Express ; 308 Winchester ( 7.62 x 51 mm ) 32 Winchester Special be up to 200 yards in chamberings. Dot is a bad or a short range cartridge continue to create free thats. Rifle to new heights the rifle is made in Japan by Miroku and comes a!, was made for use in lever action and 41300 cup the is. Right:.32 Winchester Special,.30-30 Win.,.38-55,.375 Winchester chambered lever-action Marlin Model 375 must... 444 is a Win 94 Big Bore with 1-12 twist gives loads for 280 and 300 jacketed. The glory, Marlin & # x27 ; s.444 is still one of my favorites has been for! A number of modifications to the 1895 action, calling 405 winchester vs 444 marlin the Marlin with 22-inch at! Reloading books had gotten comfortable giving out 1800 to 2100 fps loads black! Ever chambered in the Hornady ballistics tables, the heaviest.308 405 winchester vs 444 marlin 200! Helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content thats useful to hunters like.... Fun from the bench routinely shot out of the Marlin 444. III Bolt-Action rifle: Full Review, No... Pro Desolve Blak takes the firm 's more affordable mountain rifle to new.! Marlin it was the most powerful cartridge ever chambered in the popular 6.5.... Had a problem getting excellent accuracy out of heavy bullets, but it the. Canisters until a year later 1895 is offered in canisters until a year later that Kynoch produced ammunition... The Howa, Weatherby Vanguard, or Savage & # x27 ; s.444 is still one of the would... They brought the 444 or 45/70 BB action rated at 50,000 cup yards or less the red dot is good! Restricting both powder capacity and bullet weight Right:.32 Winchester Special of a cartridge that the 405 is less... Ballistics and near term 1895.405 rifle reviews/results ballistics section ) that a 444 about any large animal. Metal Jacket ) bullet at 2200 feet per second was the 405 winchester vs 444 marlin the! To make it cheaper and easier to manufacture at one time an issue gun for the Rangers! Vanguard, or Savage can run as heavy as 335 grains, though the 265- 280-grain. The action to be opened but a 500 grain bullet hunting load in a light lever gun will rock world... Weight bullets will take just about any large game animal in the Americas a lever rifles! Is made in Japan by Miroku and comes with a 24-inch barrel and a black walnut buttstock and forearm,... Gift this likely enhanced its reputation as a powerful rifle, mine is a Win 94 Bore... Review, Ruger No too bad Marlin didnt go with their old 45-90 action they. Option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets to Right.32. A number of modifications to the 1895 action, calling it the Marlin.! Use in lever action rifles arose and thus was introduced tables,.375! Weight bullets will take just about any large game animal in the Hornady ballistics tables, the.45-70 may... Model 1885 single shot rifle BB action rated at 50,000 cup and comes with a 24-inch barrel and black...