Just curious...who out there shoots this fine cartridge and what is your favorite loads.
Thanks,
b

FM:

After using the factory loads and handloads utilizing the full case or RL 7 or H 4198 ( which performed well!), I have shifted gears a little on the 444.

My preference now is 20 to 22 grains of Blue Dot shot gun powder. Bullets are 300 grain Hornady XTPs. Velocity is down to about 1700 fps or so.

However since I use this cartridge for 100 to 125 yrds, the decline in velocity is not a handicap. The recoil is dramatically reduced and I don't have to mess with compressed loads which could be a pain at times in a straight walled case.

Anyone with any experience with a 300 grain XTP will tell you, Terminal Performance is exactly what they are talking about.

Hi False & Sea,
Glad to hear someone else likes BlueDot! I use cast bullets of 250 gr. with 20.5 gr. & just get great results with that micro-groove rifling. Was afraid the 300 grainers might be pushing the pressure a bit but will try them as I have a Lee 300 gr. Flatnose cast that loves heavy loads of medium powder. Just kicks too hard tho! Worse than a 12 ga. with slugs I am thinking. Shoot alot of 200 and 215 gr. plainbase lead (wheelweights) with 14 gr. BlueDot. Best cast bullet gun I own.
Newtire

Newtire,

Welcome to the Blue Dot club, and good luck with those cast bullets in the 444.

Great cartridge isn't it!!!

I shoot the 444 in a Marlin M-444P!

I use the following data:

Bullet: Speer 200 grain JHP
Powder: 42.5 grains IMR 4227
Primer: Winchester
Velocity:2300fps
Cartridge OAL: 2.520

Seems to be a pretty consistant load!

Chuck; What is the P model,it's new to me. I have had several 444's in s and ss and keep letting friends buy them off of me. I don't have one now but wouldn't mind getting another after I get done messing around with my 45/70. I still load for 2 of my friends as required. derf

Derf;
The 444P is a 444 Marlin with a ported 18 inch barrel!
It's sort of like magnaporting, there is a row of 4 holes drilled along each side of the front sight and a row of 2 holes drilled on the sides of the barrel, just behind the 4 holes on the top!
This gun is really fun to shoot! I tried some cast bullets (SWC) in it, but they completely engage in the lands, almost to the case mouth. I'm not too keen on engaging the lands, so I'm thinking of shortening some of my cases, just enough to get off the lands! It's fun to play with anyway!
Good Shootin'

IMR 4198 53.0 grains behind a hornady XTP 300 gr HP.

Used the .444 to drop a crippled bull elk, back in the early '70s, used IMR4198 and a Hornady 265 gr. approx. 135 yds. quartering from left ribs through right shoulder, never saw the bullet again.

(Elk was wounded by my hunter, broken leg,,)

Great cartidge,,,,,

Just the way I see it,,,,,

Thank you Chuck. With our new(?) anti-gun laws I haven't been spending as much time as I would like shooting and haven't kept abreast of the new models. derf

Favorite, most accurate load:
Powder: 56 grains of H-335
Bullet: 300 Grain Cast Performance FNGC
I don't know the velocity, I would guess around 2,000 fps. maybe a bit more. Very accurate and good meplat for a close range deer/elk load.

300 H&H,
What length barrel are you using ??????????
Thanks

56 gr H335
300gr Speer or 330gr BTB LFNGC
both at 2200fps

OR

Hornady Light Magnum 265gr FP
~2300fps

Anxious to try the Buffalo Bore and CorBon loads!!!!

The best load after much testing :
#1 - scrap the jacketed slugs ( hard cast lead or a barnes X is the only answer for deep penetration)
#2 - Sized .431 Saeco 300 grn RNFP GC (#11 hardness) - best penetration even over the Barnes X.

#3 - H335, CCI lg rifle primer, rem cases - adhere closely to TTL. 52.8 Grns powder, crimp heavily on the crimping groove.

Avg velocity is 2018 fps - avg group is approx .850 " @ 100yds from a stock Marlin .444SS lever gun.

This load has performed better than anything I have yet to try in my trusty tree bustin' rifle.
Animals drop cleanly with minimal meat damage compared to my other .30 cal rifles. Range effective is about 200yds with open sights. Lately I tried a test on a 1.5" iron plate steel at 40yds - (looks like old boiler plate) - rounds sail cleanly thru at weak spots and leave .5" divits in the thicker (non-weak) spots. 8mm Mauser round only penetrates half the distance with 175 grn Rem slugs handloaded to 2600 fps.

Not a fear in the world carrying this load and rifle to face anything in N. America under the 200 yd range mark.

Lighter slugs in my experience don't hold up well to heavy bone, brick, etc, penetration. 240 grn are the worst - expand too rapidly even though you have some mighty immpressive velocities. (they work beautiful on varmints !)
Eric

tc encore with 23" MGM barrel


265gr hornady fn with 41.0gr of h4198

200gr hornady xtp with 16.5gr of trail boss

275gr ranch dog with 41.0gr of rel7

275gr ranch dog with 40.0gr of h4198

280gr lfn gc with 41.5gr of rel7

280gr lfn gc with 42.0gr of h4198

250gr mihek hp with 11.5gr of unique

220gr wc with 13.0gr of unique


265 - 280 gr goes around 2000fps


deer load

300gr fn gc (saeco) (12 bhn)
24.0gr of 2400
1.1gr +/- tuft of dacron
1624fps avg

Has anyone tried the 265 or 300 grain hornadys in the handirifles? Wonder whether they are stronger or weaker
Than the marlin lever guns?

Doug, I shoot 577NE and 50-110 in a Handi Rifle SB2 frame. (it's stronger than the SB1 frame.) I always believed that the Handi frame was weaker than the Marlin lever action.
In the Handi 50-110 I use 76 grains of N540 under a 410gr. bullet = No pressure signs. 1840 fps.

Brian I'm thinking that because the handirifle was made in 243, 308 which are 60,000 psi rounds the handi is stronger.

Doug, You may be right, come to think of it. The Handi also came in 500S&W which is a larger diameter case and I think it was a 60,000 psi round. Brian

That's food for thought. Maybe those handirifles deserve more respect.

In a .444 single shot, has anyone hunted with the CEB maximus 250 grain at 2400fps or the 210 grain at 2700fps?

I think that the .444 CEB 240 gr. HG Solid at 2500fps would kill cape buffalo as well or better than the 375HH at close range. JMO

quote:

Originally posted by Brian Canada:
In a .444 single shot, has anyone hunted with the CEB maximus 250 grain at 2400fps or the 210 grain at 2700fps?

I think that the .444 CEB 240 gr. HG Solid at 2500fps would kill cape buffalo as well or better than the 375HH at close range. JMO

Thor's Hammers both!

Doug, If I get around to trying those bullets on a 444 single shot, I will report. Brian

quote:

Originally posted by Brian Canada:
Doug, If I get around to trying those bullets on a 444 single shot, I will report. Brian

Thank you Brian.