Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers Lead bullets and Marlin Micro Groove Barrels?

I haven't used cast bullets in my 444 Marlin, strictly because of concern of the lead and the Micro Groove barrel not playing nice together...

My 444 was built in 1980, so it has the one in 38 twist and the Micro Groove barrel..

anyone have any positive experiences with this combo?

thanks
seafire

I dont have the micro groove barrel in mine, but I think they will still give good results as long as the bullets are sized right.
You could always play it safe and use a gas checked bullet, in my experience they can be pushed pretty hard, and dont leave any lead behind at all.

I have a 45/70 instead of your 444 but with a micro-groove barrel. I have found that if I shoot bullets .001-.002 over bore dia. everything works fine. Hard cast at bore size or under ends-up with a perfect profile at 50 yards.

This is with plain base bullets. I haven't tried gas-checks to see if size matters with them.

I've made and shot WW & water quenched cast bullets in my ca. 1992 336 30-30 w/ micro-groove barrel and they shoot fine. I use gas checks and run them through the lubri-sizer. It's been a while since I've loaded any cast rounds for that rifle, but IIRC, I size them at .310 or .311. Also, I tend not to shoot "hot" loads with any cast bullet.

Check out this vendor for what you need for a Marlin .444
I have the 350 grain .460" mold for my guide gun and it shot very accurately with them.


http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_5_11&products_id=16

I've got a 1895 45/70 w/micro groove rifling. Have shot lots of 300 gr & 350 gr jacketed bullets with some great groups. Decided to try some 405 gr casts, bullets were going in side ways at 50 yds. Not bad group though!! Think all the guide guns have Ballard cut rifling so cast would be fine, but gas checks are probably mandatory with any of the micro groove guns.

I've heard mixed results with microgroove.

My Ballard rifled Marlin 45/70 was flinging cast 405s sideways too, until I firelapped it. It was ROUGH, and rasping off a lot of lead.

You might also make sure all the copper is cleaned from your barrel before trying cast lead.

You may also want to slug the bore, and see how big it is, then select a cast bullet slightly larger than groove diameter.

Check out Beartooth Tech section on the 444M...but keep it quiet...once the doomeezzz hear, you won't get a good deal on ANY microgroove barrel anymore.

All those 1/38 barrels were 0.432-0.433" anyway so you need bullet hard case sized at least that much...jacketed doesn't matter and LAP YOUR BARREL, hand or fire, if you're gonna use hard lead bullets.

LUCK