.444 Marlin at the Range Today

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Modoc ED
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.444 Marlin at the Range Today

Post by Modoc ED »

I took my last years X-Mas present to me 2nd Model Micro Groove.444 Marlin manufctured in 1979 to the range today. I had been using it with the OEM iron sights but my aged eyes just make it hard to use the iron sights so I installed a Williams FP 94/36 Top Eject Receiver Sight on the rifle. When I installed the sight, I centered the eye-piece and made a SWAG (Scientific Wild *** Guess) height adjustment.

These are the first two groups I fired at 50-yards -- 1 indicated by Red, 2 indicated by Blue. Point of aim was dead center in the black 3" dot.

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The round circled by red and high and right was a pulled shot.

You can see by the target that I try to get the most use out of target paper as possible. :)

Anyway, the real purpose of this thread is to demonstrate the point of impact by two different brands ammunition. The ammunition I used today was two brands of factory brand ammo.

1. Remington Express .444 Marlin 240gr Soft Point -- Indicated by Red
2. Hornady "Light Magnum" .444 Marlin 265gr FP Interlock -- Indicated by Blue

It has been my experience that when using different weight bullets from the same rifle that the heavier bullet will have a lower point of impact than the lighter bullet BUT in this case, the Hornady "Light Magnum" has the same point of impact as the Remington ammo. I believe that is because the Hornady "Light Magnum" is loaded pretty hot and does not drop as much as a standard loaded .444 round. Just a point of interest to me.

Further, I like/liked the groups "as-is" and will leave the sight as I initially adjusted it when I installed it. Even with the flyer the group is good enough. It is 1¾" without the flyer and 3" with he flyer. Not too bad. The rifle should shoot dead on out to 150-yards with the sights set as they are.

After I fired the groups, I took the rifle over to the 100 yard line where we have a 6" round steel plate at 100-yards and hit it 3 out of 3 times off-hand.

Thanks for reading the thread.
Last edited by Modoc ED on Thu Oct 23, 2008 7:51 pm, edited 2 times in total.
ED
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TedH
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Re: OT: .444 Marlin at the Range Today

Post by TedH »

That'll work! Good shooting. 8)
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CBinNH
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Re: OT: .444 Marlin at the Range Today

Post by CBinNH »

Man, a 140gr .444 must be pushing 32/3400fps! Just razzing you bud. I'll have to pick up some of those Light Mags. The Lever Everlutions shoot pretty good at 50 yards for me, but show some yaw at greater distances. I have a mid-70's microgroove model. Thanks for the range report. Chris
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Re: OT: .444 Marlin at the Range Today

Post by Pete44ru »

Nice going - But there's no way this thread should be Off Topic, IMHO.

.
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Modoc ED
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Re: OT: .444 Marlin at the Range Today

Post by Modoc ED »

Pete44ru wrote:Nice going - But there's no way this thread should be Off Topic, IMHO.

.
Kinda thought that myself so I edited the OT out.

CBinNH -

I really like those "Light Magnum" rounds by Hornady.

I handload and I have found a handload that mirrors the .444 Marlin Hornady "Light Magnum" round so close that I can't tell the difference between them as far as performance and accuracy go.

My handload is:

Hornady or Remington .444 Marlin Brass, Winchester LRP, 54gr Hodgdon H-322, Hornady 265gr FP Interlock Bullet. I crimp (heavy) the case in the cannelure with a LEE Factory Crimp Die.

That handload will land at the same point-of-impact that the factory "Light Magnum" does and travels at 2288fps at the muzzle.

In the past, I've fired a group with .444 Marlin Hornady factory "Light Magnum" ammo and then fired a group with my handload and the result is always one single tight group.

Both the Hornady factory ammo and my handloads work equally well in all my .444 Marlin rifles -- both Micro Groove or Ballard rifling.
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BenT
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Re: .444 Marlin at the Range Today

Post by BenT »

Sounds like a good day at the range. I just picked up a 444 and am trying to dial in some loads. I've been playing with 240 gr speers and H4198. But if I pick up some 265 gr I'll try that H322 load. I have H322 and haven't found any cartridge that it out performs other powders in velocity and accuracy. So hopfully I can put the H322 to use with that load.
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Re: .444 Marlin at the Range Today

Post by Ysabel Kid »

Great report - but where is the leverporn? :wink: :D
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Borregos
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Re: .444 Marlin at the Range Today

Post by Borregos »

Interesting report.
I have just dialed my Marlin 444 in for the season but with handloads of 42.5gr IMR4198 pushing a 300gr Hornady XTP. Pops out the tube at 1960fps. I also use 49gr H322 with the same bullet, not sure about the velocity but likely around the same. We too have a 6" gong at 100 yards, I reckon if you can hit that every time offhand you are READY :!: :!:
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Re: .444 Marlin at the Range Today

Post by Nath »

Thats good going from the shooting off hand to the loads etc, well done and thanks. That h322 load has some noodles! Does it flatten the primer out?

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Re: .444 Marlin at the Range Today

Post by AJMD429 »

Borregos wrote: We too have a 6" gong at 100 yards, I reckon if you can hit that every time offhand you are READY :!: :!:
Where do you get a gong sturdy enough to take repeated hits from a .444, even at 100 yards? My 3/8" one looks like it was neatly cut with a press and die, and my 3/4" one has 1/2" craters and bulges in the back.
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Borregos
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Re: .444 Marlin at the Range Today

Post by Borregos »

AJMD429, our 100 yard 6" gong is 1" thick and seems to stand up pretty well to hard hits, not sure what steel it is but it is not cratered much.
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Re: .444 Marlin at the Range Today

Post by Ben_Rumson »

Nice shooting Ed You got that baby purring..
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Modoc ED
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Re: .444 Marlin at the Range Today

Post by Modoc ED »

Nath wrote:Thats good going from the shooting off hand to the loads etc, well done and thanks. That h322 load has some noodles! Does it flatten the primer out?

Nath.
No it does not flatten out the primer. I've never had a bulged, split, etc. case or a flattened or ruptured primer using that handload.

Borregos said:
"Where do you get a gong sturdy enough to take repeated hits from a .444, even at 100 yards? My 3/8" one looks like it was neatly cut with a press and die, and my 3/4" one has 1/2" craters and bulges in the back.
It's a 1" steel plate. We have one at 50, 100, and 200 yards.
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