I've started buying more CVA's since they now have much of their work done at Bergara including the barrels. And it cost just a bit over $200--less than an 8 lb keg of powder.
I was lucky and found a few bags of Remington brass--otherwise there is nothing available anywhere--in fact it's hard to find "back order OK."I assume you have to limit the velocity of the cast bullets? I have a pretty big stash of all kinds of .429 bullets since I've been shooting 44 mag for quite a few years--the xtp has always been a top performer for me in that cartridge. I've also found that Lehigh's extreme penetrator is a great bullet in pistol like cartridges in terms of consistency and accuracy.
I have a CVA scout pistol in 6.5 creedmoor--I haven't really spent enough time developing loads for it iso I haven't found a good load yet--my rifle loads don't seem to be exceptional in it. I also have a CVA paramount--the accuracy and performance of that muzzleloader is amazing and equals or beats a good many of my bolt action rifles. It's a "well kept secret" that CVA is owned by Bergara and they make most, if not all, of their barrels. I remember years ago before Bergara acquired CVA I always thought of their offerings as bottom of the barrel Wally World fodder--not so now!
I've been exploring potential loads on quick-load; what is interesting is that much of the published data out there is based on the "1:38 twist 44 mag stretched" frame of reference; whereas modern 444's have come into their own with 1:20 twist. I'm looking at a "way out there" high velocity monolithic load that looks promising in QC.
Hope so--if it ever gets here.
I remember "the good old days" when I ordered firearms they usually got delivered to my selected ffl within days--these days it takes weeks.Be careful with Quickload. .444 Marlin is one of those cartridges where QL can't really make sense of it. So pressure and/or velocity predictions are usually off by 20% or more. And they can be high or low, depending upon bullet, seating depth, and powder chosen.
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They chambered the Handi-Rifles for everything, including .444 Marlin.T.Ohaire said:
I know what you mean--there appears to be variance with some cartridges--I've noticed especially with straight-wall pistol cartridges. It that instance I usually like to "cross-verify" by tweaking the settings to where they match what labradar tells me I'm getting velocity-wise and other published data. Not foolproof, but should get me reasonably close.
I went through some Nosler and Hornady published data and then took their charge weights and COL's and plugged them into QL--in most cases QL came very close to right on the money for the forecasted velocities. The pressures were quite low in QL, none of the published charges came very close or exceeded pmax.
I just ordered 4 boxes of them from powder valley--they have them for $28 a box. I guess I'll wait until the interlocks are available again. For $200 a rifle that shoots this well and can likely bring down anything in NA at closer ranges--that's what I call a bargain. I'm liken this cartridge a lot already and haven't even started loading for it yet. USPS lost my dies I ordered 3 weeks ago--but they mysteriously were reaquired in the system yesterday and there's hope they may actually find their way here sometime next week.
That's pretty much what happened with the Burris 3x scope with cantilevered mount I tried on this, because of the LOP and relatively short eye relief I had the scope hanging off the rear of the scope mount which I guess creates a bad "lever moment" when under recoil.
