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Thread: My .433-400 Mountain Mold!

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    My .433-400 Mountain Mold!

    I just got my new .433-400 gr mold for my 444 Marlin from Mountain Molds.
    As always, he's work is perfect.
    Mold drop perfect bullets.

    Here is a picture of the 400 gr bullet compared with my 350 gr MM.


    With lube and GC.


    Cast few, loaded with a small amont Norma 202, and went out shooting.


    Loaded 30 grs N 202, and got 1168 fps out of the 22 in barrel.
    Shot a group at 55 yards.
    Got to say, I'm pretty pleased.


    This is a good start.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Glen's Avatar
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    What gun are you shooting those out of? What twist rate?
    Glen

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
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    My Marlin with 1/20 ballard barrel.
    I allso have an old micro-groove 1/38 Marlin, but this bullet is for my ballard only.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    Bullshop's Avatar
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    Better kick up the velocity a bit. The two bottom holes seem to have a mite of wobble to them. You can prolly get that up to bout 2000 fps. 1168 maybe aint quite enough for that long a boolit in your 1/20" 44 barrel.
    BIC/BS

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master leftiye's Avatar
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  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    This load was just a "opening load".
    There is no data available for bullets that heavy in the 444 Marlin.
    So, I started with a soft load with slow burning powder, just to open with something.

    I guess that I will reach my goal, around 1700 fps with this powder.

    This bullet has great SD, .305, and as soon as I find my "go to load", I will shot over two chronograps to find out the BC of the bullet.

    I guess that, this bullet, cast out of WW, aircooled with a MV of 1700 or just over, will perform perfect on moose and, our brown bears.

    I think that it is hard to reach 2000 fps with a 400 gr bullet in a 444 Marlin within safe pressure limits.
    But, maby 1800 fps.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    Bullshop's Avatar
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    Ther is load data available on line if you search for ir. I have a customer that has done some research and come up with load data and he even got some 420gn boolits from I believe Beartooth bullets.
    BIC/BS

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    I have seen the data on the "loadswap".
    The load with Varget is interesiting.
    Norma 202 is just a little faster than Varget, so it should be very usable.

    A lot of the loads on the "swap" feels a little hot, but comparing Varget loads for the 45-70, ( 400 GR. SPR JFP Hodgdon Varget .458" 2.540" 50.0 1655 18,600 CUP 55.0C 1845 25,000 CUP ) with a Varget load for the 444 Marlin from the loadswap, ( 1771 fps Beartooth Bullets WLN GC 0.432 VARGET 43 grains WLRP Remington ) the "hot feeling" is not so strong anymore.

    The 45-70 has a lot moore case capacity, but if the 45-70 can take 55 grs with a 400 gr bullet at 25,000 CUP, the 444 for sure must be within it's pressure max at CIP 3550 BAR or the SAAMI 44,000 CUP, with 43 grs Varget.

    My 400 gr bullet is 1.066" long, and Beartooth's 405 gr bullets is 1.080” long
    That give me a little more space left in the case.

    I will, as usually, work up my loads very carefully, but 1700-1800 fps is not impossible.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
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    The case is closed!
    I'm pleased!

    Before I was leaving to shot the group, I was going to clean the barrel, becuse, I have not cleaned it since I started with this project.
    Well, I searched and I searched, but my boresnake was not to be found.
    My loading room is a mess.
    But, how is a man supposed to keep his room clean when he is working in the woods all week long, and have a fammily, dogs, hunting, loading shooting to take care of in the weekend's?
    Cleaning is a low priority object!

    So, I had to shoot this group without ceaning the barrel.
    The group is shot at 110 yards, with the roof of my car as support.
    Even if one bullet is a little high and to the left, I'm pretty pleased with the result....

    41,5 grs Norma 202 was 1670 fps, (1670,029).


  10. #10
    Boolit Master Cap'n Morgan's Avatar
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    The 45-70 has a lot moore case capacity, but if the 45-70 can take 55 grs with a 400 gr bullet at 25,000 CUP, the 444 for sure must be within it's pressure max at CIP 3550 BAR or the SAAMI 44,000 CUP, with 43 grs Varget.
    Just for the heck of it I ran your 400/ 41.5grain N202 load through Quickload. The velocity matched within 10 fps and the estimated pressure was only 29250 psi. (With a seating depth of 14mm)

    At 100% case capacity (43.3 grain N202) the velocity was 1740 fps and pressure 33375 psi - still within safe limits, but increasing the seating depth with only 1mm (0.04") will raise the pressure with 2200 psi and move it into the red zone!
    Cap'n Morgan

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    Very interesting Cap'n Morgan!
    Yesterday, before I went out shooting, I loaded a round with a 265 gr Hornady bullet infront of a medium charge of Vihtavuori N130, just to have someting that I knew was safe to compare case expansion with.

    When I messured the pressure ring on the 400 gr load, there was allmost nothing comared to the standard 265 gr Hornady round.
    And, you got the answer......

    Thanks for your input!!!!!!!

  12. #12
    In Remebrance


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    Good for you 405! Looks like a real thumper of a boolit. I was also pleased to see I'm not the only guy in this world to use a grease spot on a scrap box for an aiming point!!! Good ideas go international!

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    LMAO! I too have used stains on boxes as aimpoints.

    Bret4207, I hope you didn't patent this, then I would owe royalties

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    405WCF Those sure are purty boolits. Good job

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
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    /// I was also pleased to see I'm not the only guy in this world to use a grease spot on a scrap box for an aiming point!!! Good ideas go international///

    ///LMAO! I too have used stains on boxes as aimpoints.///

    Forgot the pencil, so there is no other option than just use what there is to be used!
    Must

    And yes! I really like the bullet....

  16. #16
    Boolit Master FN in MT's Avatar
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    Great looking boolit! I'd bet that guy will track straight as an arrow through a Moose from any angle.

    FN in MT

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    We have no moose in Virginia , but I wouldn't mind knocking the fire out of a couple whitetails with both the 350 and 400 grainers
    Parker's , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines

  18. #18
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by 405 WCF View Post
    I just got my new .433-400 gr mold for my 444 Marlin from Mountain Molds.
    As always, he's work is perfect.
    Mold drop perfect bullets.
    Beautiful! I think I just found my next 444 load.

    I just looked at his web page, I have a few questions-

    Did you design it yourself, or is this a stock item I can ask for?
    How was his lead time?
    If you don't mind, about how much $$ are we talking here?

    -HF

  19. #19
    Boolit Master hunter64's Avatar
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    Would this bullet be way to heavy for my .444 marlin microgroove rifle? I read somewhere that 300-320gn was about max for the older rifles.

  20. #20
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    ..............I think with the older 38" twist rifles that 350grs is about max.

    ...............Buckshot
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check