It's sad I have to melt these down

D

deerslayer303

New member
A friend gave me these boolits to melt down. He said they don't work in his 444 Marlin with the micro grooved barrel. Sad, they are gas checked too. There is prbably 30 lbs of these boolits here.
d43d583db64a0064ad21ec03d40877bb.jpg
 
They look like 290s, which should work just fine in a 1:38" barrel, as long as he pushes them to near-max velocity.

But, if they're undersized , then that could be a problem.
Even .430" and .431" is too small for the vast majority of Marlin MG .444 barrels. You need .432" minimum, and that's generally bore diameter. So, you're often looking at .433"+ if you want them to work, but then you run into seating and chambering issues ('tight' chambers and tight seating dies)....
It's one of those cartridges where you can't really win with cast bullets, unless you start modifying your equipment. ....Especially if you've got a 1:38" Micro-Groove barrel. :rolleyes:
 
30 lbs of bullets for free?

I have bought guns for less reasons than that. Get a gun to shoot them and take on a new reloading project.
 
^^ I hear ya. But what other than a 444 could these guys be used for? They are too big for a 44 mag, right. They are 325 grains I believe.
 
do some searching. There's those that shoot pretty heavy bullets from a 44 mag. 325gr is doable, I think.
 
Wish I lived close by, I have a .444, I would love to experiment and come up with a load that would work. I have read too much that says with the proper combination the microgroove barrel can do well with heavier cast bullets. I need to start experimenting; a friend has invited me to go on a buffalo hunt next fall, and if I can take him up on the offer the .444 is the biggest I got.

David
 
444slugs

Don't melt them down. Take them to a gun show and sell them or trade off for
some you can use. I've shot 300 gr. out of Ruger super blackhawk and it's
brutal. You can only kill something so dead.
 
Those would work in most .44 Mags, particularly Super Blackhawks and Redhawks (longer cylinders than S&Ws, Taurii, and Colts).


Looking at that bullet again, I don't know that it would chamber and/or cycle in Marlin .444s, due to crimp groove location and OAL issues. .444 Marlin standard chambers have ridiculously short throats (0.035-0.50") and the throat starts just a gnat's behind in front of the case mouth. So, typical .444 bullets are under groove diameter in front of the cannelure (similar to the .458" Remington 405 gr), or their ogive starts at the cannelure (like the .429"/.430" Remington 240 SP and Hornady 265 SP and FTX).

Was the issue that they "wouldn't work"?
Or that they "wouldn't shoot"?


I've shot 300 gr. out of Ruger super blackhawk and it's
brutal. You can only kill something so dead.
Click to expand...
My "Elk load" uses Lee 310s (in a Ruger SBH 7.5"). They let you know that it wasn't a 200 gr 'powder puff' load, but they're still not offensive to shoot (closer to pleasant than anything, really).
 
He said they wouldn't "shoot", he got nothing but key holes. He is an experienced reloaded with many years experience. So I just trusted what he said and told him I would make him so.e .358 SWC for his sons rifle.
 
At one time I owned a Winchester 94 Angle Eject and those reinforced receiver "humps" that was chambered in .444 Marlin. They are not very common, but they are out there.
 
My cast plain base 44's didn't like the micro grooved barrel in my Marlin. I would think a GC would grab the rifling.
 
At one time I owned a Winchester 94 Angle Eject and those reinforced receiver "humps" that was chambered in .444 Marlin. They are not very common, but they are out there.
Click to expand...
Generally highly prized by their owners, as well.

Oddly enough, I see more of the Winchester 94s in .444 Marlin, than I do Marlins chambered in .444 Marlin. And .444 Marlin is not at all common in my area. ("Common" being in reference to overall popularity across the country. - .444 Marlin is just quite rare here.)
 
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