.44 gas checked?

[TargetAcquired]

Maybe I should stick this in the reloading section, but I'll start here.

I shoot .444 Marlin and have lots of nice jacketed rounds for higher velocity, but they're expensive for plinking. I also have a nice pile of 300gn hard cast rounds, but they're not gas checked and so I don't push them much past 1500fps.

I'd like to load some gas checked cast rounds, but can't seem to find them. Lots in the US, but I've been getting stuck up here.

Anyone here either know where to get them, or better: cast them? I'd be a buyer.

I have 100's of pounds of WW in the shop: I don't cast, but I do trade weights when I can: I would happily donate WW if there was the pie-in-the-sky chance that someone in my area cast gas checked projectiles in the 200-300gn range in the .430 size. My gun has micro-groove so I probably shouldn't go heavier than 300gn.

Appreciative of any insight or assistance,

 

[LUTNIT]

Bullet weight doesn't really effect Micro Groove rifling. Bullet diameter is far more important. Most people casting for .44 mag Micro Groove are using .432" gas checked bullets as they need to be quite oversized. For .444 Marlin it would be the same requirement.
I tried up to .434" without gas checks and still had groups at 50yds up to 12" and lots of lead in my bore. Was told gas checks and minimum .432" would solve my problem but I never got around to buying a mould.
Some guys say they can shoot plain base, .430" cast bullets out of .44 mag micro groove barrels but that isn't my personal experience. They may be using a much harder alloy than pure WW.

 

[TargetAcquired]

Interesting. I've been shooting .430 hard casts and have not had any leading problems and fairly decent groups. I don't print paper with this gun, so I've never properly measured a group, but I have an 8" plate at 70 yards that I hit 7 or 8 times out of 10.

I know the weight won't affect the rifling, but through reading stuff from some old salts, it is projectile stability that suffers in the micro-groove rifling at more than 300gn. The .444 also comes with Ballard rifling, but I couldn't find one to buy that I wanted. Having piles of fun with this one though.

 

[pomelum]

checked on ebay? there is a guy that make aluminum gas-check for a quarter of the normal price.
i bought a bunch couple of years ago. i think he takes custom order.

oups i misread the 1st post, thought he wanted to find gascheck...

 

[Boolitcaster]

This is a good article that spells out the Marlin's likes and dislikes with cast bullets. The chart listing group size related to bullet diameter is very telling.

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/19

My 310 grain mould drops a bullet at .432" but as I only have a .431" sizing die, I have always sized bullets to that size for consistency.

I do not own a Marlin.

 

[kenneth carlson]

These are some I make. I have not shot any but they seem to turn out to a good boolit. I got a fair amount not sized or gaschecked. Mould number 430-310 (310 gr) Straight from the mould. Let me know I can ship a handful to you to test if you wanna pay for shipping. Pm me. Thanks good luck.

Edit I also just looked I also have a 240 gr gascheck mould also. I can make you some to try out. Swc. Lee number 90338.

 

[TargetAcquired]

This is a good article that spells out the Marlin's likes and dislikes with cast bullets. The chart listing group size related to bullet diameter is very telling.

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/19.

I've read that article (about as deep a read on a caliber as any) but I think it is the projectile being used that is the most telling. Lots of other groups you can find that are much tighter with a lighter round moving a little faster. I'm doing well with 300gn at .430 somewhere around 1550fps, but I'd like to try a round in the same size with a check and push it a bit harder, see if I can sharpen it up some, and work up a spicier load.

I would certainly try out a .431, but I'm trying not to be overly worried about finite accuracy in this weather. I'm sure things will also tighten up in the fairer months.