[351 WINCHESTER]

I bought a marlin 1894 .44 mag. about 20 years ago and tonight I noticed that the bore would swallow 2 different jhp bullets. I've never encountered this before on any rifle and was wondering if this is normal for a micro grove bbl. or should I send it back to marlin? I've heard that micro grove bbls. were a bit on the generous size, but I think this is excessive. I haven't shot it in so long that I don't remember it's accuracy or lack there of. I'm hoping the bullet will engage the rifling enough to impart some spin.

Is this normal for a marlin or should I send it back? I have no way to measure the bore or the bullets. Both should be .429. One is a remington and the other a sierra.

[nicholst55]

Pretty common in .44 Mag rifles, and not just Marlins. My Win 94 Trapper .44 Mag has a bore that measures .432" - not exactly consucive to accuracy with .429" jacketed bullets.

If you cast bullets, there's a guy called Ranch Dog on the Cast Boolits forum who has custom molds made to fit Marlin bores and to feed well through their guns. You might give him a shout. Alternately, several commercial bullet casters offer bullets in different diameters, including .431 and .432".


http://castboolits.gunloads.com/

http://www.ranchdogmolds.com/

[rcmodel]

Even with an oversize bore, most .44 Mag Marlins with Micro-Groove barrels will shoot .429" jacketed bullets pretty darn good.

The thing is, the impact of being fired easily slugs up the soft lead core of a jacketed bullet to fit the bore.

Marlin was counting on the factory ammo slugging up to fit the bore of the Micro-Groove barrels, and they do.

Hard-Cast bullets are another matter.
They won't slug up much, if at all, and need to be cast over-size to match the bore diameter.

rcmodel

[Walkalong]

My Win 94 Trapper .44 Mag has a bore that measures .432Mine did too, (gave it to my boy) but it shot jacketed just fine. I had to resort to a filler (Super Grex) to shoot hard cast lead at high velocity, but then it shot fine as well.

[351 WINCHESTER]

Thanks for the help. I really thought I was going to have to rebarrel. I'll let ya'll know how she shoots.