So I recently bought a JM stamped 444 Marlin (2006 I believe) with standard rifling. Slugged the bore, .432. Bought the NOE 319 grain mold (434-319-RF) that has two crimp grooves. When seated to the top groove, the cartridge has a OAL .005 under the maximum case length. Obviously this was designed to create the perfect OAL for feeding and loading into the tube magazine. Problem is, it won't do either! It won't load through the gate without getting stuck, and when attempting to chamber it, it pushes back the bullet from 2.540 (under the 2.57 max oal) to 2.485. Visible on the bullet sides are rifling marks, which tells me this thing has basically zero throat.
What is the fix? Dump the bullet for a different design? Shorten the cases .06? How expensive to have a gunsmith open the throat? (but that still wouldn't fix the "stuck in the loading door problem)
Is this normal for the 444?