44 Mag for a Marlin Lever Action Boolit Help

[jonp]

A friend of mine at work found out I reloaded and brought me some brass to load for him. Funny how that seems to be happening more and more these days. I still have the dies from when I loaded for a Ruger Super Blackhawk I had but I have never loaded for a Lever Gun.
Any ideas on the boolit and powder I should try? I always used H110 for my Magnums but am out of that. I have 2400, Red Dot, Unique, Universal but can buy something else of course.
The brass he gave me was in those old 20 round styrofoam rectangle boxes and say $8.47 for the Remington and $10.74 for the Super X 240gr hollow point so he takes a while to go thru a few rounds.
He doesn't care what I load them with as long as they work on Whitetail but he is pretty set on the 240gr.

[felix]

Load 19.5 grains 2400 using the 240 bullet/boolit. Make sure the projectile does not exceed 0.31 past the crimp groove and it will fit any store bought rifle out there. ... felix

[edler7]

Most OTC cast will measure .429, which isn't big enough for a Marlin lever gun. It will probably slug .431 or .432 because the 44 mag rifle has a different bore spec than a 44 mag pistol.

I'd suggest some Hornady XTP if he doesn't care about shooting jacketed loads, and try some IMR 4227. My 1894 likes it. If he wants to shoot lead, get some cast from Beartooth bullets- they will size them to the size you need for that Marlin.

[1Shirt]

Go with Felix's recomendation. My 44 Marlin requires .431 to shoot accurately with full power loads w/o leading (micro groove). But with .431 it shoots very well and no leading.
1Shirt!

[Chicken Thief]

Remember the '94 is slow twist. So 270ish grains is max.
1:38" is slow by modern standards.
Also info on bore standards.

http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/attachments/marlin-data/5932d1320865705-marlin-bore-dimensions-different-models-calibers-nominal-bore-dimensions-doc1.pdf

But i have no info of what Remingchester did to spoil the original setup!!!!!!!

[turmech]

If you are asking for mold recommendations. I had Tom at Accurate molds make me a mold for my 444 marlin. I would suspect it would preform in a 44 marlin equally as well. It is 23-275M. It is a .432 bullet with a undersized front band and similar dimensions to the Hornady 265 JSP. Feeds well crimped in the crimp groove. Accuracy better than jacketed (ain’t they all)

[jonp]

Thanks for the ideas. I'll give the 2400 a try and see if I can find some .431-.432 boolits for it.
Thanks for the mold, turmech. I'll keep that for future ref as I have been thinking of getting a couple of levers in pistol calibers to match my blackhawks.

[longbow]

My recommendation is to go with an RFNP rather than SWC as they should feed through any Marlin while SWC's often do not... even when seated to correct OAL.

My Marlin would not reliably feed any SWC regardless of OAL until I did a bunch of work to the carrier. It will now feed the H&G #503 SWC. One fellow here posted info on putting a small radius at the chamber mouth to solve SWC feeding issues. I cannot remember his name though and have not tried that since I had already reworked the gun.

In the end I also modified the cartridge stop so I could load longer OAL as well.

Anyway, RNFP designs feed well as do TC designs but SWC's may not so beware!

Also, head the advice given above on boolit weight and diameter. Marlin's have large groove diameters so generally require boolits of at least 0.431" or larger. Mine likes 0.432" and larger. With 1:38" twist I have not been able to get decent long range accuracy with a boolit over 270 grs.

Typically I shoot a 240 to 265 gr. RNFP over IMR4227 with good results. I also got good results using H110 but I use 4227 in several other cartridges so generally use that in the .44 as well.

My $0.02

Longbow

[dverna]

You are nuts to reload for someone at work.

First it is against the law if he compensates you. Then you have the liability issues if something happens. Unless this guy is a real close friend do not do it. Encourage him to buy a press and offer to tutor him.

[rintinglen]

+1 on the advice given by dverna. Unless you have the appropriate small arms license under federal law it is illegal to manufacture or re-manufacture small arms ammunition.
Even if you don't run afoul of the feds, once you give him the ammo, you own a piece of the consequences. He shoots the gun with a mud-dauber nest in the barrel, it blows up, say hello to an attorney. Even if you win, you loose. I quit working on guns for just that reason. Once you work on it, you own the consequences of any mishap that happens down the road.
I invite my friends to come over, and guide them through the process, of reloading their own. I take no money, (But gifts, such as beer, old bullets, or LEADare gratefully accepted. I once got a 79 pound sail boat keel for helping a guy reload two boxes of 30-06.)

[jonp]

No, he is not just someone from work. He is a friend of mine and im doing him a favor by loading 20 rounds or so for him. Im not going into business, im getting paid for the materials and getting loads worked up as I plan on buying one myself.

[jonp]

Seriously, guys. Are you the type to refuse pulling someone out of a burning car because you might get sued? Im not going to live my life scared of doing a favor for a friend and as for.the DOJ, Holder is busy coming up with legal justifications for Obama to authorize drone strikes on Americans within our borders in contrivention of our Constitution to be worried if someone loads 20 rounds for someone without getting paid for it. Everyone is supposed to report everything we buy out of state and pay in state taxes on it and I know we all keep close track of that dont we.