Single Shot Shooter - the 444 is my favorite lever cartridge and probably my favorite all-around rifle cartridge. I play with lots of others, the 06, the 8mm, the 303 Brit, the 6.5 Swede, but I surely do like that 444.
As for accuracy - from my firelapped barrels - got 3 different 444s, all group to within an inch at 100 yds with monster loads. I prefer the 300 and 330 grain Beartooth cast gas-checked slugs and use their loading data - have never had a problem or a failed load.
I don't have pictures to post, but this past fall I took an 800 lb cow Elk at 100 yds with a broadside shot through the chest - upon post mortem we saw one square hole going in and one square hole going out and everything in between was hambur - par'n me, Elkburger. It wasn't an easy shot, I had a 6" window between a couple of trees to put the slug through and the accuracy of the 444 paid off, so did its perfromance. She never knew what hit her.
The 400 lb Russian Boar was another story, however. He was a mean sob who had treed a couple of hunters and guides and had scattered other groups of critters. He had taken up a position in a deadfall that wouldn't allow for anything but a side shot at the back of his head and the only good shot was from about 80 yds off. All I could see was his ear and the top of his back and I had a 3" window to shoot through - again, you can't argue with the 444 - that 330 grain slug hit him right behind the ear and course straight through and out the right shoulder, flipping him right over. The butcher said I lost about five pounds of good meat from the shoulder but also said he hadn't seen a straight through wound channel like that before.
Accuracy wise, the 444 is all I could ask for in a lever action, and the 200 yd shots I have taken for target print within 2" - that's pretty darned good, I think. Power wise - I guess you can tell that I am more than satisfied with the power levels of the 444. From a personal perspective I think that cartridge really shines with the heavier loads. Just my opinion. Mikey.
