444cal home load.

Lever Man

Well-Known Member
Hi All.
First deer with 444 marlin and my home loads 240grn xtp over 50-3grns vn130.
A nice size muntjac doe very nice for sunday lunch.
Just a pict or two.
All the best lever man.
 
Hi Leverman
what velocity are you pushing the 240 xpt? just Hornady only rate the 240 gr xpt to just over 1800fps .
I have never used them as i was worried that they would give up and fail as i push my .444 to around 2300fps with a 265gr interlock to great effect with imr 4198 or reloader 7.
Good to see another .444M shooter on here.


Bob.
 
You guys would have fun with cast bullets in the .444 Marlin. I had two that I built, both with a 1-18" twist for heavy bullets. Both were screamers with a 365 grain, gas checked NEI bullet. For lighter loads I used a Lyman 429-421 cast bullet over H4831. It weighed 258 grains and gave black powder velocities and pressures.~Muir
 
Hi reiver.
240grn xtp with vn130 50-3grns 2290fps no fail or give up 1/2inch in 1 inch out. To day on big doe muntjac bang flop.
All the best lever man.
 
Very nice !

I've done some testing with VV N-130 in the 444 with cast bullets as well !

Have you tried VV N-120 and VV N-530 in your rifle by chance ?

I've done some work with those as well but again with cast bullets only .
 
Home swaged 250gn HP
A real nice 'woodland' load used in a sporterised Winchester P14.
IMG_0086.jpg

Mustard on Munties and Roe!!!
 
First attempt, many years ago, with 444 was using pistol bullets... poor ol doggo really did not know what part of rabbit to bring home to daddy...ear hole, paw... truly explosive!
 
Hi 6pt-sika.
Have not tried vn120 but it looks good so may well do so next time i buy powder.
All the best lever man.
 
Hi jOe-blOggs.
Nice looking rounds you do a good job. What powder and load are they grns ect'?. I like 240 grn xtp but am going to try some 300grn to with vn130 or varget
They look a bit like sierra bullets? but better.
All the best lever man.
P.S. I to live in S.E UK.
 
Very nice JoeBloggs.

How are you making the cups ? Obviously not from .45ACP.

Would love a SMLE bored out to 45-70 but nobody is making them anymore AFAIK. It may have to be a Sharps. P14 clearly the better rifle but somehow not my thing.

I've got the dies, RCBS 405 grain mould, the bullet sizing die, gaschecks and a tub of Reloder 7, but no rifle :(

A (nearly) half inch hole is never not going to work.
 
Hi 6pt-sika.
Have not tried vn120 but it looks good so may well do so next time i buy powder.
All the best lever man.


If you're ever of an inclanation to shoot cast in the old rifle make sure you scrub the BeJesus out of it and then use cast bullets that are sized at about .432" . If you have Micro groove 1-38 rifling you can make bullets up to 375 grains work . But it's far easier if you stay 325 grains or less .

I found once I got to 315-320 grains I needed to start water quenching my bullets to make the outer part a little tougher so it wouldn't strip so easily in the rifling . You also need to push them a bit on the stout side so they'll stabalize .

The VV powders have worked well for me on paper but I've not killed deer using them yet .

But if you can get the more common American manufacture powders H322 , RL7 , XMR2015 , H335 and IMR8208 are ALL excellent choices .

Killed a pair of whitetails one evening a week or so ago with my chopped barrel 444 shooting a MM/RD 432-325GC bullet . The nose of this bullet is a copy of Ranch Dog's design with traditional lube grooves .

My bullet before sizing etc and after !

MM-RD432-325GCMold003.jpg


MM-RD432-325GCMold004.jpg


A picture of the first field test of said bullet !

Deer11-10-12003.jpg
 
Very nice JoeBloggs.

How are you making the cups ? Obviously not from .45ACP.

Cups are drawn 45 cal jackets.
I have some longer jackets that make a nice spitzer bullet, unfortunately the lever gun guys cannot use them!
Will have to find where I put them and post some piccys!
 
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