Marlin 1894 .44 mag accuracy issues

Marlin barrels use what they call "micro groove" rifling. It is notorious for not stabilizing some bullets very well when the bullets are driven at high velocity - if the bullet slips the rifling and has no spin imparted to it then you are essentially shooting a smooth bore rifle and accuracy will be terrible. Check over on the Cast Boolit forum. Those guys know all about it. A lighter load using jacketed bullets may shoot better in your barrel.

marlin 1894

I think you will find that your marlin bbl will slug at .431 or higher. From what I have read when I thought I was going to start casting, the marlins like .432.
Saami spec on 44mag rifle is 431. pistol is 429.

I don't load lead or use blue dot so that's about all the help I can be.

Get the as-sized diameter up:
SEE: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5981900&postcount=5

[That] `94Marlin (new Rem/Ballard) prints ≤1" at 50 w/ the heavy bullet at 0.432"
Note also: Lyman #2/BN-15 good up past 1,620 on a plain base.
Superhard is not req'd as long as the bullet fits....


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Your rifle just doesn't like the load. Although Drail has a point too. Except the 1894 uses "deep-cut Ballard-type rifling".
15 grains of Blue Dot is above max for a jacketed bullet, according to Alliant. Be worse for a cast. You really need to work up the load for each firearm. The chances of one load shooting well out of a hang gun and a rifle are slim.

Sunray said:

15 grains of Blue Dot is above max for a jacketed bullet, according to Alliant. Be worse for a cast. You really need to work up the load for each firearm. The chances of one load shooting well out of a hang gun and a rifle are slim.

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Lyman shows a max of 15.5 for a 240 gr lead bullet and a max of 16 of BD under a jacketed 240gr pill for .44 mag rifle. I dunno about them hang guns, but my most accurate loads in my 629 handguns, are also my most accurate in my Marlin 1894 and my 77/44. But this is with jacketed bullets. The size of his lead bullets is probably the issue with the OPs load.

I am - yes I am - taking this opportunity to ask why the twist rate is 1" in 38". I am also very curious about the SAAMI diameters being different for handgun and rifle, but that another issue, eh?

I've got a Marlin 1894 in 44 Mag with Ballard rifling as well. My works really well with MBC 240gr Smashers over 10 gr of Unique. 1.5" groups at 50 yards.
Like your issue, mine hates 240gr plated bullets from Powerbond. Lucky to hit the paper at 50 yards. All over the place, never seen anything quite like it in a rifle. Just horrible.
They shoot ok out of my RedHawk, so I'm burning thru them with the pistol.

The chances of one load shooting well out of a hang gun and a rifle are slim.

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Bogus statement. I find it all too easy to find loads that are accurate in both.

FWIW: My `73 Win's 44-40 best loads also
do yeoman work in the my 4¾" SAA.

But that's just because I lead a clean life....

My 92 carbine and my 629 both share an accuracy load.

I am using max load of H110 240 grn XPs. I wanted copper for those speeds, but I could have lubed them. I am not familar with powder coated.

Both the 2012 and 2014 they replaced it with are fine. I havent had a chance to really test, but it grouped when siting in. Needs to be fine tuned.

I had to go .432 with lead in my 1894. Also, if you are using a Lee Factory Crimp die, it can swage your bullets. Missouri Bullet will make .432 for you if you order their minimum (1000?).

Edit: I never found a plated bullet that shot well in the Marlin 1894 44...jacketed (XTP's) worked very well.

15 grains of Blue Dot is above max for a jacketed bullet

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It's slightly below the starting load for a 225 gr SJHP in my old Speer manual, and I've been shooting that load for about 30 years in my Dan Wesson 44VH

I used to have a marlin 44 mag w/ microgroove rifleing . It didn't like any of the lead bullet loads I tried , but did shoot 4" 100 yd. groups w/ hornady 200 gr. jacketed h.p.'s .

Have an old Marlin with microgroove that kills a 4 inch dueling tree with just about any boolit and reasonable powder load at 100 yards. Fun. Can't afford jacketed so can't say what it does with them. Most accurate load is an RCBS 240 grain Keith over 25 grains of 4227. Hits with authority, too. Almost as good is a Lee 6 holer 240 grain RN which just kisses a .432 Lee sizer over 8 grains of Unique. Guess which one I shoot more of.

Remember that around 2002, the manufacturing process for BlueDot and others of the Alliant/Hercules line underwent a change. Unique got a bit cleaner burning and BlueDot a bit faster. Hence the warnings in the Alliant data manuals. Back in the late '70's I shot a LOT of Unique and BlueDot with 255gr Keith style cast through a Mod29. My BlueDot loads would be WAAAY too hot now.
I too couldn't get thm to shoot through a Marlin '94. I was too broke to afford jacketed bullets even back then. As a result, I sold the rifle, and traded the mod29 for a Mod19 after getting hired as a police officer and couldn't carry the Mod29. My wife has only recently forgiven me as she adored the big Smith. (Before, she was a Massachusetts born and bred liberal, after shooting the big Smith with 6.0 gr of HP38 under the cast slugs, she was instantly "converted". She recently shot my new Mod-69. She says I'm forgiven, unless I sell/trade it!

Unique at 10.0gr has long been my go-to load for the .44mag.
I've found that LongShot is even better, giving superlative cast bullet accuracy in every thing I've tried it in. It's also my go-to powder for 9mm and .45colt.

My recently departed Mod 329PD required .431" boolit's too. The Ti cylinders have a LOT OF FLEX.

If you're shooting at 12 yards even though your bullets are too small, at that distance they don't have time to tumble.

Had mine out today 25 and 50 yards with peep sites 4" groups. I think I can do better.

240 XT H110 max load 23 or 24 grains.

Are you shooting from a rest? I was using bipod to sight in.