The pressures that a given cartridge is loaded to has little to nothing
to do with its case.
As mentioned, simply loading the reg 444 "UP" will accomplish the same thing. Thing is, your treading in "NO MANS LAND" and doing so willy-nilly is tempting fate and a recipe for disaster.
Your actually de-constructing this round. As basically the 444 case
is a rimmed 30-06 case.... What are you trying to achieve?
CW
Of course the case HAS A LOT to do with rated pressure max.
That does not mean a weak rifle will not limit the pressure recommended
but if the case cannot handle higher pressures then for sure no one
will condone the use in hi pressure situations.
The intent was to shoot 44 cal bullets at Casull pressures or close to it.
We know that 308 and '06 cases can handle certain pressures
but I have not seen anything that says the Marlin 444 case
can handle identical pressures. A cross section of the 444 case
compared to 308 case would be convincing however.
You seem to be contradicting yourself as in one breath you state
to upload the 444 then in the other you are saying it is risky.
I was just going with the known ( to me) capabilities of 308
cases. But you could be right about the strength of 444 brass
being identical to 308 if as you say they are the same all except
for one having a rim. If so, I agree the rimmed case would be better.
OK, guess I need to clarify.
I have said it many times, a brass case is merely a vessel to hold powder, primer and efficiently position a cartridge in a chamber. It is chosen for its “elastic” quality’s and its ability to work under or within the pressures of a given calibers pressures, not for its strength alone to contain it. The chamber and action are what contains the enormous pressures of the rapidly expanding powder, not the case.
The case of any given cartridge has little to nothing to do with the “pressure” (PSI or CUP) its loaded to. The only reason I don’t say that it has nothing at all to do with it, is because of certain case designs like belted, rebated and hybrids like the 454 Casull and Beowulf . Belted cases have a band around there base. This is for headspace, NOT FOR strength, as many think. The Casull is kind of a hybrid as it utilizes a small primer pocket. A small rifle primer is utilized and is more efficient in igniting the large amounts of compressed powder charges. The construction of the SR primer itself is also better suited for the much higher pressures of the Casull. Other than the primer, its cases are all but identical in thickness and design to regular Federal brass. The Federal brass is a bit thicker thru the web then standard 45Colt cases. Making it more durable and yes stronger. But nothing worth mentioning when measuring its strength compared to the steel in a firearms action. Now some cases will be thicker then others based on the pressures that a caliber works under, but this is to allow the brass to “work”. Brass that works for a 22RF wouldn’t be appropriate for a 300 Weatherby. That is an extreme and unfair comparison, but I think you see what I’m saying. Of coarse brass has some strength, but the “elasticity” of brass is what makes it so well suited for a case material.
As to my apparent, contradictions. You are thinking strictly about brass. I am speaking on 444 brass compared to a straight ‘06 case. Then loading it to a given calibers design constraints. The 30-06 for example is designed to work at 60,000PSI The 444Marlin to 44,000CUP. APPROX and for the sake of our conversation the difference between PSI and CUP is 10,000 in favor of PSI. So say 50K for the ‘06 and 44K for the 444. Yet as stated the 444 is very near a rimmed , straight ‘06 case? Wonder why? Cause simply the 444 was designed for a rifle action not capable of working at the higher pressure of the ‘06. NOTHING to do with its brass. Even the ‘06 case itself has much variances. The 308 works at 52K the 280 a 55K pressure range. The 250 Savage and 22-250 are another example. The 22-250 is a offspring of the much earlier 250, yet the 250 works at near 45K cup and the 22-250 at 55K CUP… the 250 was designed long ago with less strong steels. Would it have been designed today, it would have most likely have been the same pressure class. It’s simply the pressure that each cartridge was designed for. This is NOT a direct reflection on the case used.
This seems a area of much mystery to many a hand loader. Buy using a bit of common sense, stepping back and looking at the bigger picture and maybe some research online you can see or prove to yourself, what I have outlined for you here.
CW
