Feral I don’t want to get into a pissing contest with you but I’ve been shooting and hunting with the 444 since the 70’s. My rifle is a one of a kind Ruger #3 built for my late Brother who was a Wyoming guide by Parker Ackley. Since Bill Ruger refused to chamber his #1 or #3’s in the 444 Ackley was game to build one. My Brother knew him quite well and Parker thought the idea was interesting. He would build him #3 but he wanted to shoot it and work up loads and barrels first then he’d hand it off to my Brother. Anyway it’s a beautiful rifle, nice wood, slicked up action and trigger and a 25” 1-18” barrel with roughly. #4 contour. I got the rifle around 79-1980 and taken several elk and two moose. It’s a serious performer but nothing for recoil shy shooters. Still has the original Niedner steel butt plate.
My loads are as follows
Hornady 265 gr. over 55.5 grs of H322 reliably at 2350 fps
Barnes #4320 300 gr FP over 55.9 gr. of H335 ( compressed ) reliably at 2240-2250
Hawk 275 gr. Spitzer .025” jacket over 55.0 grs H335 runs 2300 fps
Being a single I can load and shoot pointy spritzers ( Hawks ) increase my range and they hold 2.5” to 2 3/4” at 200 yards. I’ve found this rifle will print close to MOA or 1/2” more all day. I’ve taken two moose with both the Hornady and Barnes 300 both blew out and shattered both fore and far side big shoulder bones. They dropped about the speed of gravity. Both were planted and couldn’t move but we’re still alive when I got to them. The 275 gr. Hawk was only used on one elk hunt in the thorofare but it was a 200 + - shot on a big cow. Bullet entered left shoulder traveled the entire body and broke up the right hind quarter hip. Not sure what the hunting range of the Hawk loads would be but I’m sure they could be considered 250 yard. I never considered this rifle and round as a long range option but with these Hawk spritzers in a falling block I think people would be surprised
Rick
Why would we get into a pissing contest? That's good stuff Rick.
It is at a level I'm probably never going to get to play at though. Whitetails here in the Appalachian mountains, and maybe a black bear if the opportunity ever presents itself, is the bulk of my needs for this rifle and cartridge. I certainly have lots of long range options here on the farm, but I've other rifles if I want to do that. Where I use these lever guns in the hardwoods and brush, 200 yards would be really stretching visibility. 50 to 100 is more the norm.
I tried to get some of those hawk flat points a couple three months back but the guy on the phone said they were all out of stock in the three calibers I was trying to order, and couldn't give me an approximate date of when they'd have more made. So I went with these Zero brand 240's for the 444.