Wondering if anyone has any pet loads for their 444 Marlin? I just had to buy a deal that was offered to me today. One was a Ruger Redhawk 4 in 45 Colt(in the box) but the one I did want was a really nice Marlin 444. Had a newer Redfield 3-9 X on it. The only loads I remember doing were some 3 Roundball loads many many years ago. I do have plenty of 240 gr Sierras and I have a couple of boxes of old stock 265 grs. Any good loads out there? I got 8 boxes of factory loads with both guns but figure I will sell most of them to re-coup some of the cost of them I have plenty of new 444 brass to load.
Any Pet Loads in 444?
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Nemo288
Member
Join the Marlin Owners Forum.
The 444 Marlin®
The 444 subforum is the worlds most authoritative source for all things 444.
Read as many of the reloading articles as you can.
Much wisdom there and MANY real world scientific (and some not so) tests.
As for the Hornady 265 FP a standard load that seems to work well for most is
46 grains H-4198, WLR primer, Remington brass, crimp in the cannelure.
This gives in the mid 2200's fps and good accuracy.
With the 240 Sierra, try 45 grains 4198 (either variety).
Nice easy shooting load but don't expect that bullet to hold up after hitting anything going over Mach 2.
Most of us eventually graduate to the big WFNGC and LFNGC bullets that allow the 444 to release it's full energy potential.
If you show up over there and show some interest, I will send you some 310 grain Leadheads WFNGC to play with.
If you have to have just one powder for the 444 it would be H-4198.
The IMR version is a little faster and does not have the temperature compensation that the ADI/Hodgdon powders do.
The Hodgdon version also meters much better. Recommended.
Other good powders are Reloader-7 (a little slower), H-322 (slower yet), and H-355 (slowest of all).
The latter 2 are usually used with bullets over 300 grains.
Don't believe what you may read about those big bullets not stabilizing in 1/38" twist.
Driven as fast as possible (those lead bullets have much lower friction) they stabilize just fine up to 355 grains.
They also want to be sized .432" for use in the microgroove barrels.
More good reading from one of our premier WFN bullet makers and a 444 nut:
Beartooth Bullets > Tech Notes > .444 Marlin- America's Most Versatile Big-Bore Part I
Beartooth Bullets > Tech Notes > .444 Marlin- America's Most Versatile Big-Bore Part II
Beartooth Bullets > Tech Notes > .444 Marlin- America's Most Versatile Big-Bore Part III
To tide you over here is our Master Reloading Table which is curated by yours truly.
The PDF converter in OpenOffice doesn't work very well so there are some blank pages.
The original document is at:
Dropbox - 444 Master Reload Table revised Nemo-7h.xls
The 444 Marlin®
The 444 subforum is the worlds most authoritative source for all things 444.
Read as many of the reloading articles as you can.
Much wisdom there and MANY real world scientific (and some not so) tests.
As for the Hornady 265 FP a standard load that seems to work well for most is
46 grains H-4198, WLR primer, Remington brass, crimp in the cannelure.
This gives in the mid 2200's fps and good accuracy.
With the 240 Sierra, try 45 grains 4198 (either variety).
Nice easy shooting load but don't expect that bullet to hold up after hitting anything going over Mach 2.
Most of us eventually graduate to the big WFNGC and LFNGC bullets that allow the 444 to release it's full energy potential.
If you show up over there and show some interest, I will send you some 310 grain Leadheads WFNGC to play with.
If you have to have just one powder for the 444 it would be H-4198.
The IMR version is a little faster and does not have the temperature compensation that the ADI/Hodgdon powders do.
The Hodgdon version also meters much better. Recommended.
Other good powders are Reloader-7 (a little slower), H-322 (slower yet), and H-355 (slowest of all).
The latter 2 are usually used with bullets over 300 grains.
Don't believe what you may read about those big bullets not stabilizing in 1/38" twist.
Driven as fast as possible (those lead bullets have much lower friction) they stabilize just fine up to 355 grains.
They also want to be sized .432" for use in the microgroove barrels.
More good reading from one of our premier WFN bullet makers and a 444 nut:
Beartooth Bullets > Tech Notes > .444 Marlin- America's Most Versatile Big-Bore Part I
Beartooth Bullets > Tech Notes > .444 Marlin- America's Most Versatile Big-Bore Part II
Beartooth Bullets > Tech Notes > .444 Marlin- America's Most Versatile Big-Bore Part III
To tide you over here is our Master Reloading Table which is curated by yours truly.
The PDF converter in OpenOffice doesn't work very well so there are some blank pages.
The original document is at:
Dropbox - 444 Master Reload Table revised Nemo-7h.xls
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Holy Crapo...Thanks for the links I will have to join there and get some info. Thanks.. Oh the 265 grain bullets I happen to have are Remingtons. As a side note I had a microgroove 45-70 and it was terrible with cast Got a Rifle with Ballard and it shoots anything...almost
Nemo288
Member
Interesting about the Remington 265.
AFAIK the Remington 265 ammo was loaded with an early version of the Hornady 265 FP which was in fact the first bullet
(and still one of the only) designed specifically for the 444.
Do you have a picture of the box to show Remington made those?
The Remington 265 ammo was discontinued quite awhile back but I still have some.
Having pulled one of the bullets, it is indistinguishable from the Hornady which has come in a couple of flavors.
At various times it has has one or 2 cannelures.
Both have had the same part number from Hornady.
Remington did make a slightly improved version of their revolver 240 SP and load it in the 444.
The improvement involved adding an additional cannelure.
This bullet was never sold as a loading component to the best of my knowledge.
Nowadays there are several nice jacketed bullets for the 444 if that is the way you want to go.
The toughest 44 bullets out there are the Swift A-Frame, The Woodleigh Weldcore 280 (designed for the 444),
Hawk Bullets custom in several weights and jacket thicknesses, the Sierra silhouette bullets (I like the 250).
I may have missed a couple including the Barnes buster that may be too long for the 38" twist.
The trick to getting cast to work well in microgroove barrels is to size them large, in our case as large as most casters will go: .432".
Slugging the barrel and measuring the groove diameter will tell the story.
Failing that (I never have) those large bullets work just fine.
Another interesting bullet I am just starting to work with in the 444 mostly for plinking is the Zero 240 SP that is .431"
in diameter making it one of the only jacketed 44 bullets that size.
It is also useful in those older revolvers with big chamber throats that were made before the late 90's.
I have some S&W that measure up to .433 from the mid '80s.
AFAIK the Remington 265 ammo was loaded with an early version of the Hornady 265 FP which was in fact the first bullet
(and still one of the only) designed specifically for the 444.
Do you have a picture of the box to show Remington made those?
The Remington 265 ammo was discontinued quite awhile back but I still have some.
Having pulled one of the bullets, it is indistinguishable from the Hornady which has come in a couple of flavors.
At various times it has has one or 2 cannelures.
Both have had the same part number from Hornady.
Remington did make a slightly improved version of their revolver 240 SP and load it in the 444.
The improvement involved adding an additional cannelure.
This bullet was never sold as a loading component to the best of my knowledge.
Nowadays there are several nice jacketed bullets for the 444 if that is the way you want to go.
The toughest 44 bullets out there are the Swift A-Frame, The Woodleigh Weldcore 280 (designed for the 444),
Hawk Bullets custom in several weights and jacket thicknesses, the Sierra silhouette bullets (I like the 250).
I may have missed a couple including the Barnes buster that may be too long for the 38" twist.
The trick to getting cast to work well in microgroove barrels is to size them large, in our case as large as most casters will go: .432".
Slugging the barrel and measuring the groove diameter will tell the story.
Failing that (I never have) those large bullets work just fine.
Another interesting bullet I am just starting to work with in the 444 mostly for plinking is the Zero 240 SP that is .431"
in diameter making it one of the only jacketed 44 bullets that size.
It is also useful in those older revolvers with big chamber throats that were made before the late 90's.
I have some S&W that measure up to .433 from the mid '80s.
Attachments
I will have dig those Remington bullets out. In Red Remington boxes...and if my memory serves they have 2 cannelures. I have had them for a long time. I also have some loose 44 cal bullets here in 240 gr with 2 cannelures. The round ball loads I made in the past were with as cast .433. Still have the mould. When shooting them they would (usually) stay in a 3-4 inch group at 50 yds. I will have to go look up the load. I have both IMR and H 4198 powders but they are mostly older I also have plenty of RL 7..I use it in the 45-70 Even 459 bullets wouldn't shoot in the 45-70. The only cast bullet that would shoot in that 1895 was the 300 gr(290) Hollowpoint. It also shoots in the Ballard rifled gun
rockquarry
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You might look at the Lyman Reloading Handbook; some jacketed and some cast loads with a variety of powders.
Nemo288
Member
I would check that IMR-4198 if it has been open for awhile.
It's single based.
Only powder I have had go bad. Sat mostly used for at least a decade.
I have not owned any H-4198 long enough to worry about that.
10th ed. Handloaders Digest: "The 444 Formula for Survival" by Robert K. Sherwood has a multi-ball recipe like you mention.
It's single based.
Only powder I have had go bad. Sat mostly used for at least a decade.
I have not owned any H-4198 long enough to worry about that.
10th ed. Handloaders Digest: "The 444 Formula for Survival" by Robert K. Sherwood has a multi-ball recipe like you mention.
And I am certain that is where I got the basic load. I just adjusted it to shoot in my rifle. I also loaded the 44 mag with 2 round balls and it works fine too. Not in many years though. I think without looking I used Herco powder in that load. I tried shot loads in the 444 all those years ago and can tell you they were not great. I have also loaded single round ball loads in both the 44 mag and 44 special
Nemo288
Member
Another load I like for plinking in the 444 is a 44 magnum equivalent:
24 grains of 2400 and your choice of a 240 grain bullet loaded in 444 brass.
I use SuperGrex as a filler but it is not necessary.
This has enough pressure to seal the case and burn cleanly.
I think the Grex helps with that.
Velocity is right about where a 44 magnum carbine would be: mid 1700's.
Having experimented with shot in revolvers there is no way I would do that to a rifle.
Those microgrooves would plain disappear!
My 44 caliber round balls ended up inside the hollow plastic rifle stock of my T/C Encore for benchresting the 17" .445.
I only had about a pound of them.
Works WAY better than any mercury or spring loaded "recoil reducer".
24 grains of 2400 and your choice of a 240 grain bullet loaded in 444 brass.
I use SuperGrex as a filler but it is not necessary.
This has enough pressure to seal the case and burn cleanly.
I think the Grex helps with that.
Velocity is right about where a 44 magnum carbine would be: mid 1700's.
Having experimented with shot in revolvers there is no way I would do that to a rifle.
Those microgrooves would plain disappear!
My 44 caliber round balls ended up inside the hollow plastic rifle stock of my T/C Encore for benchresting the 17" .445.
I only had about a pound of them.
Works WAY better than any mercury or spring loaded "recoil reducer".
Attachments
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When I loaded the shot loads in the 444 I used a Speer capsule and gascheck...base over the powder 410 wad with the capsule top crimped in. Didn't lead the bore and shot just fine...but unless very close it was not a useable pattern. You could easily get 3/8 ounce of shot in the load. Shot went everywhere from the spin of the rifling I think. The only 444 based Contender encore round I ever had was a barrel done by JD Jones in 308/444? It was violent in a handgun...but so was my 45-70 Contender. I really do not enjoy recoil. I had it for such a short time I hardly remember it. Got that thing at a gun show in Lewistown Mt. Guy probably laughed all the way to the bank! Like the Rizzini you have pictured. I did have a double rifle in 45-70 once years ago....and for some ridiculous reason a Krieghoff Double in 470 Nitro. The 45-70 double was a funner gun
Included in this purchase were 3 boxes of factory Remington 265 gr loads. Green and yellow boxes..2 boxes of 240 gr Rems 3 boxes of Hornady Leverevolution and a couple other boxes I sold to a friend who has a really ratty old 444 he got at a gun show for 200 bucks. He works on a ranch working cows and keeps it with him all times when working..either on a 4 wheeler or on a horse. He has used it to take an elk or 3 over the years as well as a few wolves. HE thinks it would be a perfect bear gun if he ever needed it. He see's grizzlies regularly
