444 vs 45-70

[Bayou Boy]

This may have been something that has been beaten into the ground before.

Anyone on here have any ACTUAL not virtual experience with the 444 or 45-70 for use during primitive weapons season?

I have about every major caliber of centerfire rifle out there, but have never fooled with the big lumbering bullets. I have to think crosswinds don't factor in too much.

Pros/Cons, kills, scope scars, dead right there, can't reach 'em, what?

Thanks.

 

[rockmup]

I'd like to know too.

 

[cnodie1]

.444 with Hornady ammo. It has better ballistics and less kick. I have also never had a problem with the scope coming back a biting me, you just have to know that first shot is gonna be a big one. I would put it around a 270 WSM shot.

I killed my first deer with my HR .444 last year. Ran 30 yards into the thicket and dropped. She was bleeding like a stuck pig so even if she did get a little ways the trail was easy to follow.

I have been selling them for three years and we sell more .444s then 45-70s. Also the HR .444 for only $270 is a great shooting rifle. When I sighted it in at precision I had all three rounds touching at 25yds. At 100 I could hold a 2 1/2" grouping (with a $60 scope too )

 

[brfd557]

I can't comment on the 45-70 but I love my 444, I never thought that bullet would be so accurate at 100 yards but it'll put them in there!

 

[themcfarland]

the guys that I talk to, really like the 444, since they can load up or down as they need.. load up towards 45.70 or down to make it easier for the recoil shy.. like myself..

 

[Bam Bam]

I actually have a .444 Marlin lever action and have shot a 45-70. To me the .444 is the better caliber hands down. The ballistics are better for it too. Now they both are only really good to about 200yds, but in that range they should easily take down a deer with ease. Sadly though I've never taken a deer with it, sucky luck. Hope this helps.



Bam Bam

 

[cajun 22]

I have the 45-70 and have no complaints. Five deer harvested and not one ran off. Longest shot was about 100yds and she was DRT. Kind of like a shotgun in reguards to recoil. I hear a lot of good about the .444 but it was not out when all the rules changed so I wound up with the 45-70. I was just too happy not having to mess with powder again.

 

[jmeng]

Between me and my dad we've killed 4 with our 444's over the last 2 years. All shot with the Hornady Leverevolution load and every one of them was straight through one or both front shoulders. Its been flat out impressive how quick they hit the ground. As in, pull the trigger and see the white of the belly. No jumping, lunge, last dash, etc. Just DRT. That led to the phrase "the 444 flop". The other impressive part is how little meat damage there is. Shoot one in the shoulder with a 270 and you have to throw it in the trash. With the 444 I can eat up to the bullet hole.

I picked the 444 due to the better trajectory and lower recoil that comes with a 265 grain factory load vs the heavier 45-70 load. Now that Hornady is coming out with a 250 grain factory load for the 45-70 it'll probably narrow the gap some. I'm recoil sensitive but don't find the .444 that bad. Also, both of ours shoot great.

 

[gmshooter]

I echo what jmeng said . The 444 is the better of the 2. I killed 4 of them with my
444 last year. On 2 of them it picked them up about 8 inches and slammed them on the ground. I just sighted in 3 of them for customers and they all shot 1" @ 100 yds. Using hornardy 265 leverevelution. Kick is not too bad.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Thanks for the input guys!! That's what I wanted to hear. Anybody can read something on the internet, but I wanted actual experience. Sounds like the 444 is the way to go. Keep any other comments coming!

 

[Gus McCrae]

I like the cowboy round myself. I have one in .45-70.... wood stock, Redfield scope. I took a doe off hand at 75 yards. It puts the bullets where you aim. You can load from 325 Grain bullets up to 500 grain bullets. Also, I see more of the guide guns in .45-70 than the Marlin .444.... I'm not even sure Marlin makes them in .444 anymore. (I even got it from gmshooter)

Even though, the .444 Marlin was introduced when the .45-70 was almost extinct, the round has become very popular again. I think it will outlast the .444 Marlin.

As far as killing deer, they both make big holes and deliver lots of energy. I don't think for this purpose you can lose either way.

Someday, I'd like a Sharps in .45-70.

 

[JimmyB]

You can’t go wrong with either

If you reload, the 444 makes good sense. I use Beartooth Bullets but there are a lot of good bullets in lead or jacketed
Anything from 240 to 300+gr will shoot good. It’s how much recoil you want

 

[Bayou Boy]

Well, I bit the bullet and bought a CVA Elite Stalker stainless 444. I got a Redfield 3-9x40 and Leupold rings. The rifle is camo synthetic and has a fairly deep grip with a cheek piece on it. Felt good and shouldered well in the store.

I also bought 2 boxes of the Hornady Leverevolution 265 gr. Maybe I'll have a report for y'all in a couple weekends.

 

[dzelenka]

The only other issue out there (and it may no longer be one) is that .444s had relatively slow twist barrels. The 265 Hornady was a heavy bullet for them because they wouldn't stabilize a 300. The .45-70 does not suffer from that limitation. In practical terms for whitetail, either will work well. They can certainly be loaded to handle deer out to at least 200 yards.

Never mind. I checked and this doesn't seem to be an issue for bullets up to 330 gr. With that in mind, and forgetting nostalgia for the moment, I think the .444 would be the way to go.

 

[dzelenka]

You can’t go wrong with either

If you reload, the 444 makes good sense. I use Beartooth Bullets but there are a lot of good bullets in lead or jacketed
Anything from 240 to 300+gr will shoot good. It’s how much recoil you want

Aren't Beartooths the $hit? I shoot them out of my hunting pistols. Their .45 340 gr LFNGC is a beast out of a .454.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Well, I killed a brood mare doe yesterday evening with the 444 at 125 yards. She fell like you dropped a sack of corn. DRT. The fun part was the fact that my 7 year old son was in the box with me. He must have fist bumped me 50 times! LOL!

Ol' Dad is cool.......for now.

 

[bayoupirate]

444 really whacks em hard and I can push it pretty fast.

 

[lsu fan]

Does anyone plan on taking a shot at a deer out past 200 yards with one of these? I don't have much experience with either, but you could get a little more extended range out of the .444, but not a huge difference. If you're really only going to be shooting at something within 200 yards, well then I think it's just a matter of personal preference.

 

[hunter5567]

The Marlin 444's have one 1:20 twist barrels since about mid 1998 wit the Ballard rifling.
I'm not sure of the H&R have the 1:20 twist or the 1:38 twist that Marlin used to use and still does in the 1894 .44 mag.
The 45-70 handloaded will shoot a 300gr bullet as fast as the 240gr out of the 444.
The 444 is flatter shooting than the 45-70 with factory loads.
I just bought a Marlin Outfitter .444 that is same gun as the Marlin 1895 Guide Gun in 45-70. They only made them from 1999-2002 with ported barrels.
I have a CVA Optima elite in 45-70 and it shoots great also.
I believe both are equal in accuracy with the 45-70 able to handle heavier bullets up to 600grs. I have seen 395gr 444 bullets but 340gr seems to be the most common heavyweight and 500gr for the 45-70.

 

[Danable]

I load 300 grain bullets for my h&r and it shoots 2" groups all day. In my experience I've never had a problem with my bullet not stabilizing. I've taken 3 pigs at 80 yards and all were head shots