[rjgnwdc]

My brother in-law is wanting to sell me his Marlin lever action in .44mag I wouldn't mind having a rifle to go with my S&W 629 .44mag but how practical is a .44mag rifle for hunting. How much do you think its worth, he has only shot it 2 or 3 times, the2x7 Leupold is included

[hardluk1]

If the rifle is from marlin before it was bought out it a good one and should be able to place rounds well out to 125 yards maybe a bit longer. Atleast with some of the hotter loads like DT 240gr sp at 1800fps+ from a rifle.

Price?? From a brother-in-law. It looks very nice, $ 450 to 500 with scope 400 to 450 sounds better, but only if pre-cerebus caplital management or after a very good look over. Some real junk has come out over the last couple years.??

[Werminator]

I think it's a fairly pretty rifle... Classic style with a punch.. Good round for a number of applications, especially given the added length of the barrel... more time for expansion of the gases leading to increased velocity and therefore energy on target? Win...

[towboater]

Just my opinion

I'd guess value of just the gun at around $400.
Then add the value of the scope.

Hunting:
Not for squirrels.
A darned good deer gun.
http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php?topic=217752.0

[locutus]

For short range hunting, it's acceptable for smaller game like deer.

Personally, I would much prefer a .30-30 to a .44 for any hunting.

[Shoobee]

It is a beautiful rifle. With the scope it looks worth $500.

Question is what do you plan to hunt with it? A 44 rem mag round is barely good enough for close-in hunting of small deer. And it does not have very good knock-down power, so you will be tracking all of them that you shoot.

A 243 is as small as I would recommend for hunting. Although the 223 works fine on varmints like coyotes, ground squirrels, and raccoons.

This rifle may also double as a varmint gun as well. I am guessing that is why they put the scope on it to begin with.

For a quick response saddle gun you don't need a scope. And for close-in hunting of small deer you don't need a scope either. Iron sights are fine for all that.

[kycol]

For some reason I could not get picture to enlarge, but looks nice. Not sure about prices, but I think it would make a great addition to your collection. I also think you would have no problem taking down deer a least up to 100-125 yards. I have taken a large number of deer in my life, most have been from 25 to 50 yards. The closest ever was about 6yards the farthest about 150. 44mag has a hell of a lot knock down power than a arrow. No caliper can guarantee you won't have to track it, but I have tracked very few.

[ineverFTF]

Shoobee i have to disagree. My grandpa has shot 200lb deer at 125 yards and dropped them with his 44mag. Get the gun checked out if it looks good buy it 400-500

[HockaLouis]

Last two guns I offered my Brother-in-Law were a Ruger All-Weather in either .22 or .22 Mag and all he had to do was name the price -- woulda been his for a buck. Wasn't interested. Then, like a fool, as he was in the market for a decent dedicated Trap Shotgun I found an old NIB premium Charles Daly/Miroku single barrel and bought it for him. He said he wasn't interested and it was mine. But then when he saw it and I wouldn't sell it to him (it had since become part of a matched pair w/an O/U) he denied saying he didn't want it and stopped talking to me it was so beautiful and relatively inexpensive.

If yours is like me, buy it. If yours is like him, tell him to eff off.

.44 Mag is nice in a shorter gun and effective. No, it would not be my only gun but, as u say, u would have a set there now with your handgun. Very good gun and scope.

[Rick1967]

I think if I ran into a lever gun in any of my pistol calibers I would buy it just to have a pair. I would love to have one in 45 colt.