Author Topic: What are your recommendations for 44 mag and 444 LBT molds  (Read 1232 times)

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Offline wdcwdc

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What are your recommendations for 44 mag and 444 LBT molds
« on: January 07, 2012, 06:54:26 AM »
 I buy my bullets now. I would like to start casting. I have ordered your book.
 
What are your recommendations for these guns?
Hunt - Deer, Hogs up to 300#, Elk, Bears - Max to 100 y.
All so side arm in bear country.
 
1) SRH 7.5” 44 Mag
      Bullet weight and type and speed
2) SBHH 7.5” 44 Mag
      Bullet weight and type and speed
3) SBH 5.5” 44 Mag
      Bullet weight and type and speed
4) Marlin 1894 44 Mag 20” barrel
      Bullet weight and type and speed
5) Marlin 1894 44 Mag 16.25” barrel
      Bullet weight and type and speed
6) TC Contender 44 Mag 12” SSK barrel twist 1 in 20
      Bullet weight and type and speed
7) Marlin XLR 444   24” twist 1 in 20
     Hunt - Deer, Hogs up to 300#, Elk, Bears - Max to 200 y.
     Bullet weight and type and speed
8) Marlin XLR 444   20” twist 1 in 20   (Marlin XLR 444   24” cut to 20”)
     Hunt - Deer, Hogs up to 300#, Elk, Bears - Max to 200 y.
     Bullet weight and type and speed

Offline Veral

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Re: What are your recommendations for 44 mag and 444 LBT molds
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2012, 02:29:30 PM »
  If you want to keep recoil moderate, choose a WFN for the revolvers, and drive it at 1200 fps or higher.  At 1200 fps muzzle, most deer will hold still for your knife about 2 seconds after taking a hit.  260 gr is fine if you really want minimal recoil, while 280 or 300 gr is better if you intend to go for larger game like elk and larger.

  The same bullet will shoot well in all the other guns, but the LFN is a better choice, driven to at least 1400 fps muzzle to equal the kill speed of the WFN at 1200 fps.  I don't recommend driving them faster than 1650 fps or kill speed will go down, due to large a wound, which slows bleeding rate.   LFN's feed better in the lever lockers and are more streamlined in flight, so a better choice than the WFN for rifles, and the contender if you don't mind the recoil of it with stout loads.  I recommend  a 280 gr bullet for the 44 Marlin, and it's a good choice for all, but the 444 and contender will handle 300 gr gracefully.  Stability due to slower twist rates are the issue here.  300 gr bullets out of any Marlin need near 1800 fps to stabilize well.  You'll find the butt end of the little 44  comes back about like the foot of a mule when shooting them that fast, which is NOT maximum for the bullet if gas checked.  It can be driven to about 1900 fps with sane pressures.  (A 30-30 is a whimp in comparison!  This is close to double the recoil and down range punch, from the same rifle weight!)

   I've sold weights up to 400 gr for the 444, and they are accurate if driven hard.  However if you want a heavy weight for that one, I wouldn't recommend more than 350 gr, and even 320 gr is a powerful and deadly accurate bullet weight.  Understand that heavier bullets shoot most accurate if driven fast enough for perfect stability. 

  If you want to make the SRH really turn up some horsepower, load it with 320 gr, but be sure they are set up with .5 nose length for optimum powder room.  It will deliver them out the muzzle, with good safe pressures, at around 1600 fps.   Same load in the contender, if it has enough throat for the same OAL will be moving about 150 fps faster.    Magnum loads out of the Marlin will be moving about 200 fps faster than out of a revolver with 6 inch barrel.  Contenders will deliver something between, the variables being due to barrel length and no cylinder gap to leaf off pressure.

  You can include Big bears, Moose and bison with the heavier loads prescribed above.   
Veral Smith