Ruger Marlin 1894 .44 mag
- Thread starter buckey
- Start date
Straitshot
New member
I took mine to the range but did not shoot at paper. I was with a friend and we took turns shooting at clay pigons we set on the 25 yard berm. Was busting them easily shooting offhand just for fun. Next time I will take the time to shoot and see how it groups at 50 and 100 yards. I sure like the way mine looks and handles.
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Shane Tuttle
Staff
I have a pre-cross bolt safety w/Microgroove barrel. Getting roughly 2" at 50yds using iron sights. I think there's a decent peep sight set out there somewhere that would help me out.
bamaranger
New member
.44 mag carbines
I have posted many times about the twist rate used on the majority of .44 mag carbines from most mfgs up until just recently........1-38". My observations and experience with two vintage Ruger .44 semi's, and my Dad's M94, all so twisted, was that accuracy in those rifles was only so-so....3-4 MOA. Well with minute of whitetail and the useful range of the carbine/ctg, but not what many shooters expect from a modern firearm.
Now, MANY fellas report much better results, with their older carbines, but those three examples mentioned, that I have shot personally, with magnifying optics, were only that capable, with 240 gr bullets. I'd add that heavier bullets, the old 265gr and 300 gr jacketed bullets from Hornady, were much worse. In my gas guns, the lighter bullets, 180 and 200 gr, shot best.
Revolvers in .44 mag have traditionally been twisted 1-18" and .44mag revolvers have a stellar reputation for accuracy. Ruger with with 1-20" twist in the new model 96 and 99 carbines in .44 in their limited production lifespan, basically admitting that old .44 slow twist rate could be improved upon. I read the new Marlin/Ruger carbine is twisted 1-20" and should be a good shooter with a variety of bullets.
Regards peep sights, Skinner offers a couple of options, but one might have to experiment with front sight heights to get on target. A simple arrangement is the Lo-Pro, a single stem arrangement, affordable, and it screws right in to a drilled and tapped scope base hole on the receiver. Skinner also offers more elaborate arrangements as well.
The 1-20" Marlin/Ruger has only been released a short while. Anything prior has to be from the much berated Marlin/Rem arrangement, or an earlier true Marlin, both twisted 1-38.
I have posted many times about the twist rate used on the majority of .44 mag carbines from most mfgs up until just recently........1-38". My observations and experience with two vintage Ruger .44 semi's, and my Dad's M94, all so twisted, was that accuracy in those rifles was only so-so....3-4 MOA. Well with minute of whitetail and the useful range of the carbine/ctg, but not what many shooters expect from a modern firearm.
Now, MANY fellas report much better results, with their older carbines, but those three examples mentioned, that I have shot personally, with magnifying optics, were only that capable, with 240 gr bullets. I'd add that heavier bullets, the old 265gr and 300 gr jacketed bullets from Hornady, were much worse. In my gas guns, the lighter bullets, 180 and 200 gr, shot best.
Revolvers in .44 mag have traditionally been twisted 1-18" and .44mag revolvers have a stellar reputation for accuracy. Ruger with with 1-20" twist in the new model 96 and 99 carbines in .44 in their limited production lifespan, basically admitting that old .44 slow twist rate could be improved upon. I read the new Marlin/Ruger carbine is twisted 1-20" and should be a good shooter with a variety of bullets.
Regards peep sights, Skinner offers a couple of options, but one might have to experiment with front sight heights to get on target. A simple arrangement is the Lo-Pro, a single stem arrangement, affordable, and it screws right in to a drilled and tapped scope base hole on the receiver. Skinner also offers more elaborate arrangements as well.
The 1-20" Marlin/Ruger has only been released a short while. Anything prior has to be from the much berated Marlin/Rem arrangement, or an earlier true Marlin, both twisted 1-38.
Might want to investigate a tang mounted sight. Semi-traditional for lever actions and quite possibly no interference with the existing open sights.
Shane Tuttle
Staff
ballardw said:
That's exactly what I want. Just don't know which one to get.
FrankenMauser
New member
I tried a Lyman tang sight on my Marlin 1894 ('93 JM .44 Mag).
It got in the way, irritated me, and it could not be left flipped up without the bolt hitting it.
Correct model for the rifle, but pretty much a bad joke and waste of my time.
It got in the way, irritated me, and it could not be left flipped up without the bolt hitting it.
Correct model for the rifle, but pretty much a bad joke and waste of my time.
Straitshot
New member
I intend to get the skinner peep sight for my Ruger/Marlin 1894. Just haven't done it yet.
Lever guns are not "The Rifleman" accurate
News flash - lever guns are just NOT 1 MOA rifles. 2-3 MOA is more common. I'm doing well to get a 1-1/4" group at 50 yards with a scoped Remlin 1894. The 240 grain bullets need to be pushed hard to get that. WRT iron sights, the Skinner peep sights do help but I find a low power scope works best for my eyesight. two cents....
News flash - lever guns are just NOT 1 MOA rifles. 2-3 MOA is more common. I'm doing well to get a 1-1/4" group at 50 yards with a scoped Remlin 1894. The 240 grain bullets need to be pushed hard to get that. WRT iron sights, the Skinner peep sights do help but I find a low power scope works best for my eyesight. two cents....
jetinteriorguy
New member
For me, any PCC that can shoot a 4” group at 100yds is pretty good. I’m not talking about the shooter’s ability here, just the rifle’s potential. Just my criteria though.
2.5 - 3 MOA w/ Cast is reasonable expectation:
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6912213&postcount=20
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6912213&postcount=20
Trooper Joe
New member
This is my first time at the range. I am sure it will be fine at longer distances.
I spend more time looking at this beautiful stock than I do shooting it.
Trooper Joe
I spend more time looking at this beautiful stock than I do shooting it.
Trooper Joe
bamaranger
New member
wood & accuracy
Oh gosh Trooper, what a pretty piece of wood on the butt stock of that rifle !
Am I interpreting your pics correctly......15 yds?
My latest copy of "Rifle" arrived recently, and scribe Brian Pierce has an article on the new Ruglin
D) .44 carbine. Shooting at 75 yds, using a Skinner peep sight rig, he managed 3-shot groups with a variety of factory ammo ranging from 1.9-2.7". This was done with a wide range of bullet weights, from 200-300 grains and I find that most impressive. My own shooting with slower twisted .44 carbines would not keep the heavy slugs on a pie plate at 100 yds! Also impressive were the velocities Pierce reported with the 20" Ruglin barrel. Factory 240 grain slugs were running about 1800 fps. The hard cast Buffbore 255 lead SWC got 1780 fps, and that from the reduced recoil load!
The same company's 300 gr jacketed bullet managed 1650 fps. That is a lot of thump for a handy carbine weighing a tad over 6 lbs and 3 ft in length!
Oh gosh Trooper, what a pretty piece of wood on the butt stock of that rifle !
Am I interpreting your pics correctly......15 yds?
My latest copy of "Rifle" arrived recently, and scribe Brian Pierce has an article on the new Ruglin
D) .44 carbine. Shooting at 75 yds, using a Skinner peep sight rig, he managed 3-shot groups with a variety of factory ammo ranging from 1.9-2.7". This was done with a wide range of bullet weights, from 200-300 grains and I find that most impressive. My own shooting with slower twisted .44 carbines would not keep the heavy slugs on a pie plate at 100 yds! Also impressive were the velocities Pierce reported with the 20" Ruglin barrel. Factory 240 grain slugs were running about 1800 fps. The hard cast Buffbore 255 lead SWC got 1780 fps, and that from the reduced recoil load! The same company's 300 gr jacketed bullet managed 1650 fps. That is a lot of thump for a handy carbine weighing a tad over 6 lbs and 3 ft in length!
Trooper Joe
New member
15 yards is correct. That is about as far as I can see clearly with open sights now days