Marlin 444T 6 pt-sika where are you?

[1886]

Saw one today. High comb and straight stock. 1965 birthday. What an odd duck. Good plus condition. I have first shot at her. What is the proper rear sight, folding or the older stamped version? Please tell me what you know about these rifles. Thanks, 1886.

[Hobie]

BTT

[Pete44ru]

IIRC, The one I bought new in 1966 had a Lyman/Marbles type folder, that was hinged directly over the sight dovetail.

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[.45]

IIRC, The one I bought new in 1966 had a Lyman/Marbles type folder, that was hinged directly over the sight dovetail.

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+1 That's the way mine is.

[6pt-sika]

I have a pair now that were made in 1965 and they both have the Lyman folding style sight .

[6pt-sika]

Here's my latest 1965 which I acquired last week and it has the folding rear sight of the type mentioned !



Someone had given me a Marlin 400A scope which is whats mounted in the picture .

[6pt-sika]

This rifle was made from 1965 until 1971 . About the only difference in the entire production run was the lever change in 1971 . You will notice all of the rifles from 65 to 70 had rounded loop levers and the last year of production in 71 they made the rifle with a squared lever .

Also in 1970 they had the medallion in the stock the same as any other Marlin made in 1970 . Another small difference on some of the 1971 barrels was the rollstamp on the barrel . Best as I can find out only rifles made in 1971 have the "444T" stamp on the barrel and not all of the 71 rifles have that .

I own a pair of rifles from 1971 with the squared levers that do not have "444T" stamped on them .

At the moment my collection includes 9 rifles of this style ! A pair from 1965 , a pair from 1966 , one from 1968 , another from 1969 , one form 1970 and a pair from 1971 .

FWIW , from 1971 to 1975 they started the 444S series and it was very similar to the original in the fact that it had the double barrel band system . Only differences were barrel length , front sight and the fact that the rifle now had a pistol grip and no Monte Carlo . I've been fortunate enough to get a 444S from 1971 , 1974 and 1975 .

I've tried just about every rifle in a lever gun Marlin has ever made and I gotta say the old First Model 444's with the big gosh awful Monte Carlo are so of the most comfortable rifles to shoot I have ever had my hands on !

[6pt-sika]

For your viewing pleaasure !



My latest 1965 with the Marlin scope !



My 1974 with a Weaver K3 . This is what I call a second model .



My second 1966 the day it arrived .



And the other NINE

[Hobie]

You are to .444s what Griff is to the .30-30s...

FWIW, we haven't seen a .444 in the shop since you started buying them. They must all get sucked to that side of the Blue Ridge!

[1886]

Thanks for the response. The rifle in question does have the Lyman folding rear sight. Regards, 1886.

[6pt-sika]

You are to .444s what Griff is to the .30-30s...

FWIW, we haven't seen a .444 in the shop since you started buying them. They must all get sucked to that side of the Blue Ridge!

You know all jokes aside , I've only purchased one of those old 444's from someone in Virginia and that one came from down in Bedford County !
Had a shot at one in Culpeper a couple years back and it got away from me but thats about it around here !

Gotta say these things are a blast to shoot with cast bullets !

In my little warped mind I have an idea to find a First Model in need of help and rebarrel it with a faster twist ballard barrel so I can shoot the 400 grain cast in one of the guns that "looks" old