New Marlin .444 P Outfitter shooter needs your help!

[Porter_Rockwell]

Hello folks,

I find myself in a dilemma that I need your advice on.

I just purchased a new Marlin .444 P (A great find since they are discontinued) for a Moose tag I drew here in Utah. I generally hunt in the timber, so it can get a bit dark in there. However, there are also lots of open spaces that could require a near 300 year shot (Yes, this levergun with the Hornady ammo can do it!)

I know that the .444 is generally a 175-200 yard max gun. However, I have read several good reports that the Leverevolution ammo out of a .444 P is very good with adequate penetration and expansion out to 300 yards on both elk/bear and Moose.

So...I plan on using the new Leverevolution Ammo or the Hornady light mag most of the time. The light mag will also reach out to 300 yeards, but not as easy.

I looking to purchase a Bushnell Elite Scope (3200) to match up with my Elite Binos and Elite 1500 Arc Rangefinder. I tried these all out a Cabela's last Saturday. Should I buy:

1) a 1.5-4.5 for keeping it short, in the timber, and low light even though I risk needing more magnication for a longer shot or
2) a 2x7 for bit longer shots, but not very good eye relief (3.0) (I checked lots of 2x7 in Bushnell, Leupold and Burris and they were all awful in eye relief)or
3) A consider a real nice 3-9/3-10 with great eye relief (almost 4.0) and keep the scope on 3 if i I'm in the dark, timbery stuff? Is that low enough magnification to take a good, accurate close shot

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

God Bless,

Porter

 

[SwampWolf]

If you simply must put a scope on your lever carbine I'd absolutely opt for the 1.5X4.5 . Even using the much improved ballistics afforded by Hornady's "Leverevolution" ammunition, I think your .444's downrange performance is still best accomodated within the parameters of a relatively lower-powered scope. I've been very happy with my 1.5X5 Redfield mounted on my Savage 99 in .358 cal. I like my scopes to be as compact as the hunting situation permits but would be the first to concede that, in order to wring the most performance possible from a given cartridge/rifle set-up, sometimes bigger (more magnification) scopes make more sense (i.e., a bolt-actioned rifle chambered in, say, a .300 Magnum fairly begs for a scope that can take advantage of the cartridge's greater reach).

 

[rdaines]

I'm not sure how big a moose looks at 300 yards but I'm gonna guess that a good shooter could still use iron sights on that beastie and that range. A Pdog at 300 with a scope sure, well not with a .44 Marlin though.

 

[Porter_Rockwell]

Bump!

Bump! Still looking!

 

[TnBigBore]

I would go with a small, compact scope. I prefer the Leupold VX-II 1-4x20 or VX-III 1.5-5X20 for the rifle you have. The Burris short mag series would work well too. The Leupolds are noticeably lighter and smaller than the Bushnell with more forgiving eye relief, and do not ruin the excellent handling qualities of your compact levergun. I would never use anything over a 2-7x33 on a levergun. Mount one of the above mentioned scopes using Warne Maxima two piece bases and some low rings like the old Weavers and get the scope as low as possible. 4 or 5X is more than adequate magnification for moose at the ranges the 444 is capable of.