Just came upon a like new 1894 marlin 44 Mag for a good price [$250 with scope]. I would like to put a reciever sight on it and shoot CB in NRA sillywet 100 meter and long range 200 meter. The bbl. is microgroove. I have LEE 200grRFN, LY245swc, and NEI 320gr SSK molds, lots of WC820, bullseye, and titegroup. Any help with load suggestions would be appreciated. Being a micogroove I hope I don't have to resort to those other bullets.
Thanks in advance.

I shoot the same rifle in both long range and short range events.

Of the molds you have the Lee and the NEI would probably work best. The SWC tends to feed poorly. The heavy bullet may be too long to feed so try a dummy round.

I use the LEE 240 grain 2R round nose. It feeds slick as a whistle and is very accurate to boot.
It started out as my CASS load and when I started Silhouette I just used it. I back it up with 12.8 grains of Bluedot and it has plenty of knockdown power on the big rams at 200 meters.

I size mine to .430" and have never had a problem with these plainbase bullets.

-M

About that Lee 240gr round nose bullet? Do you have any concerns about it detonating the cartridge ahead in the magazine of that Marlin or do you only load 2 rounds at a time. 1 in the chamber and 1 in the mag?

z1r,
Good to hear. I've got the same rifle, and recently got the 240gr mould.
What worries me about the Lee bullet is the tiny lube grooves. Doesn't really seem like there'd be enough goop in the grooves to coat a 24" barrel. I take it your satisfaction with this combo means it doesn't lead out toward the muzzle? What are you using for lube?
LostCajun

I've got the same rifle. Just bought mine back after selling it 25 years ago. Never had any trouble with it feeding SWCs.

I am unconcerned about using reasonably blunt RN lead bullets in tube magazines. The major factories load RN bullets in stuff like .25-35, .30-30, and .35 Rem and have for the last hundred years. FMJs can cause a blowup but exposed lead RN seems to be safe.

If the RN really bothers you, just use the pedestal from a Lee pushthrough sizer to run the bullet up against a flat nose punch in something like a .45 Colt seater die. Swages the neatest little flat you can ask for on the nose.

[ 05-07-2003, 20:22: Message edited by: Leftoverdj ]

Lostcajun,

I seem to remember the bullet having two lube grooves. This is not the tumble lube version, if they even make one. Although I�ve heard people say that they have had equally good results with the TL bullets. I use the Lee Alox stick lube cause it�s cheap. I have never had a fouling problem. Let me say that my rifle sports the shorter 20� microgroove barrel. I fire the rifle in two events back to back (100 rnds.) and have never encountered a leading problem. In fact, it�s so clean I rarely clean the bore. I use a similar Lee bullet in a .32 H&R mag rifle I have and also never get leading and it has a 22� barrel.

I looked at the pics of the 200 FN and I wish they made that in a 240 grain version.

Shooter973,

I have no concerns about the round nose in a tubular magazine. Several commercial .30-30 loads, if not all, still use a RN bullet. If you compare the nose on the .30 cal to the .44 you�ll note that the .44 covers a much larger area of the primer. Also, I have always used only CCI primers which tend to be harder so I feel like I already have an added margin of safety.

IME, you have to cast pretty hard for really good accuracy in the microgroove barrels. I had a .30-30 and a .44 Mag and this was true of both. However, for the intended use, you are limited as to velocity and range and it should do fine, perhaps even with a run of the mill alloy.

I'd use 9 gr. of Unique and NEVER use the SWC bullets. They shot accurately but did not feed in my 1894.

Good shooting.

I used an alloy that was equivilent in hardness to the Lyman #2. I believe it was the same composition roughly as the Taracorp Magnum, something like 2% Tin, 6% or 7% Antimony and 91-92% PB. I have so many left that I haven't had to cast in a while. I do agree that harder is better inthe microgrooves but this is still a middle of the road alloy. What I've found is more important is size. Most of these barrels slug at .430" so use a bullet at least that size.

Pb Head,

I know you are asking about an 1894 rifle and 44 Magnum, but a couple of things caught my eye concerning your post. WC-820 and Western PA…

I shoot WC-820 (lot # 47320) in my SRH 44 Magnum caliber using cast bullets from 240 to 315� grains. My lot of WC-820 is fast and I am using AA#9 data. It shoots almost equal velocities using equal charges of WC-820 or AA#9 powder. For the Lyman 429650 (315� grains) I use 16.0 grains of WC-820—for the RCBS 44-240-SWC (240 grains) I use 19.0 grains of WC-820—and for the RCBS 44-250-K (262 grains) I use 18.8 grains of WC-820. Accuracy for this Keith-style bullet and my Ruger SRH is almost scary!!! I have shot 20+ groups with it at 50 yards and I don’t have one of those groups that are over 1.0”, center to center!

And finally, I’m from Clarion County—what part of Western PA are you from? Good-luck with your 1894…BCB

BCB, I'm from McKeesport about 12 miles south of Pittsburgh. I know what you mean about that keith bullet,I have tried at least 10 or 12 other types and wgts. but have never found a more accurate 44 bullet. 240TC & 320SSK come close. I shoot a contender and my wife shoots my S&W 629 in bowling pin matches we run on Monday and Thursday evenings. I drop my 250s from a lyman 429421 4 cav because I can't make them fast enough with my RCBS 2 cav. I opened my big mouth and now I'm supplying 7 to 9 fellow shooters plus my wife and myself. Oh well it keeps me in coffee and gas money. We have been shooting 7.5gr of bullseye of late with the keith and it does a good job on pins with mild recoil. Was useing 18.2gr WC820 but would sometimes get a "pooffer" in cold weather. Then I'd have to beat the bullet out the bbl. Shot the 1894 today at 50 & 100 with 200RFN LEE 7.5gr bullseye , showed some promise, minute of ram. I'll keep experamenting and report back. Have to get LEE 240RN Mold, due to call an order in to Midsouth this week anyway.
Later, Pb Head