200 grainer in a 444 marlin?

You can't make a Marlin Microgroove shoot cast bullets very well!!! You can't shoot faster than 1800 fps with cast bullets!!! The Marlin .444 is very inaccurate!!!

Well "BULL" and here is the proof.

I had Mountain Molds make this mold for me and it turned out great.
This bullet weighs 207 gn checked and lubed, cast hard and sized to .432".
Isn't she beautiful.
444-1.jpg


These are the best groups I got with this bullet and the worst ones were in the neighborhood of 4" at 100 Meters. I would load and fire 5 shots and usually get the group done in under 2 minutes. I would run a bore snake down the barrel and let it cool till I could hold the barrel in my hand. No signs of leading.


This one was running at a mild 2150 fps.
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This one was lumbering along at 2285 fps.
IM002125.jpg
 
I have found if you cast from Lino or heat treated lead and use a gas check, the micro groov barrels will shoot cast quite accurately. Shoot 310 gr. Lee .430 flat points out of my micro grooved 44 mag with no issue. Never tried then in the 444 but think they would work well. Not sure why you would want to go lighter with the 444 but with good hard lead and good lube it will work.
 
I wanted to try lighter for flatter shooting to see if I could duplicate a 30-06 as far as power and trajectory. Well it has more knock down power than the 30-06, larger caliber for easier blood trail work and about the same trajectory. Basically it extends the effective range of the 444 when you are in the bush and suddenly you are faced with a 225 yard open shot in a field, not so much guessing as to how much hold over. Bottom line is it was fun to find out and to say that I can do it.
 
for me it's all i can find locally for components... $30 for 200 grainers, as opposed to $56 for 265's in the post... for range fun i think it an easy decision.
 
Either way, you will want to make sure that they are .432" with a generous lube groove and lots of quality lube, a gas check is also preferred if loading over 1500fps. The Mountain Molds bullet shown looks just about perfect for a light bullet in the .44/.444, a good looking design.
 
ben hunchak said:
Either way, you will want to make sure that they are .432" with a generous lube groove and lots of quality lube, a gas check is also preferred if loading over 1500fps. The Mountain Molds bullet shown looks just about perfect for a light bullet in the .44/.444, a good looking design.
Click to expand...

these are hornady 200 grain HP XTP jacketed .430 bullets im on about here... im on my way to get some right now. may be a little on the violent side for hunting in terms of expansion... but for the range shooting random $hit they should be just fine. a guy on marlinowners reports chronoing his at nearly 3000fps with vv something or other for powder.
 
took my handloads out today... the max loaded 300's hit 8" lower than 265's at 60m. so low infact that with the rear sight maxed at it's highest elevation it was still hitting 3" lower than POI... at 60m
So the question i ask myself now is how to best use the rest of these bullets, im thinking of mounting a williams peep to give me a better sight adjusting range... or maybe filing the front blade down a bit. even the leverevoloutions require the rear elevator to be set 4th notch from the top which seems a little off to me.
on a posative note regarding the 300's they gave me a 1" group outside to outside at 60m albiet low of POI.
 
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