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I thought about that, never had to do it before.Get your self some of the Tubbs 2000 fire lapping bullets, start with the rough grit and shoot your way through to the fine, should tighten it right up for ya!
Mine, like yours, also has tight spots. I'm looking at lapping the thing. Tubs doesn't sell a .44 cal, but I do have plenty dead soft lead, I'll probably lap it by hand.Yes, I've seen rifling like that, on a similar vintage Marlin .44 mag. What's worse is the roll stamp on the side of the barrel. You can see dents through to the inside of the bore from the stamps.
I had the same problem with accuracy (or lack thereof). I ended up sizing my cast bullets about .4315", a compromise that also works well in my revolvers, as any bigger didn't seem to make much difference in my rifle. I also found that the magazine tube was binding badly on the barrel and receiver. I relieved that binding and it did make a difference.
It still shoots mediocre with plain base cast bullets. It does much better with gas-check cast, as well as jacketed bullets. It's still no target rifle, but it's at least acceptable now.
I probably could have worded my post better. Mine actually shoots pretty decent now with gas check or jacketed bullets, just not as good with plain base. I powder coat too, no leading at all. It's just not a target rifle.Mine, like yours, also has tight spots. I'm looking at lapping the thing. Tubs doesn't sell a .44 cal, but I do have plenty dead soft lead, I'll probably lap it by hand.
I'm sorry to hear yours still doesn't shoot well, I think there's a couple things with these .44 marlins that lead to poor accuracy, besides the chatter marks.
Frankly, if I'd have known what a dog this rig would be, I'd have bought a henry instead. The rifling pitch on their new .44 barrels is 1-20, instead of marlin's 1-38.
Thanks everyone for the recommendations, all good information.
I have a 444 from about 1978 that was one of the first after Marlin switched from dovetailed front sights to screwed-on sights. They drilled the holes too deep, causing two slight bulges into the bore. Sent it back and they screwed on a new barrel N/C. But that was then, two owners ago.Yes, I've seen rifling like that, on a similar vintage Marlin .44 mag. What's worse is the roll stamp on the side of the barrel. You can see dents through to the inside of the bore from the stamps.
No. Never seen anything like that. I didn't even know rifling could be that bad.Marlin 94, 44 mag. Made in 1983, jm stamp, micro groove.
Looks like it was cut with a back hoe!
What'd y'all think? Any ideas?
It shoots as bad as it looks too!
Cast lead bullets go all over the place, jacketed kinda group, more like a shotgun pattern though.
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Wow! That's terrible! It hurts me to know a fellow firearms enthusiast is burdened with such a machine. I'd like to do my part to help. If you send me the rifle, I'll make sure it never bothers you again.
On a more serious note, that's unfortunate. I wonder if a smith could do something like sleeve the barrel or re-barrel it from one that turns up with a damaged receiver or use a blank barrel and fit it to the rifle. Once Ruger finishes spinning up Marlin production, I wonder if they'd be willing to help you out.
Best of luck!
This was typical for Marlin levers of that time period! A Marlin employee posted an excellent writeup on another forum years ago detailing the steps needed to product a functional barrel. Marlin skipped some of those steps to reduce cost.Marlin 94, 44 mag. Made in 1983, jm stamp, micro groove.
Looks like it was cut with a back hoe!
What'd y'all think? Any ideas?
It shoots as bad as it looks too!
Cast lead bullets go all over the place, jacketed kinda group, more like a shotgun pattern though.
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Heck yea - give 'em a try as ask them - but don't get POd if they refuse. Typically a manufacturer's warranty ends with THAT particular Mfg. but ya never know - never hurts to ask.Yeah, Ruger might help
That might have been a better option but Henrys have had their share of problems as well - including some pretty bad bores as well but at least you would be assured of it being taken care of.Frankly, if I'd have known what a dog this rig would be, I'd have bought a henry instead.
Maybe I should give them a call. If they keep the threads the same, should be an easy barrel swap.Yeah, Ruger might help….. they wouldn't want their newly acquired Marlin line to compete with their Mini-14/30 rifles for shooting around corners and such…..
Interesting. You hear all the time, "just buy a jm stamped marlin".This was typical for Marlin levers of that time period! A Marlin employee posted an excellent writeup on another forum years ago detailing the steps needed to product a functional barrel. Marlin skipped some of those steps to reduce cost.
What you see here is the results of only drilling the barrel, the next step of removing the ruff cuts did not happen. Most likely even the next step of stress relief was not done! After that one and only first drilling the barrel was button rifled.
If the owner of that Marlin had pushed a very tight patch through the barrel, the owner also would of noticed loose & tight spots in the bore as the tight patch moved through the barrel. Without stress relief of the barrel, metal tends to move back from where it was before the button rifling step.
With that said; If the barrel ain't right - nuth'in is right. In this case it is hard to make a silk purse from a sow's ear. Best outcome is to hand lap the bore very slowly. Attempt to even out the loose & tight spots. Pay very close to the bore diameter by using a micrometer and check the lead lap's diameter.
The loose & tights spots will be located where the sights are attached, roll markings, dove tail cuts, and surprisingly where the barrel is screwed into the receiver. Don't ask me how I know.
Foreverlost,