Light .444 marlin load

[Brushbuster444]

I’m looking to make a load for my .444 marlin that resembles a .44mag or even lighter.

Maybe a 200-250gr cast bullet. I have a hunting load that works tremendously but I have a special use for these light ones.

We butcher beef every fall and usually just use a .22lr which more often than not works without a hitch. But... some times it takes more than one round. And a 265 jacketed bullet is just a wee bit too much at 15 feet. I’d like to develop a load for a rifle I already have rather than buy a new rifle (even as I say that there’s a bad taste in my mouth).
If anyone has any thoughts I’m all ears.

 

[elkduds]

Borrow a 223 w FMJ bullets.

The mildest load for 444 Marlin in my Hornady manual is 240 gr @ 1900 fps, way beyond 44 mag energy.

 

[johnrr65]

Borrow a 223 w FMJ bullets.

The mildest load for 444 Marlin in my Hornady manual is 240 gr @ 1900 fps, way beyond 44 mag energy.

+1

 

[wayno945]

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook might have what you are looking for. I can check when I get home. You probably can cook something up pretty easy with Trailboss.

 

[EastTNHunter]

10-12gr Unique and a cast boolit. Or a middling charge of 2400. Lyman manual should include both.

Trailboss would also work, and that should be able to be found at Hodgdon’s website

 

[kwyeewyk]

A little off topic but I watched a friend harvest a farm bison with a .444 marlin at about 50 yards. The first shot was between the eyes and hit a little low by the time it penetrated the hide and amazingly the young bull stayed on his feet, skidded sideways a bit, second shot in the ear dropped him. I always liked that rifle, but it's definitely a beast.

 

[p_ham]

I would use trail boss. Figure out where the base of your bullet will be when seated. Fill case to that mark. Weigh charge. Multiply that number by .7 and that will be your starting charge. You'll probably be between 11 and 13gr. Don't compress trail boss

 

[Brushbuster444]

If a guy is using 10-12 gr of powder in that large of a case, is there anything that needs to be considered for the excess amount of empty case? Maybe it doesn’t effect anything I just haven’t encountered it before.

 

[Brushbuster444]

A little off topic but I watched a friend harvest a farm bison with a .444 marlin at about 50 yards. The first shot was between the eyes and hit a little low by the time it penetrated the hide and amazingly the young bull stayed on his feet, skidded sideways a bit, second shot in the ear dropped him. I always liked that rifle, but it's definitely a beast.

There is something to say for the hide and skull. They surely can soak up a lot of impact without traveling down the neck. Then there’s times where we’ve shot hogs with a .22 only to find the bullet all the way down between the shoulders

 

[Bgriffith]

I think trailboss by weight is quite... fluffy so to speak but with other powders mentioned I have heard of people using cream of wheat to fill up cases but normally that’s only when case forming if I do recall

 

[p_ham]

If a guy is using 10-12 gr of powder in that large of a case, is there anything that needs to be considered for the excess amount of empty case? Maybe it doesn’t effect anything I just haven’t encountered it before.

Trail boss has a lot of volume. A full case is only around 16gr.

 

[Brushbuster444]

Well that’s some good input. Thanks everyone. I’ll give’r a try

 

[LuketheDog]

We butcher beef every fall and usually just use a .22lr which more often than not works without a hitch. But... some times it takes more than one round.

Maybe just hop up to a .22mag?

 

[wayno945]

Lyman manual has loads for 210 and 240 cast. Limited powder selection, only data for 5744/4198/RE7 type powders. Another good resource is the castboolits forum, I would check there.

 

[EastTNHunter]

10-12gr Unique and a cast boolit. Or a middling charge of 2400. Lyman manual should include both.

Trailboss would also work, and that should be able to be found at Hodgdon’s website

Old Lyman cast boolit data