I've got a .444 Marlin with a FX4 fixed Leupold scope. I've not hunted with it yet, but it should bust piggy's or bears nicely. I've been shooting the LeverEvolution 265 grainers at the range. It's doing pretty good there... about 1.25-1.5 inches @ 100 yards. As a matter of fact, a fellow there wanted to buy it off me right then and there. Guess he couldn't get a Wally World special. I didn't sell then but who knows for later. $ talks. Got my eye on another Kimber. I'm addicted. Help!

Ah, the age old debate of which is better, the 444 or the 45-70. Always makes me smile. Being a 444 shooter mainly, I'll argue that the 444 will do anything the 45-70 will do, only it'll shoot flatter. Buy one, and you'll never look back!

But, the 45-70 can be loaded to higher energy levels, and it has a larger frontal area, which means, with the correct bullet, the 45-70 will kill larger and heavier game more effiecently than the .444 Marlin. I still wouldn't hesitate a bit to use either on a Grizzly.

I have used the .444 on several occasions. It has dropped everthing where it stood. No need for a scope I use it with open sites, recoil kept knocking the scope loose, still never missed a shot or kill. I love it, the rifle only weighs appoximately six lbs, and is a short lever action with a ported barrel,perfect in the thick woods. I have also found that if the round hits some small branches it stays on target. I have experience with both the .45-70 and .444, They are a lot alike but the .444 has the potential to 0 outat up to 200 yards and has more velocity overall; the .45-70 will be dropping at 100 yards. Needless to say I sold the .45-70.I am not a reloader I just buy my ammo off the shelf,so as far as that goes the .45-70 may be better for thereloaders. However my favorite rifle and roundis the .325 WSM

I like both but I have to say my 45/70 is my choice. It is a great round for reloading (dam them old rifles) I can make it be a plinker or a train. I had .444 for several years and it was also great I wasnt reloading then so I never really got to play with it much. Hey it could be an excuse to get another marlin lever !!!!!!

I think you should buy the 444 Marlin, the 45-70 government, and the 450 Marlin. I think you should test all three and report back to us. I think you should recommend that we also buy all three. Then I could use your reports as an excuse to buy a couple of new rifles. I have never owned a 444, or a 450 Marlin. But I sure love my 45-70's. Tom.

Sounds like a good idea. However that could get me hurt or single.My wife loves to shoot and hunt but she has the idea that her 250 Savage is the only rifle anyone should ever need.

I was suprised however that she test fired some 35 Whelen loads for me after I broke my foot and couldn't get to the range to try them myself. She didn't like the recoil much. She also shot a few 270 WSM's across the chronograph for me. She didn't care for that one either.[:@]

I found one. Our little local gun shup called a couple different wholesalers and found one that has three in stock. I gotta decide for sure and call him back.

I don't know who I am trying to fool, I just as well call him and get it over with.

I was looking at a 450 Marlin in that lite weight Browning lever in a shop one day. A guy that was looking at some other rifles told me that if I bought that rifle, I better get any loose filling fixed before I touched it off. I see that the 450 has one lb more recoil than the 375 H&H and thats in a 7.5 lb rifle.

The 444 Marlin is one of my all time favorite big bore cartridges. Out to 200-225 yards, it will definantly put a hurting on anything that gets in front of one of those big bullets. Now that Hornady has came out with it's new LeveRevolution ammo in the 444 Marlin with it's soft polymer tip, it offers an even flatter trajectory than before...

I see lots of T/C Contender and Encore handguns in 44 mag. every year to rechamber to the 444 Marlin and with good reason. This big bore round from these break open single shots will shoot around an inch or less at 100 yards and the bullet impacts with much authority. Also, the guys in Mississippi get to use the N.E.F. single shots in .44 caliber this year on deer during the muzzle loading season. As such, during the past 3-months I have received just over 100 of these guns to be rechambered to the 444 Marlin! Most of these guys don't reload and they all said their ammo of choice was going to be the new Hornady LeveRevolution. I have shot a couple of these guns after I rechambered them with the Hornady ammo and for one who does NOT shoot factory ammo, I have to admit that I was pretty impressed with it. It offers more than ample velocity for 200+ yard shots and the accuracy is the best that I've seen for big bore factory ammo....

DAVID

Well I'll chime in here. I have the only bolt action 444 I have ever seen. It is a custom build, Mauser 98 action, mannlicher stock, beautiful gun. I do use it to hunt deer/bear here in the east coast, I use the new Hornady ammo. The gun/round performs excellent, especially in thick cover. Shot several 45-70's and 444's, just really like the 444 caliber myself. It comes down to personal preference. Do a google search on these calibers, there is a wealth of info.