I like to stay under 300 grains in my 444 loads except when going after UFOs and elephants. Then I go to 405 grain loads. LBT makes a 280 long flat nose bullet mold that looks like it would work well. I designed one on Mountain Mold's web site that is 290 grains and use it for my mice to moose load.
I cast a 310 gr with GC, Lee mold for my 444's. They will shoot through a deer from any angle.
I think I used the same mold but without the gas check. It was the best bullet that I tried.
Memory can play tricks on an old geezer. I looked up the group size. It was about 12 MOA. Hard to say though because one missed the paper. Give me a break, that was about 45 years ago. Sorry to have mislead.
I prefer classic. Semper Fi I used to run with the hare. Now I'm envious of the tortoise and I do my own stunts but rarely intentionally
260gr with GC on the left. 280gr PB to the right. 280gr should handle most anything with the exception of the big bears. If your rifle is a Marlin with the 1/36 twist it may not handle a bullet heavier than the 280gr. If it's a Win 94 it will have a 1/20 twist & will easily handle the 310gr bullet.
Yucon 254 Is right about the Ranch Dog bullet design. He came up with a winner when he designed those bullets. They were especially designed to work in a marlin with its short throat. I never heard a bad report on them.
