Advice for reloading the .444 marlin for a handi?

[Wagguy80]

    Haven't done any reloading in a long time.  Currently I have a box of Hornady 265gr FTX leverevolution rounds rated around 2300fps.  These seem to shoot really good.  At nearly $40 a box however I think reloading is definitely justified here.  Not looking to go all out with the cartridge so looking for some recommendations on a good load combination.
No place around here carries reloading supplies, and smokeless powder is expensive to ship.  So I would like to avoid experimentation as much as possible.
     In other words I'm looking for something close to the above load, but I'm flexible on bullets.  Looking for bang for my buck here.  I like to shoot it but $40 a box gets expensive real quick.  Also anything that will cross over into .45-70 loads as well if possible.  I know the bullet diameter is actually very close.  The loads will be different but if I could get 1 powder, and 1 bullet to load both would be excellent as my father shoots a .45-70 and so he's in the same nearly $40 a box boat I am.

     Oh and the barrel is a 1-20" twist as it's brand spanking new.  Well was brand spanking new

[Redfish1]

I hand load all of my 444's for two handi's and the load I've settled on is as close to the
Factory stuff as I care to get. First thing use only Hornady Leverevolution brass with FTX
Bullets, they are shorter than others and you won't have to trim them. My load is win primers
And 43.6 grains of IMR 4198. They chronograph at 2235 fps from my handi and factory LR
Loads shot 2285 FPS from the same gun and chronograph. They shot about 1 1/4" groups and I
Can't really tell the difference in them and factory. Some folks will recommend  H4198 but
I find the IMR to burn cleaner. Get a good loading manual and you can load both 45-70 and
444 with the same powder.

[quickdtoo]

I use H4198 and RL7. As for cross over loads for the 444 to 45-70, they aren't close in case capacity, 68gr water for the 444 and 79gr water for the 45-70.

Tim

[Jason F]

You don't have to use short hornady brass with ftx bullets in a handi. Use regular brass and load them close to rifling.

[bucmeister]

The Hornady LEVERevolution Powder is now available which I guess should allow you to replicate their factory loads. 
Hornady Powder Page the LEVERevolution is about midway down the page.
Saw some at the shop across the river, lists loads on the label.

[quickdtoo]

The Hornady LEVERevolution Powder is now available which I guess should allow you to replicate their factory loads. 
Hornady Powder Page the LEVERevolution is about midway down the page.
Saw some at the shop across the river, lists loads on the label.

Hodgdon(not Hornady) LE powder isn't used in the 444 Marlin, it's used in other levergun chamberings such as the 30-30,  35 Remington, 308 Marlin Express, 338 Marlin Express and the 25-35 Winchester. 

Tim

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

[bucmeister]

Tim,

Sorry about that mistake thank you for catching it.  I had not read the particulars just saw that it was the LE powder and made the mistake of "assuming".

[abolt-fan]

I've had good luck on paper and game using; Rem. Brass, WLR primer, Speer 270 gr. Gold Dot/Deep Curl SP bullets and H4198 powder.

[cwlongshot]

I haven't loaded for the tripple4 for some time. Mine are all Marlins. But the orig Horbady 265 was always my favorite until Speer came out with the 270 Gold Dot that's now know as deep curl that Abolt just mentioned.

For powders 4198 is a good one as can be RL7 but my favorite was H322.

Good luck the triple 4 is a excellent caliber BUT steer clear of 44 mag PISTOL bullets on big game. (Any SP should be ok as long as its 250+g. YES, even a 240 SP,in top loads, can come apart) Also steer clear of any HP bullets on game.

Best of luck!

CW

[Larry L]

When I started loading for my 444, the closer I got to max loading the better the accuracy. I'm using IMR4198 and that will also work in a 45-70 as well. It's probably the most versatile powder out there. I'm using the Hornady 265gr bullet and getting more than the 2300'ps but I was using older data, before the lawyers got involved, and will probably reduced the load when I start reloading for it again. With the 444 I haven't found much, if any, difference in primers effecting how the gun shoots. Mine shoots the current load right at 3/4" group at 100 yds which exceeds my expectations.