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This coming wednesday when we go to the range to fool with the subsonic stuff I'm gonna cart along my circa 2001 Marlin 444 with the ballard rifling and 1:20 twist rate . Wanna resight this one in since I put the old Weaver V9 on top . And also want it sighted in for the Mountain Molds 433-400GC and hopefully the LBT 433-400GC will hit semi close with the same sight in !
Also wanna see where the BRP/RD 432-400GC HP is hitting .
The 2001 restocked 444 , with the CBS replaced .
The bullets loaded rounds and what I consider the "pertnent info" !
It's my intention as well wednesday to run all four of these over the Chrony and see what I get .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
UncleBuck wrote:Man, those are some mean looking loads. About what do they chrono at and how far can you "reach out and touch someone" with 'em?
If memory serves me I checked them back before hunting season and the BRP/RD 400 with 37 of RL7 was going almost 1700 . And the Mountain Molds 400 with 43 of Varget was doing about 1550 . I think .
I sight these things in dead on at 100 yards . And don't usually take them anywhere I'll shoot over 80-90 yards . The deer I killed this past year with the BRP/RD 432-400GC bullet was a wopping 46 yards away .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Thanks for the concern . But all those loads have been shot in this rifle before thru testing . This is just a matter of wanting to see what the velocity is and getting the new to the rifle Weaver V9 sighted in .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
AJMD429 wrote:Before the dust settles, you'll have everyone here trading in those rotten old .45-70's on .444 Marlins...
I dunno about that . I still have a Marlin in 45-70 that I still consider to be the better killing round of the 444 versus 45-70 argument .
However..............................
It is my opinion with my loads in the 45-70 all cast of 425 , 465 and 550 grains . They kick more then the 400 grainers in the 444 . And yes I have a big thick KickEez pad on this rifle . But I also got an extra stock for my 45-70 that I refinished and put a nice fat KickEez pad on as well . Hands down when loaded up a bit the 45-70 will pummel you more then the 444 .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
UncleBuck wrote:Beautiful looking wood on that stock as well
Thank you .
The wood came from "Macon Gunstocks" and was done by my gunsmith buddies younger brother . It was the first gun he ever did . Well actually my friend inletted it and then his younger brother did the final shaping and finishing . Wood on that gun after our dealer discount was $225 shipped .
I have an inclanation to restock a 444 Marlin from say circa 1976 to 1980 . One of the first with the dovetailed mag hangers and no safety . But if I do one of those I think curly maple will be the way to go and of course I gotta have the monte carlo again .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
AJMD429 wrote:Before the dust settles, you'll have everyone here trading in those rotten old .45-70's on .444 Marlins... 8)
you got that right...and it seems that REM-Marlin has dropped the 444 from production...at least that was reported on this forum awhile back...still on their web-site, but not in the 2012 catalog...if that is true...too bad... :)
6pt-sitka
Tell me more about these 400 some grain loads in your 444's. Obviously this is not your first run at them. I do not own a .444, but that will change one day. At any rate from my casual research I come to the conclusion that the marlins don't like the heavy loads in that caliber. If you prove other wise I want to know, do they shoot good? If so why is it not more prominant? Do you know a trick? I could be persuaded faster to get in the game if I knew they liked that weight, as I don't see a need for a 444 shooting pistol bullets. Although I have shot Grizz's 4oo grain bullets in his redhawk, and that aint spose to work good either, but he got me hooked on that notion as well.
Udy wrote:6pt-sitka
At any rate from my casual research I come to the conclusion that the marlins don't like the heavy loads in that caliber. If you prove other wise I want to know, do they shoot good? If so why is it not more prominant? Do you know a trick? I could be persuaded faster to get in the game if I knew they liked that weight, as I don't see a need for a 444 shooting pistol bullets. Although I have shot Grizz's 4oo grain bullets in his redhawk, and that aint spose to work good either, but he got me hooked on that notion as well.
There is no "t' in "Sika"
I've shot 3 shot groups at 100 yards under an inch already .
There are no "tricks" .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Was able to get some shooting done today with the 2001 rifle and my variouse super heavy weight bullets in the 444 !
With the 2001 rifle I shot 3 shot groups at 50 yards and took velocity readings all will be the average of 3 shots with the Chrony set about 12-15 feet from the muzzle .
Mountain Molds 433-400GC with 43 grains of Varget , avg 1634 FPS.
BRP/RD 432-400GC with 37 grains of RL7 , avg 1773 FPS .
LBT 433-400GC with 43 grains of Varget , avg 1651 FPS .
BRP/RD 432-400GC HP 43 grains of Varget , avg 1628 FPS .
POI for all those loaded with 43 grains of Varget was close ebough at 50 yards for deer work . The one with RL7 however was not .
After I got the gun sighted back in and checked speeds I tried the piggie silhouette at 100 meters with all 4 and scored resounding hits each and everytime . Then I tried the 200 meter ram and got resounding hits with 3 of them each and everytime but that LBT bullet being the heaviest at 420 grains loaded weight I shot a couple right under the rams belly then a couple a hair over his back before I got the correct holdover point .
Also used the newer to me 1972 444T . Ran velocity checks again on the Ranch Dog 432-240GC with 52 grains of H322 with an average of 2304 FPS for 3 shots . With 46 grains of H4198 I got a 3 shot average of 2291 FPS . Tried the Lyman 429434 with 52 grains of H322 over the Chrony again for a 3 shot avergae of 2304 FPS .
Tried the RD 432-240GC also on the chicken , boar and ram silhouette . And got resounding hits each time I shot at all 3 from the bench .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
I'm interested in the .444 loads that 6pt is discussing. But, I've used 26 grains of H4198 behind a Beartooth 405 grain bullet which was pleasant to shot and dang sure enough for the light bodied game around here.
rimrock wrote:I'm interested in the .444 loads that 6pt is discussing. But, I've used 26 grains of H4198 behind a Beartooth 405 grain bullet which was pleasant to shot and dang sure enough for the light bodied game around here.
rimrock
My loads aren't that bad with that big old KickEez pad on the back
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Also used the newer to me 1972 444T . Ran velocity checks again on the Ranch Dog 432-240GC with 52 grains of H322 with an average of 2304 FPS for 3 shots . With 46 grains of H4198 I got a 3 shot average of 2291 FPS . Tried the Lyman 429434 with 52 grains of H322 over the Chrony again for a 3 shot avergae of 2304 FPS .
I've seen velocities similar to this on 405 to 425 gr loads in 45/70. I stopped at about 1963 fps from my guide gun and as a matter of personal preference won't shoot anything stouter in my Marlins.
Do you have any way to pressure test your H322 loads? I'd be interested. The pressure should be higher than the same load in 45/70... seems edgy to me but I'm chicken about pushing the envelope.
Great results. Those rams must be pretty well bruised up. I bet they don't teeter and tease when you connect!
Also used the newer to me 1972 444T . Ran velocity checks again on the Ranch Dog 432-240GC with 52 grains of H322 with an average of 2304 FPS for 3 shots . With 46 grains of H4198 I got a 3 shot average of 2291 FPS . Tried the Lyman 429434 with 52 grains of H322 over the Chrony again for a 3 shot avergae of 2304 FPS .
I've seen velocities similar to this on 405 to 425 gr loads in 45/70. I stopped at about 1963 fps from my guide gun and as a matter of personal preference won't shoot anything stouter in my Marlins.
Do you have any way to pressure test your H322 loads? I'd be interested. The pressure should be higher than the same load in 45/70... seems edgy to me but I'm chicken about pushing the envelope.
Great results. Those rams must be pretty well bruised up. I bet they don't teeter and tease when you connect!
Grizz
I don't have any pressure testing equipment and to be honest if the shop hadn't purchased a Chrony I wouldn't have that either . I blew the front of mine aboit 20 years agao and never bothered to replace it .
I may take my circa 1972 Marlin 45-70 out next week and clock the loads in it ,
Ranch Dog 460-300GC
Ranch Dog 460-350GC
Ranch Dog 460-425GC
BRP 462-465GC
BallistiCast 462-550GC
For that one I got an extra stock and put a big fat KickEez on the back as well . That one with the 550's wound up pretty good would crush the bone in a shoulder after awhile . When I first got the mold I used it in the gun with the semi curved plastic buttplate and it put a knot in my shoulder in about 2 weeks .
The silhouettes I was shooting today are the stationary ones our club has set for sighters . They are about 4 times as thick as regulation IHMSA silhouettes . Those big old lead bullets do make a rather large splatter mark when you hittum thou !
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Speaking of higher velocities the Oakie that owns marlinowners did a test one time with a castboolits group buy 434-207GC bullet and VV N-120 . He ran that one up to almost 2800 FPS if my memory serves . Matter of fact he sent me some bullets he had cast with that mold before I ever got mine .
It took me awhile but I finally got a can or two of N-120 . I plan on trying it in a few of the 444's this summer , but I have no intention of running them up that hot .
Wanna get some VV N-130 to try at a later date also .
You probably surmised by now I like to mess with about 100 times more stuff then I have any earthly need
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Pretty, pretty impressive data on your various loads.
Also, no leading with these?
Does the 2001 rifle have the 1:20 twist rate?
Yes 1-20 . Thats the only reason I bought this gun , to get the 1-20 and stabalize the 400+ bullets .
Sika, sorry about the T.
So that was what I was getting at in my question. The 1-20 is what you want to shoot the heavys. I like it thanks for the post.
Grizz thanks for the links I read them all. Good stuff.
Pretty, pretty impressive data on your various loads.
Also, no leading with these?
Does the 2001 rifle have the 1:20 twist rate?
Yes 1-20 . Thats the only reason I bought this gun , to get the 1-20 and stabalize the 400+ bullets .
Sika, sorry about the T.
So that was what I was getting at in my question. The 1-20 is what you want to shoot the heavys. I like it thanks for the post.
Grizz thanks for the links I read them all. Good stuff.
No problem you being in the Pacific Northwest and all I suppose you thought I meant to spell Sitka as in a Sitka Blacktail .
The link he sent you about loading for what Beartooth call's the heavies got me started with data for the Ranch Dog's 432-350GC and then I moved on to a max of 375 grainers for the Micro Groove Slow Twist 1-38 rifles and the 400+ for this 2001 rifle .
Last season I killed two deer with 375 grainers in the 1-38 rifles and the year before I shot my first bear with a 375 er in a 1-38 rifle . This past year as well i killed a whitetail buck with the BRP/RD 432-400GC in my 2001 rifle . Now mind you I never doubted the bullet would do the job , I was just doing it to be doing it . Actually same can be said for the 375 grainers . Well if a fella wants to be totally honest for what I "do" I could kill them ALL with the Ranch Dog 432-265GC EASILY . But what would be the fun in 27 different 444 rifles shooting the exact same bullet
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Next wednesday I think I'll take the 2001 rifle along again and shoot it on paper at 100 yards with the MM 433-400GC , LBT 433-400GC and the BRP/RD 432-400GC HP . Since I already tried the BRP/RD 432-400GC on a deer last season that ones not of importance at the moment .
Since they all three pretty much have the same POI at 50 yards I am hoping they'll be pretty decent at 100 yards as well . Well what I mean is close enough that there's no need to resight for each bullet .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
