Load and powder for .444!

[jpshaw]

Just got a used .444 H&R and plan on loading for it.  I doubt the H110 or RE15 I have on hand would be best.  What would be a good propellant and a load to go with the Hornady 265 grain round?

[tacklebury]

Might want to look at the FTX Load notes from Hornady: http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/ftx_load_data/444_marlin_ftx.pdf
 
Alliant has the following data on .444 - uses on one of my personal favorites Reloader7 (never used 10x) which I use exclusively in .45-70, but it isn't the exact bullet spec, but close.Centerfire Rifle444  Marlin

• Speer 240 gr JHP

Case	Minimum OAL (inches)	Bbl Length	Primer	Powder	Charge Weight (grains)	Velocity (fps)	Notes	Print
Remington	2.53	24	CCI 200	Reloder 7	50	2,354	-	View this recipe
Remington	2.53	24	CCI 200	Reloder 10X	53	2,348	-	View this recipe

[spinafish]

265 GR. HDY JFP

Hodgdon

H335

.430"

2.550"

52.5

2032

32,100 CUP

56.0

2187

39,700 CUP

265 GR. HDY JFP

Hodgdon

H4895

.430"

2.550"

50.0

1944

29,300 CUP

53.0C

2080

34,800 CUP

265 GR. HDY JFP

IMR

IMR 8208 XBR

.430"

2.550"

51.0

2030

34,700 CUP

53.5C

2135

39,100 CUP

265 GR. HDY JFP

Hodgdon

Benchmark

.430"

2.550"

49.0

1911

31,000 CUP

53.0C

2139

40,700 CUP

265 GR. HDY JFP

Hodgdon

H322

.430"

2.550"

47.0

1991

33,200 CUP

52.0C

2164

38,300 CUP

265 GR. HDY JFP

IMR

IMR 4198

.430"

2.550"

42.6

2105

39,800 CUP

44.4

2187

42,100 CUP

265 GR. HDY JFP

Hodgdon

H4198

.430"

2.550"

42.0

2034

31,100 CUP

47.0

2273

41,100 CUP

[tdoor]

I use IMR 3031 in my 45-70 and 444 with exllant results  sub 1" at 100  with near max loads

[Lloyd Smale]

re7 and 4198 are my two favorite powders in the 444

[Mikey]

4198 is good with any 240 or 265 gn jacketed slug for the 444 but those are low end loads, so to speak.  Get on over to the Beartooth Bullet website and reqad what they say about heavy 444 loads.  I've got 3 444s, all Winchester Big Bores and all with different length barrels with different twists and all shoot the 300 - 335 gn cast loads at 2300'/sec or better.  If you want or need heavier you can go with the 350 - 405 gn cast.  One of the older members here turned his into a black powder rifle calling it the 43-65-405 or something like that and me awful jealous..

[jpshaw]

Will definitly be getting some 4198.  Just got to fiqure what my load will be.  Looking more for accuracy the fps.  Anything over 2000 will more then trump the old .44 Maggie.

[bigvarmnt]

I've loaded a few 200 XTP & 240XTP with IMR 4198. They shot good. I meant to buy    H 4198 after looking at the targets Tim posted. Got some H4198 and think I have some test loads but haven't got back to them. The H will give more velocity than the IMR by looking at the data I have. Don't know if one is more accurate than the other.

I plan on looking into some gas checked cast bullets for the 444 but looks like that 265 Hornady bullet is a good factory one

Go back a few pages there was some discussion on the 444 and Tim posted some good targets and links. Think it was in the H&R Centerfire rifle section.

[45-70.gov]

i too will be reloading for the 444 handi soon


it has been firelapped with about 30 rounds


i have 2 moulds  280g WFN  with  and with out gas checks


i have cast  some plain base real hard  3/4 ww and 1/4 babbit


will probly stick to  gas checked  half and half ww and pure lead


got  3031 and varget and  ?4198 on hand

[.Dirty-.30]

I use h4198 in my .444 and .45/70, it does fine enough for my shooting. Cat sneeze loads with Unique are scary accurate from my Marlin, my last time shooting I had 7 shots at 50 yards went into less than .600, gonna try 'em at 100yds soon. These light loads are similar to the .44 mag or just shy of it. Very enjoyable to shoot with 240gr XTPs.   .DT

[Lloyd Smale]

heres a good article on the 444 my buddy wrote for leverguns    http://www.leverguns.com/articles/anderson/444Outfitter.htm

[abolt-fan]

I have used two loads in my .444 s.  Rem. brass, Win. LR primers, H4198 powder.  The bullets are Hawk 275gr. spitzers and Speer 270gr. GDFP.  44-45 gr. of powder will get you approx. 2250 fps.  Sub-minute accuracy is the norm with my two Handis. 

The Speer Gold Dot soft points hammer deer and hogs so well that I've not shot anything with the Hawk bullets.  Longest shot on deer so far was 190 yds.  Nothing I've shot has moved more than 30 yds. after being hit.  It simply hammers them.

I like the Speer bullets enough that I bought 500 of them from Graf's.  They have them for $14.85 per 50.

[Grumulkin]

Shot with an Encore handgun with a 15 in. barrel from 200 yards.

[gomerdog]

For my 444 Handi, I have tried different powders, but the powder that seems to be the most consistently accurate is H4895 in bullets from 250 to 300 grains. It doesn't create the top velocities, but 100 fps here or there won't matter at normal hunting ranges. One powder I'd like to try and haven't yet is Reloader 7. Others have reported good success with that.