New .444 Marlin

Well, there was an old gunzine piece about the Survivalist .444.
He loaded round ball for small game and shot for, uh, partridge.
 
I found a receipt from 1988 where I had bought a new Marlin 444 for a whopping $239 in Jacksonville, NC , ended up trading it when I moved did not have access to an outdoor range for few years.

Kind of wish I still had it , will have to check out the new 444s.
 
I finally got to the range with my Marlin 444P last week. Apparently Marlin only made this one, called the "outfitter" from 1999 to 2002. Got it barely used for $400. Has an 18 1/2" barrel 1:20 Ballard rifling and is a bit on the light side for a caliber that size, kicks a bit, but was as much fun to shoot as I thought it would be.
 
M88, you STOLE that 444P. Outfitters usually sell for stupid money. (444XLRs are even worse.)

I wanted one, but couldn't find the 'steal of a deal'. So, I made my own (minus the porting) out of a 2002 336W, some miscellaneous parts, and a Remlin 444 barrel that was butchered quite badly by about six trips back for factory repair (but seemingly fine for me to chop and repair).

Barrel length is 19". It looks just a bit odd because I went for a 15" length of pull -- notably longer than factory.

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The scope was meant to be temporary, with the stock shaped specifically for the use of Skinner Wing Sights (now called "Tactical" sights). But I think I may put it back on. That rifle is accurate enough to make use of a scope.
I don't actually like the saddle ring, but it was the only safety delete available when I needed one.

The only unfinished part is that butt plate. Three (plus?) years later, and I still haven't finished the butt plate... :rolleyes:
 
Have an original 444 outfitter, and it is the most accurate Marlin lever owned. Also kinda a kick to shoot hot 180s at pumpkins.
 
I'm concerned that you may be right Lavan.
The entire re-intro was based on Franken's endorsement after buying one of the new ones.

You have no idea how hard I had to push for that caliber, just for him.
And now lookit- he don't even want none!
Sigh.....
Denis
 
Denis, I appreciate your efforts. But, more importantly, hundreds of other people will appreciate it even more. Now just isn't the time for me to add to the herd.


Rooster, thanks. It's Knotty Screwbean Mesquite, with the rough-shaped butt based on a generic 'Marlin Shotgun' pattern and the fore-end based on a slim 1895 blank. The source of the shaped blanks has gotten too many requests for "garbage" wood since that rifle and a couple others (not mine) were finished and posted on popular internet forums - and passed around sites like Pinterest and Facebook - and he feels it is negatively impacting business. Everyone asks for the "weird stuff", not his high grade wood. So, he has asked me to no longer publicly associate his company with that wood (but he does have more!) or the flawed Curly Maple that I am using on another project (still in work). But PMs would be fine, if interested...

I don't believe that it could make any factory 444 look pathetic. Marlin typically put pretty nice wood on the 444s (it was sort of their flagship model). The stocks generally look quite good.

I have owned a factory Model 444 (2007 vintage), and it, too, had some pretty nice wood on it for a factory rifle.
I may have a picture of it somewhere...

Found one. It looked better in person, but you can see some of the figure and color in this photo.

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(I stole that rifle.. One round fired. Forgotten in a closet for 9 years after that. Given to a son that was afraid to fire it. Low price offered to me. Plus, a bonus of 179 rounds of ammunition with it.)
 
Its not that my DOM 2003 444 looks that bad, it is yours looks that good. Mine has the 22" barrel and has been fitted with fiber optic sights. It has a few dings on the rear stock but otherwise is in great condition.
 
Thanks.
The original intent was to make the stocks look like they were carved from an old fence post. But once I saw the chatoyance in the wood, I had to feature it. (Pure Tung Oil, followed by a top coat of Formby's Tung Oil Finish [a wiping varnish].)
The opalescence really 'shimmers' and 'dances' in sunlight.
 
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