1894 44 Mag load

[oconeedan]

I thought I would share a load that is working for my 1894 44 Mag. It is not a bench rest load, or rifle, but I am getting 4 bullets touching with a flyer. Flyer could be a number of things, but I doubt it is the load. This is at 50 yds with cheap scope and rested.
RCBS 240-SIL mould, powder coated, unsized, no gas check; 24.0gr IMR 4227, WLP primers, Star brass.
So far, I have had poor luck with 2400 and Blue Dot. Lee 240 TL has not worked as well and doesn't cycle as well either. Yes I have beveled the back of the chamber, I may need a new carrier.

My goal was to find a load with acceptable accuracy, with as little work as possible. Just cast, powder coat, and load.
Dan

[frankmako]

Start with 10.0 of unique. Work up or down to fit your rifle. My 1894 likes 9.0 of unique with any 240 gr bullet. Great out to 100 meters, all most touching. At 150 meters one to 1 1/2. At 200 meters the group open up to 55 gallon drum size. The 1894 barrel twist rate is wrong. The 1 in 32 not good.

[samari46]

I don't know where Marlin gets these too slow rifling twists they seem to bedevel and 44 cal shooters. I seem to remember at one time the 44 mag 1894's with a 1x20 twist with the ballard rifling. then for some reason back to the 1x38 twist. Mine shoots ok but I don't have the confidence to actually go hunting with it. So paper puncher it is. Frank

[beechbum444]

4227 imr shoots great in mine , 0.5 grain difference widens my groups up a lot

[bmortell]

What kind of lead / hardness and diameter

[beechbum444]

Powder coat .432 or . 433 range scrap and ww

[oconeedan]

bmortell, the bullets are plain ww. I air cooled them after casting. Then powder coated them which brings them up to over 400 then slow cool. I don't have a hardness tester but I am guessing they are fairly soft.

[longbow]

My gun likes IMR4227 as well.

Unique is good for mild to moderate loads but I like IMR4227 for higher end loading. I tried H110 but liked IMR4227 better plus it is a more flexible powder allowing downloading and use in other cartridges like my .308 and .303's for moderate loads.

My boolits are sized no smaller than 0.433" and are general ACWW or range scrap, plain base, lubed.

Longbow

[NorthMoccasin]

Try a lighter bullet such as the Lyman 429215, a 215gr GC . Most of these cast at least .432, which should help in your marlin. The 215 gr will give all the penetration you will need. I use 25.0 4227.

[bmortell]

I recently upped my sizer from .4325 to .4333, I re-powder coated some of the ones that were already sized so I could size them again without casting more. currently letting them age a bit cause I quench 50-50ww. ill have to try making a spread of 4227 charges and maybe somewhere in there and new diameter ill find accuracy. so far ive gotten better accuracy hard so ill keep trying like that

[samari46]

Thanks for the tip regarding 4227 as when using H110 you have to work within a small range of powder charges. Go to far and pressures can easily get out of hand. I actually like 4227 in the 357 mag with 158 JHP's or Softnosed bullets. And they usually shoot fairly well in my Marlin 1894 in 357. Frank

[oconeedan]

Try a lighter bullet such as the Lyman 429215, a 215gr GC . Most of these cast at least .432, which should help in your marlin. The 215 gr will give all the penetration you will need. I use 25.0 4227.

Thanks guys for all your input. NorthMoccasin, I would like to try that mould. Maybe I'll get one. It makes sense that shorter bullet would work nicely in the sloooow twist micro groove.

[Norske]

Mine works best with a 245gr semi wadcutter or jacketed bullet and 2400 powder. The slow rifling twist isn't compatible with the 300 gr cast bullets my SBH revolvers like so much, and the oft mentioned large bore (maybe .432, never .429) seems to favor jacketed bullets over cast.
Have fun researching this site and experimenting.