With such a SLOW rate of twist in the Rifling would there be any noticeable difference in 100 yard accuracy between the Marlin 1894 .44 Mag and the 1894 .44 Mag Cowboy "Limited" with the 24" inch barrel?
The reason I ask is I'm considering purchasing either a Marlin 1894 Cowboy or Cowboy Limted in .44 Mag or possibly a Marlin 336 XLR .30-30. That Marlinitis is kicking in again. It seem's to flare up every Spring/Fall...
Has anyone shot BOTH Lever Guns in 336 .30-30 Caliber and the 1894 Cowboy in .44 Mag? If so, I would appreciate a comparison of these two Rifles. Do both Gun's have similar Recoil? How about the "Crack" or Concussion when fired? I would be using these Rifles for Deer Hunting where shot's are within 125 yard's. Do both Rifles have about the same Recoil and "Crack" or Muzzle Blast? I'm not recoil sensitive at all but don't care for the concussion or Muzzle blast from high power Rifles.
I think the Marlin 1894 has a shorter LOP "Length of Pull" then the 336's but I'm not sure? I know my 1894 .357 Mag does. This is important to me since I don't like having to remove the Rifle off my shoulder during Hunting if I need a quick second shot.
Appreciate any information.
Where I hunt, it's pistol-caliber carbines or slug shotguns for deer. The .44 1894 carbine is a lot handier package than the slug guns we used to tote, does in deer just as well. The octagonal barrels on the Cowboy models look good, but are extra weight when you start hauling them around in the woods. The 24" barrel would get you a little more velocity, less handy to haul, though. Unless you use irons, practical accuracy difference between the two barrel lengths will be down to how well each one was manufactured, not length.
None of the pistol calibers have much recoil by my standards, it's subjective. Compared to the 12 ga. slugs we used to shoot, the recoil is nil. I can remember putting in an extensive practice session with my slug gun and having a massive bruise on my shoulder afterwards, that was through 4 layers of clothing. Nothing like that with the .44. Has more thump than a .22, much less than a .308.
If you practice, you can lever the 1894 from the shoulder, a lot of guys naturally take it down to do that and have to reacquire the sights. Needs practice to do. Something about that chunk of steel moving back at you makes you take the gun down. Just don't crawl the stock. One reason I have a 39A is practice.
With 240 gr. ammo, the guns work just fine on deer, truly, you don't need any heavier bullets for deer. 240 gr. was the standard bullet weight when the guns were first designed, they shoot it just fine.
The report is also subjective, the smaller bores have a higher-pitched bark that can make unprotected ears ring. Anymore, I use muffs AND plugs for range work, too much singing in the ears as it is. In wide open hunting territory, you won't notice a thing if you're concentrating on your target.
I believe the stock length is about the same on all the models, added pads vs. plain buttplate may make a slight difference between models. There's also a short stocked youth model 336, for smaller than average folks. So far Remlington hasn't put an M4 stock on the levers like some other manufacturers.
If you could use a .30-30 where you hunt, that'd give you a longer effective range, particularly with the Leverevolution ammo. It's too built up in the areas I hunt, need a smaller danger area than regular centerfire rifle rounds have.
Stan S.
