Marlin has since changed to 1 in 20" rifling, which solved that problem. As an example, a hand loader wishing to use the 210 grain Speer (an excellent performer on lighter bodied deer species) can start at 42 grains of 4227. Those which cannot achieve this level of accuracy can sometimes be improved via bedding at the heel and toe of the forend, followed by RTV silicone bedding under the barrel to act as a harmonic dampener. As with the original Remington load, Hornady chose a flat soft point projectile in an attempt to avoid the problems that can occur when driving hollow point .44 projectiles at high velocities. Today, there are a number of .444 Marlin cartridges in 240-, 265- and 300-grain loadings that will cleanly take bear, deer, elk or moose out to 250 yards. To those interested in exploring a mild big bore, I thoroughly recommend this rifle and chambering simply for the pure joy it brings. In most cases this modification will help to promote hydrostatic shock, producing results (speed of killing) similar to that obtained when using the 240 grain XTP. LEVERevolution ® represents a breakthrough in ammo design for lever action rifles and revolvers. The early 1960’s was a great time of technological creativity worldwide. In reality, this cartridge like any other; does its very best work in an accurate rifle and in the hands of a person who is willing to put some effort onto range work and ammunition selection. Those who wish to use the .444 on lighter bodied deer species should not overlook this option. The heavy .444 soft point does nevertheless have its limitations. When this occurs the core generally separates, leaving the jacket far behind. Having said this, the current reloading manuals as well as most published articles make absolutely no mention of high bulk density fast burning powders suitable for experimentation with lighter weight projectiles. 22 in brl. The case is straight-walled and was lengthened nearly a full inch over the relatively diminutive .44 Mag. Both hydraulic forces and mechanical (bullet weight shedding) action remain evident but tough or adrenalized game may cover great distances, up to or greater than 100 yards during a dead run. As a heavy game cartridge the .444 is adequate but must be considered a modest choice for body shots. As impact velocities fall to around 1600fps and lower, wounding deteriorates to about an inch. I n recent years, the round known as the .444 Marlin has been greatly overshadowed by its older, bigger brother, the .45-70 Government. It is when all of these factors come together that the magic show finally begins. Among these, Beartooth stand out with their 335, 350 and 405 grain options. For example a Marlin model 39A with a serial number of N12478 would have been made in 1955 while a 1894 in 44 magnum with a serial number of 25105098, would have equated to 1975. Instead, all that one finds are references to the 4198 burn rate which is too bulky, handicapping the .444 (again light bullets) by at least 200fps. The 240 grain XTP has its limitations, but should by the same token never be underestimated. Bullet weight shedding and fragmentation may be high (50% or greater) at these impact velocities, exponentiating wound potential. and preferred for hunting at a shorter range yet powerful impact, so it’ll kill larger game without destroying a lot of the meat. The well balanced 444 rifle has a blued 22" barrel and an American black walnut stock. Although conventional cup and core projectiles may shed a lot of weight at close ranges and or show delayed kills (dead runs) on lean game at moderate distances, the 240 grain weight holds the balance of all factors. Some ‘experts’ state 180 to 200 grain projectiles cannot be used at all, conjuring images of shallow flesh wounds. But quite often the lever actions (especially big bores) group around 1.5 MOA which can greatly upset the apple cart when using the 3” rule. [1] Since then Hornady has also made a 265 grain (17.2 g) interlock "Light Magnum" that boosts velocity to nearly 2,350 ft/s (720 m/s) and 3,140 ft⋅lbf (4,260 J) of energy at the muzzle. Terminal performance can also be found wanting at lower impact velocities. .444 Marlin - Manufacturer Loading Data. Pistol; Rifle; Cowboy; GR. The .444 generally performs well on lighter bodied deer when loaded with 240 grain bullets. The .444 Marlin (10.9×57mm) is a rifle cartridge designed in 1964 by Marlin Firearms and Remington Arms. Both shoot the same .429" pistol bullets, and both cases are identical, though the .444's is about an inch longer. Although this load worked well for the general hunter targeting lighter bodied game, the single offering did not fully exploit the potential of the .444. Still, hunting light game with the 270 grain Speer tends to be an under utilization of the .444. This quick action and powerful stopping power has been shown to be an efficient and useful hunting rifle for experienced shooters. As previously stated, the heavily curved trajectory of the .444 makes shooting beyond 200 yards very difficult - suffice to say that inside 200 yards and with suitable shot placement, the 240 grain XTP is highly effective at anchoring light to midweight deer species. At 150 yards, the flat point is down into the mid 1700fps range where a hollow point might prove more effective. At that time it was the most powerful lever-action cartridge on the planet. Many hunters would consider a 4 power scope to be suitable for this cartridge however a vary power scope mounted on the .444 Marlin rifle is very practical for precise shot placement on game between 150 and 200 yards. There is not much difference between the 444 Marlin and the .45-70, as reviewed here but it is worth noting the 444 Marlin has a bit more energy inside of 200 yards and does it with a bit less recoil. The 300 grain XTP is another good projectile albeit with its own limitations. From these less than exciting options, the 300 grain JHP has some merit for use on larger bodied animals such as Red and Mule Deer. At impact velocities between 1600fps and 1300fps (out to around 330 yards), chest shot game may show no reaction to being hit with expanding bullets. [3], Despite the litany of false rumors about the 240 grain bullets, the rifle gained additional popularity as additional bullets were designed for its higher velocity.[5]. [4], Some hunters initially claimed some trouble because the .444 was frequently hand-loaded using existing .429 bullets that were designed for use at handgun velocities. The 210 grain JHC fairs somewhat better and can be put to good use on game weighing no more that 60kg (132lb), though it comes into its own at around 2200fps (75 yards). Those writers and publications citing the inability of the .444 Marlin's Micro-Groove barrel to accurately shoot cast bullets driven over 1,600 ft/s (490 m/s). Heavier loads can be sighted 2.5” high at 100 yards in order to avoid a very steep trajectory. Upon impact, rather than displaying hydostatic shock, these projectiles may meet too much resistance (surface water tension) in such a way that the target overcomes the initial energy dump of the bullet. When compared to the venerable 30-30 … The one irony that I would mention here is that the .444 loaded with a Keith style bullet is potentially just as violent if not more so than some African cartridges loaded with round nose non expanding projectiles. But when used on larger bodied deer, both can suffer excessive stress at close ranges. The FTX is designed with a pointed ogive and rubber tip in order to enhance external ballistics but without causing detonation when stacked in tube loading rifles. The jacket of the JFP extends all the way to the tip of the bullet, having no exposed lead at the ogive. Fun with the Speer line up begins with the 210 grain Gold Dot. On the other hand, the weight, construction and SD of the 265 grain pill does not make it ideally suited to heavy game. From a muzzle velocity of 2450fps the 240 grain DCHP does not produce hydrostatic shock on lighter species of deer at close ranges and animals often show no sign of a hit before taking flight. At this time of writing there are several companies offering hard cast projectiles. 444 Marlin 265 gr FTX ® LEVERevolution ® Item #82744 | 20/Box US Patent: 9,513,092 | 8,413,587 | 8,161,885 | 7,380,502. Those who lived through the 1960’s would later refer to this period of time as ‘the golden years’. The altered 240 grain DCHP does not give deeper penetration than the 240 grain XTP but it does not suffer any major risk of bullet blow up if encountering dense bone on some larger species. Unfortunately the 180 grain JHC is a somewhat too light for optimum performance. The current offerings include the 200 grain Gold Dot Personal Protection (deep hollow point), the 210 grain Gold Dot Personal Protection (shallow dish shaped hollow point), the 240 grain Gold Dot Deep Curl Hunting hollow point (shallow dish shaped hollow point), the 240 grain Deep Curl Hunting soft point and the 270 grain Deep Curl Hunting soft point. Still, this powder can produce excellent performance. These comments also apply directly to the .450 Bushmaster 250 grain FTX load. This energy dump, can to some extent, come at the expense of some level of penetration but the trade off can prove worthwhile. High trajectories may also be a hindrance when attempting neck shots through timber. [6] It functions efficiently when used with cast lead bullets. SAAMI has rated this cartridge at 44,000 CUP. But the thick jacket can at times fail to swage back against the body of the bullet, acting like a parachute. This is the sort of load one typically sees from various ammunition makers in which the cartridge may very well be designed for or considered adequate for tackling tough or larger bodied game, but in reality, the majority of customers will hunt White Tail deer and so the ammunition is designed accordingly to ensure that within this role the product receives the best possible (“killed like lightning”) reviews. This bullet diameter is dictated more by the large diameter of chamber throats than by groove diameter of the barrel. It is usually used in the Marlin 444 lever-action rifle. The key to its innovation and performance is the patented elastomer Flex Tip ® technology of the FTX ® and MonoFlex ® bullets. Although 180 to 200 grain projectiles can produce spectacular results on lighter bodied game, it is also possible to push these bullets too fast and / or to use them on game that are too large, the projectiles being pushed far beyond their design parameters. Many years ago Hornady produced a 265 grain flat point ‘Light Magnum’ load at 2325fps. But after passing through vitals, the remaining fragments quickly run out of steam. The case was also widened at the head by 0.14”, featuring a steady taper, rather than utilizing the straight form of the parent case. In 1972 Marlin re-introduced the .45-70 to their lever-action line, expanding their big-bore offerings. Instead, the 265 grain Interlock could best be described as a useful close range medium game projectile, capable of tackling small to larger bodied deer from most but not all angles. The 250 grain Sierra is an excellent choice for the .444 and can tackle larger bodied deer weighing up to and above 150kg (330lb) with relative ease. From the 22” barrel of the current Marlin rifles, top velocities for the .444 include 2800fps with the 180 grain XTP, 2650fps with 200 grain bullets, 2600fps with 210 grain projectiles, 2550fps with 225 grain projectiles, 2450fps with 240 grain bullets, 2400fps with the (now obsolete) 250 grain Partition, 2300fps with 265-270 grain bullets, 2200fps with the 270 grain Speer and 280 grain Swift and 2100fps using 300 grain bullets. Such was the case within the firearms industry and while some cartridge and rifle designs of the time proved to be immensely successful, others have since faded into history. At close ranges the FTX does indeed produce rapid expansion and initial wounding is fearsome to say the very least. Provided technique is sound, any able bodied adult can enjoy using the stretched .44. Below 1300fps, the .44 caliber can produce slow kills (see .44 Magnum for more details on low velocity performance). Hornady currently produce two loads for the .444 Marlin, the Leverevolution 265 grain FTX loaded to 2325fps and the Superformance 265 grain flat point at 2400fps. In the .44 Magnum the Barnes take up too much powder space, the low speeds combined with slow twist rates (Marlin rifles) producing terrible accuracy. The .45-70 was originally designed with heavier 350- to 500-grain bullets at velocities hovering around 2,000 fps, though lighter, flatter-shooting offerings in the 250- to 300-grain range are now more com-mon. In a slower cartridge the shallow dish hollow point can sometimes cleave to its energy, producing rather dull results. The result of this can be seen among the small satellite exit wounds through offside ribs. The .444 is a very unique cartridge and never fails to generate discussion. Current reloading options from Hornady include the 180 grain XTP, the 200 grain XTP, the 225 grain FTX, the 265 grain FTX and the 300 grain XTP. These factors aside, wounding is fair thanks to the wide frontal area and eventual expansion regardless of the initial delay. Still, this should serve as a warning as to the limitations of the Remington load. A heavy hollow point is not the ideal choice for heavy African game but the 270 and 300 grain A-Frames work extremely well on lesser animals. Other specialized companies such as Buffalo Bore, Cor-Bon, Underwood Ammo, and Grizzly Cartridge offer loadings for the .444 Marlin in bullet weights up to 335 grains (21.7 g). By contrast, the GD is an excellent chose for woods / bush hunting Sambar, Elk and Moose and brings out the strengths of the .444. I have often obtained one- to 1.5-inch 100-yard groups with bullet weights up to 300 grains; however, accuracy was always best when velocities were kept high. If it is pushed too far (beyond 200 yards) the soft nose can lead to narrow wounding in comparison to a hollow point. The recoil level of the triple four is in no way the same as that produced by a hot .45-70 or a bolt action African game cartridge. This trajectory will also allow the shooter to make full use of the .444 in heavy timber but with enough reach for small open clearings, gullies and river flats. Condition (ALL) Weight Range. [3] Sales of the .444 are now overshadowed by .45-70 cartridge, which has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity due to interest in cowboy action shooting. Note that the Superformance load (including the projectile as a hand loading component) has for some years now only been available in limited production runs. Along with the flat point, additional weight was employed in order to enhance penetration. A possible limiting factor to the use of heavy bullets in some .444 rifles is the slow 1 in 38" rifling used in older .444 Marlin rifles. In loose terms, it is possible to achieve massive trauma with fair penetration (expanding) or massive penetration with fair trauma (hard cast) depending on game weights (resistance), shot placement and impact velocities. To this end, I would suggest that Hodgdon / IMR 4227 (ADI2205) is optimal for 180 to 225 grain bullets. Like the 180 grain XTP, the JHC produces good internal wounding on lean game but kills are sometimes delayed and blood trails non existent, essentially under utilizing the .444. The .444 Marlin favors bullets from 240 to 300 grains, and many rifles are effectively limited by their 1:38 twist rate—advantage .45-70—but the …