Loading .44 mag for levergun sihouette

[Reaper]

A friend of mine wants to use his Browning lever gun to shoot silhouette. He says the rams are set at 200yds. Most of the loads I've found for the >44 mag are 200 grain boolits at 150yds. Would appreciate any info you can provide. Thanks

[Ozark mike]

I don't know the twist rate on that gun I know a lot of the Marlins and Henry's have the wrong twist but the heaver bullets will be better at longer ranges

[longbow]

I cant speak for silhouette shooting but I have shot my microgroove Marlin 1894 with 1:38" twist to 200 yards with decent accuracy using 265 gr. boolits.

I wanted to go heavier but found that boolits and bullets much over about 270 grs. didnt stabilize well. In fact Hornady 300 gr. Bullets keyholed at 100 yards as did 300 gr. TC boolits.

Apparently 300 gr. WFN designs will stabilize if driven hard. So I am told. I settled on 265 gr. As heaviest practical weight.

Again, no experience but I'd agree that for silhouette you'd likely be better off with a heavier boolit than 200 gr. Even a slow twist of 1:38" should stabilize a 240/250 gr. boolit.

Just my opinion.

Longbow

[Drm50]

I have a 1970 Marlin 1894 that I shoot 240g sighted at 100yds. I did try Sierra 300gr Siho bullets at 100yds. They shot accurately but I didn't see the need for 300gr because I only use the rifle for deer.

[curiousgeorge]

In my 1970's micro groove Marlin 300 gr boolits did not stabilize. Have an old 429244 that casts 268 grs when lubed & gas checked. Load 22.0 grns H110 - accurate at 100 yards but no tried at longer range. Deer where I live really don't like this load.
Steve

[DAVIDMAGNUM]

Load for 200 meter accuracy. No matter how heavy and fast the bullet is , missed rams will not fall. I shoot Lever Action Silhouette with the 44WCF. A 220gr bullet with a muzzle velocity of 1350fps knocks over rams.

[Kraschenbirn]

Load for 200 meter accuracy. No matter how heavy and fast the bullet is , missed rams will not fall. I shoot Lever Action Silhouette with the 44WCF. A 220gr bullet with a muzzle velocity of 1350fps knocks over rams.

What he says...accuracy is king!! I shot IHMSA (same targets and distances) for several years using 240 grainers at just under 1300 fps and can't recall ever losing a solidly hit ram.

Bill

[upnorthwis]

Will the rams be set "full foot" or with the setback for IHMSA pistols? The rifle matches I've shot at with IHMSA shooters on the same line with have the setback. When only rifles are at the match, they are set full foot. I started IHMSA the first year of the setback rule, but heard the horror stories of guns blowing up trying to knock down full foot rams with a pistol. At least a rifle will make it easier to get knockdown velocity.