Win 1894AE Trapper accurate loads
 

Hi Fellas,
Did a search on here and nothing came up which seems odd? Anyways just picked up a new not fired 1989 (from serial #) Win 1894AE Trapper in 44 Mag. So no cross bolt safety, 16” barrel, it’s nice light handy. Wanna develops hand loads and had some questions about leverevolution bullets. Anyone tried them I think I have some 225 grain and 265 grain in my loading stores. Hopefully I can get some minute of deer and/or 4’x8’ sheet of plywood out of it.... any suggestions would be great. Notion is to have some plinkin loads and some stout loads with above bullets as accurate as gun will allow.
Thanks in advance.
j

Stoutest loads will still be pretty mild shooting them out of the rifle. As far as what works best, the heavier bullets work better on game, 240-270. Cast bullets make for cheap shooting $70/500 compared to $30/100 for jacketed.

H110, 4227 and Lil"gun are all very good powders in the 44 mag. In the rifle max pressure is about 40,000 PSI. Hodgdon publishes loads for handgun and rifle and the max loads for the handguns are actually higher than the rifle loads, go figure. The limitation with this cartridge is bullet speed, it isn't much good over about 150 yards due to trajectory and velocity loss.

265 FP’s have 2 cannelures, and you’ll have to crimp into the one which will give you the shortest COL.
I had good luck with them in my 20” bbl’d 1984 Marlin, with a stiff load of 4227.

Lots of good cast and gas checked bullets out there now too.

I’m not a fan of the Gucci, poly tipped bullets in lever guns..... but that’s just me.

Hahahaaa gotcha on the Gucci... too funny, I’m just trying to 1) use up some of the booolits I have hoping they might shoot (good groups) and 2) cause it’s a trapper at the end of the day, perhaps a big wish...but a reasonable 2-3” group with enough snuff to knock down a mowich, at 100m or so.

Have a 1894 SS Marlin in 44 Mag and that fawker has never shot to what I feel it should. Actually gave up on it, never have been able to have it consistently shoot, (way too long a story for here)... So I’m hoping this win 94AE will be better.
Thanks for your input.
j

Personally I've never had any great luck with the ftx bullets in the hand full of .44's I've had and media tests have been more than disappointing. I'm a big fan of the 240g xtp from the big H and my latest .44 (marlin 1894 sbl) loves a stout load of h110. 24.5g of h110 and a federal mag primer in federal brass print under 2" at 100m. Shooting with a burris 2.75x20 scout scope.

I'm a big fan of the .44. Even used a Rossi Ranch hand a few years ago to get a meat doe with the same load. Actually the same scope in a Steve's Gunz scout mount. It's the Goldilocks cartridge and the Goldilocks weight for anything under 300 lbs and out to about 150yds.

Colin