13 February 2003, 15:07
pahandgunhunter430 JDJ info request
Anyone out there have any info on this cartridge?
Just bought one...think I may have screwed-up. Just a hair shorter than a 444? Saw one cartridge drawing it had a straight wall saw another with slight shoulder. may have bought a 444 "light" !
Please advise.
Bill
13 February 2003, 15:35
Albert T. TomblinPahandgunhunter-I had JDJ to rechamber a 44mag barrel for me back when he first started doing Contender barrels. It's a 444 shortened one tenth inch and he furnished the following load data:38gr 4227-265 at 1950fps:41gr680-265 at 1914fps:43gr 4198-265 at 1850fps:42gr H322- 315cast at 1599fps:42gr H322-360cast at 1606fps:He states that 3031 gives the same results as H-322:I've started with 444 starting loads reduced 10% and worked up some loads myself for my barrel and the 240 bullets will do 2100fps in my 14" barrel, the 240XTP at this velocity does a tremendous amount of damage to deer if shot at less than 50 yards (if you use this data please start low and work up). I hope this will help you some.
Albert
13 February 2003, 15:35
<Headstamp>.1" shorter than the 444. That should be all. No "shoulder". You can use the Marlin sizer but will run into trouble crimping possibly. Was initially done to prevent factory ammo being used in the Contender of which some of the older ammo was on the warm side supposedly.
I have used the Hornady seater(short body)to seat and crimp. Did this when experimenting with a shorter case and heavier bullets in my Marlin levergun.
I have the Handloader article on it if you like, scanned.
Regards
14 February 2003, 13:32
Albert T. TomblinMike-About three years ago one of my hunting buddies had a 14" T/C barrel rechambered by a local gunsmith(he bought this barrel about 10 years ago). He had been hunting with a Marlin 444 for several years and wanted his T/C rechambered for this round, he does not reload and shoots only factory ammo. We conographed some factory loads through it and they where running a tad over 2200fps. Remington must be really loading the 444 light now if you only got 1950 from them.
I mostly shoot the 315cast load in mine and with 42gr of H322 it shoots 1640fps and its about 40fps faster than what the JD data shows. Anyone using this data needs to reduce their loads and work up in their barrel as usual. When I get a chance I will see what the factory loads are running in my buddies barrel to see if Remington has reduced the loading in more recent loadings.
Albert
14 February 2003, 14:16
475/480would anybody have any load data on the 475 jdj,thanks sean h
14 February 2003, 14:32
Mike BellmThe chronographed factory loads I did were back around 1991- '92 era.
I used to put out .444 Marlin loading data with the rechambers I did and included the factory chrono data, which I am certain did not exceed 2000 fps. 1948 fps sticks in my mind.... sorta like the last thing to go through a bugs mind when it hits a windshield.
Mike
15 February 2003, 11:33
casHeadstamp.... I think it was done because there was no way he could neck a 444 Marlin to 44 and get away with naming after himself.