44 mag cast loads for deer in marlin 1894 help

[hunteatfish]

I am looking of some loads for my 1894 micro think its a 1994 gun. i dont have a mold yet most likely going to be a lee for cost. 200 to 255 grain maybe used in my dads ruger sbh as well. what bullet do u like if there is a much better bullet let me know. i will be using this load for deer up to 225lb. some good size ones here in ny. i will be powder coating them to. i have A2400 h110 unique. 2400 maybe the best here to many story's with h110 in the cold. i have some 240 swc and feed OK in the marlin they shot about 2in at 50yds with 9.2 grains of unique they are sized to 429. i have a .430 sizer. just looking what u guys use for deer with cast 44 mag. any info is helpful. thanks..troy..

[Tatume]

My favorite bullet is the 240 gr SWC loaded with Alliant 2400. I use charge data from the Speer # 13 manual for the RCBS 250 gr Keith bullet. It is powerful and accurate.

This is my bullet:
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_...=43-240K-D.png

I use LBT Blue Soft lube.

[hunteatfish]

My favorite bullet is the 240 gr SWC loaded with Alliant 2400. I use charge data from the Speer # 13 manual for the RCBS 250 gr Keith bullet. It is powerful and accurate.

This is my bullet:
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_...=43-240K-D.png

I use LBT Blue Soft lube.

thanks for the info it all helps. id like to pc the bullets i dont have the right setup to lube right now nor the money o make up lots of it and pan lubing never seams to work for me. seems like u can get some more fps from the pc the plane lead with lube. thanks again. troy.

[Tatume]

You can purchase a Lee push-through size and lube die for $20. Then use either 45-45-10 tumble lube or hand lube the bullets. Personally, I've hand lubed many bullets before pushing through a Lee sizer. Although many people like powder coating, I do not.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/10...sizing-die-kit

I suggest starting with the 0.43" die.

[hunteatfish]

You can purchase a Lee push-through size and lube die for $20. Then use either 45-45-10 tumble lube or hand lube the bullets. Personally, I've hand lubed many bullets before pushing through a Lee sizer. Although many people like powder coating, I do not.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/10...sizing-die-kit

I suggest starting with the 0.43" die.

thanks i have a lee .430 sizer is the alox ok for the large lube groves . hand lubing should work. what lube is use for the hand lubing.

[Thumbcocker]

.430 may be a bit small for a Marlin. The original Lee Ranch Dog would be hard to beat. Designed for Marlins and were designed to be shot as cast and tumble lubed.

[JoeJames]

My favorite bullet is the 240 gr SWC loaded with Alliant 2400. I use charge data from the Speer # 13 manual for the RCBS 250 gr Keith bullet. It is powerful and accurate.

This is my bullet:
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_...=43-240K-D.png

I use LBT Blue Soft lube.

I am presuming it is with a gas check. I just got a Henry Brass Big Boy in 44 Magnum, and of course I am casting about for decent loads - 44 Magnum thumpers but running @1500 fps. I am figuring on 240-250 grain SWC's with gas check on top of 2400. I have already run some of my pet 44 Special loads through it - 6.8 grains of Unique, Speer lead SWC, and running about 900 fps in my Ruger SA 44 Special. That load shoots about 2" high at 15 yards (just trying it out and making sure Specials will feed - they do BTW) due I suppose to "dwell" time in the barrel.

[hunteatfish]

.430 may be a bit small for a Marlin. The original Lee Ranch Dog would be hard to beat. Designed for Marlins and were designed to be shot as cast and tumble lubed.

thanks

[Drm50]

My original 44 mg load was a 240hp GC Kieth type bullet/ 21.5 of 2400, but this was for Ruger
SBH. Later I switched to 240 JHPs at 22.5 of 2400 and used this in Ruger & Marlin carbines. I
have never worked up a load for carbines. I'm going to since they are now legal in Ohio for Deer.
I'm starting out with 2400 but bought a can of H-110. Haven't got into it yet but those 2 seem to
be most popular. The only thing I would add is that SWC style bullets can be finicky feeding in
Marlin 94s.

[Jeff Michel]

20 grains of 2400, Milhec 432-640 small HP, lubed 50/50 with GC. Weights around 265 grains fully dressed, sized .431. Alloy is 50 ww/50 Pb.

[dkf]

A 240-265gr Ranch Dog would be a good one for both the hand cannon and the Marlin. It also has tumble lube grooves for your alox. I have an original Lee Ranch Dog 265gr (265-RF) and the NOE 240gr (243-RF) molds myself. Both tumble lube grooves. NOE makes both designs these days but without the draft on the nose, just flat.(which is no big deal) The NOE 265-RF has small grooves instead of tumble lube grooves.(again no big deal.

[hunteatfish]

thanks for the info guys keep it coming any pic of deer killed with the cast 44s

[trapper9260]

I have that rifle and I was shooting .430 and did good ,I use that size in my RH and then I got the .431 and my groups got smaller. So for being a Micro groove you need bigger then what you would use in a handgun.If I had a .432 die of Lyman I would of got it.but I am happy for how the .431 works I have a lube sizer of Lyman it works for me.As for weight of boolit the ones posted could tell you more on that.I just saying what I found in the same type of rifle that you have.

[nicholst55]

The SAAMI specs on groove diameter for .44 Mag rifles is .432", so I certainly wouldn't size any smaller than that - unless I slugged the bore and knew for a fact that it was smaller than that. Then you have the problem of finding a mold/alloy combo that will cast that large, unless you're buying custom molds.

[hunteatfish]

thanks for the info guys

[longbow]

What nicholst55 said. In my experience Marlins like fat boolits. Mine leaded badly with 0.429" boolits so I slugged it and found the groove diameter was 0.4315". I now use 0.433"/0.434" boolits with good results.

Why SAMMI specs larger diameter for rifle than handgun I do not know or understand but so they do.

Longbow

[Shuz]

The SAAMI specs on groove diameter for .44 Mag rifles is .432", so I certainly wouldn't size any smaller than that - unless I slugged the bore and knew for a fact that it was smaller than that. Then you have the problem of finding a mold/alloy combo that will cast that large, unless you're buying custom molds.

He's right on this! A good choice for my levers is the MP-433-640 @250g or the MP-433-640L, which is the same RNFP design but gives a lighter weight 220g boolit. Boolits from these moulds drop at .433-.434 and should be just the ticket for a Marlin.

[Duckiller]

Watch COL. I think the Std is about 1.680. Keith SWC will load to 1.7+ . They work fine in a Super Blackhawk but not so good in a Marlin Carbine. There are molds that will cast boolits to Std length but I don't know what they are . Cast Keih swc go into revolers. My Marlin 1894 delights in Hornady 265 gr FPs. Believe the product no. is 4200.

[Walks]

I've got a MARLIN 1894CS with micro groove rifleing. I found out a long time ago that hard bullets work best. I use the same load in this Lever gun that I use in my .357MAG BlackHawks & S&W model 27.

LYMAN #358156 cast of straight Linotype, 14grs of 2400 in a .357MAG case with WSP.
The harder alloy seems to grip the micro-groove rifling better. The thinner front band on the Thompson gas check design seems to feed without a hitch. The broad sharp front band on the #358477 will hang up occasionally.
I use the LEE 358-158 Cowboy bullet for every day plinking. BULLSEYE, 3.5grs in a .38SPL case.

I have a 35yr old USRAC 94AE in .44mag with a 20" bbl. I used the #429244 over max 2400, cast of #2 alloy, lubed 50/50. It also fed a lot better than Keith design. I used the HORNADY 44cal 265gr SP with a max charge of W296 & a WLPM Primer, for pig hunting in CALIF.
I've used a Magma 240 from several Commercial Casters for Cowboy Shooting. But never cast a special bullet just for .44MAG Rifle. I recently got LYMAN #429667 Cowboy mold & a N.O.E. TL432-240-RF. Yeah I know the catalog says it weighs 243grs. But mine was made for use with #2 alloy. The SWEDE is a GREAT GUY.

That.N.O.E. Bullet has a Beautiful BIG FLAT NOSE & a Perfect Flat Base.
It is the only Bullet I now use for .44MAG Rifle Loads. Sized .430, it's Perfect.

If I was still able to hunt and it was legal to hunt in CALIF with Lead, I'd be out chasing pigs every chance I got, with that Rifle/Load combo.

[Keyston44]

I used the Ranch Dog 265gr sized to 433 over 22.0gr of H110 for this doe last year.