1894 Marlin JM 44 mag vs 45lc Factory ammo accuracy

Chiappa, Marlin, Mossberg and non-Rossi Manufactured Pumas plus anything else with a leveraction.
dpowers92
Posts: 39
Joined: 12 Oct 2021 03:19
Location: Virginia
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 7 times

1894 Marlin JM 44 mag vs 45lc Factory ammo accuracy

Post by dpowers92 »

I bought a JM 1894 Marlin 44 mag for 560$.
Accuracy with 180 grain Remington factory ammo was all over the place. I am talking on average 5-10 inch groups at 50yards from rest.
I know the bore diameter, twist rate and factory ammo for the 1894 is not conducive to great accuracy. In order to get good accuracy you need to reload. ( Now I don't currently reload but it is a pain that I cannot pick up a random box of 44 mag or special ammo of the shelf and get hunting accuracy at 50 or 100 yards).

I have a box of 240 grain 44 mag rounds coming and if I can't wring a modicum of accuracy out of these I will sell or trade the gun for a 357 mag or 45lc Rossi.
I have good experience with the 357mag and hopefully I have great results with the 45lc gun and ammo combo....Anyone know how the Henry stacks up in accuracy vs the Rossi 92 with 45lc factory ammo.

My wife's 357mag and my 30-30 is deadly accurate with all ammo at 100 yards.
User avatar
GasGuzzler
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2745
Joined: 02 Nov 2015 19:54
Location: Cooke County, TX
Has thanked: 310 times
Been thanked: 451 times

Re: 1894 Marlin JM 44 mag vs 45lc Factory ammo accuracy

Post by GasGuzzler »

I am not a Henry fan, I don't have or want a .44, I haven't found a .45 R92 yet that I want to buy, and I don't shoot factory ammo. Guess I am useless to this discussion. :)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane.
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9398
Joined: 23 Jan 2012 07:44
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1837 times
Been thanked: 2281 times

Re: 1894 Marlin JM 44 mag vs 45lc Factory ammo accuracy

Post by Ranch Dog »

dpowers92 wrote:I bought a JM 1894 Marlin 44 mag for 560$.
Accuracy with 180 grain Remington factory ammo was all over the place. I am talking on average 5-10 inch groups at 50yards from rest.
I know the bore diameter, twist rate and factory ammo for the 1894 is not conducive to great accuracy. In order to get good accuracy you need to reload. ( Now I don't currently reload but it is a pain that I cannot pick up a random box of 44 mag or special ammo of the shelf and get hunting accuracy at 50 or 100 yards).
My guess is that the 180-grain ammo is a bit short on cartridge overall length, especially for a Marlin. Rossi relieves the chamber to ease cartridge feed (like a Glock pistol), but Marlin adds freebore throat. Typically in a Marlin, bullets at the high-weight end of those offered for the cartridge will work better (because there is more bullet out of the case to fill the freebore).

I had a Marlin 1894P, the 44 Mag Guide Gun. The 44 Mag SAAMI spec is a rate of twist is 1:38 (that is another subject0. The "P" shot like a tack with 300-grain bullets. It wouldn't use anything less. I also had a Marlin 336-44, they didn't "deep throat" the chamber on that rifle as the carrier was actually a "lifter" like the early 444 Marlin rifles. It had a spring-loaded leveler on the carrier that actually had the cartridge level before it started any movement forward into the chamber. With the absence of throat in the chamber, it would shoot the SAAMI spec 240-grain ammo perfectly.
Michael
Image
dpowers92
Posts: 39
Joined: 12 Oct 2021 03:19
Location: Virginia
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 7 times

Re: 1894 Marlin JM 44 mag vs 45lc Factory ammo accuracy

Post by dpowers92 »

The overall length of the 180...is to short.
What you are saying is it does not fill the chamber and is too small in diameter to adhere to the rifling?

I really do hope the 240 work well.
Otherwise I think I will hock the 1894 and wait till March for the Citadel 454 casull...that way I can shoot 45lc as well.
User avatar
GasGuzzler
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2745
Joined: 02 Nov 2015 19:54
Location: Cooke County, TX
Has thanked: 310 times
Been thanked: 451 times

Re: 1894 Marlin JM 44 mag vs 45lc Factory ammo accuracy

Post by GasGuzzler »

I think he means the short OAL make the bullet jump a gap from brass to bore.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane.
Sarge
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 291
Joined: 23 Mar 2014 22:56
Location: US
Has thanked: 118 times
Been thanked: 128 times

Re: 1894 Marlin JM 44 mag vs 45lc Factory ammo accuracy

Post by Sarge »

I owned an 1894 Marlin in the early 80s. I lived & worked in the KC Metro area and wasn't reloading at the time. I did have a good assortment of factory 44 mag ammo available and a good public range nearby with good facilities for zeroing a rifle. In short, I tried about every factory load available and finally gave up on getting it under minute-of-cantaloupe at 100 yards. The experience ruined me on the '94 Marlin.

I know some guys have good ones and if that's you, I applaud your good fortune.
Archer
2000 Shots
2000 Shots
Posts: 3942
Joined: 04 Feb 2014 05:30
Location: SoCal Loco
Has thanked: 137 times
Been thanked: 610 times

Re: 1894 Marlin JM 44 mag vs 45lc Factory ammo accuracy

Post by Archer »

dpowers92 wrote:The overall length of the 180...is to short.
What you are saying is it does not fill the chamber and is too small in diameter to adhere to the rifling?

I really do hope the 240 work well.
Otherwise I think I will hock the 1894 and wait till March for the Citadel 454 casull...that way I can shoot 45lc as well.
Not really, what he is saying is that a 240 grain bullet factory loaded in the case is likely to be LONGER than a 180 grain bullet factory loaded ammo. Freebore is the distance between where the chamber technically stops and the rifling starts. Having extra freebore means that the bullet has to jump to the lands. A heavier bullet, loaded to a longer Overall Length than a lighter one has less jump and thus less chance to get misaligned with the bore thus may shoot a tighter group.

The 180 grain bullet and the 240 grain bullet SHOULD be the exact same diameter, although there is a slight tolerance there as well. No telling which one is likely to be a larger diameter however without precise measurements.

There are of course OTHER variables including twist rate, how tight the bore is (which may be a factor of tooling wear) breach lockup, whether or not there's a tight spot in the barrel due to barrel bands or sights, whether or not the crown is clean or the barrel is properly installed and aligned, how much and what kind of powder ...

So are the .357 and the .30-30 Marlins as well?
Reese-Mo
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 468
Joined: 07 Apr 2021 13:08
Location: Florida Swampland
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 97 times

Re: 1894 Marlin JM 44 mag vs 45lc Factory ammo accuracy

Post by Reese-Mo »

Oh, I'm still looking for a 20" Rossi in 45LC for some reasonable price. Last one new I saw was priced at $875 and didn't last long. I paid less for my Winchester-San not two years ago.
User avatar
GasGuzzler
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2745
Joined: 02 Nov 2015 19:54
Location: Cooke County, TX
Has thanked: 310 times
Been thanked: 451 times

Re: 1894 Marlin JM 44 mag vs 45lc Factory ammo accuracy

Post by GasGuzzler »

Reese-Mo wrote:Oh, I'm still looking for a 20" Rossi in 45LC for some reasonable price.
Me too. Took me three years to get my .357. The guy had a .45 and a .454 too but I was poor then. He's dead now so I can't get those. I've already bought, improved, and resold a .454 since but I want a .45.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane.
Reese-Mo
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 468
Joined: 07 Apr 2021 13:08
Location: Florida Swampland
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 97 times

Re: 1894 Marlin JM 44 mag vs 45lc Factory ammo accuracy

Post by Reese-Mo »

The 45LC has such great appeal to me. I don't plan on ever shooting 44mag in my 44, just 44 special. 45LC in the 92, just a little bit more oomph than the 44 special. Enough to make it interesting if loaded right. Gonna be a long wait I'm afeard.
Post Reply