I recently got some 325gr cast to try in my .444 Marlin but if I crimp in the the crimping groove the cartridge is just a smidge too long to make it around the bend in the magazine and lift in the chamber. What do you guys do? Crimp above the groove or trim you brass a little shorter? If I manually load the cartridge in the chamber, the action closes and extracts fine without the bullet contacting the lands.
Trim case or crimp above groove in lever action?
- Thread starter bcsteve
- Start date
- Location
- Niagara Region, Ontario. For now
It is common practice to crimp above the groove. Pistol calibre levers and heavy bullets have the same issue. Just be sure if you are seating the bullets deeper to adjust your load and work back up.
The .444 Marlin requires a cast bullet that has a very short nose, there are plenty of designs out there that have the crimp groove in the right place and some that are oversize to use in the .444s that have microgroove(.432"). I'd give those bullets back and get some that fit properly.
Pudelpointer
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Lethbridge, Alberta
Just an idea, but on another thread there were a couple guys asking about their Hornady LEv brass being to short. Why don't you buy or trade some with those guys?
The crimp on a lever does 2 things. 1) keep the bullet in place during recoil so as not to creep out and jam the action. 2) keep the bullet from being pushed into the case by spring pressure. Crimping above might work as long as you have enough powder to sit the bullet on or compress a bit. I have to trim .010 off my 356 win cases to use the Hornady gummy point bullets in my model BB94.
Simple solution use a bullet designed for that round.
Simple solution use a bullet designed for that round.
