.444 Availabilty

[Frax]

I've got some very gnarly, dense woodland to cull in and need a handy short range stopper. After much reading it seems the .444 Marlin fits the bill and there are a couple available on Guntrader

I know there are a couple of .444 users on here...what I'm worried about is availability of ammunition and/or components. On Winchester and Federal websites they do not list the cartridge. I don't want to end up with a white elephant.

Your experiences would be most appreciated.

 

[Muir]

MidwayUK doesn't seem to have a shortage. Twenty-eight pounds per 50, though.~Muir

(They even have nickle plated Remington...)

 

[Frax]

I always forget about them, thanks Muir.

 

[Muir]

Your welcome; It's the least a man can do. You will like the .444....~Muir

 

[8x57]

I have only a limited knowlege of .444 but would think that obtaining suitable expanding rifle bullets (not pistol) bullets in the U.K. may be difficult. I had a .44 carbine and obtaining jacketed bullets for that was hard enough following the pistol ban as dealers don't think that there is enough demmand to stock these. Cast bullets are fairly readily available but legally of only limited use for sporting purposes.

 

[reiver]

Frax
I shoot with a .444 marlin on a regular basis and love the rifle .Ammo is available in the Uk .but you will have to order it in to you gun shop probably. 8) Remington do factory ammo in 240 grains (last lot i bought was £39.00 for 20) and also supply brass reloading rounds cost about £1-£1.50 each .Honardy makes ammo as well and supplies bullet heads in 265 gr interlocks i have just bought another 100 of these bullets for £45.00 and so do most of the other American bullet manufacturers in bullet weights up to 300 grains. cast bullets also work well if you use .430 dia. bullets or slightly bigger. the .444 is an easy round to load ,I use reloader 7 or IMR 4198 for full power loads and 2400 for rabbiting and indoor target practice
The .444 is good out to 150- 200 yards which is good enough for me the .
444 is also a great round for shooting wild boar with its quick handling and fast reloading in a lever action 8)

Bob

 

[Muir]

I used cast bullets exclusively in my two .444's. One was a single shot based on a 1901 Model Remington Rollingblock (Smokless strength) and the other was built on a No1, MkIII Lee Enfield action. Mine were 1-18" and 1-20" twist barrels , respectively, so I could shoot 300+ grain bullets with stability. Marlin I think, still utilizes 1-36" twists for their .444 tubes which makes bullets heavier (longer) than 265 grains a problem sometimes. Just an FYI. ~Muir

 

[Stand Buck]

What will a .444 give you over a .243 for UK stalking.

 

[Frax]

SB...well, not a great deal really but I'm a fan of lever guns ever since I used one in Canada. Was very impressed by their pointability and handiness, .444 is just one calibre available in a lever action, it'll just depends what's around when I part with the cash. It would however be great for black bear if and when I go back, good for boar too as Reiver points out.

I'm not particularly going to make an argument for one cal. over another...any deer legal calibre is well qualified to do the job and so are many that aren't legal. There is however an old adage - 'little powder, much lead, kills far, kills dead'

But in the main...I like to be a bit awkward! It keeps the police on their toes.