Setters4life

Informative. Thanks for posting.

That short, ported barrel will make you deaf for a few minutes when you touch one off in the deer woods. I'm happy with the standard 22" bbl. on my 444S. It likes handloads with the Hornady 265 gr. JSP bullet and IMR 4198 powder in the old MicroGroove barrel. Good thread on Marlinowners.com about penetration tests with various 240 gr. jacketed bullets in the .444 at this link. They are not as flimsy as some think: http://www.marlinown...topicseen.html.

The strain screw maintains tension on the flat mainspring. It should be screwed all the way in. Some like to fiddle with the screw by backing it out a half-turn or full turn or maybe even two in an effort to lighten the DA trigger pull. Only problem is it will result in light primer strikes. On heavy recoiling revolvers like the S&W .44 Mag., that screw and others have a tendency to back out from recoil. Put a dab of blue Loctite on it and screw it in all the way. I also use Loctite on the frame's sideplate screws and rear sight screws (older models) as well.

S&W? Check to see if the strain screw in the bottom of the frame has backed out a bit. Some do over time. (It's at the bottom front of the grip frame when you remove the grips.) Loosen the screw (L) to lighten the hammer fall, tighten the screw ® to increase how hard the hammer strikes the firing pin.

I totally agree. On heart and lung shots the animal may be "dead on its feet" but will run a short distance. (I've seen deer run headlong into trees.) On a hit close to the spine I've seen the animal fall over and die and never leave its last footprints.

I got out for a couple of hours on Friday. My dog found and pointed a lone bird:

Agreed. Humans (big and small) don't in any way, shape or form, resemble a deer. Or a bear. Or a turkey. And so on down the forest food chain.

Nice! (I contend that grouse is the best tasting upland game bird.) They are worth all that hard work.

You need foresting to open up those mature woods to keep grouse around.

Great pics!

New York's 10-year pheasant plan is a sobering statement of what the future holds. New Jersey is worse, they don't even have a plan! Both states have resigned themselves to put-and-take and it seems enough to satisfy the pheasant hunters. http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/pheasantplan10.pdf I remember the days of wild pheasants in N.J. along with native quail. I'm glad I experienced them.

Classic rifle!

I have used the blue LocTite since 1975. Comes in handy on scope ring screws and base mounting screws. Anyone with a S&W revolver would use them on the older models for the sideplate screws and forward rear sight retaining screw which always came loose on recoil. I've had those little locking screws for the main carrier screws on the side on my M37's disappear too. LocTite keeps the replacement part from disappearing again on me. Disassembly is no problem when using the blue LocTite. I've used nail polish and shellac in a pinch to secure things when LocTite was not available or when I "lost" the LocTite somewhere in the house.

Many of my NJ friends shoot at Monroe-Chester and Masterclass for various handgun events. I shake my head at them and tell them despite the "NRA event" clause they can get in trouble if someone of authority decides to push the envelope.

The 168 gr. BTHP match bullets are not necessarily considered hunting bullets. Although I suspect they would down a deer handily on a broadside lung or heart shot; they lack the ability to penetrate deep and hold together. Here's a Hornady 168 gr. BTHP fired from a .308 Win. at about 2550fps. The lead core of the bullet completely penetrated an old rotted stump I was shooting last year but the jacket was left behind after only five inches of penetration. The stump I was shooting at was 200 yds. away. This is what the jacket looked like compared to an unfired bullet. Remaining weight was 30.1 grs. This would not be considered a stout hunting bullet.

Good read! I have a .444S from 1981, and a M39A Golden Mountie carbine from the 60's. Hoping to get a .45-70, 1894 in .44 Mag. and a .35 Rem. someday when I get around to it. Other things just seem to get in the way at times.

Those Winchester 100's are only going to appreciate in value as time passes on. Call me nostalgic but old stuff appeals to me. The .308 Win. is a great all-around cartridge for the Northeast. Just research whether that firing pin was replaced.

I was thinking up heading up around the area of Roscoe or possibly south and west of Albany. Don't want to kill myself walking though. I just hate that snow that teases you with a crust you think you can walk on then.......you find yourself skating or crashing through. I don't want to feel like ice-climbing. And that ice is tough on a dog's pads too. >

Anyone been out for grouse recently? How's the snow up there? I assume some may have evaporated/melted this week. I'm tempted to head up for a last grouse hunt or two before the season ends.

Great video and nice shooting!

Best video I've seen in a while. Has me pumped to get out now.

I am beginning to doubt this story. I had heard that this deer killed seven Baptist's and ran a fleet of Escalade's off Rt. 17 before it succumbed to the .22 Mag.

I would check one thing before going out. If you are in a "shotgun only" area, check out any regulations about having a center-fire rifle afield during a deer season in such areas. I'm not sure but I seem to recall some sort of restriction in that regards. Maybe somebody knows more on that. Doc Seems that you can based on these links from DEC, as I see no "closed" season during deer season. Also notes the caveat regarding possession of a rifle in shotgun-only deer zones as a no-no. Pg. 51 seems to indicate: http://pub.jfgriffin.com/doc/jfgriffin/10NYHD http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/45559.html

I know we're into deer season now for firearm, but you can still hunt coyote during deer season; correct?

Words from a wise man: "The .30-06 is never a mistake." Townsend Whelen.