loads for 444 marlin w/ Lee 310gr boolit?

[Marlin Hunter]

Does anyone have load data for the Marlin 444 with Lee 310 grain gas check boolits?

I already loaded some up with Trail Boss, which is fairly easy to figure out, but I can't find any data for other smokeless powder. I would prefer data for Reloader 7 powder, since that is what I have on hand. The Alliant website says 46 grains for a 300 grain Speer bullet, which I think is too much for a cast boolit. I also have some IMR 3031 and IMR 4320 powder.


Thanks

[NHlever]

The new Lyman manual shows 44 grains of Rx-7 with a 300 grain jacketed bullet for just under 1900 fps. Quick load shows 40 grains of Rx-7 with the Lee 310 cast boolit for 1878 fps from a 22" barrel. I would think that somewhere in that range you will find what you are looking for unless you want less velocity for some reason. Quickload shows 1700 fps with 36 grains of the Reloader 7.

[OBXPilgrim]

I had 47.0gr of H4895 shooting pretty good with the Lee 310gr, but I had to seat the slug deeper than to the crimp groove in my 444 Handi Rifle due to a short chamber throat. I didn't really like it like that & I've since been using one of the .434" Lee Group buys from a few years back (290gr Wide, Fat 44- I think). Got around 1800 fps (with each boolit) & I'm pretty sure that could be boosted up to slightly over 50gr for alot more velocity - not what I need or want.

[jbc]

off topic but i cant get the lee 310 to fit in the loading gate of my marlin .444 outfitter when seated in the crimp groove. it hangs up because of the wide meplat.

[Marlin Hunter]

off topic but i cant get the lee 310 to fit in the loading gate of my marlin .444 outfitter when seated in the crimp groove. it hangs up because of the wide meplat.

That is good to know, and it is not off topic. That might be the reason why Ranch Dog boolits have smaller meplat.

[helice]

I shoot a 300 WFN GC LBT using ReL-7 in a Winchester Big Bore with a 20" barrel. 42 gr. got me 1968'/s and 46 grains pulled 2050 '/s. The 42 grain load is more comfortable and, I am told that it will be more than adequet for Lower North America.

[softpoint]

off topic but i cant get the lee 310 to fit in the loading gate of my marlin .444 outfitter when seated in the crimp groove. it hangs up because of the wide meplat.

Take your forend off and see if your magazine tube has a bulge in it . I have one without a bulge, and my rifle is really picky about what it will accept in the tube. My friend has a .444 that has the bulge like the 45/70's have and his rifle will handle almost anything. His is an earlier model Microgroove, mine is a later model with ballard rifling I've been intending to call Marlin and see what options I have.:-D

[Tony65x55]

I've been using 50/IMR-3031 or 49/AA2015 under the Lee 310 gr boolit for the last fifteen years. My records show both loads at 2150-2160 fps and 100 yard accuracy is under 2". Hits like a hammer. I've recently switched to the Ranch Dog 300 because it was designed for the .444, the crimp groove is in the right place, it's accurate and hits hard too.

[Marlin Hunter]

My friend has a .444 that has the bulge like the 45/70's have and his rifle will handle almost anything. His is an earlier model Microgroove, mine is a later model with ballard rifling I've been intending to call Marlin and see what options I have.:-D


I have the Microgroove barrel also. The bolt would not close with the boolit seated to the factory spec of 2.570 inch. The boollit hit the rifling and would not fit in the loading window. I seated it to 2.520 and everything worked OK. I could load, and cycle them. 2.520 may not be the max. I just lowered the boolit .05" and tested it. It worked so I left it that way.




ReL-7
I shoot a 300 WFN GC LBT using ReL-7 in a Winchester Big Bore with a 20" barrel. 42 gr. got me 1968'/s and 46 grains pulled 2050 '/s. The 42 grain load is more comfortable and, I am told that it will be more than adequet for Lower North America.


I loaded up some rounds with 42 grains of Rel-7. That is the amount I got from one of my Lee dippers.





I've been using 50/IMR-3031 or 49/AA2015 under the Lee 310 gr boolit for the last fifteen years. My records show both loads at 2150-2160 fps and 100 yard accuracy is under 2". Hits like a hammer. I've recently switched to the Ranch Dog 300 because it was designed for the .444, the crimp groove is in the right place, it's accurate and hits hard too.


I will try the IMR3031 next when I have empty brass.



Thanks everyone

[6pt-sika]

I've shot this bullet in couple different 444's using XMP5744 and H322 . Both powders worked well for me !

I'd give you the loads I used but I'm about 10,000 miles away from my loading notes !

[helice]

Marlin Hunter
The first loads I shot in the 444 were poured from that same Lee dipper. Of the loads I shoot today, that load is one of the most accurate and pleasant. It has power and is quite mild in the recoil department.

The Big Bore Winchester is rated to a lot higher pressures than the Marlin and I pushed the envelope a bit a few years ago. I have decided that I don't have much chance of shooting Elk, Moose or Big Bears so I have quit doing the heavy loads.

Some of my favorite loads use fast double based pistol powders as posted by Greg Musial on GMDRs web site. Red Dot, 700X, 231W have all woked fine and they get me about 1300 foot seconds. Makes practice a lot more fun, less punishment, and less cost cause I can use Plain Based Slugs.

[enoch59]

I have been using a 330 gr LFN DCG GC from Beartooth with 54 grs of H335. It's a honey of a load in my Marlin 444. I've had some trouble getting the product lately ( probably my impatience ). I think the folks at Beartooth are great and they make really good boolits. However I picked up this Lee mold for the 310 and I'm looking forward to casting my own. This was the only bullet that I purchase. I cast all others in pistol and rifle. If anyone has any current data using H322 or 335 or RL7 I'd sure appreciate the info. I need an Elk load for this fall. Thank you in advance, enoch.

[Shuz]

enoch59--I have two loads I presently use in my Marlin 444SS and the Mihec MP-433-300HP. The boolits weigh right at 300g cast from ww+1%tin and are sized to .433. I use either 48g of H-322 or 45g of Rel 7 and this boolit seated to 2.504 OAL. Primers used are Rem 9-1/2. Velocity is 2125 fps for the 48g of H-322 and 2158 fps for the 45g of Rel 7. Accuracy is 2" at 50 meters with a Weaver k-3 widefield scope. I am in the process of fine tuning those loads to see if I can improve on accuracy, but, hey, it's still MOM(minute of moose!)

[enoch59]

Thank you Shuz. That is exactly what I was looking for. Bless you, E.

[Beerd]

I have to seat the 310gr Lee deep in order to close the bolt on my Marlin without the nose touching the rifling, OAL 2.465".

Loads used are H4198, 40.0grs - 42.0grs
and
H322, 45.0grs - 48.0grs.
top loads with each are a bit over 2000 ft/sec
..

[26Charlie]

Looked up my loads with the Lee 310 gr. bullet from 2003, a real thumper in the .444 Marlin - 48 gr. of AA2460. The bullet has two crimp grooves. The forward one is right for my rifle, but of course the virtue of the Lee factory crimp die is that one can crimp wherever you need to. This is a compressed load - about all that can be crammed into the case, IIRC.

[enoch59]

I'm pumped on this Lee 44/310 bullet. I just finished 80 bullets that I heat treated and then annealed the heads. I'm currently loading some into 44's with 22.0 H110 and they are real thumpers out of my 44 Marlin cowboy ltd. I've loaded fifty rounds of the 310 into my 444 with 42.0 of H4198 that are going to be my Elk load this fall. It's amazing that I just picked up that mold for $20 from Midway. That is going to be my go to round for both rifles.

[C. Latch]

I'm new here and not really a .444 shooter, but I have an old 336 and I have one of the lee 310-grain molds. I made a dummy round (seated to front crimp groove) some time ago and it cycled fine, but I never got as far as making actual loaded ammo and shooting it. I'm curious as to how this bullet shoots for others with older micro-groove barrels, and what velocity you're getting good accuracy at, also curious as to what diameter you're sizing these to for the micro-groove barrels. I've never slugged mine.

[enoch59]

Hi C.Latch, I'm new here as well. I have been pouring this Lee 44/310 bullet for a few weeks now and have shot approx. 100 rounds in 444 and maybe 50 rounds in 44. My mold drops the bullets at .4315. I use a .430 die to seat my gas checks and then I lube with a .432 die. The sweet spot for my 444 is 49.0 IMR 4895 at approx. 1900 mv. I don't have a chrony so I am at the mercy of other printed stats.