Anyway I took the 444P out and killed a deer or two with it and 250 grain Nosler Partition handloads . Worked well enough and so I put it away in the safe . Even robbed the Leupold Vari XII 1-4 I had on top for another Marlin of some type .
I didn't really have any intrest in another 444 until a few years later . Can't remmember if I got the 444XLR or LNIB 444SS . Anyway they came on the scene pretty much at the same time .And both worked well with handloads ! The XLR was blooded using handloaded Hornady 265's while I started the 444SS with handloaded Speer 270's . That year I popped an okay 8 point with the XLR and the Hornady bullet and then later I wacked 5 slicks with the 444SS and the Speer 270 . And as the saying goes they performed well ! And so after the season they went into the safe !
Sometime shortly after that I decided I wanted one of the 444 Marlin's with the straight grip and monte carlo stock . So I found one at a semi local auction . This one was made in 1971 the last year of manufacture for this model ! Later I noticed it had a square lever which at first I thought was incorrect as the previouse years all had rounded levers . Investigation and forum questions satisfied me that all 1971 models had the square lever . Well at least the straight stocked monte carlo rifles .
So then I decided I needed a rounded lever First Model to go with the squared lever rifle and I also thought it would be cool to have one of the ones with the PG and barrel bands that was made from 1971 until 1975 !
So the next thing you know I have a rounded lever rifle that was made in 1968 and a second model with the PG and BB's that was made in 1971 (the first year of manufacture for this model) .
Well since that time I've thought it would be intresting to get one for each year of manufacture of both these models or versions whichever you care to call them !
So now I'm at FIVE of the First Models and TWO of the Second Models .
Now the rifles unto themselves is not that big a deal ! However I decided I needed to shoot cast in them all and a different bullet in each ! Now somewhere during all this Ranch Dog sent me one of his "Original" 432-285GC molds and the race was on so to speak !
After that the first year I had the original 3 rifles set up with Ranch Dog cast bullets and Leupold variable scopes .
Then this year the other 4 rifles were added to the mix and I saw reason to start using the older Weaver fixed power scopes ! As I was constantly moving scopes during the course of deer season . And it's way cheaper to spend $40-70 dollars on and old Weaver then a couple hundred on a new Leupold variable . Another thing to eat money
So before you know it I have a box full of old Weavers and Weaver mounts . To say nothing of the ever growing pile of 44 caliber molds suitable for use in lever rifles .
At the beginning with the 444P I truely believed and still do for the most part that the Nosler 250 Partition will do anything in a 444 that I need done !
But now I have gone way way past the 250 grain mark ! Almost by 100 grains to date
Seems here lately I find myself looking for new molds to try in these rifles and of course guns that fit in my collection for the years I don't have !
And I suppose the fact that I have become a little gung ho about this thing is okay !
But it's just APPALLING to me that I never really cared for the 444 Marlin that much to begin with
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