Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers 444SS

My microgroove with factory 265 flex tips

Sweet.

The 444 is a great round! Most 444 owners I know consider Hornady's Superperformance loads tops. Some refer to the FTX loads as "hamburger on the hoof" because they cause so much meat damage. I have lots of levers including some in 45-70 but, the 444 is my favorite. I have eight Marlin 444s and a Winchester Big Bore in that chambering. I don't see Marlin making any more on the horizon.

Like most straight walls, the 444 is very easy to load your own.

BTW, $575.00 is a good price.

T.S.

You can always reload tough bullets for less damage.

300 Sierra and 300 Beartooth cast with H335 both at 2150 fps. 3 shot groups

The 300 sierra BTW will have to be seated where the cannelure is NOT visible!!!! Seat to Max COAL and use a good crimp via the Lee factory crimp. It will not move!

Haven't shot the groups some of you have shown , but that's using a red dot . But , never the less , like it . Can't wait till rifle season comes around again , really want to try it on a deer . When loading for a laver action do you try to go as close to the lands as you can get and still feed , or just set it recommended C.O.A.L. ?
thanks , Kenneth

I am using a 2x7 vari x 2 Leupy

You'll want to use recommended COAL as a starting point, but create a dummy to test for feeding. I've found the Marlins to be finicky about feeding some bullets, and the throat is often very short. Using a few different cast bullets, the std crimp groove doesn't work, and I have to seat the bullet deeper and use a Lee collet FCD in order for the cartridges to chamber. Yours may be different, but this is common with the Marlins.