So who is loading up there 444 with cast slugs? I have a whole wack of 240-250 grain cast to shoot but dont have any load data for them.Looking at reduced loads for plinking and gophers. Any one have a copy of the cast bullet handbook handy and can help out would sure be appreciated..
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Cast slugs in a .444 marlin...load help needed
- Thread starter icehunter121
- Start date
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
I have a Marlin 444S with micro groove rifling
and these are the two bullets I use primarily for some lighter plinking loads. Top, a Keith style 325gr SWGC and the bottem, again a Keith style 250gr SWGC. With the 325gr and keeping in mind how critical the maximum C.O.A.L. is to allow cycling loaded shells through the action, I had to crimp over the forward driving band.
Even with the micro groove rifling, cast hard and sized 0.001" - 0.002" over bore diameter of 0.429" seems to be the answer.
For light loads using the 250gr, by the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 11.5gr - 17gr of Unique. With the 325gr, I 'tried' some loads using IMR 3031. If you want and can't find access, PM me your e-mail address and I'll scan and send you some of that info.
Another source you may want to check out is
Beartooth Bullets >Tech Notes > .444 Marlin- America's Most Versatile Big Bore Part III
Some great info there.
Johnn
and these are the two bullets I use primarily for some lighter plinking loads. Top, a Keith style 325gr SWGC and the bottem, again a Keith style 250gr SWGC. With the 325gr and keeping in mind how critical the maximum C.O.A.L. is to allow cycling loaded shells through the action, I had to crimp over the forward driving band.
Even with the micro groove rifling, cast hard and sized 0.001" - 0.002" over bore diameter of 0.429" seems to be the answer.
For light loads using the 250gr, by the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 11.5gr - 17gr of Unique. With the 325gr, I 'tried' some loads using IMR 3031. If you want and can't find access, PM me your e-mail address and I'll scan and send you some of that info.
Another source you may want to check out is
Beartooth Bullets >Tech Notes > .444 Marlin- America's Most Versatile Big Bore Part III
Some great info there.
Johnn
blaser.306
CGN Regular
- Location
- Saskatoon , Sask
You could likely get better accuracy from your Marlin if you slugged the bore( to find [your] bore diameter and had "properly sized boolits" The rifle bore dimention differs from handgun ! Both in diameter and rate of twist as well! for a diameter of boolit I would bet that .432"-.433" would be a better fit, especialy with the microgroove rifling . YMMV
As others have said the biggest headache is the over all length. Usually the crimp groove is in the wrong place as most Keith style .44 bullets are designed for the .44 Mag/Spl and not the .444 Marlin. With this is mind and wanting something better that you could actually crimp in a groove there has been many designs that have the correct nose profile and the crimp groove. A guy named RanchDog came up with one design and a few of us got together and designed other bullets from light weight 200gr. and up . If you want cast bullets then you are looking in the wrong place. www.castboolits.com is the place to look for data.
Myself and a few others have run multiple group buys for various weights for the 444 Marlin and they are all tack drivers. Secret to the older 444's is to size .432 and have the correct length and away you go.
Don't let anyone tell you they can't be made to shoot accurately.
I designed a light weight cast bullet that is hollow point or solid and it works great.
Myself and another member designed this one as a multipurpose bullet with three crimp grooves. Top groove is for .444 Marlin, center is for .44 mag rifle and lower is for .44 mag revolvers. My .444 and .44 mag rifles love this bullet as does my model 629 and redhawk revolvers.
It has taken many animals over the last couple of years.
Just a couple of drawings I did for a light weight .444 bullet. One with tumble lube and one with regular lube groove.
Also look at Ranch Dog's website, he has a few different weights that he offers and they work excellent also. He prefers the Tumble lube for easy lube application so most of his bullets are that style. You can also get his bullet designs in regular Lube grooves from NOE in Utah and he can hollow point them if you want. You can get the correct Tumble Lube sizer .432 on Ranch Dogs site and they work great. http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/
I had a Lyman .432 sizer die made for me from a member on castboolits named Buckshot, don't remember the exact cost but I know it was cheap, 30 bucks plus shipping I think.
Myself and a few others have run multiple group buys for various weights for the 444 Marlin and they are all tack drivers. Secret to the older 444's is to size .432 and have the correct length and away you go.
Don't let anyone tell you they can't be made to shoot accurately.
I designed a light weight cast bullet that is hollow point or solid and it works great.
Myself and another member designed this one as a multipurpose bullet with three crimp grooves. Top groove is for .444 Marlin, center is for .44 mag rifle and lower is for .44 mag revolvers. My .444 and .44 mag rifles love this bullet as does my model 629 and redhawk revolvers.
It has taken many animals over the last couple of years.
Just a couple of drawings I did for a light weight .444 bullet. One with tumble lube and one with regular lube groove.
Also look at Ranch Dog's website, he has a few different weights that he offers and they work excellent also. He prefers the Tumble lube for easy lube application so most of his bullets are that style. You can also get his bullet designs in regular Lube grooves from NOE in Utah and he can hollow point them if you want. You can get the correct Tumble Lube sizer .432 on Ranch Dogs site and they work great. http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/
I had a Lyman .432 sizer die made for me from a member on castboolits named Buckshot, don't remember the exact cost but I know it was cheap, 30 bucks plus shipping I think.
THX...that is what I was lookin for...time to get the ol winchester in a diet of cast slugs...
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Here's a couple more pages of info that may be of use to you from the RCBS Cast Bullet Manual.
Here's a couple more pages of info that may be of use to you from the RCBS Cast Bullet Manual.
Thank you...That should be enough load data to last me over a boring x-mas!!!
