I need some suggestions and advice on the 444
which bullet to go with....
I have IMR 4064 to use
I am kinda looking at the hornady 265g bullet but would like input.
My shooting will be 150 yrds or less. most 50-100 yrds on whitetails..just looking to fill the freezer/

the 265 gr bullet was built FOR the 444.

I'd say the Hornady would be a good choice.

270 gr Speer Gold Dot SP

I have had the Hornady on occasion pencil through without opening on behind the shoulder shots on our smallish deer. I have never had the 270 gr GDSP fail to leave a hole the size of a 50 cent piece with massive internal damage. Come to think of it, I have never had a deer take more then two steps after being hit with that bullet.

quote:

WVhunter

now that's what I want to hear..
got any load data your willing to share?

some of the does are not real big where I hunt...Don't get me wrong I'll shoot horn's but this ole boy is into filling the freeze for the year"If it's brown it's down"

So the 270 GDSP is the S@$T???
Off to Midway I go

55.0 gr of H335 is what my gun likes. This is just shy of a grain from max. Start at 51 gr and work up.

After owning one since 1981....

I go with the 300 grain Hornady XTP.. It beats the crap out of a 265 grain bullet in my opinion...

44 bullets are not real aerodynamic at all, and loose velocity fast....

I quit using a lot of the regular listed powders and use stiff load data for the 44 Rem Mag rifles...

you don't have compressed charges... you loose about 400 fps MV, but that equates to about 10 to 15 yds, point blank range, and reduces recoil 40 to 50%... the trade off is well worth it to me....

I go for the 1750 to 1800 fps range...

That 300 grain XTP is designed to open at 1800 fps all the way down to about 700 fps... and it will penetrate thru about anything it hits...It cuts saplings right in half...

It may not be as macho as some of the loads that you put in 47 to 52 grains of powder and a 265 grain bullet.... but I guarantee in my rifle, it has always penetrated much more with the 300 XTP at 1700 fps...

and it is a lot less hassle to handload and it also stretches out a pound of powder substantially, which means I can get to shoot the 444 more!!! which ain't a bad side benefit!

I have had good luck with 300 XTP as well but occasionally load the 265 gr simply because I have several boxes..

I have a similar question : I accidently bought some 200 gr XTP's Some say they will be fine for deer some say too light....thoughts ?? At the range they do shoot well?

quote:

Originally posted by Canada9:
I have had good luck with 300 XTP as well but occasionally load the 265 gr simply because I have several boxes..

I have a similar question : I accidently bought some 200 gr XTP's Some say they will be fine for deer some say too light....thoughts ?? At the range they do shoot well?

The only problem with the 200 gr XTPs is the velocity.. they are fine within a certain velocity range, which is much slower than the 240s and 300's...

the lower velocity will also of course reduce your range...

I'd keep it to a 100 yds max.. which may not be a problem in the Ontario woods...

I think they will take an MV of about 1200 fps or so..

however, I frequently load those up for my son and his friends to shoot.. at 1200 fps, the Marlin doesn't present much of a recoil problem, and the 200 grain XTP, still really penetrates....

the kids like to cut trees in half.. feeds the average 12 and 13 year olds testosterone needs...

try a charge of 10 to 12 grains of Unique, or 12 to 15 grains of Blue Dot or SR 4759