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Posted: 7/14/2017 6:23:51 AM EDT
I bought this 1976 Marlin 44 Magnum on Armslist last weekend for $300 then sold the RPP lever for $100.  After buying a factory lever I now have about $230 in it so did really well on the deal.  I have been looking for a project Marlin to convert to a SBR and plan to use it with a Form 1 can that was finally approved a few weeks ago.  

The gun shows wear and some pitting on the metal so I am debating going the easy route with a spray on finish or spending the time doing prep work on the metal and having it hard chromed or finished in NP3.  Regardless this should  make a cool package that packs a little more punch than my current .357 SBR projects.  
Link Posted: 7/14/2017 6:25:50 PM EDT
[#1]
Nice find, I like that stock. What length are you going with?
Link Posted: 7/14/2017 10:06:01 PM EDT
[#2]
Love it. The price was right and the project is awesome! Keep us updated on the progress!
Link Posted: 7/14/2017 10:08:00 PM EDT
[#3]
nice, get or make a leather saddle go with it when it's done.
Link Posted: 7/25/2017 5:05:15 PM EDT
[#4]
Subbed for updates. Cool project.
Link Posted: 7/30/2017 9:56:58 AM EDT
[#5]
Also subbed for updates.   Always wanted to build something similar.
Link Posted: 8/14/2017 5:35:38 PM EDT
[#6]
A couple of weeks ago I took the gun to the range but it shot so poorly I was just glad nobody else was there to witness it. I am not exaggerating but with softball sized groups at 25 yards I briefly contemplated just selling it and moving on.

Unwilling to accept defeat, I slugged the barrel to find my cast bullets were too small, big surprise. I fired up my RCBS Pro Melt and cast some MP 431-256 bullets in both the ~240 grain hollow point and ~260 grain SWC versions. These were powder coated and loaded as cast without sizing. I also cleaned the barrel really well and mounted a spare Nikon scope I had laying around.

I headed back to the range a few days ago with my cast loads along with some Winchester white box ammo. Unfortunately the scope ran out of adjustments but at least I found the gun can shoot.  While not the best shooting Marlin I have ever owned, it is definitely a keeper.





Link Posted: 8/14/2017 6:49:29 PM EDT
[#7]
The beauty of the 44mag is that if you can just hit within the right zip code, you'll kill your target.
Link Posted: 8/15/2017 11:21:46 AM EDT
[#8]
That is going to be an awesome rifle once it's finished. Have you been cross-posting on MarlinOwners? Any consideration given to having the barrel threaded for a suppressor at the same time?
Link Posted: 8/15/2017 11:45:02 AM EDT
[#9]
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Quoted: Any consideration given to having the barrel threaded for a suppressor at the same time?
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"plan to use it with a Form 1 can that was finally approved a few weeks ago."

Link Posted: 8/15/2017 8:29:42 PM EDT
[#10]
Another idea for you, a friend of mine has an older Marlin that had some rust on it when he got it so he stripped the wood down and rubbed it down with BLO and he had the metal parts parkerized.  He wanted something he didn't have to feel bad about hunting in the swamps with; I think it looks pretty cool.
Link Posted: 8/17/2017 2:06:53 PM EDT
[#11]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


"plan to use it with a Form 1 can that was finally approved a few weeks ago."

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Was extremely tired; 20-hour drives will do that.
Link Posted: 9/6/2017 10:42:43 PM EDT
[#12]
What were your cast bullets sized to?  The ones that you finally got decent groups with?

My last Marlin 44 was a stainless one, pre Remington. It just flat ass would not group, I even stuck a 3-9x scope on it to make sure it wasn't me. The best groups I got out of it were mid range loads with cast bullets sized .433. I still have never tried powder coated bullets, but I certainly would if they got a rifle to shoot.

I also have a Rossi 44 16" and a Browning B92 in 44. I could outshoot the Marlin with either of them, using iron sights versus the scope on the Marlin. The Marlin went down the road, and it was not the first poor shooting Marlin 44 I've owned.
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