444 Marlin mould

[218bee]

Any 444 fans out there ? Wondering what mould/moulds have worked for you. Also I have not slugged my barrel yet and was wondering about what size to expect

[VTDW]

Any 444 fans out there ? Wondering what mould/moulds have worked for you. Also I have not slugged my barrel yet and was wondering about what size to expect

I highly suggest you get your mold from www.ranchdogmolds.com as they are specifically designed for the Marlin Lever Action. On bore size, if your rifle is older with the microgroove rifling you will most likely find the bore is around .429. For the newer rifles with Ballard rifling you might expect around .431.

Dave

[Ranch Dog]

I'm partial to my designs. Actually they are "Marlin" designs because they where specifically designed to fit the chamber of those rifles.

[Glen]

Yes, there are .444 fans here! Some of my experiences with the .444 and cast bullets are summarized at:

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/fryxell/444marlin.htm

The Mountain Molds 300 grain GC FP is pretty much all I shoot in the .444 anymore.

[dnepr]

well I am definitly a big fan of the .444 but I am just starting to work on some cast loads . so far all I have tried is some c-430-310 boolits over 10 gr of green dot for plinking . but the hunting load development should start soon.

[The Nyack Kid]

I cant speak for the 444 but my 1894 has the slower 1 in 38 twist and it doesn't like boolits over 265 grn too much .

[Old Ironsights]

I'm partial to my designs. ...

I don't believe you. We all know your are a Self Hating Liberal... [smilie=1::mrgreen:

[Ranch Dog]

I don't believe you. We all know your are a Self Hating Liberal... [smilie=1::mrgreen:

Yeap, that's me. I hate wasting money, time, and lead on poor designs and I believe in applying liberal amounts of powder to the 444 Marlin!

http://www.ranchdogmolds.com/images/Firearms/33644/210H110_100YD.gif

I've got a 336-44 (44 Mag) with the 1:38 twist and Micro-Groove® barrel. I hunted whitetails with it most of the season and it doesn't mind my TLC432-300-RF grain bullet (300-grains). I have to push it hard with a Max load (21.0-grains of H110). That is a 100-yard target shot on a randon day during our liberal hunting season. I actually shoot my rifles every other day during hunting season.

[VTDW]

I'm partial to my designs. Actually they are "Marlin" designs because they where specifically designed to fit the chamber of those rifles.


I just have to chime back in on this one. There are lots of great molds available to the caster. Nearly everyone that shoots cast boolits understands the mantra...boolit fit...boolit fit. With your molds designed specifically for the Marlin and boolits dropped from your molds, to me at least, is having more than half the battle already won Michael.

Dave

[Old Ironsights]

Now we'll see how well them "marlin" boolits do in a modern 1886...

Gotta get casting... ;)

[JayinAZ]

Out of curiosity, has anyone tried something like a 429421 in the .444?

[softpoint]

I've tried a number of bullets in a ballard rifled .444. One of my favorites is Lyman's 300 gr. semiwadcutter. Iuse a Lee factory crimp die and crimp right at the front edge of the front driving band. As a nice added benefit, this bullet is the most accurate in several .44 magnum revolvers, and is also good in my win. 94 44 mag.:)

[slughammer]

Out of curiosity, has anyone tried something like a 429421 in the .444?

The nose on 429421 is VERY long for the Marlin. Needs to be seated about flush to the front drive band in order to cycle. With the plain base you can only drive them so fast. I found accuracy to be mediocre in my 38 twist so I didn't pursue it that far.

I have used a fat 429244 and 53gr of H335 with excellent results in my 1976 Microgroove rifle. Slugs at .430, boolits are sized to .432.

[seabreeze133]

I would like to offer an observation on the bore diameter of the 444. I bought a large quantity of heavy GC bullets and on the recommendation of the caster, specified .432 as all microgroove 444's require that diameter. After reading this post, I finally slugged the bore of my 1972 444s. .429. Been wondering why it has been thumping me as I am not recoil sensative. I suppose 290 gr .432 boolits over 53 gr H335 is a little warm, even though it would put 5 into .375 at 50 yds off the bench. I am about to try a bunch off 429244 @ .430 over 52 gr H335 and see if it will shoot.

:o)





I highly suggest you get your mold from www.ranchdogmolds.com as they are specifically designed for the Marlin Lever Action. On bore size, if your rifle is older with the microgroove rifling you will most likely find the bore is around .429. For the newer rifles with Ballard rifling you might expect around .431.

Dave

[405 WCF]

Here you have some bullets for the 444 Marlin.

From left to right:
Hornady 265 gr, TLC432-285-RF, Speer 270 GD, Speer 300 gr Uni-Cor, TLC432-300-RF, LEE 310-RF, and my 350 gr Mountain Molds.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n245/405WCF/Liteavvarje291.jpg

My rifle is a 1/38 Micro-Groove model, and it is very accurate with every bullet I use.
Even the heavy 350 gr MM bullet.

[218bee]

I am not sure who TLC is please inform me. Do you still have specs on your Mountain Mould design? What type of powder and charge do you use with it?

[JesterGrin_1]

I am not sure who TLC is please inform me. Do you still have specs on your Mountain Mould design? What type of powder and charge do you use with it?

TLC is the BOOLITS made with Ranch Dog Molds. That is what Ranch Dog Calls his line of molds for his BOOLITS. http://www.ranchdogmolds.com/

[Junior1942]

TLC = Tumble Lube Cast = it's a tumble lube (Lee Liquid Alox) bullet with a gas check. Bee, listen to the VOE on this board and buy a Ranch Dog mold for your Marlin 444.

[JesterGrin_1]

Junior thank you for the real meaning of TLC lol.

[Ranch Dog]

TLC = Tumble Lube Cast = it's a tumble lube (Lee Liquid Alox) bullet with a gas check. Bee, listen to the VOE on this board and buy a Ranch Dog mold for your Marlin 444.

Why thanks Junior, where do I send that $5? [smilie=1:

Actually, the "TL" is for Tumble Lube with the Lee Micro-Bands® and the "C" is for "check" as in gas checked. For instance, Lee is letting me take a look at their 370-250-RF, their plain base bullet for the 38-55 Win. I'm going to Micro-Band it so it will be a TL379-250-RF. No "C" in this case.

[Three44s]

405WCF has a wompus line-up there!!!!

AND those Ranch Dog "specials" are real lookers!!!

Three 44s

[IcerUSA]

I hate to say it but everything I can shoot out of my RBH I can shoot out of my Marlin 444 . But I'm still waiting on my RD moulds also , the Lee 310 and the Lyman 300 SWC are both GC boolits and I do push them fast in the 444 but again they are not slow out of the 44 Mag ether . :)

Keith

[WKAYE]

For instance, Lee is letting me take a look at their 370-250-RF, their plain base bullet for the 38-55 Win. I'm going to Micro-Band it so it will be a TL379-250-RF. No "C" in this case.

Please make them drop that stupid BB. :drinks:

[Lloyd Smale]

I like the ballisticast 340lfngc. It has two crimp groves. Its been a real accurate and hard hitting bullet in my 444s. Flys well way out there too.

[Junior1942]

TLC = Tumble Lube Cast = it's a tumble lube (Lee Liquid Alox) bullet with a gas check. Bee, listen to the VOE on this board and buy a Ranch Dog mold for your Marlin 444.
Yep, it's Tumble Lube Check. Where was my brain? Thinking about a redhead???

[VTDW]

Yep, it's Tumble Lube Check. Where was my brain? Thinking about a redhead???


I am sure she was packing a lunch too eh?:mrgreen:

[405 WCF]

218bee! I dont have the specs, but I guess that if you contact MM, he has it somewere.

First, I loaded the 350 gr MM with Vihtavuori N130 to 2034 fps.
A member of this forum calculated on that load with the Quick Load programe, and it was a maximum load.
VV says that CIP max for the 444 Marlin is 3550 bar, and non of their listed loads is over 3300 bar.
QuickLoad said that my load with N130 was 3575 bar, so it was a little to hot.

So I took VV N133 instead, and got around 2020 fps, and that load was under 3300 bar.

[Ranch Dog]

Hey 405, I ordered my drawings today. I will keep you posted.

You ever think about sending me some chamber casts for that 405?

[405 WCF]

Back from work!
Nice RD that you are in for a 350 gr mold.
I will have to order one myself.
A hunter/shooter can never get to many molds..:-D
:castmine::castmine:

BTW, I give up on my 405! :(:(:(
The barrel is not good enough for cast bullets, so it will end up as a jacketed bullet shooter!