Which J-word for 444 marlin?

[Soundguy]

Finally got a 444 marlin ( marlin 444SS ). I am working up some cast loads for it and have plenty of starline brass. I also (cough) would like to work up some loads using j-words to dupe some factory loads. ( I know...sad....but... ).

I shoot plenty of other 44 stuff ( all cast ).. But this is my first 444.

Any sugestion on a commercial bullet to try?

Thanks

[Shawlerbrook]

Don’t know if they are still available but the 265 gr Hornady bullets on top of their Superformance ammo are the best I found. They are not the gummy tips.

[eastbank]

i also like the 265 gr hornady,s, but have had good results with nos 250 gr bullets in a winchester big bore 94 timber carbine.

[Pereira]

If you can find some of those Hornady 265's, they work well, but sadly they've been discontinued.
Speer has a 270 gr Deep curl, and I've heard that those may also be discontinued.
I still have a few of each, but haven't seen any around locally.

RP

[Soundguy]

Every hornady fp bullet I find data for is discontinued. I found some plated 240gr fp .430 with a cannelure..but they say 1300 fps max...

I know there is no pre calculated data for this..but has anyone tried the basic trailboss formula for making 444 target loads?

[pietro]

.

I acquired a .444 when it was first introduced in 1965, and shot a deer with the only available commercial ammo at the time, Remington 240gr's.

At .444 speeds, the pistol bullet Remington used simply blew up on the deer's near shoulder, allowing it to escape.

That led me into my first attempt at handloading, and choosing the .265gr Hornady JSP - which performed perfectly.

Since today that boolit's been discontinued, I would use another with a weight as close to the 265gr mark as possible.

[j p sixguns welldone]

i also use the hornady 265gr fp worked well on a big bear in Manitoba. didn't know it was discontinued hornady sure is dropping alot of lever bullets. the saeco 300gr mold shot good just had to trim brass back.

[Soundguy]

Yep..im not seeing any 240 or 265g jacketed soft fp bullets except some plated ones... And they can't go past 1300fps... Half the speed needed...ugh...

[Shawlerbrook]

Hawk Bullets offers 265 gr bullets plus others specifically for the 444.

[RickinTN]

I would look closely at the Hornady 300 grain HP. I'm not sure why you need a 444 if you want to go twice 1,300 fps. The 300 Hornady works very well on Whitetail deer in the 1,500 to 1,600 fps range.
Good luck to you,
Rick

[farmbif]

I cast with mp432640 and seat them deep so they will chamber. Miha did make a mold specifically for the 444 but I dont have one of them. also the lee 430-310 round flat crimped on the top groove works and as others have said Speer makes a 270 grain bullet that works. hawk bullets are pretty good but I've only tried the 220 grain flat soft points in 375 win.

[Soundguy]

I would look closely at the Hornady 300 grain HP. I'm not sure why you need a 444 if you want to go twice 1,300 fps. The 300 Hornady works very well on Whitetail deer in the 1,500 to 1,600 fps range.
Good luck to you,
Rick

Apparently you aren't familiar with the load data.. Starting load of imr4198 on a 240 is 2112fps. That's oh....WAY PAST 1300fps.
Even the cast bullet load data I have..starting loads exceed the 1300fps of those bullets... Like I said..trying to find load data and bullets and powder that matches up is difficult right now. In jacketed data..the only powder I have on hand is imr4198. I don't have my cast book in front of me..but I'm pretty sure I can only find 1 powder there as well... Which is why I'm 'hunting' for projectile/data possibilities to match up. Besides..all the hornady listings I see are either out of stock or discontinued..thus my search!

[Ford SD]

for 240h hp and 240 sp

https://reloadingdata.speer.com/down...Marlin_270.pdf

and check out lyman cast book for cast loads

and before you load too many check if your reloads will chamber

Cast loads depending on your rifle might require .431 or .432 Diameter

[pietro]

Apparently you aren't familiar with the load data.. Starting load of imr4198 on a 240 is 2112fps. That's oh....WAY PAST 1300fps.
Even the cast bullet load data I have..starting loads exceed the 1300fps of those bullets... Like I said..trying to find load data and bullets and powder that matches up is difficult right now. In jacketed data..the only powder I have on hand is imr4198. I don't have my cast book in front of me..but I'm pretty sure I can only find 1 powder there as well... Which is why I'm 'hunting' for projectile/data possibilities to match up. Besides..all the hornady listings I see are either out of stock or discontinued..thus my search!

FWIW, 4198 is what I used in my .444 with 265gr boolits.

[crandall crank]

In my experience, I like the Hornady 265 grain FTX (#4305). I also use this in a 44 Magnum rifle.

[Soundguy]

for 240h hp and 240 sp

https://reloadingdata.speer.com/down...Marlin_270.pdf

and check out lyman cast book for cast loads

and before you load too many check if your reloads will chamber

Cast loads depending on your rifle might require .431 or .432 Diameter

I am having problems finding projectiles. 265 or 270 or 240..no one seems to have any in stock...except those plated 240..and cast data seems too fast for them...the slowest cast data from Lyman is 1419fps for a 240gr ..
My problem lies in finding correct nose profiles in the right weight and diameter. I have a couple good gas check bullets and a 431 sized..but the rounded nose might be too round to be safe in a tube mag. Lyman only lists 210 and 240. If I could find plated flat nose 210gr..i would be ok..there is cast load data with 3031 that is 1293fps. I can get 3031.

[Soundguy]

Update:
Thanks for posting ideas guys. I've been setting here searching everywhere and finally at Grafs found 240gr jhc Sierra sports masters. My Lyman 51'st book has data for those specifically..and I have 2 powders for it.. Mir 4198 and Mir 3031..with 3031 being listed as best accuracy. Have 2# each. Think I have a pound of I.r 4895 kicking around somewhere.

Just placed my order.

Thanks for the ideas guys..they helped keeping me poking till I finally found something in stock!

Appreciate it.

[farmbif]

here are some bulk 240 grain bullets. im. sure they won't last long.
http://www.rozedist.com/mm5/merchant...Code=ZBJ-44MAG

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I've gotten very good (astounding) accuracy with the Hornady 265 Flatnose and the Speer 300 grain Unicore bullets using H322 powder. I have also used 180 and 200 grain Hornady's, good accuracy but just for fun. For critters I might try the Hornady FTX 240 if I couldn't find the Speer 270 DeepCurl or the Swift A-frame. GT Bullets has 305 grain gas checked hollowpoint available in .432 diameter and Matt's Bullets also has a 280 grain roundnose flatpoint also available in .432 that should work in the microgroove Marlin .444. Both make very good bullets.

[Soundguy]

All of the really ideal bullets seem to be sold out right now and staying out of stock the few that are available I just don't have powders for looking in all of my manuals I only have two possible powders to work with so it's kind of limiting luckily I found a single box of bullets at graphs and they are on the way to me right now they are a jacketed Hollow cavity and they're actually listed in my lineman manual so I specifically have load data for them with one of the two powders I have for that caliber.