I currently own Marlins in 357/38, 44 mag and 45C. Of these 3 the 45C "spits" (blow back) more than the others mainly due to lower pressure/velocity loadings for Cowboy action. A heavy crimp will usually cure this. My 44 and 38 loads are also heavily crimped and do not blow back at all.

I have also owned Marlins in 32-20 (1894 and 1889), 38-40 (1889) and 44-40 (1894). The bottleneck calibers do not "spit" like the 45C.

But a Lee Factory Crimp die for 10 bucks and be happy.

DD

 

I have had and continue to have 357, 44 45LC and 38-55. Blow back has only been a concern with very low pressure loads, maybe others have different opinions. Extra light loads are a class by themselves.........don't worry,,,,,,,,,,,

 

exactly what 44 WCF said. Load to reasonable pressure and blowback is not a problem. Some Cowboy Actions shooters push the envelope on the low side. this can lead to blowback.
Use enough powder and no problems, just stay withinthe published limits and keep it sane and safe.
CF

 

45 COLT versus 44 MAGNUM has consumed a lot of ink and computer time. Glenn Fryxell has an article on 1894 MARLINS in 357, 44 and 45 COLT over at lasc.us...read it and become enlightened.

45 COLT has some dimensional issues in various guns and reloading dies. Add the fact that factory ammo, for the most part, is loaded for various vintage (can you say OLD and WEAK!) firearms in 45 COLT and not often encountered discounted or at WAL-MART. New or Once Fired brass can be pricey and hard to find compared to the 44 MAGNUM.

IIRC, MARLIN lever actions came out in 44 magnum back in the 60s or 70s; the 357s came out around 1980; the 45 COLT, regular production, in ? John Taffin and Mike Venturino both explain the dimensional changes that allowed 45 COLT to be usable in various lever action rifles. Guys who handloaded in the 60s can tell you horror stories about reloading 45 COLT.

To quote Sergeant Joe Friday, "Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts."

 

Good advice posted above.......get the 44 Mag, load it to useful pressure levels, and you'll have nothing to worry about!

 

I personally have not had any problems with any of the 44 mag 1894s. I have never had one in 45 Colt, so, I can't say. All my loads have been pretty much max, and never encountered any problems with a dirty action.

 

edk really covered it well.

I'd add that the issue of blow-back is much less of an issue than the comparison of the ease/simplicity of reloading and brass-life of a straight-walled case vs. a bottleneck. Bottlenecks are not impossible - I've loaded thousands of 44-40s for lever-guns for example, but the thin necks and heavy-working of the brass in the full-length sizing process definitely gives a shorter life-cycle to the brass in those bottle-neck calibers.

Although I shoot CAS and infrequently hunt, I've loaded both cat-sneeze and full-power loads, but the vast majority of my shooting is for fun and/or at the range, so 90% of my loads have been around starting-load power of medium to medium-fast powders (Unique or W231 would be good examples), and in those loadings, I've never had an issue with blow-back or filthiness of the rifle. I HAVE had an occasional blackened case wall/neck about 1/2 way back from the mouth of the case, but that's just cosmetic.

In the overall balance, the case life is a much bigger factor to me than any real or perceived blow-back. Now, I shoot and load mostly 44 Mag/Spl/Russian for straight-walled-case loads in my rifles. How the 45 Colt does I cannot speak of.

 

I like my plinking rounds so when I went with a 45 Colt barrel for my 1894 I found I had to give up on the 200 gr and shoot 250 gr (6.2gr Trail Boss) and then the blow back went away entirely. I shot 200 gr bullets all the time with the 44 mag barrel without this issue. I bought one of Ranch Dog's reworked Lee FCD's that work for cast but have yet to try it in my 1894 so that will give me something new to experiment on! (Heavier crimp):marchmellow:

 

"Blow Back" problems??? None whatsoever for me, how would a rifle chambered in a straight walled pistol cartridge be any different its revolver counter part?

Whoever's been telling you that one is repeating incorrect info or has a problem with their loads. I'd suggest they start with taking a look at their crimp. Not even my lightest powder puff loads "blow back" if I've got a good and proper crimp on them. Sounds a bit like a wive's tale, sort of like the can't shoot cast bullets in a microgroove barrel myth.

I prefer the Ranch Dog crimp die over the Lee FCD.

As for caliber choice, only you can make that call.
If you already do or plan on reloading the the 45 Colt will offer you more versatility and variety of loadings and is still very simple to reload for. If you cast your own bullets then the 45 Colt becomes really interesting, even more so in the 1894.

If you only plan on shooting what you can find at Walmart, then get the 44 Mag.

Choice of caliber should never come down to brass cost and availability, I disagree with Edk on that point. The difference between buying 1000 Starline 44 Mag or 45 Colt is .01¢ a piece, that's hardly worth basing a caliber choice on. There's a whole lot more that factors into it. I'll gladly pay an extra penny for the 45 Colt.

 

Well the other day I pulled out my Ranch Dog crimper and loaded up 20 rounds of Trail Boss loads behind some 200gr cast, rounds that normally will blow back some when using the roll crimp so as soon as it warms up some I am going to give er a try. It is -5F this morning, I am such a weenie when it comes to cold anymore... :ahhhhh:

By the way, I totally agree that the brass availability is a non-issue. I buy mine from a place called the Cowboy Shooting Store and they send me courtesy emails when they have Starline 45 Colt brass in stock and it is virtually the same as 44 mag. To avoid running out just stock up!