Introduced in 1965, the Model 444 was the most powerful lever action rifle on the market, with more than 1-1/2 tons of energy at the muzzle. It was designed for hunting any North American game.
The same basic lever action mechanism as the Model 336, modified to handle the .444 cartridge. The first variation of the Model 444 was a straight grip style buttstock, with the pistol-grip stocks added later and called 444S and 444SS. Catalog descriptions of this rifle include information about "Knock-Out values", explained by formulas including velocity, bullet weight, diamater, shape and construction.