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Marlin Junky
03-24-2011, 04:48 PM
I'm on a quest to find a great (not just good) boolit mold for my .444 Marlin (1:20 twist made in '99) and just got done reading a bunch of stuff on Beartooth Bullets (yeah, they spelt Boolits wrong!) who has me convinced I need a .432" boolit. So... can I get a little help with mold selection. Not interested in offerings from RCBS, SAECO and Lyman. I have already wasted my money on a SAECO 431 which they claim was designed for the .444 Marlin. I had to over heat my SAECO 431 to obtain .430" boolits. Even though they came out about .002" smaller than the Bearthooth guy recommended, I shot them anyway and was very disappointed. My goal is to drive softer gas checked boolits to practical hunting velocities... e.g., top end 44M to however fast they'll shoot accurately. Figure I'll start at 1500 fps with a 250-300 grainer. Might also be good as an armageddon rifle... :shock:

Thanks,
MJ

Hurricane
03-24-2011, 05:28 PM
Go to the top of the screen and click on Ranch Dog Outdoors. He has 3 molds designed for the Marlin 444. Weights are 265 gr., 300 gr. and 350 gr. They all should drop from the mold at .432. He calls them TLC 432-265 RF, TLC 432-300 RF, and TLC 432-350 RF. All 3 are currently in stock. A 6 cavity mold sells for $60. Lee makes them but the Ranch Dog inspects them before shipping to make sure they were done right. The TLC stands for tumble lube and the lube grooves are designed for Lee Liquid Alox lube but it can also be run through a regular lubesizer and use regular lube. He will give you all gas checks, all plain base, or 3 of each for a small extra price. Details are on his web site.

Plan B: Night Owl Enerprises (NOE) is currently making a number of molds in group buys. Check vendor sales to see if they have a mold you want left over from a group buy (they usually make a few extras). They make a high quality alumunim mold in your choice of cavities (1 to 5), gas check or no gas check or some of each, a hollow point cavity if you want it, and their molds have regular lube grooves. They have been making authorized clones of the Ranch Dog molds lately.

Hurricane
03-24-2011, 06:07 PM
I took a look at Vendor Sponsor Sales and found some samples of recent group buys. Popular group buys are often run over and over again. The some of the ones below are sold out for now (It will say so in the first post of the thread) but the MP-mold is still available. Even sold out the pictures will show what the molds and the boolits look like.


Look for these in the Vendor Sponser Sales near the end of the list of threads.
NOE 44Cal. 300Gr. FN
Mp-molds 44mag /444 marlin HP mold
Want to Plain Base a Ranch Dog Gas Checked Mold?
NOE 432 300Gr. RF (RD)
NOE 432 265Gr. RF (RD)

Also look in the Active Group buys. Your mold might be signing up buyers now.
Group buys take 6 months to a year from start to finish but the molds you get are very good.

Firebricker
03-24-2011, 08:35 PM
Check BRPs site he has a couple good ones I've been looking at after reading 6pt Sikas posts. FB

Firebricker
03-24-2011, 08:45 PM
uote:
Originally Posted by 6pt-sika View Post
BRP has the cherries for both of the ones he cut for me . And I think a 2 cavity will more then likely cost you $75 plus shipping . These both have the RD profile but with normal lube grooves .

The Mountain Molds 375 and 400 work fine and the LBT in both weights work fine . But I think the BRP/RD molds I had cut were the better of the three designs ! And again nothing against the other two I just like those BRP/RD molds better ! It is my plan to field test both weights from all three makers on deer and or black bear . I killed my first ever black bear this past august with the Mountain Molds 433-375GC bullet and it did a marvelouse job ! Of course a 375 grain bullet to the temple of a 125 pound bruin at 9 1/2 yards doesn't take a whole heck of alot !!!!

Here's BRP's contact info from their website !

I have three of Bruce's molds and all are top notch !

http://www.brp.castpics.net/Contact.html
Here's a post from a thread in the levergun section that might help. 6pt sika knows a lot about the .444
FB

beagle
03-24-2011, 09:56 PM
I've had good luck with the Lyman 429640 in both the HP and solid versions. My HP is modified to make a .125" cavity./beagle

MiHec
03-25-2011, 04:23 AM
Check this link

http://mp-molds.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=3

1Shirt
03-26-2011, 10:52 AM
All of Ranch Dogs work very well in my 444, Micro Groove, and all with 2400 loads.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

Marlin Junky
03-27-2011, 03:05 PM
Thanks for the replies...

I have no experience with micro grooved boolits.

Please post pluses and minuses of the micro groove design keeping in mind I want to shoot softer alloys to practical hunting velocities; e.g., BHN 12 to 1800 fps.

MJ

chaos
03-27-2011, 03:53 PM
Thanks for the replies...

I have no experience with micro grooved boolits.

Please post pluses and minuses of the micro groove design keeping in mind I want to shoot softer alloys to practical hunting velocities; e.g., BHN 12 to 1800 fps.

MJ

I have not been able to tell the difference in accuracy or leading between my micro groove and Ballard barrels. Marlins rifling is the shallowest in the industry, which ever style you get.

Marlin Junky
03-27-2011, 05:16 PM
Thanks, but I was referring to boolit design; i.e., the Ranch Dog mold type, not Marlin's rifling.

MJ

Ole
03-27-2011, 06:03 PM
I just made about 300 265gr RD's today.

I used 50WW/50PB alloy, heat treated in a 440 degree oven for an hour, then light lube. After that dries size (.432") and gas check, then lube again with a heavier coat.

I use 45/45/10 for lube because it dries tack free, unlike the straight ALOX.

Picture added because it's in my cache. :mrgreen:

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/Ole1830/Bullet%20making/IMG_5441.jpg

I'd be willing to send you a small sample of these if you are interested in the mold and want to reimburse for shipping, lead @ $1/lb and gas checks.

Marlin Junky
03-27-2011, 06:44 PM
440F for 1 hour is gonna yield BHN 17-18 after a week or two. Have you ever shot a deer with such a boolit at 150 yards or so? Did it expand at all? I suppose with a meplat that wide one would never shoot beyond 100 yards (especially with a 38" twist) and not need any expansion on deer in the first place.

I'm just collecting data and fishin' for answers but I would suspect a boolit with traditional grease grooves full of quality lube would be able to go somewhat faster without leading than the same boolit design differing only by microgrooves and a thin coat of Alox.

MJ

Ole
03-27-2011, 06:45 PM
440F for 1 hour is gonna yield BHN 17-18 after a week or two. Have you ever shot a deer with such a boolit at 150 yards or so? Did it expand at all? I suppose with a meplat that wide one would never shoot beyond 100 yards (especially with a 38" twist) and not need any expansion on deer in the first place.

I'm just collecting data and fishin' for answers but I would suspect a boolit with traditional grease grooves full of quality lube should be able to go somewhat faster without leading than the same boolit design differing only by microgrooves and a thin coat of Alox.

MJ

I have not shot a deer with any of my cast boolits.

Maybe an Elk this year with my .450 Marlin, but those leave the barrel pre-expanded.

Nothing wrong with tumble lubing @ 1900fps. If you do it right you'll never have an issue.

Marlin Junky
03-27-2011, 07:30 PM
Nothing wrong with tumble lubing @ 1900fps. If you do it right you'll never have an issue.

I never implied there is anything wrong with tumble lube what I said was:

...I would suspect a boolit with traditional grease grooves full of quality lube should be able to go somewhat faster without leading than the same boolit design differing only by microgrooves and a thin coat of Alox.


MJ

Ole
03-27-2011, 07:34 PM
Well there you go.

I was merely trying to help. Good luck in your quest.

Dan444
03-27-2011, 07:58 PM
I cast with all of the Ranch Dog molds for my Marlin 444's using alloy equal to Lyman #2, WC'd yielding 22 BHN. I drive these HARD pushed by stout loads of H335....2200+ fps. No leading, great accuracy! Per RD's process, I coat lightly and then dip with Alox. My triple 4's are both ballard and microgroove versions and the RD casts work great in both.
Dan

Marlin Junky
03-27-2011, 08:04 PM
OK then... Is anyone having any luck with softer boolits in the .444?

Thanks,
MJ

BOOM BOOM
03-27-2011, 09:58 PM
HI,
I have killed 3 deer with the Lyman 250gr. gc. Kieth swc. Out of a 444, loaded to full velocity or about 2400'/s.IMR 4198 44GRS.
IFIRC the 325 gr. bullet is about the heaviest that would stabilize. Mine was a micro grove barrel, and was magnaported.:Fire::Fire: