Well I bought a NIB Remlin 1894 a month ago (made in Oct 2015 according to the date code on the barrel) and it's giving me fits.  Everything I've tried has produced shotgun groups at best at fifty yards, along with noticeable vertical stringing.  Factory ammo and reloads both suck to be honest.  Slugged the bore and got .432 so I ordered 1000 Zero JSP's (.431diameter) to try.  Nope.  Still wants to put a couple in tight then spew fliers everywhere.  I'm using a Skinner Express peep with the smallest aperture.  I've worked up ladder loads using Unique, 2400, and H110 with no improvement.  My Rossi 92 in .357 shoots circles around this gun.  Any ideas folks? I want to like this thing.  But not if it won't shoot.

Update (finally took it out again)

After a few months I finally had a chance to try a few last-ditch tweaks today.  First I took down the front end and left all screws a bit less than snug.  Also tried some mid-level Unique loads with Zero .431 JSP bullets.  It liked 9.6 grains the best and 10.0 second best (very close second).  I also tried resting it with the front bag beneath the reciever instead of out beneath the forend.  Best five-shot groups were about two inches at fifty, something I can live with and MUCH better than before.  All I need it to do is put deer in the freezer anyway.  Also did some offhand shooting and placed most shots in the bullseye.  Glad I didn't give up on it.  Them lever guns are picky beasts!

Any obvious issue with the muzzle/crown?

As it's one of the RemLin products, may just be a total lemon...though from what I've been told the recent ones have been close to "normal" Marlin build quality.

Issues with jacketed ammunition sounds like the crown could be bad, while the vertical stringing makes me wonder about tension being applied to the barrel. I would recommend removing the forearm, barrel bands, and magazine tube and shooting some groups with just the bare barrel. You'll need to single-load through the ejection port.

I also suggest asking around on the Marlin Owners forum.

The barrel looks fine as far as I can see.  I was a bit surprised by how shallow the rifling appears (it's a Ballard-rifled gun) but after research it is a normal thing for these guns.  I'm leaning towards some wierd forearm related interaction as well.  Going to try to take it apart tonight and check it out.  Man I love this gun.  Also hate selling guns but I have enough shotguns already lol.

Well I posted my issues on the Marlin forum.  Pretty helpful folks.  Led me to tear down the front end.  No apparent issues other than the barrel band being gorilla tight.  Upon reassembly I left the screw a bit less than tight.  Seems like that may allow the barrel to be more independent from the mag tube.  Hopefully my groups shrink and the fliers/vertical stringing will be solved.  After that I don't know.  Either scope it (which I'd hate to do) or sell it.  Would be a shame because, for a Remlin, it is a beautiful gun.  I'll update after my next range test.  Maybe today if I can sneak away to the range for a bit.

I have a 1894SS that patterned like 44 call buckshot at 25 yards with Winchester White box 240 grain JHP. I about sent it back in disgust. A pre-Remington gun too.

I decided to "waste" some of my hand-loaded Hornady 240 grain XTPs. They will shoot into a small ragged hole at 100 yards off of a bench in the same gun.

I suspect you may find a similar result where it really likes a certain load. Good luck.

Take it to the gun show and sell it off. Just like 80% of the guns there that have some problem.

Update in OP

you could try some .432 hard cast with gas checks.

Would not  "rest" the front end of lever guns for accuracy.  If right handed, use your left hand firmly on forearm stock, between the forearm and bag.  The butt stock should be firmly pulled into your shoulder.  You can go nuts playing with the forearm/magtube screws.  Like already mentioned, you may want to also check your muzzle and check the diameter of the jacketed bullets being used.  Some are larger than others.

I'm glad you've got it working properly, thanks for the update!

To me a .432" groove diameter is excessive. It might work fine for jacketed bullets, but cast could be a challenge. I have two Uberti's, a '66 in 44-40 and a '73 in .44 Magnum, both their groove diameters are .430". They shoot very well with .430" sized cast bullets and neither cares in the least how loose or tight screws are or where your rest the rifle while shooting.

Marlins are notorious for oversize bores...
At least in .44mag.

Have you been trying just one bullet weight?

I have a JM Marlin 44 mag cowboy (with ballard cut rifleing) and it is a dog with anything heavier than 240 while 240 and 220 shoot quite nice with most loads.

Some folks claim the twist is not a great choice for the heavy bullets.
Truth is I have only shoot cast bullets , my early results with 240 cast and a medium heavy load of 2400 was so good I never messed about much except for one failed try with 300gr. The beauty with the 2400 /240 cast load is that it is my heavy load for my pistols.. I just swap out a truncated cone bullet for the semi wadcutter.

I also shoot a fair number of 200gr cast with a medium light load of Unique . (again this works fine in my pistols also).

When I was a younger man every time I bought a new caliber or new gun I would try every bullet weight and powder brand that was listed in the loading books, these days I try some loads I have on hand that have worked well in other guns and if they work I smile and keep shooting

Suggestion: post this on the Cast Boolit Site Lever Section. I'd bet the farm someone there, and possibly a few people have had the same problem and will have a definitive answer.

Those guys over there are a deep, deep well of firearms knowledge.

That alot of wiggle room. I would call and bitch about that see what they say. It's a new gun so 650 to 850 buck I'd want it to shoot right.  How deep are the groves or is this a micro grove barrel.
What is the twist rate someone here mentoin he cowboys with his if he's like me he's running lite load so his heavy boolits. So a heavy bullet may stabilize at the lower speed fine but but at a speed you may want to hunt with it may be spinning to fast. So you may want to try some liter boolit.

If the screws are "less than snug", it is a matter of time before they fall out.  How are you going to snug them up without destroying your groups?

If it were mine, 4" at 50 yards would not be okay and that rifle would be on its way BACK to the maker for repairs.

Thanks for all the responses.  All this fiddling with the band screws came about after extensive research on the Marlin forum.  Seems to be a common "fix" for these guns.  The screws are not totally loose per se but a little less than gorilla tight.  I put a hundred rounds or so through it a week or so ago and experienced no further loosening.  Best groups obtained were close to two inches at fifty yards with Zero JSP 240 grain bullets sized at .431 (the only jacketed bullets that size I could find).  They were loaded with 9.6 grains Unique powder.  All shooting done using a Skinner Express aperture sight with smallest aperture installed.  As for the oversized bore, this is the way Marlin makes them from what I understand.  Apparantly there are two different SAAMI specs for .44 mag.  One for handguns which is .429-.430 and one for rifles which is .431.  Marlin is just very liberal with this measurement I guess and I doubt they would do anything about it.

As it is I am OK with the gun for now.  I bought it mainly for woods deer hunting down here where a fifty yard shot would be a LONG one.  Most places down here you are lucky to see much beyond thirty yards or so in the woods.

As soon as the new Rossi M92's start showing up though, the Remlin is getting sold or traded in.

Oh and regarding the "why don't you try some cast bullets for it?"  I just really don't want to deal with lead.  Besides I would need to special order some .4325 or even .433 sized cast bullets and I  don't want to bother with it.  No time for yet another hobby like bullet casting.

Glad you made some headway.

As far as cast bullets are concerned, .432" bullets are not a special order item at all. Many if not most bullet moulds for .44 caliber bullets drop bullets at .432" (all of mine do) so it's just a matter of running them through a .432" sizing die instead of a smaller one. Companies such as Moyer's Cast Bullets, , Montana Bullet Works, and Beartooth Bullets all offer .44 caliber in whatever diameter you want from .429" to .432", you just have to select the diameter of choice when ordering.

Good luck!

I've looked into those thanks.  Seems though that as my bore slugs at .432 I would be best off with at least a .4325 or even .433 cast bullet.  They are a bit pricey as well.  I guess I could see if they would sell a sampler just to try but honestly I'm over it.  Shouldn't have to tinker with a brand-new gun like this just to get acceptable accuracy.  As I mentioned before as soon as I can find a NIB Rossi 92 in 20" I'm getting rid of it.  With full disclosure, of course.

I'll give you 300 for that boat anchor
when your done with it.