Just plugging this in for comments and maybe a user review, eventually. I like the stock configuration much better than Rossi's, don't care for the aluminum receiver or finish on the standard Huckleberry. I might could live with the steel frame, case-colored version.
Hmm, looks different, nice looking wood.
I just picked up a ruger/marlin 94 in 44 mag last week.
Making a leather butt cuff for it right now.
couple days ago I slugged the barrel with a 440 pure lead round ball with a 1/16" hole drilled through the center, came out .429,
I have an old original Keith 429421 mold so made up some dummy rounds with starline 44 mag brass to see if they would cycle, they cycled fast and slow just fine.
Gunny, same exact thing I went through, I searched for the longest time, came across an article that said ruger was making the marlin barrels the same as their revolvers.
so I took a chance, turns out it is correct, 1/20 RH 6 groove, ballard style, .429 groove dia..
Now I can finally use the same load for both my SBH and marlin.
I think the Keith mold I have dates back to around the 1930s, think the mold was introduced in 1929.
It doesnt have the vent grooves, and came in a really old red paper box.
I did the research on when lyman/ideal started doing the vent grooves but I cant remember right off hand.
It has the original square grease groove, single cavity,makes a really nice bullet.
I said to myself, if this marlin will cycle this bullet in 44 mag brass, I will be happy.
took brand new starline brass, went ahead and ran it through the full length sizer, checked length, inserted the Keith bullet at crimp groove.
Cycled slow,medium and fast, several times, over and over, perfect every time.
I have a beartooth saddle ring safety delete and mag tube follower, not installed yet, may tear it down in a few days and look it over real good.
so far no complaints.
All depends GG... Marine Infantry...20 years of service... 5 tours...I had no choice but to use one for real, way more than I'd have liked.
Informational specs on this rifle, quite simply, piqued my curiosity.
