joepistol
Well-Known Fanatic
if I could only shoot like this with any consistency..
If only..
- Thread starter joepistol
- Start date
if I could only shoot like this with any consistency..
That's awesome. Did you do that? What was the firearm and the distance?
if I could only shoot like this with any consistency..
I can do that very consistently at the distance of 1 inch.
Any further than that and all bets are off.
dennishoddy
Moderator
I can from about 3 feet.
if I could only shoot like this with any consistency..
joepistol
Well-Known Fanatic
That was the 1st shot from a Marlin 1894 lever gun..(44 Mag) from 50 yds..shot with my handloads.. I didn't take a follow-up shot as I didn't want to "spoil" my "group"... As i remember , I was trying out a new load in that rifle.. using a near max. charge of H-110 behind a Hornady 240gr. JHP
I believe that mental focus is important for consistency, and doubt of my ability may destroy my groups, as I have shot very tight groups, then spoiled them by shooting a flier..that was clearly my fault..not the gun or ammo. self-doubt , maybe I need to see a shrink..
I believe that mental focus is important for consistency, and doubt of my ability may destroy my groups, as I have shot very tight groups, then spoiled them by shooting a flier..that was clearly my fault..not the gun or ammo. self-doubt , maybe I need to see a shrink..
joepistol, Was that the NEW Marlin 1894 .44? I bought one and haven't shot it yet. How do you like it after shooting more? I have a Henry .44, but it was too damn heavy.
joepistol
Well-Known Fanatic
No, it was an older model.
While living in So. Calif. (until 1987) I had a FFL license, thinking I would sell firearms from my home. Decided, after reading all the info that came with my license, that I wasn't going to do that. I had subscribed to Shotgun News..so I could keep an awareness of current prices of some firearms. After moving to MI. in Spring of '87 , I transferred my still active subscription to Mi. I happened to be in a local K Mart store... back then, they still had a firearms dept, w/rifles & shotguns, but no handguns. I happened to notice a Marlin 1894 on a shelf & asked about the price.. I believe it was under $400 ( ! )
As they had several in stock, I didn't buy it, but after returning home, checked the dealer cost in a current Shotgun News.. it was higher than K Mart's price.
Told a friend about what I'd found , we both went back to the store & bought a rifle. I figured K mart had purchased the rifle years ago, they'd sat on the shelf unsold, & no one bothered updating the price, as time went on. As I had purchased a S&W Mod.29 while in So. Calif. & thought It'd be cool to have a lever gun in the same caliber. Didn't shoot it much for more than a few years, noticing my site name, my interest was primarily in handguns.
Eventually, (after retiring) I decided I should shoot it..( & the other rifles I'd purchased).
I bought a mount & scope , then learned a bit about the JM marked Marlins, reading about them online.
As luck would have it, mine's a JM Marlin.. worth considerably more than I paid for it
As far as accuracy, my experience has been that 44 Mag is one of the few calibers I've loaded that gives better accuracy with certain powders.
I'd used Blue Dot primarily for years and got pretty good groups with my rifle . It's a challenge for me to shoot full power 44 Mag loads in any of my handguns
and get tight groups. After reading about H-110 ( same powder as Win 296 ) I tried some loads & started getting shots touching..as in a real group!
It's been my go- to powder since...Though I recently bought a 1# of Ramshot Enforcer , & have decided to give A/A #9 another try, next time I load 44 Mags.
I've discovered the Shooter's World line of powder to be quite good & believe I have a 1# container of one of their pistol powders I'll try as well.
It is easier to determine load accuracy in my 1894 than my Model 29...
While living in So. Calif. (until 1987) I had a FFL license, thinking I would sell firearms from my home. Decided, after reading all the info that came with my license, that I wasn't going to do that. I had subscribed to Shotgun News..so I could keep an awareness of current prices of some firearms. After moving to MI. in Spring of '87 , I transferred my still active subscription to Mi. I happened to be in a local K Mart store... back then, they still had a firearms dept, w/rifles & shotguns, but no handguns. I happened to notice a Marlin 1894 on a shelf & asked about the price.. I believe it was under $400 ( ! )
As they had several in stock, I didn't buy it, but after returning home, checked the dealer cost in a current Shotgun News.. it was higher than K Mart's price.
Told a friend about what I'd found , we both went back to the store & bought a rifle. I figured K mart had purchased the rifle years ago, they'd sat on the shelf unsold, & no one bothered updating the price, as time went on. As I had purchased a S&W Mod.29 while in So. Calif. & thought It'd be cool to have a lever gun in the same caliber. Didn't shoot it much for more than a few years, noticing my site name, my interest was primarily in handguns.
Eventually, (after retiring) I decided I should shoot it..( & the other rifles I'd purchased).
I bought a mount & scope , then learned a bit about the JM marked Marlins, reading about them online.
As luck would have it, mine's a JM Marlin.. worth considerably more than I paid for it
As far as accuracy, my experience has been that 44 Mag is one of the few calibers I've loaded that gives better accuracy with certain powders.
I'd used Blue Dot primarily for years and got pretty good groups with my rifle . It's a challenge for me to shoot full power 44 Mag loads in any of my handguns
and get tight groups. After reading about H-110 ( same powder as Win 296 ) I tried some loads & started getting shots touching..as in a real group!
It's been my go- to powder since...Though I recently bought a 1# of Ramshot Enforcer , & have decided to give A/A #9 another try, next time I load 44 Mags.
I've discovered the Shooter's World line of powder to be quite good & believe I have a 1# container of one of their pistol powders I'll try as well.
It is easier to determine load accuracy in my 1894 than my Model 29...
Last edited:
Buck Buck
Well-Known Fanatic
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2018
- Messages
- 113
Lucky you! Or good timing.
Or you're just blessed by God!
I had checked out the New 1895 SBL, and I was also looking at the NEW Marlin 1894. Those are some nice looking tools!!
My son in law bought his SS Marlin 1895 SBL with the grey laminate stock just a little before Ruger bought them.
IMO, both the last Marlins under Remington and the 1st new Ruger Marlins are going to be family heirlooms too some day.
Impressive results, Happy shooting!
Or you're just blessed by God!
I had checked out the New 1895 SBL, and I was also looking at the NEW Marlin 1894. Those are some nice looking tools!!
My son in law bought his SS Marlin 1895 SBL with the grey laminate stock just a little before Ruger bought them.
IMO, both the last Marlins under Remington and the 1st new Ruger Marlins are going to be family heirlooms too some day.
Impressive results, Happy shooting!
joepistol
Well-Known Fanatic
I am truly Blessed by God.. no doubt.
Looked at a pic of the "new" 1894..it's got a much fancier wood , stock & forend checkering...very fancy !
Looks nicer than my old 1894, even though mine still looks new, it's just not as fancy.
Looked at a pic of the "new" 1894..it's got a much fancier wood , stock & forend checkering...very fancy !
Looks nicer than my old 1894, even though mine still looks new, it's just not as fancy.
Just my thought, but many times less is more. I've been wanting a 357mag carbine for years. Just didn't take the plunge. Wish I had now. Another one I wish I'd bought Marlin 41 mag carbine, would have gone nice with the 4" Smith 57 I found several years ago. Wanted one of those since I was in high school...I'm 70 now.
I can think of many guns I would like to have and some i had and sold that I would like to have back. It's an expensive hobby that you have to be self-disciplined with, but it sure is hard sometimes.Just my thought, but many times less is more. I've been wanting a 357mag carbine for years. Just didn't take the plunge. Wish I had now. Another one I wish I'd bought Marlin 41 mag carbine, would have gone nice with the 4" Smith 57 I found several years ago. Wanted one of those since I was in high school...I'm 70 now.
joepistol
Well-Known Fanatic
Guess I'm blessed in that I now own, ( or have owned) almost all the firearms that I've wanted.
A few I shot and wished I'd bought one @ the time, but only because they've increased in value, not that I wanted to buy one for a keeper.
Desert Eagle in 44 Mag is what comes 1st to mind. A friend owned one & I shot it a few times..fun shooting a semi auto 44 Mag pistol,
but it required frequent cleaning..after about 50 rds or so, with the loads we were using. Also needed full power loads for it to cycle reliably..
lighter i.e. 44 Spec loads were a no-go. I thought it selling for about $600 was outrageous.
Same with a Steyr Aug.. a gunshop owner I frequented had a personally owned one, & I wanted him to sell to me..
He didn't want to sell it..probably made me want it more. I never fired one, but thought they were cool, but they were/ are much pricier than I'd spend on one.
One of my bucket list guns was a Springfield M1A.. thought I wanted a Garand, but after shooting a few, decided the detachable mag & using a .308 cal. was a better choice. Found a 2 owner , yet unfired Scout Squad model @ a fair price. Bought it & loved it, for several years. Was my favorite rifle, for those years.
The longer I owned it, the more I found I disliked about it. Mostly it was the difficulty & expense to modify.. Wanted a bipod, brass catcher, better trigger, & better scope options. After owning it 10 yrs. I sold it ( at a better than I paid for it price)
Why ?
My PSA PA-10 ( version of an AR-10) I'd purchased met every need I'd wanted in my M1A.Though it lacked the historical connection to a M-14,
(that meant little to me) It was easier to make inexpensive modifications to make it everything I wanted. The fact that this rifle was more accurate didn't hurt.
I consider myself very Blessed, that I've been able to own & shoot pretty much anything I actually wanted.
Guess like my having a healthy appetite, I'm pretty easy to please.
A few I shot and wished I'd bought one @ the time, but only because they've increased in value, not that I wanted to buy one for a keeper.
Desert Eagle in 44 Mag is what comes 1st to mind. A friend owned one & I shot it a few times..fun shooting a semi auto 44 Mag pistol,
but it required frequent cleaning..after about 50 rds or so, with the loads we were using. Also needed full power loads for it to cycle reliably..
lighter i.e. 44 Spec loads were a no-go. I thought it selling for about $600 was outrageous.
Same with a Steyr Aug.. a gunshop owner I frequented had a personally owned one, & I wanted him to sell to me..
He didn't want to sell it..probably made me want it more. I never fired one, but thought they were cool, but they were/ are much pricier than I'd spend on one.
One of my bucket list guns was a Springfield M1A.. thought I wanted a Garand, but after shooting a few, decided the detachable mag & using a .308 cal. was a better choice. Found a 2 owner , yet unfired Scout Squad model @ a fair price. Bought it & loved it, for several years. Was my favorite rifle, for those years.
The longer I owned it, the more I found I disliked about it. Mostly it was the difficulty & expense to modify.. Wanted a bipod, brass catcher, better trigger, & better scope options. After owning it 10 yrs. I sold it ( at a better than I paid for it price)
Why ?
My PSA PA-10 ( version of an AR-10) I'd purchased met every need I'd wanted in my M1A.Though it lacked the historical connection to a M-14,
(that meant little to me) It was easier to make inexpensive modifications to make it everything I wanted. The fact that this rifle was more accurate didn't hurt.
I consider myself very Blessed, that I've been able to own & shoot pretty much anything I actually wanted.
Guess like my having a healthy appetite, I'm pretty easy to please.
