what kind of accuracy can one expect with an older 70's 80's vintage marlin with micro groove bbl. with Hornadys 444 leverlution ammo. My neighbors is thinking of selling his and it got me to thinking.

I own a 1980 MG .444 and shoot the LE ammunition in it. It doesn't shoot it well, it shoots it DARN well! I can shoot a group @ 50 yards of under 1" with it, using the peep sight mounted on it. Actually, the best group @ 50 yards was a measured 3/8", again with a Lyman peep sight. I have never had the desire to try anything else in mine. But, there are lots of possibilities from the old 240gr stand bys to some stompin' 300+ grain solids. I'm sure some, with more experience than I, will be along here soon to tell you about some great bullets and loads for it It's a fun rifle, easier on the shoulder (mine anyway) than a 45-70 shooting LEs and will give you a 200 yard MPBR with those LE 265s, if they shoot well in yours.

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Tnhunter,

You should go to the top left of this forum and pick Beartooth Bullets and pick Tech Notes scroll down to the article list. Marshall Stanton has three and Bill McConnell has one article on the 444. They have some of the best info you will find anywhere on the 444. We are still looking for Marshall's fourth entry,

Kevin 2

I have already read it and did really enjoy it

__________________
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote
a blank check made payable to "The United States of
America" for an amount of 'up to and including my life.
That is honor, and there are way too many people in this
country who no longer understand it.

Walks With Gun: "My neighbors is thinking of selling his 444 and it got me to thinking." Sounds to me like its time to take the hammer to the piggy bank!

If it's one of the early .444's with a straight grip and 24" barrel it's likely a very good shooter, limited mostly by the guy behing the trigger.

Mine didn't shoot the 300gr stuff well, at all, but was a tack driver with a 265gr Hornady FP, still one of the best bullets available when you can find them.

If you need/like a .444, and the ballistics are within your shooting requirements, there are very few reasons not to have one ;-)

When the Lever Evo ammo first came out I read an article on it . It stated that tighter groups came from the later 444 with 1 in 20 twist than the older 1 in 38. That didn't stop me from shopping for either one. But I ended up with the non microgroove later version and it is very accurate with regular ammo. I haven't used the Evo ammo.

Because of their pointed shape, the same weight FTX bullet is going to be longer than a corresponding RN or FN/FP bullet. Length is really the important variable where rate-of-twist is concerned, so I can definitely see where the faster 1:20 twist would stabilize the longer FTX bullet, giving much better accuracy.