single shot 444 marlin

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single shot 444 marlin

Post by mickb » 04 Mar 2023, 6:47 pm

I know CVA did them but not sure if the 444 marlin chambering ever made it to our shores?

After seeing Billo's 500 S&W project was wondering if a CVA would lend itself to a 444 marlin conversion. Reasons for doing so, just fun. Also sae on another forum, could seat long bullets out , maybe have it long throated and run it like a poor mans elephant gun. Much like a 45-70 on a ruger no.1.
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Re: single shot 444 marlin

Post by bigrich » 04 Mar 2023, 6:53 pm

mickb wrote:I know CVA did them but not sure if the 444 marlin chambering ever made it to our shores?

After seeing Billo's 500 S&W project was wondering if a CVA would lend itself to a 444 marlin conversion. Reasons for doing so, just fun. Also could seat long bullets out , maybe have it long throated and run it like a poor mans elephant gun like the 45-70 on a ruger no.1


just get a CVA in 45-70 . i had a stainless one , good trigger , accurate .and they break down like a shotgun . but i wouldn't exceed marlin lever gun loads . i don't believe the action is in the same class as a rugerNo1 . off the shelf availability for 45-70 components and factory ammo is good too . :thumbsup:
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Re: single shot 444 marlin

Post by mickb » 04 Mar 2023, 8:03 pm

Well the CVA scout handles the 30-06 at 55,000 PSI- 444 is basically a blown out and shortened version of the 06. Agree its not the be all end all to the question, the 444 rim is larger than the 30-06, not sure if that eats into action strength or in the good side reduces bolt thrust?

As to 45-70, doesnt take long to show up on a 444 thread does it. its usually 2nd or 3rd reply. :lol: Almost an internet law
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Re: single shot 444 marlin

Post by bladeracer » 04 Mar 2023, 8:18 pm

mickb wrote:Well the CVA scout handles the 30-06 at 55,000 PSI- 444 is basically a blown out and shortened version of the 06. Agree its not the be all end all to the question, the 444 rim is larger than the 30-06, not sure if that eats into action strength or in the good side reduces bolt thrust?

As to 45-70, doesnt take long to show up on a 444 thread does it. its usually 2nd or 3rd reply. :lol: Almost an internet law


I agree with Rich.
Does the .444 offer something that the .45-70 doesn't offer?
I guess if you have a source of .444 ammo and don't have a source of .45-70 for some reason then it would make sense.
If you load your own ammo then it makes no difference which you choose, but if you want to use factory ammo I'd stick with a cartridge that is likely to be readily available. I don't believe I've ever seen a .444 round in the flesh anywhere.
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Re: single shot 444 marlin

Post by Oldbloke » 04 Mar 2023, 9:11 pm

bigrich wrote:
mickb wrote:I know CVA did them but not sure if the 444 marlin chambering ever made it to our shores?

After seeing Billo's 500 S&W project was wondering if a CVA would lend itself to a 444 marlin conversion. Reasons for doing so, just fun. Also could seat long bullets out , maybe have it long throated and run it like a poor mans elephant gun like the 45-70 on a ruger no.1


just get a CVA in 45-70 . i had a stainless one , good trigger , accurate .and they break down like a shotgun . but i wouldn't exceed marlin lever gun loads . i don't believe the action is in the same class as a rugerNo1 . off the shelf availability for 45-70 components and factory ammo is good too . :thumbsup:


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Re: single shot 444 marlin

Post by bigrich » 05 Mar 2023, 4:52 am

mickb wrote:Well the CVA scout handles the 30-06 at 55,000 PSI- 444 is basically a blown out and shortened version of the 06. Agree its not the be all end all to the question, the 444 rim is larger than the 30-06, not sure if that eats into action strength or in the good side reduces bolt thrust?

As to 45-70, doesnt take long to show up on a 444 thread does it. its usually 2nd or 3rd reply. :lol: Almost an internet law


if 444 is what you want , go for it . i looked into 444 , and decided for a couple of reasons that 45-70 made more sense . 444 had a reputation for bullet blow up cause most projectiles available were designed for the lower speed 44 mag . please don't misinterpret what i'm saying as ragging on your cartridge choice . 444 is more specialised and offers no advantages over the 45-70 from a practicle and cost point of view .cases and 444 specific projectiles aren't real thick on the ground these days ;) i own some oddball stuff and it's a pain trying to find the gear to load for them sometimes . :thumbsup:
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Re: single shot 444 marlin

Post by mickb » 05 Mar 2023, 10:48 am

Advantages of the 444 marlin for some
where they have surplus 44 mag jacketed bullets.
For normal game, pigs etc 44 bullets are cheaper than anything in 458.
While you wouldnt shoot buff with them, the idea they blow up on medium, large/medium game is a bit of a gun article myth.
One setup at ruger 45-70 no.1 power levels would be interesting.

Fellas have single shots in 500 S&W, 50AE, 50-70, 400 jeffery and a bunch other less practical cartridges but they are interesting for the owners.
Funnily you dont usually see them have to defend it either, but mention 444 and 75% of the thread is battling the 45-70 guys. :lol:
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Re: single shot 444 marlin

Post by Billo » 05 Mar 2023, 11:08 am

I helped a mate buy a CVA Scout in 444 Marlin a few years ago, originally a chambered as a 44 magnum its an easy conversion to 444. Premium Bullets are a pain to locate but I managed to find plenty of tough 265gr and 300gr if you were planning on taking big game. Atomic 29 now make a premium 240gr Mono bullet if thats your thing

As too can the CVA action handle it, sure they have chambered these in 300 Win Magnums, 270 Win and 243 Win, so these actions can handle pressure. :thumbsup:

My recently built 500 S&W has given a few issue but they all recoil related, an upgrade to a steel Pic rail and steel rings has fixed the scope slip issue.

45-70's do OK but do you really want to be shooting pumpkin sized projectiles :lol: :sarcasm: :drinks:
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Re: single shot 444 marlin

Post by straightshooter » 05 Mar 2023, 11:51 am

I bought a 444 in the mid 70's but if I had waited a little longer I would have bought the 45-70 when it appeared.
Both have their advantages and both are essentially meant to serve the same purpose in a lever action.
However for the adventurous it is possible to extract far better performance from a Marlin lever 444 than than is suggested by standard loading data due to a much stronger case and more steel over the critical areas of the chamber.
I agree that 444 brass has patchy availability although there now alternatives to Remington brass.
I have used 240gn, 265gn and 300gn Hornady projectiles over the years and had never had a failure.
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Re: single shot 444 marlin

Post by Blr243 » 05 Mar 2023, 2:11 pm

Ok. I wont mention that i have a 4570. I see cva sinle shots are cheap but is there a wait / supply issue with them ? And sometimes mick b shoots quiet slow bullets so 44 pistol bullets work at those speeds. Its not easy trying to find soft 458 pills
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Re: single shot 444 marlin

Post by bigrich » 05 Mar 2023, 5:51 pm

mickb wrote:Advantages of the 444 marlin for some
where they have surplus 44 mag jacketed bullets.
For normal game, pigs etc 44 bullets are cheaper than anything in 458.
While you wouldnt shoot buff with them, the idea they blow up on medium, large/medium game is a bit of a gun article myth.
One setup at ruger 45-70 no.1 power levels would be interesting.

Fellas have single shots in 500 S&W, 50AE, 50-70, 400 jeffery and a bunch other less practical cartridges but they are interesting for the owners.
Funnily you dont usually see them have to defend it either, but mention 444 and 75% of the thread is battling the 45-70 guys. :lol:


hey mate, if you got lots of surplus 44 mag bullets, yeah 444 makes sense i guess . please don't get offended if i put forward my personal opinions on the 444 as it applies to me . i don't own a 45-70 anymore , as it's not as practicle or flexiable for my uses, as a 30-06 for instance. as for the larger 50 cals you mentioned and old school big game carts , well if that's what fellas want to play with great . but cost to run and practicality are more important to me these days . as suggested on a previous post rechambering a CVA from 44 mag sounds like the way to go :thumbsup:
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Re: single shot 444 marlin

Post by mickb » 06 Mar 2023, 6:11 pm

Blr243 wrote:Ok. I wont mention that i have a 4570. I see cva sinle shots are cheap but is there a wait / supply issue with them ? And sometimes mick b shoots quiet slow bullets so 44 pistol bullets work at those speeds. Its not easy trying to find soft 458 pills


gday blr243, no probs you fellas can mention 45-70, I probably mentioned it more times than anyone on the thread anyway :D . Yes not much in 458 pills that are soft, unless you cast and HP your own.
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