Newtire
11-05-2006, 06:13 PM
The main reason I bought my .444 Marlin was because of an article I once read in a Handloader's Digest about how this guy loaded all kinds of cast bullets, round balls, shot loads etc. so have been looking for a way to find a series of loads with different boolits that would all shoot to basically the same POI at 50 yds.
I have come up with the following. These loads not only shoot to same point of impact at 50 yds. but are "ragged hole" accurate at that distance.
I was really surprised at how I switched from BlueDot to Unique (using a lighter charge of Unique than of BluDot) and the groups for my little plinker Lee bullet joined the others at same place.
I seated the bullets as long as I could and so they would still function and feed.
I have a stock Marlin with no loading gate modifications as that is beyond my skill level at this point.
OK here they are. Use at your own risk or don't load these at all.
.444 Marlin loads
12 gr. Unique+200 gr. Lee RF "PlainBase. 2.535"OAL.
This was the biggest surprise of the day.
23.5 gr. Alliant 2400+Lyman 429244. I crimped these just ahead of the first driving band.
25 gr. Alliant 2400+RanchDog 277 gr. (weght as cast in my mould). I crimped these right in the last crimp groove.
.431"diam. and lubed with LLA. Used magnum CCI 250 primers in them all as that was what I had. Yeah I know, I know...
As a note, I also used 15 gr. Unique with the Lee 215 gr. FlatBase and got 1-1/2" accuracy at that range. It might be worth it to bring down the charge a bit and see if it straightens up. I finally found a use for all the Unique I have accumulated!
I have come up with the following. These loads not only shoot to same point of impact at 50 yds. but are "ragged hole" accurate at that distance.
I was really surprised at how I switched from BlueDot to Unique (using a lighter charge of Unique than of BluDot) and the groups for my little plinker Lee bullet joined the others at same place.
I seated the bullets as long as I could and so they would still function and feed.
I have a stock Marlin with no loading gate modifications as that is beyond my skill level at this point.
OK here they are. Use at your own risk or don't load these at all.
.444 Marlin loads
12 gr. Unique+200 gr. Lee RF "PlainBase. 2.535"OAL.
This was the biggest surprise of the day.
23.5 gr. Alliant 2400+Lyman 429244. I crimped these just ahead of the first driving band.
25 gr. Alliant 2400+RanchDog 277 gr. (weght as cast in my mould). I crimped these right in the last crimp groove.
.431"diam. and lubed with LLA. Used magnum CCI 250 primers in them all as that was what I had. Yeah I know, I know...
As a note, I also used 15 gr. Unique with the Lee 215 gr. FlatBase and got 1-1/2" accuracy at that range. It might be worth it to bring down the charge a bit and see if it straightens up. I finally found a use for all the Unique I have accumulated!