Suggestions for 444 plinker load please

[218bee]

Wanting to try some "plinking" load/loads in my Marlin 444. What I am thinking is....I have a mess of 240gr ww alloy, non gaschecked boolits sized .430 and would like to try some light loads using these. Looking through some manuals most loads are jacketed full power loads. I did find an old Lyman manual and it lists using Unique from 11 - 17 grains with such a boolit.
Looking for real world experience... don't care how fast it goes...don't want leading...say a 50yd target small pest load. What say ye??

[Firebricker]

bee, I use the lyman manual loads with unique under 429421 or 429244 for plinkers. I never did any serious accuracy testing but they shoot good for back yard plinking. No leading problems either. I'm not home so don't know exactly how many grains of unique I use but I'm sure its within lymans range since thats the manual I used. FB

[OBXPilgrim]

I recently tried the Lee 310gr .44 slug and a group buy 285gr ("Wide Flat") .44 slug in a 444 chambered Handi Rifle. Used the starting 11 gr up to 15.8gr of Unique with each slug. The starting loads with each were very enjoyable and got me as good as 1.5" groups.

They weren't as good as the H4895 powder loads, accuracy wise, and I don't have any H4198 and don't want to add another to my stock. I kind of wished that I'd chrono'd those all the loads, but didn't - looking for accuracy first - you know?

BTW, these were all acww slugs w/gc and felix lube, sized to .432" - no leading. My Handi has a 1:20" twist.

[Leadforbrains]

I use 11 grains of N340 behind a 262 hollowpoint cast boolit. The cast boolit is cast totally out of range lead. I am not sure if it is needed but I use 3 grains of polyester fiber fill on top of the powder, and 7.5 grains of cream of wheat on top of the poly. No recoil whatsoever, and very little noise. I get 1 inch groups at 50 yards and it will penetrate 13 inches of wet phone books. My son used this same load to take a hog at aprox 50 yards with a head shot.

I have no idea what velocity I am getting out of my .444P Outfitter, but penetration seems to be adequate for hunting thin skinned game at close range, and it will surely do for a low noise, low recoil plinking load

I could probably could go a little heavier with this load, but it all seems to work fine for now.

[Lloyd Smale]

i shot a bunch of them with 9 grains of unique and no filler and they shot real well.

[Leadforbrains]

i shot a bunch of them with 9 grains of unique and no filler and they shot real well.

I figured that was a whole lot of space for the powder to move around in.
I might try no filler on my next batch with the N340 to see if there is any difference. It would be great not to have to use a filler. I am still new at this, so I am still learning.

[218bee]

yeah, I was wondering about filler also with such a long case. You using standard primers??

[Leadforbrains]

yeah, I was wondering about filler also with such a long case. You using standard primers??

Yes cci large rifle primers

[jimkim]

Try these. http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

[Four Fingers of Death]

Good stuff! I want to make up some plinkers for my newly acquired almost NIB 444 Marlin, They gave me a box of ammo with it with three cases missing, they were Hornady 265 Gn Interlocks form memory.

Man! This sucker recoils!! maybe its the light weight of the rifle, but I have fired lots of big guns, have owned 458WMs, currently use a 416 without problem, but this one whipped back and slapped me upside of the head. I thought that I wasn't holding it properly, but the next were the same so I was obviously ding it right. Shook my head and gave me the makings of a headache. I think I'll dust off the lead sled for hunting load development for this one :)

Accuracy was pretty good, three shots in about 1.5" at 50 with my blurry eyes. I have an old Weaver 2.5x which would go pretty good on this one.

Four Fingers

[218bee]

Four Fingers, yeah my "hunting" loads also used the Honady Interlocks are just plain vicious. Last range session was with a 50/70 and then the 444. 444 Marlin much more wicked on my end

[Frank]

Here's what Marlin says about their 444:


Its 22" barrel makes the 444 a real joy to handle, no matter what the conditions.


It's more like "No Joy". What's the problem here? Is it the stock? Sounds like a nice cailber to go on a brush hunt with for elk.

[218bee]

I don't know if its the stock design or light weight.... I was using a max load of 44gr of IMR4198 with both a 270gr Speer and 265 Hornady bullet. This load is listed at max in Speer and over max in Hornady but my Marlin handles it ok with no signs of pressure. From a bench (which probably made recoil feel worse) at 50yds three of the Speers went in essentially same hole and then I planted one about an inch and a half to left of group and on about an inch and a half below group. I would think very capable big game round within its range limitations... did not chrono, but Speer says it ought to be around 2100fps with that load and a 270 bullet.
But as I said before...I was shooting my 50/70 Trapdoor and decided to take out the Marlin as its been a while since she saw daylight and when I touched one off it was WOW...just vicious....but FUN

[Frank]

Hi 218bee


Speer says it ought to be around 2100fps with that load and a 270 bullet

You have the same recoil as somebody shooting a 405 grain 45/70 bullet 2,030 fps out of the same rifle.

I have an older Lyman manual and it shows a twist of 1/38 and a groove diameter of .431. Does your rifle have that?

[MtGun44]

If it is like my .45-70 GG, I think the issue is the light wt. How many heavy recoiling
bolt guns weigh about 7 3/4 lbs?

Bill

[Marlin Junky]

I know you started this thread a couple weeks ago, but if your .444 is anything like mine, accuracy with .430" PB boolits isn't going to be anything to write home about. Try very light charges of the fastest powders you have on hand and keep the velocity below 1400 fps. Even then, you may be disapointed. This gun really needs .431 to .432" boolits even when using gaschecks; and with respect to PB boolits, even fatter is better.

MJ

[Four Fingers of Death]

How'd it end up going 218?

I ended up mounting the Weaver 3x scope I had, the 2.5x was a tad different and I couldn't get enough eye relief with the Tally combined ring/bases that I got from brownells. They are a tad higher than I'd like as well, so I will probably go and buy another set to get better eye relief, I'm about 1/4" off perfect in tha dept. I'm fitting the scope because it will be used for early morning/late afternoon hunts in heavy cover, my eyesight's pretty good for a 61 yr old, but it ain't that good.

Not trying to hijack your thread, but keen to find out how you went with it all. I poo-poo'ed the 444 for years and now am fascinated by them, go figure.

Four Fingers.