Would this be a good choice for the .444 Marlin? I am thinking it would be a good possibility as they started with Remington 265 for factory ammo and these Hornady Interlock's are designed for rifle work. Does anybody have any hands on experience with them? Thanks!

Plainsman, I used them this year in my 444 for whitetails here in pa. I shot an old doe at about 15 feet head on. The bullet traveled almost to her back legs and was a perfect mushroom.I think it would have made it all the way through but it angled when it hit her sternum and caught the left shoulder.One of these days I'm going to weigh the bullet but just holding it in my hand I'd say it is definetly still over 200 grains. The load I use is 45 grains of h-4198 and cci 200 primers. It averages about 2160 fps out of my gun. As always work up to your load.
JT

Plainsman:

Welcome. The 265 grainer is my second choice of bullet in my 444. First choice is the Hornady 300 gr XTP.

Both will do plenty of penetration. I have been hunting and shooting with the 444 since 1981.

If you handload them, they can be a pain, having to deal with compressed loads, which I view as a nuisance in a straight walled case.

I have found out also due to the lack of aerodynamics in a 44 caliber Flat Nose bullet, that you can lower the velocity without loosing much point black range on it.

I load mine to about 1700 fps with either bullet. Both perform as good as, if not even better at the 1700 MV than they do at the 2100 MV. Since both bullets, especially the 300 gr XTP, are designed to perform at 44 mag velocities they will open just fine on anything you hit with a 444.

My powder of choice is Blue Dot shotgun powder. I use 20 grains and use a Large Pistol Mag Primer. No compressed loads, recoil is reduced by about 60% and the loss in point blank yardage is about 10 to 15 yrds. Accuracy is even better than factory ammo, because the recoil reduction makes it a lot easier to place your shots.

Good luck with yours, I love mine!

PS, sports a 4x scope in case you were going to ask.

The bullet was designed for the .444 Marlin.



I tried them in a Ruger .44 Carbine and a Ruger SBH, I didn't care for them.