I owned a .444 a number of years ago. Marvelous gun, but I just couldn't take the recoil -- it's basically a stretched-out .44 magnum, and loaded super-hot with the same frangible 240-grain bullet the .44 uses. Knew a fellow who went deer hunting with one, hit the animal in the shoulder, and blew the entire opposite front leg off at the shoulder. Made him sick and he swore off the gun after that. It's too frangible a bullet going too fast.
Now. If you want a big-bore Marlin that'll slap a deer/pig/bear/mastadon flat down on its ass *and* spoil zero amounts of meat, get the identical weapon in 45-70 Government. Both it and the .45 Long Colt cartridges have been in continuous production since 1873, so it's an authentic Old West load. The standard 300-grain bullet holds together well, generates black-powder levels of recoil, and -- in the immortal words of Elmer Keith -- you can 'eat right up to the bullet hole'. Bought one for my dad and he loves it. Also bought him a scout-scope mount that lets him park a pistol scope forward of the receiver and that is good for his old eyes. Get yours TODAY!
I owned a .444 a number of years ago. Marvelous gun, but I just couldn't take the recoil -- it's basically a stretched-out .44 magnum, and loaded super-hot with the same frangible 240-grain bullet the .44 uses. Knew a fellow who went deer hunting with one, hit the animal in the shoulder, and blew the entire opposite front leg off at the shoulder. Made him sick and he swore off the gun after that. It's too frangible a bullet going too fast.
Now. If you want a big-bore Marlin that'll slap a deer/pig/bear/mastadon flat down on its ass *and* spoil zero amounts of meat, get the identical weapon in 45-70 Government. Both it and the .45 Long Colt cartridges have been in continuous production since 1873, so it's an authentic Old West load. The standard 300-grain bullet holds together well, generates black-powder levels of recoil, and -- in the immortal words of Elmer Keith -- you can 'eat right up to the bullet hole'. Bought one for my dad and he loves it. Also bought him a scout-scope mount that lets him park a pistol scope forward of the receiver and that is good for his old eyes. Get yours TODAY!