Long range444 Marlin bullets??

[ncloader88]

Some have said that the 444 is the new 45-70. That is debatable, but it begs the question - Why has no one made any long range bullets in 44 caliber?  You would think that maybe Barnes would try to appeal to the 444 single shot market and offer a spire-point style bullet like they have in the 500 S&W. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/160549/barnes-xpb-handgun-bullets-500-s-and-w-500-diameter-375-grain-solid-copper-hollow-point-lead-free-box-of-20 There must be a large enough market with  all of the single shot rifles offered in 444 marlin.  Still, we can only find pistol style bullets with the closest one to being designed for the 444 being the hornaday 265 grain flat nose http://www.midwayusa.com/product/605468/hornady-interlock-bullets-44-caliber-430-diameter-265-grain-flat-nose-box-of-100 which has a low b/c

[quickdtoo]

The Hornady 265gr FTX has a bit better BC, so do Hawk spitzer bullets.

Tim

http://www.hornady.com/store/44-Cal-.430-265-gr-FTX-for-444-Marlin/

http://www.hawkbullets.com/Pricelist.htm

[curator]

The reason you don't see "long-range" bullets for the .444 Marlin is most of them were (are) made with very slow twist rifling for pistol bullets at high velocity. The one I had was 1 turn in 38 inches. Bullets of 400+ grain weight are too long in this slow twist needing twist rate of 1 in 24 or 1 in 20" to shoot accurately at any distance. Some custom barrel makers are producing .430 diameter barrels with a 1 in 20 twist rate for heavier bullets since others such as yourself see the potential with this cartridge.

[quickdtoo]

H&R 444 Marlins made since 2007 are 1:20" and shoot big bullets great, mine shoots 355gr excellent, same would apply to 405gr, same for modern Marlin leverguns. 

Tim

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/17
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/19
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/28

[ncloader88]

Tim, I guess the ftx is the best ballistic choice currently available, but they have a reputation of jacket separation    The hawk bullets would be great, but they seem to be a little pricey.  I guess I will have to stick with my 30-06 past 200yrds    In all honesty, neither of my barrels have been worked with enough to comfortably make long shots.  Guess that means I have to shoot some more

[gcrank1]

The long shots with ballistically inferior projectiles (most bullets for traditional calibers) gets iffy because of range estimation/ elevation adj.; what makes it work pretty well for many of us is that the trajectory is often similar to the caliber of our youth, the venerable 22LR. Still, by most of the 20th century standards, we are 'lobbing' them in. Not that doing so is inaccurate, its just more critical that we can walk them in, know the distance and sight setting for it, or the magic works. I rarely use a 'modern flat shooting high velocity jacketed bullet load' in anything anymore, so playing howitzer is normal for me. If I had a 444 I would be doing the same and casting (or buying casts) and learning the loop.

[quickdtoo]

The hawk bullets would be great, but they seem to be a little pricey. 

That's another reason why 2-shot groups for a hunting rifle make sense, I save a dollar over a 3-shot group! 

Tim