Big Blue: Howdy Don... I have 3 different Winchester 444s, all with different length barrels and different twists, so developing an accurate load for each has been a labor of love. Of the 3, I worked with a Montana Rifleman 26", 6 groove 1:24 twist rifle, and a stock Big Bore with a 20", 12 groove 1:38 twist rifle. Both were firelapped.
With the 26" barrel I found the most accurate load to be Beartooth's 330 gn long flat nosed dual crimp gas checked bullet over 52 grns of Varget. You can go to 54 grns of that powder but have one hay of a time compressing the load to get the bullet to a functional (lever action) seating depth, so I stuck with the 52 grn load. From my long barrel I estimate close to 2200'/sec with that load. That load flipped a 400 lb Russian Boar right over on his side. He was hit from 50 yds, through a narrow window in the brushy deadfall he was hunkered down in. The slug took him behind the head on the left side and completely exited his right shoulder. No contest. The same load also took a 7-800 lb cow Elk at 100 yds, with two slugs completely penetrating her chest. Again, no contest.
With the 20" barrelled rifle, the most accurate load for me with open sights was the 300 gn version of the 330 grn Beartooth bullet over 52 grns of H322 - that's a whomper. Didn't get the chance to try that one out this last hunt but will use it for whitetail this fall.
BTW Don, accuracy for me is under an inch at 100 yds. And the load that gives the most consistent pattern is the one I choose. Either of those two rifles might become my favorite hunting companion. Now, all I have to do is the same for the Timber Carbine - whooooo boy, that one will light up the night sky with its ported barrel.
I wouldn't worry about the Elk with the 444. The cow I took had just turned her head to lok at something (my brother I think) and that re-postioned her so that my first shot penetrated the bottom half of her lungs and the top part of her liver. When I saw the bullet had not hit where I wanted it and she was still standing (2 seconds later), I closed to within 75 yds and took a better shot. By that time (a few more seconds) her head was down and she was beginning to falter. My next shot pentrated throught the upper chest and heart and she simply dropped.
I have no doubt the 265 grn bullet at nearly 2300'/sec would do the same thing or possibly perform even better. That slug is very accurate in all of my rifles but I just wanted to go with something heavier. HTH, and good luck. Mikey.
