cabin4: ya'll said - .430 revolver bullets vs. .458 rifle bullets? The 444 starts with the standard weights in 240 and 265 then goes to 300, 325, 330, 355 and 405; you can shoot revolver bullets through it if you want but I prefer the heavier 'rifle' bullets.
No, a .430 is not a .458, but doesn't need to be. You also said "....bullet weight. .458 will top off much higher then the 430" - that should be expected.
And what else--- oh yeah "Nothing wrong with the 444, its just not a match to the 45-70". The only match for a 45-70 is another 45-70. The 444 doesn't need to 'match' it, it does the job just fine all by itself. Nobody out there is trying to make a 45-70 out of a 444 - if they wanted that they would simply buy a 45-70. Some handload to improve the ability of the 45-70 on large or dangerous game, same with the 444.
There are three different power/pressure levels for the 45-70. The original loading for the Trapdoors, then the next level up for lever actions, and finally the near nuclear capability of the loadings for the bolt actions and single shots. It seems that the 45-70 has gone through a couple of 'evolutions' to make it more effective.........
There is only one power level for the 444 - no matter what bullet weight you shoot in the 444 you do not exceed the factory pressure levels for the rifles involved - not so with the 45-70, so which one is trying to match the other (rhetorical, not requiring an answer). Mikey.