Ruger Marlin Trapper 44 mag 1894 Model #70451

[zara_puppy]

Good Evening!

Just picked one of these up. It wouldn't cycle my handloads at all. Sent it to the local gunsmith and he thought there was a problem with the throat and since it was new and never fired he didn't want to mess with it. So he sent it back to Ruger. Two weeks later it came back with a new barrel. Ruger test fired it 17 times and the gunsmith fired it 5 times. I've only fired it six times - the first three were terrible - I guess I was expecting recoil and flinched a bit (or a LOT). Settled down and at 25 yards put three just outside of an inch. The rest I used was my balled up fist. I think it'll do better when I get it properly bagged. NOTE: I only loaded three in the tube at a time.

My son shot it - he fully loaded it and got a vertical string on the target. From what I understand barrel harmonics change when the tube is fully loaded. I read that a nylon washer in front of the hanger that touches the underside of the barrel will help with this. As well, hotter rounds can eliminate vertical stringing. I can do that. I was shooting Starline Brass, Large Pistol Primers (non magnum), 240 grain XTP's over 19.8 grains of Alliant 2400. I have some hotter loads already loaded in 0.4 grain increments.

I'd be interested in a couple of things - has anyone had a vertical string issue with their .44 lever? If so, how did you "fix" it? And I'd be interested in anyone's general impression of this rifle whether they own one or have just handled one.

Thanks!

[zara_puppy]

Gee whiz! Left for a few minutes and the subject of this post was ! - Yikes. Fixed now.

[Hatchdog]

I can’t speak to the Trapper version of the 1894 but back in the day I had a Pistol Grip version of the 20” 1894-44 mag. I had a scope on it and it was consistently very accurate shooting out to 50 yards. I don’t recall doing any testing with different quantities in the mag tube. I probably loaded either 3 or 5 when shooting for groups and fully loaded it when plinking.

[zara_puppy]

Did a bit of "homework" with the Trapper. First up - a piece of leather remnant (got a small bag of them) and made a leather wrap for the lever.

And it needed a new sling. Father in law passed last year. He was a good man so I took one of his belts and cut it down a bit and made the sling. Now he can go hunting with me and his grandson.

[daytime dave]

That came out nice.

[rickhem]

I like the idea of repurposing that belt. Good on ya for doing that.
Can't help with any of the shooting side of your rifle, it's out of my realm of experience. I have handled a couple short barreled levers, and really like how feel holding and mounting to my shoulder. They feel very capable, if that makes sense.
I hope you get it sorted out.

[DsGrouse]

To answer your vertical stringing question. Was he shooting from the same position each time? Inconsistencies behind the gun are more likely to cause that vertical stringing. People new to lever guns or a lever gun often do a lot of sight hunting. I.e., adjusting the cheek weld, shoulder pocket, forearm grip, and pull into the shoulder.

While I am not a better freehand shooter than I am properly set up on a bag, I am often a more consistent freehand shooter than a bag shooter.

Almost none of my lever guns like to be shot from front and rear bags once the barrel warms up. They, or I, do better with only a front bag supporting the fore-end stock. But that is likely just me.

As to the accuracy, I don't have a Marlin 44, but I do have a smith 44 and a bunch of Henrys in various calibers. The Ruger/marlin I do have is in 375win.

All the pistol-caliber lever guns seem to dial it in at 1525 to 1650 fps; it really doesn't matter in my experience, whether it's ammo brand, bullet brand, or rifle brand. If I load somewhere in those velocities, the groups shrink. Yeah, anecdotal evidence, I know. Time and time again, that's proven to be the case in my experience. If I go on either side of that number range, I have to load test for each rifle, bullet type, and velocity I want to shoot.

As for my rifle calibers, 30-30 and 375 Win: one Henry and the other in a Ruger-Marlin. Both have a sweet spot with cream-puff loads at 1575 fps, and then they settle in again with loads over 1700 fps.

One thing I had to come to the realization about is that a lever gun isn't a sub-MOA bolt gun that you shoot from a prepped position for 5-round groups. It's a handling gun meant for off-hand and braced shooting.

Once I got that, things improved for me. When shooting my rifles for load testing. I'll fill the tube, chamber one, and top off the tube. I'll shoot for my group. The whole string. Nearly every time, the first shot will be 100 to 125fps slower.

I'll measure that group, find the mean radius in the point-of-impact zone, make scope adjustments, and call it good. From there, I'll shoot a few tubes offhand at targets of varying sizes and distances. (Steel)

Moving to this philosophy has saved me tons of grief, and I think, helped me in my off-hand shooting more than any other type of rifle.

Sorry for the early morning pontification. I'll pack my soapbox up and see myself out...

[Hatchdog]

“ Sorry for the early morning pontification. I'll pack my soapbox up and see myself out...”

Please don’t, you just posted some of my findings with my lever’s too. Much more fun to shoot offhand and not chasing that minute group like a bolt action. Once I got this my enjoyment improved. Shooting bowling pins five at a time without taking the rifle from my shoulder is my fun.

Zara, your leatherwork is great. Re-purposing the belt to a sling worked out well. Nicely done!

[GFK]

Based on the accessories, I take it that you like it? I have a 1894CS in 357. I like it. Happy shooting!