50 Yds
Very happy with the results so far. I only made up (5) 9.3x74mmR cases to shoot the 250 gn SST bullets at 50 yds. I shot slowly allowing the barrel to cool in the shade 5 minutes between shots. I am able to report that only the first shot was outside of the group and the last four were just over 3/4" center to center!! I like this brass so far, and will continue to fire this load in these 5 cases until I get a loose primer pocket or any other evidence of reaching case failure. Chrony has been reading mid to high 1900's. And also with this case I have been able to touch the rifling with a slightly long seated 250SST. I would also be very happy to see if it could shoot the +300gr leads with BP or BP sub as well.
Fifty yards has been the ideal whitetail range for me in the woods, so this Handi is getting the number 1 spot on my deer hunting adventure this season.
After shooting for this group, I fired 5 more shells to complete fireforming on them and the barrel was very warm after just three. After the fifth, it was HOT.
It was easier to find a good load quicker,but I also have a different procedure to load them with. It took several tries to get one to chamber, and I may still change if I get a better idea. Being the length of this case, it helped to have the 45-120 dies. I am only using the neck expander die to slightly flare the neck to accecpt a bullet. Neck tension has remained snug after firing a round, I think since it is annealed, and have not had to resize any to hold a bullet. The 45/70 factory crimp die has not been used for this brass successfully. I use a carbid Hornady 45lc sizer die with the decapper removed to make a 8th inch taper crimp and this has helped getting the round chambered fully.
As a passing thought, anybody working with the 444 Marlin brass, don't give it up yet. I was starting to show very good progress with it, but it was becomeing too time consuming for me, and this other brass was calling to me to try.
Moving on to 100yds just to know for sure.
Jerry