44 special for my 1894P

[trooper joe]

Need some opinions on my plan to set up a Marlin, 1894P for use with 44 special ammo.

This is a neat, trapper size lever gun with a ported barrel and rubber recoil pad. I currently have it set up with a 4x, older Leopold scope. It is a great Michigan bush deer gun but I have to use electronic ear muffs with it when I carry it.

I heard that Marlin stopped making ported barrel guns, especially the short 16 inch barrel ones like mine, since there were so many reports of hearing damage.

I plan to set this gun up with Ashley Ghost Ring sights (like my .357 1894 Marlin), and use it with some moderate power 44 Special loads instead of 44 Mag loads.

I may still have to use the electronic ear muffs, but I think the recoil will be a lot more moderate than with the 44 Mag loads. (In another post I mentioned a healed detached retina, so I don't want to take chances with recoil.)

Was thinking of some of the Buffalo Bore or Corbon loads for a sort of defense gun (car and home).

Any thoughts or experience on my plans? (Maybe the 44 special round is not worth messing with.)

Thanks ahead of time gang,

[claybob86]

Seems like the Specials would be fine for defense purposes. I'm guessing you don't handload? Reason I ask is that I use magnum cases for .44 Special type loads for plinking, etc. That way, a buildup of fouling at the front end of the chamber due to the shorter cases is avoided.

[CEMENTHEAD]

Trooper Joe,
I have the same exact gun. XS sights and all.....absolutely love the thing! You can have your cake and eat it too. Just make up your 44 Special loads in 44 Magnum cases. Mine seems to feed them better than the specials. Been doing it for years when I want something a little lighter in recoil.

Hornady 240 grain XTP's OR Speer 240 grain Gold Dots and 11 grains of Unique make for a fine special load in magnum cases.

Also 19 grains of 2400 with those same bullets.

That should get you about 1200 fps +/-.

Have fun and shoot 'em up, Tom

[2ndovc]

My 94P is one of my favorite rifles. I have a set of Brockman sights on mine instead of the XS.

I shoot a 240 grain LSWC over 10 Grains of Unique more than any other other
.44 Mag load I have. I've knocked off a lot of varmints with that round in my 94P.
Notm much recoil and accurate in the Marlin and my Ruger SBH.

jb

[2X22]

I shot a buck a few weeks ago with a Marlin Levergun in .44 mag. But I used a .44 special case, 7 1/2grs of Unique and a 255gr SWC. I fed them into my gun from my gunbelt as I walked out the back door and into the woods. Same load as I use in my Ruger 44 specials. 1 shot, dead in his tracks.

2x22