New Marlin 1894 .44 Mag bullet, load limitations???

[KennVFRidr]

I filled out the 4473 Form for one of the new 1894's in .44 mag on Friday, and I'm wondering about bullet weight, load limitations as there are some pretty potent factory offerings out there these days. I'm guessing the Underwood .44 Remington Mag +P+ 340 Grain Lead Flat Nose might not be an acceptable factory round for the Marlin...but where should I draw the line?

Also, do some of the heavy weight bullet designs cause cycling issues?

I sent an inquiry to Marlin, but no answer yet.

New Marlin owner wondering...

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[aasbra]

As to what loads may be too hot, I don't know. Would be curious how Marlin (Ruger) responds. Not sure whether Ruger has made any design or material changes to the newly produced Marlin 1894 models now they are making them. I held one in 357 yesterday and was impressed, but didn't notice anything much different than the 1894 models I own. Ruger is known for building stuff heavy duty with some models they manufacture (thus the Ruger-only loads in some reloading manuals).

As to feeding heavier bullets, the 1894 is sensitive to longer cartridge OALs, and if too long, rounds can get hung up coming out of the magazine tube and feeding into the carrier. Ask me how I know….

When reloading and working with a new or unfamiliar projectile, always best to load a dummy round or two and make sure it will cycle from the tube magazine, into the carrier, and chamber. If using store bought ammo, and you end up with a box that won't cycle, I guess single loading them through your ejection port would be an option.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I filled out the 4473 Form for one of the new 1894's in .44 mag on Friday, and I'm wondering about bullet weight, load limitations as there are some pretty potent factory offerings out there these days. I'm guessing the Underwood .44 Remington Mag +P+ 340 Grain Lead Flat Nose might not be an acceptable factory round for the Marlin...but where should I draw the line?

Also, do some of the heavy weight bullet designs cause cycling issues?

I sent an inquiry to Marlin, but no answer yet.

New Marlin owner wondering...

Regular .44 magnum ammunition is plenty and safe, it says so right on the barrel.

 

[Nosferatu]

About the only limitation is the cartridge length - lever guns don't like them TOO long, or they get hung up.

I've put many 300 grain Buffalo Bore and Double Tap nuclear loads through it. It hasn't broken in half, yet.

 

[drstrangelove]

My 45-70 is more pleasant to shoot than my 44mag. I really can't imagine loading them hot. As long as it's not a Remlin, it should not lock up with spicy loads. My Remlin did, so we had a divorce.

 

[KennVFRidr]

As to what loads may be too hot, I don't know. Would be curious how Marlin (Ruger) responds. Not sure whether Ruger has made any design or material changes to the newly produced Marlin 1894 models now they are making them. I held one in 357 yesterday and was impressed, but didn't notice anything much different than the 1894 models I own. Ruger is known for building stuff heavy duty with some models they manufacture (thus the Ruger-only loads in some reloading manuals).

E-mail reply from Ruger customer service was waiting for me this morning...

"The Ruger-Marlin 1894 was designed to function with all types of factory ammunition meeting SAAMI specifications. We do not recommend using +P ammunition."

Nice to get a reasonably quick response. And, a good reminder of how much I've forgotten over the years.

As to feeding heavier bullets, the 1894 is sensitive to longer cartridge OALs, and if too long, rounds can get hung up coming out of the magazine tube and feeding into the carrier. Ask me how I know…

Good to know, thanks I'll keep that in mind...(more info to clog up my overtaxed brain... )

 

[KennVFRidr]

My 45-70 is more pleasant to shoot than my 44mag. I really can't imagine loading them hot. As long as it's not a Remlin, it should not lock up with spicy loads. My Remlin did, so we had a divorce.

It's one of the new Ruger built Marlins...running into it was a bit of a fluke, and definitely an impulse purchase, albeit one I've been wanting for years.

 

[Koda]

I'm guessing the Underwood .44 Remington Mag +P+ 340 Grain Lead Flat Nose might not be an acceptable factory round for the Marlin...but where should I draw the line?

Draw the line at anything outside of SAAMI specifications. Theres no need to shoot +P ammo most are not to saami spec.

 

[Certaindeaf]

E-mail reply from Ruger customer service was waiting for me this morning...

"The Ruger-Marlin 1894 was designed to function with all types of factory ammunition meeting SAAMI specifications. We do not recommend using +P ammunition."

Nice to get a reasonably quick response. And, a good reminder of how much I've forgotten over the years.

Good to know, thanks I'll keep that in mind...(more info to clog up my overtaxed brain... )

Pretty sure saami doesn't list +P etc. magnums anyway.

 

[quneur]

Why +P on a magnum caliber?

I own a 357 mag and if I want to squeeze out more pressure, I would buy a 44 mag.

 

[KennVFRidr]

Why +P on a magnum caliber?

I own a 357 mag and if I want to squeeze out more pressure, I would buy a 44 mag.

Not looking to use it myself, but I assume many would use the heavy duty stuff for hunting and/or large critter defense. Underwood lists the following for their .44 Mag +P+ 340 gr. Flat Nose Hard Cast hunting ammo:

"Due to the amount of pressure generated by this +P+ loading we do not recommend it for every firearm. Safe firearms include, but are not absolutely limited to; Ruger Red Hawk, Ruger Super Red Hawk, Ruger Super Blackhawk or Vaquero, Freedom Arms Model 83, Taurus Raging Bull, Colt Anaconda, and Dan Wesson Revolvers. Suitable rifles include but are not limited to; H&R Handi Rifles, Thompson Center, CVA, Ruger No. 1 or No. 3, or any rifle with a falling-block action."

 

[Koda]

I dont know of any firearm manufacturer that designs their guns to handle +P+ pressures.

 

[coltemp]

I dont know of any firearm manufacturer that designs their guns to handle +P+ pressures.

Other than Ruger. Who does for most of the Blackhawk and Vaquero lines. I suspect you meant to say no rifle manufacturers instead. Now that tends to be true. There really isn't much of a need for a rifle shooting handgun calibers.

 

[CountryGent]

As others alluded to, regular .44 Magnum out of a carbine is already pretty spicy. I've run 300-grain loads out of a couple of carbines (bolt and lever-action*) and no issues. I, vaguely, remember shooting some loads with heavier projectiles out of the former, but don't recall off hand.

Anywho, 'gratz on the new rifle. The Forty-four in a light-handling rig is a lot of fun.

*

 

[drstrangelove]

The only type of action I would trust to push the limits of 44mag would be a bolt gun or a Ruger #1.

 

[KennVFRidr]

As others alluded to, regular .44 Magnum out of a carbine is already pretty spicy. I've run 300-grain loads out of a couple of carbines (bolt and lever-action*) and no issues. I, vaguely, remember shooting some loads with heavier projectiles out of the former, but don't recall off hand.

Anywho, 'gratz on the new rifle. The Forty-four in a light-handling rig is a lot of fun.

Definitely looking forward to playing with it But I was really prowling around for one in .35 Remington to have converted to .450 Bushmaster. While I've not run the press for a couple decades...I still have a couple boxes of test loads in .44 Mag I loaded for my old revolver, and 200 pieces of unused brass, along with the Dillon Quick Change setup...I decided snagging the 1894 as opposed to trying to sell the .44 dies and stuff would be the better plan.