Recently having become excited about lever actions again after seeing Marlin’s XLR series (and finding a home for one in .444 and one in .35 Rem), I have discovered some excellent sites to pass along:

#1: Skinner Sights.  Built in a one-man shop in Ronan, MT, these sights look like the ticket for the .444.  I don’t really want “scope-eye” from a .444. Can you blame me?  A longer sight radius and a ghost ring should make the .444 a good bear-whackin’ machine.

#2: Game Reaper Scope Mounts.  I like the look of these one-piece, lightweight aluminum mounts for putting a 1.75-5x scope on the .35 Remington XLR.  They have some forward offset, which is nice to have on a lever rifle with a scope that has generous eye relief.  

#3: Ranch Dog Molds.  The proprietor has done his homework on shooting cast bullets in Marlin’s lever guns, especially on barrel throat dimensions and the unique attributes of Micro Groove rifling.  The XLR series (as well as the Guide Guns) have cut rifling, but the bullets are said to shoot well in those, too.  With ammunition prices going sky high, casting bullets with the Lee system looks like a good way to save money.  The molds aren’t horribly expensive, and the sizing and lube processes are simplified and don’t require an expensive lubrisizer.

#4:  Marlin Owners Forums.  This set of forums offers the collective wisdom of Marlin guys across the country, so the rest of us don’t have to know it all.  A good place to get acquainted with common problems and solutions involving all Marlins.

I am looking forward to summer and load development.  I think with all of the new trendy cartridges on the market, it will be fun to work with a couple of “oldies but goodies.”  The one new cartridge that interests me in Marlin’s lineup is the .338 Marlin Express, but I’m not sure I would trade the .35 or .444 in to get it.