6 Best 444 Marlin Ammunitions For Large Game In Brush That Punch Deep

You’re still-hunting through a thicket of alder and spruce, the air crisp and silent. A flicker of movement 60 yards ahead resolves into the dark hide of a mature black bear. You have a narrow shooting lane and only a moment to take the shot; you need a cartridge that hits like a sledgehammer and won’t be deflected by a stray branch. This is the world where the .444 Marlin shines, a classic brush-buster designed for delivering massive energy at close range. But the rifle is only half the equation—choosing the right ammunition is what turns that potential into a quick, ethical harvest.

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The .444 Marlin: A Classic Brush-Busting Cartridge

Imagine a cartridge designed specifically for the deep woods and tangled swamps of North America. That’s the .444 Marlin. Introduced in the 1960s for Marlin’s powerful lever-action rifles, it was meant to give hunters magnum power in a fast-handling package. It’s a straight-walled behemoth that throws heavy, .429-inch diameter bullets, creating a wide wound channel and transferring immense energy on impact.

This isn’t your cartridge for long-range western hunting. Its traditional, flat-nosed bullets have the aerodynamic profile of a brick, leading to a looping trajectory past 150 yards. But inside that range, where most whitetail deer and black bear are taken in dense cover, its authority is unquestionable. The .444 Marlin is about putting a definitive end to the hunt, quickly and humanely, when the shot is close and the target is big.

Modern ammunition has breathed new life into this old workhorse. While its core competency remains the same—delivering a heavy payload in thick country—innovations in bullet design have expanded its versatility. From polymer-tipped bullets that flatten its trajectory to super-heavy hard-cast loads that can penetrate the toughest game, today’s .444 Marlin is more capable than ever.

Hornady LEVERevolution 265 gr FTX for Flatter Trajectory

You’ve spotted a nice bull elk across a small meadow, just a bit further than you’d prefer for your lever gun. This is where a traditional .444 load might require you to guess the holdover, but Hornady’s LEVERevolution changes the game. The key is the patented FTX (Flex Tip eXpanding) bullet, which uses a soft polymer tip. This allows for a pointed, aerodynamic bullet profile to be safely loaded in a tubular magazine, something that was previously impossible with spitzer-style bullets.

The result is a significantly flatter trajectory and higher retained velocity downrange. This effectively stretches the ethical range of the .444 Marlin out to 200 yards and beyond for a skilled shooter. The 265-grain bullet is a fantastic all-around weight, offering a great balance of speed, energy, and sectional density for reliable performance on everything from large deer to black bears and elk.

Upon impact, the polymer tip initiates rapid and violent expansion, creating a devastating wound channel. The InterLock ring, a classic Hornady feature, helps secure the core to the jacket for good weight retention and penetration. If you want to turn your classic brush gun into a more versatile all-around hunting rifle, this is the load to start with.

Buffalo Bore 300 gr JFN for Maximum Stopping Power

When the situation calls for unquestionable authority at close range—think a big boar hog in a thicket or a bear that needs to be stopped right now—Buffalo Bore is the answer. This company is known for loading ammunition to its maximum safe potential, and their 300-grain Jacketed Flat Nose (JFN) load is a prime example. It’s engineered for one thing: raw, unadulterated stopping power.

This round isn’t about long-range ballistics; it’s about momentum. The heavy 300-grain bullet with its wide, flat meplat (the tip) doesn’t just poke a hole; it smashes through hide, muscle, and bone with incredible force. The thick copper jacket prevents the bullet from deforming too quickly, ensuring it drives deep to reach vital organs from nearly any angle.

This is the kind of load you choose when penetration is paramount and you need to break down a tough animal on the spot. The trade-off for this level of power is stout recoil, so it’s essential to be familiar with it before heading into the field. For hunters pursuing large, tough game in dense cover, the confidence this load provides is well worth the kick.

Barnes VOR-TX 250 gr TSX for Deep Copper Penetration

You’re hunting elk in the dark timber, and the only shot you might get is a challenging quartering-away angle. You need a bullet that you can trust to drive through a heavy shoulder bone and still reach the vitals. The Barnes VOR-TX line, featuring the all-copper 250-grain TSX (Triple-Shock X) bullet, is built for exactly this kind of challenge.

As a monolithic bullet, the TSX has no lead core to separate from a jacket. Upon impact, its hollow nose peels back into four razor-sharp copper petals, creating a massive wound cavity while the solid shank continues to drive forward. This design results in nearly 100% weight retention, meaning the bullet maintains its mass and momentum for incredibly deep, straight-line penetration.

This load is an outstanding choice for tough game like elk, moose, and big wild hogs. The 250-grain weight allows for a higher velocity, which helps ensure reliable expansion even at the edge of the .444’s effective range. It’s also a fantastic lead-free option for hunters in states or specific areas with restrictions on lead ammunition.

Remington Core-Lokt 240 gr: The Proven Classic

For generations of hunters, the green and yellow Remington box has been a symbol of a successful deer season. The 240-grain Core-Lokt is arguably the most common and widely available factory load for the .444 Marlin, and its reputation as "The Deadliest Mushroom in the Woods" is well-earned. It’s a simple, effective, and affordable choice for the majority of North American big game.

The Core-Lokt is a soft-point, cup-and-core bullet, but with a key design feature: its copper jacket is mechanically "locked" to the lead core. This helps the bullet hold together better upon impact than a standard soft point, promoting deeper penetration while still allowing for reliable and controlled expansion. It creates a wide wound channel that is devastating on deer-sized game and black bears.

While it may not be the optimal choice for the largest and toughest animals like moose or brown bear, its performance on whitetails is legendary. If you’re looking for a no-frills, time-tested round that gets the job done without breaking the bank, the Remington Core-Lokt is a dependable workhorse you can count on.

Underwood 335 gr LFNGC for Heavy Game Momentum

When your hunt takes you into territory where the game is measured in hundreds of pounds and has a disposition to match, you need more than just energy; you need momentum. Underwood Ammo’s 335-grain LFNGC (Lead Flat Nose Gas Check) load is built to deliver exactly that. This is a serious round for serious game.

This load uses a very heavy, hard-cast lead bullet. Unlike jacketed soft points designed to expand, this bullet is designed to maintain its shape and drive as deep as physically possible. The wide, flat nose crushes tissue and bone, creating a permanent wound channel that is second to none. The gas check on the bullet’s base is a small copper cup that prevents lead fouling in the barrel at the high velocities Underwood loads to.

This is not a deer load. This is the ammunition you choose for bison, moose, and big bears. Its immense sectional density ensures that it will smash through heavy bone and thick muscle to reach the vitals from almost any angle. The recoil is significant, but for the hunter who needs absolute penetration on North America’s largest animals, this Underwood load delivers.

Garrett 420 gr Hammerhead for The Toughest Hides

For the professional guide in Alaska or the hunter pursuing the absolute largest and most dangerous game on the continent, there is Garrett’s 420-grain SuperHardCast Hammerhead. This is the heaviest, deepest-penetrating factory load available for the .444 Marlin. It transforms the lever-action rifle into a tool capable of stopping a charge from the world’s most formidable predators.

This ammunition is a highly specialized product. The 420-grain hard-cast, flat-nosed bullet is an exercise in pure physics. It is designed for maximum sectional density and momentum, prioritizing straight-line penetration above all else. It will not expand in the traditional sense; instead, it functions like a solid, punching a .429-caliber hole through feet of tissue and shattering any bone it encounters.

This is not a hunting load in the conventional sense; it’s a stopping load. Its purpose is to break down an animal’s structural support and reach the central nervous system or deep vitals, even on a frontal shot against a charging brown bear. The recoil is punishing and this ammunition should only be used by experienced shooters in rifles known to be in excellent condition. For those who operate where failure is not an option, the Garrett Hammerhead provides the ultimate peace of mind.

Matching Bullet Construction to North American Game

Choosing the right .444 Marlin load isn’t about finding the "best" one, but the right one for your specific target. The fundamental trade-off is between expansion and penetration. A bullet that expands rapidly is devastating on lighter game but may fail to reach the vitals on a big animal, while a non-expanding solid will zip through a deer without transferring enough energy.

Here’s a simple framework to guide your decision:

• Whitetail Deer, Black Bear & Hogs: For this class of game, rapid energy transfer is key. Look for expanding bullets.

  • Good choices: Remington 240 gr Core-Lokt, Hornady 265 gr LEVERevolution FTX.

• Elk, Moose & Large Boars: These animals have thicker hides, heavier bones, and more body mass to penetrate. You need a tougher bullet that balances expansion with deep penetration.

  • Good choices: Barnes 250 gr VOR-TX TSX, Buffalo Bore 300 gr JFN.

• Bison & Large Coastal Brown/Grizzly Bears: Here, penetration is everything. You need a heavy, solid, non-expanding bullet that can break massive bones and reach vitals from any angle.

  • Good choices: Underwood 335 gr LFNGC, Garrett 420 gr Hammerhead.

The most important factor is matching your bullet to your quarry. A 240-grain soft point is a perfect deer load but a poor choice for a bison. Conversely, a 420-grain hard-cast solid is extreme overkill for a whitetail. Understand the animal you’re pursuing, anticipate the likely shot angles, and select your ammunition accordingly.

The .444 Marlin remains one of the best choices for the deep-woods hunter. Its ability to deliver a heavy-hitting payload from a fast-handling rifle is a combination that has proven its worth time and again. By understanding the different bullet designs available today, you can tailor your rifle’s performance to your specific hunt, ensuring a quick, ethical, and successful outcome. Ultimately, the best gear is the gear you’re confident in, so pick your load, spend time at the range, and then get out there and enjoy the woods.