How about the .444 in a Marlin or otherwise?

[Catshooter]

A friend I am mentoring wants a .444 to shoot Lever action silhouettes with.

Now I have .429 moulds from 133 to 260 grains, which should cover the action for him.

I our readings though we have discovered that Marlin uses a 1 in 38 twist in their levers. At least in the microgrooves.

Are there exceptions to the 38 twist?

Anyone do the 444 and can share some experience?

Thanks.


Cat

[blikseme300]

The secret to getting the micro grove Marlin's to shoot well with CB's is to have the correct size boolit. Many years ago I had tried .429 CB's and they leaded and accuracy was poor. When I discovered the secret from reading Glen Fryxell's writings and after some searching I soon found the excellent molds that were sold by Ranch Dog. (NOE bullet molds makes these designs today.) I use the RD TL432-265-RF sized to .432 in my 444SS with good effect for hunting and range work. Apparently the slow twist of the MG rifles are only a limitation if 300+ grain boolits are used but as I have no desire for heavier boolits this is of no concern to me.

[texasbilly]

I too am new to shooting the 444 Marlin. I am learning alot from fellow boolit casters regarding which boolits to use, and to what diameter they should be sized. Right now I am most interested in knowing what the best recipes are for reloading 240gr - 265gr boolits sized .432 dia. Any suggestions?

[Beerd]

texasbilly
The recipes that get the best reports are using "fast" rifle powders like Reloader 7, 4198 or H322 (if you can find any).
..

[seaboltm]

I have had a 444 Marlin, and I would like to have another. But I don't know why since I find my 45-70 to be more versatile. If I were to have something smaller than a 45-70, it would be the 38-55 or 375 Winchester, which I am on the hunt for.

[starmac]

For some reason, no fault of the caliber, I have never been interested in aquiring a 444. I am a certified, bonafied lever nut too. I'm thinking my reasoning is somewhat like Seaboltm's.
I do keep a set of dies though, just in case. lol

[nekshot]

I have had marlins and now a winchester. It is the one gun I would not want to be without. Tons of molds available for fun shooting and Lee 310 is all you need for anything on planet earth. For fire works use h335!

[Sneakybuffalo]

While the .444 is an awesome caliber it seems like an odd choice for silhouette considering the brass is so expensive and hard to find and it is going to kick harder and use more powder and lead than a smaller option like 30-30.

[Gtek]

Kind of agree with above, probably a little better options in the end. But if that floats his boat, full speed ahead. I am just glad Marlin did not make .333's or .555's, because I would probably have to have those also.

[starmac]

Eh Gtek You had to remind me that I needed a 338, mentioning a 333. lol

[Sneakybuffalo]

Eh Gtek You had to remind me that I needed a 338, mentioning a 333. lol

Sadly, where I'm at right now .338 Marlin is easier to find than .444 :(

[starmac]

We basically have one store for that sort of thing. I have a 308 marlin,Have never seen brass for it and I had it over a year before any store bought ammo hit town. When it did I cleaned the shelf. lol 338 actually comes in pretty regularly.

[Catshooter]

Some of you guys just aren't getting it. Why in the world would attempt to insert logic into rifle selection? My buddy has shot my 26" 94 Winchester in .38-55 fer cryin' out loud at two matches now. Who could possibly want better? But no, the 444 has latched onto his soul and a 444 it must be. :)

Thanks for the tips boys. In these trying times we'll do our best to put something together for my misguided friend.


Cat

[texasbilly]

I recently went to a gun auction, and I hit paydirt. I bought a set of 444 Marlin dies, 3 boxes of new 444 Marlin brass, and 3 boxes of factory loaded ammunition. If I told you what I paid for them, it would make you sick with envy. Sometimes you are just in the right place at the right time.

[Catshooter]

Thanks for help gentlemen.


Cat

[JesterGrin_1]

Marlin made the .444 Marlin in both 1-38 Twist and later or Newer depending on how you look at it in 1-20 Twist. I do not know what the twist is now from Remlin though.

Thus I would look for one with the 1-20 Twist but the 1-38 Twist should work fine with the heavier bullets as in the .444 Marlin you can push them hard enough to work well VS a Marlin 1894 in .44 Mag with there UGGG 1-38 Twist.

I would Highly suggest getting a Lee or a Copy of same in the 310GR RNFP/GC and size to .432-.433

[Shuz]

I've been playing around with the .444 Marlin for about two years now. I'm still learnin', but some of the things I've learnt so far is that velocity is your friend, especially with the 1:38" twist guns. Boolits should be at least .431 and usually work better at .432-33.If you drive them at 2200fps or better you need to heat treat the boolits. 1:20 twist is easier to get to shoot great groups than the 1:38 twist. OAL is critical for feeding and just trying to load thru the gate!

[Catshooter]

Thanks gentlemen.


Cat

[Sur-shot]

If I can help with cast and the 444 in shooting lever action steel. I have shot steel with mine for years. The trick is to slug your bore and match or size the bullets .001 over. However with the microgroove bore the bullets must be hard, very hard. Make sure the bore is cleaned of all copper fouling before you start. I use two Lyman moulds, the 215gr SWC GC (210 gr mould) and the 255 SWC GC (240 gr mould). I use the 255 for C, P & T then switch to the 215 gr which shoots to 1 inch at 200 meters.

I use standard large rifle primers and Unique without a buffer. The light bullet is 17 gr and the heavy bullet is 12 gr. The alloy is an old silhouette alloy, 70 pounds of cleaned wheel weights, 20 pounds of Linotype and 10 pounds of chilled lead shot, then water drop the bullets.
Ed

[Catshooter]

Wow Ed, thank you.

Your formula is very interesting and goes in directions I hadn't really considered. Although when I think about what you've done I can see some smart thinking. I just so happen to have those two moulds already. Very nice!

Do you happen to know the velocities of your two loads? I'll chronograph mine, but I was curious.

Thanks again. I always appreciate the voice of experience.


Cat

[quilbilly]

My 444 Marlin seems to like a 255 gr plain base 429 boolit at about 1250 FPS using 5744 powder as well as the 310 gr Lee boolit for hunting with 4198 powder. That 255 is great fun to shoot all day and is reasonably accurate out to 150 yards.