444 Marlin loads

[curiousgeorge]

Hello all,
Came home with a 444 made in 1978 yesterday. Could use some input for loads with the 2 bullets that I have molds for, 429244 (265 gr) & 429650 (310gr).
Any and all suggestions for favorite recipes welcome. Not looking to push velocities. Deer hunting 75 yds max & gong ringing doesn't matter how fast or slow it's going.
Thanks, Steve

[444ttd]

tc encore in 444 marlin
23" MGM barrel



265gr hornady fn with 41.0gr of h4198

200gr hornady xtp with 16.5gr of trail boss

275gr ranch dog with 41.0gr of rel7

275gr ranch dog with 40.0gr of h4198

280gr lfn gc with 41.5gr of rel7

280gr lfn gc with 42.0gr of h4198

250gr mihek hp with 11.5gr of unique

220gr wc with 13.0gr of unique


265 - 280 gr goes around 2000fps


280gr wfn gc with 24.0 - 26.0gr of 2400

no chrony, i guess it goes 1500-1600fps


280gr lfn gc
38.5gr of rel 7
1800+/-fps no chrony


my favorite for deer/black bear
300gr fn gc (saeco) (12 bhn)
24.0gr of 2400
1.1gr +/- tuft of dacron
1624fps avg

[curiousgeorge]

Thank you 444ttd. I'll try some of those.

[444ttd]

i want to try a 350gr ranch dog but i have many many many more projects(did i say many?:veryconfu[smilie=l:) to do.

[Beerd]

try this link stolen from the MarlinOwners website

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zpdpnxmbssw4zm7/444%20Master%20Reload%20Table%20revised%20Nemo-7f.xls?dl=0
..

[curiousgeorge]

Beerd
Thank you. Nice to see all in one place. Lots of things to try.
Steve

[Wally]

I have a Marlin 1895 from 1978...Your cast bullets should be at least .431" in diameter as the rifle is microgrooved. I have a 429244 mold, but the bullets as cast are smaller than that. Fortunately I have an old 429640 mold from the early 80's that casts bullets out at .431"+. It works well with a variety of powders Red Dot/Promo/Unique/Blue Dot/2400 & 5744. The bullet does require a GC, but fortunately I have a Freechex II to make my own for it. I don't hunt with is so I keep the velocity to under 1,600 FPS. On a good day I can consistently hit a 4" sized target at 200 yards with it...I am not a crack shot..I am sure others could do much better than i.

[Jim22]

I'm curious about the .444 Marlins. If I had one with a problem barrel I'd consider rebarreling to something based on the .444 case. I have a Ruger single shot in .375 JDJ. It will push a 250 grain Sierra to 2600 fps. In the spring I plan to try cast boolits in it. I have some 250 gr RCBS FNGC bullets.

[444ttd]

I'm curious about the .444 Marlins. If I had one with a problem barrel I'd consider rebarreling to something based on the .444 case. I have a Ruger single shot in .375 JDJ. It will push a 250 grain Sierra to 2600 fps. In the spring I plan to try cast boolits in it. I have some 250 gr RCBS FNGC bullets.

a 1 in 20" twist in the 444 will take up to 455gr cast boolits. in a 1 in 38" twist it should go around 350gr cast boolits. (should go = some rifles will, some won't) when i was using 275, 280 gr rd/lfn/wfn my alloy was too soft(coww/smidge of tin 12+/-bhn). it tore up the deer drastically. didn't matter if it struck bone or not. what i've found is lyman #2 and a smidge of tin(15+/-bhn) does not tear up the deer. it tears up the lungs but not the heart. the inside entrance/exit wounds are about 1 - 1 1/2" wide while the skin entrance/exit wounds are the size of the what caliber boolit.

[leadeye]

I've got a Microgroove 444 I've really tried to make work with cast but have never had any luck.

[farmbif]

here is a bunch of good info on 444 marlin

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell444Marlin.htm

[curiousgeorge]

The .431 and / or .432 sizing dies for a Lyman are next on my 'must have' list.
My 429244 casts around .431 and the 429650 goes .434 as cast. Looking forward to seeing how fast it takes for the 429650 to stabilize and when to stop before accuracy goes to pot.

I actually have 2 of the .430 dies. Isn't there someone on the site that hones dies to larger diameters?

[curiousgeorge]

And another thought on powder. I use a lot of 4227 for mid-range cast loads in 45-70. Has anyone tried that in their 444?

[farmbif]

in the rcbs cast manual for 444 marlin using 4227 one load using 44-245 swc. 27-29 grains 1688-1888 fps

[Cast_outlaw]

Fallowing this as I got a 94 Winchester in 444marlin need som lee 310 advice

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have 1971 .444, no safety, pistol grip, early style barrel band. Using a Leadhead's 265 gr over 51 gr of H322 I get groups of 1.5 at 100 yards with 2250 fps and SD of 8. With the 265 Hornady FlatPoint,52 gr H322 at 200 yards - 1.5" vertical by 2.5" horizontal, 2244fps SD 15; 300gr Speer, 47gr H322 under 1" at 100yds, 2002 fps SD 6. All used R-P cases and Fed 215M (match magnum) primers, flash holes deburred, primer pockets uniformed, Burris 4.5-14 Fullfield for load development. Recoil is noticeable/unpleasant. I have not worked up a light fun load. Killed one six-point bull using 265 Hornady, bullet did not hold together, very small piece of lead core under far side hide with slight quarter away, bullet entering shoulder crease and going into opposite shoulder.

[farmbif]

ive been playing around lately with 270 gr 432640 with 8208, I'm up to 45 grains and need to get the chrono and gun vise and targets out back to see exactly what is going on as I work this load up.

[leadeye]

here is a bunch of good info on 444 marlin

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell444Marlin.htm

Good info, thanks.

[curiousgeorge]

A little update on my search for loads. My 429650 casts 315 grs with old wheelweights and I already had some sized at 430. With 24 grs of 2400 and no filler it shoots about 2" at 50 yds with some of the holes elongated showing the bullets not stabilized either due to length / velocity, from being undersized, or combination. My mold casts large (approx 434) so tried a few unsized, just gaschecked and hand lubed. Group really no better but no "wobbly" holes.

Didn't think I had anything larger than 430, but in going through a box from a machinist's estate sale I found several home made lube dies and one of the sizes at 433. Always amazed at what some of the guys made back in the 50's & 60's. Loaded some and waiting for time to get back to the range. Also loaded some with 46 grs H322 to up the velocity a bit.

Will post results even if lousy.

[444ttd]

A little update on my search for loads. My 429650 casts 315 grs with old wheelweights and I already had some sized at 430. With 24 grs of 2400 and no filler it shoots about 2" at 50 yds with some of the holes elongated showing the bullets not stabilized either due to length / velocity, from being undersized, or combination. My mold casts large (approx 434) so tried a few unsized, just gaschecked and hand lubed. Group really no better but no "wobbly" holes.

Didn't think I had anything larger than 430, but in going through a box from a machinist's estate sale I found several home made lube dies and one of the sizes at 433. Always amazed at what some of the guys made back in the 50's & 60's. Loaded some and waiting for time to get back to the range. Also loaded some with 46 grs H322 to up the velocity a bit.

Will post results even if lousy.

you should try rel7 or h4198 and size at .432". my own encore in 444 has a 1 in 20" twist and it shoots boolits of all sizes, my favorite is .431". i don't know what you have for a twist rate? probably 1 in 38" and if its microgrooved (marlin) it will be sized at .432 - .433". i 'd go to http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/ in their 444 marlin section, they will help you.

and try dacron filler in 2400, you'll be amazed at the accuracy.

[wallacem]

curiousgeorge, you can home a sizing die yourself very easy. Take a wood dowel or metal rod about 1/4" dia, wrap sandpaper around it, run it up thru the die and hold it on a table and roll it , pressing down for pressure. Test it by sizing a bullet and measure it. Play with that. It works. Wallacem inGa

[missionary5155]

That is how we open dies for larger sizing.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

For cast, I go with .432 bullets, For full-power, 265grain at 2100+ fps, 310grain at 2000+ I like H322. Reloder 7 is second choice then H4198 for accuracy. H322 does not work for lighter loads, Reloder 7 and H4198 does work better for 'softer' loading. For fun, 200-250 grains bullets, again sized at least .432 and H4227, Universal, HP-38, even TiteGroup, depending upon your fun and power requirements. With 265 and 300 grain jacketed bullets with H322 I get MOA groups at max book loads. I can come close to that with cast boolits but bullet fit is the key(AS IT ALWAYS IS). Sizing .432, maybe .433 should work.

[Soundguy]

I gave up on cast.. I couldn't find a bullet that matched the data and powders I could find.. and resorted to loading sierra 240gr j-words. ( which work great by the way.. )

Still looking for a few powders that will let me load cast.

Question on 2400... is it position sensitive? I'm hearing yes from other sources, when used in a big case.

[Pereira]

I gave up on cast.. I couldn't find a bullet that matched the data and powders I could find.. and resorted to loading sierra 240gr j-words. ( which work great by the way.. )

Still looking for a few powders that will let me load cast.

Question on 2400... is it position sensitive? I'm hearing yes from other sources, when used in a big case.

I've used the 24.0 grs. of 2400 under a 300+ cast and no filler on several occasions with no issue.

RP

[Soundguy]

Well.. I can add 2400 to my list of powders I want but can't find. ;)

[Pereira]

Well.. I can add 2400 to my list of powders I want but can't find. ;)

I picked up a couple lbs. last Summer, but haven't seen any since.

RP

[Soundguy]

So many loading projects on hold..or switched to jacketed rounds due to preferred cast powder not available.