Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Loading 444 Marlin in HR Handi Rifle

Picked up a really nice Handi rifle in 444 marlin along with dies and brass.

I live in a straight wall rifle state and have kids so I needed another gun because they have been using mine. This one will be for me only and I wanted somthing with more down range punch than my sons 350 legend. The ballistics look really good on the round. I already have a 1895G in 4570 and use pretty mild loads in it for close range stuff. I do have a bunch of stands on the timberline, so I’d like to have some longer range ability I feel very comfortable with the 350 legend out to 180-200 yards. I like to use heavy bullets in it to get better penetration and hopefully an exit wound for tracking if need be. The 350 really hasn’t failed us yet but I’ve passed a lot of shots with it out to that range on nicer bucks because I was afraid they would be hard to track if needed. We have a lot of CRP around us and if a deer makes it there it’s really sucks tracking. I see a lot of loads for 444 lever guns on the boards but nothing for handi rifles. Im assuming I can run it a little longer and can use “pointy” bullets. Anybody have any recommendations? I’ve been looking at the 225gr bear creek ballistics solid bullets but don’t see load data.

Outside of the Hornady FTX, there aren't many (any?) "pointy" bullets in that caliber. I shoot cast WLN (wide long nose) bullets in my lever gun. The 444 isn't really a long range round as basically you are confined to using pistol bullets. ETA!!! Hawk Bullets makes a pointy in .430! check them out. It might be the ticket. Good Luck.
This looks a lot more aerodynamic than the FTX (Leverevolution) which is intended for lever guns. This one was designed for the .44Mag Contender. 265 gr I believe.



Love the triple 4

We have a primitive weapon season in Mississippi which used to be muzzleloader only but something like 15 years ago this handi rifle became legal to use. Everyone and their moma rushed out and bought these handi rifles in 45/70 and 444. I actually have 2 45/70 and one in 444 marlin and sometime in near future I want to start loading for them but loading straight wall will be new to me. Last time I looked into it i do remember something about the length of brass in these handi rifles something like brass has be trimmed shorter than spec? I’m not sure but an internet search I’m sure will tell you something about that. Everyone I know and myself shoot Hornady lever revolution ammo. It’s definitely good ammo for the handi rifles with great performance on deer. It’s been hard to find plus it’s expensive. In 444 marlin the 265 grain has worked very well for us. No complaints on deer. Hornady sells these for reloading and I’m pretty sure that’s the bullet I would start with but I hadn’t looked around to hard yet to see what’s available in 444.

I use the same powder ( H4198) and bullet
( Hornady #4300) in the Marlin that I do in
my Handi with no issues. Dead deer dead swine.
There's no issue with brass length, although I
have a different batch of brass for each rifle
just like I do for other rifles.

I'm not really sure what I'm going to do after my
supply of the #4300 is expended, but there's
something that'll work just as well I'm sure.
Just me- I've tried the gummy tips and the
special powder, and it didn't do anything extra
for me. Maybe the velocity was increased some,
I don't know because I didn't check it. I look
for accuracy first and foremost, and the 444
pokes an in and out and renders the game
just fine without any extra anything

I was thinking these

https://bearcreekballistics.com/product/429-hv-reloading-bullets/

I’ve heard of people running them up to 2700fps but I’d want to see verified load data and accuracy reports with that much velocity.

Bear creek sent me load data with the .350 bullets I ordered.

Those look good. The lighter weight ought to help wring out some more yardage. Pretty mushroom.

Morgan,

I worked at H&R after i retired from a state job. I had never wanted a 444 until I shot some rifles on their indoor range. Also, being from Mississippi and going back there to hunt, I needed a primitive legal gun as has been mentioned. I started with the 45-70, but quickly grew to prefer the 444. Less recoil and better trajectory.

At that time the Hornady FTX had not come out. I wanted to use a heavier bullet than the 240s, so ended up with the Speer 270gr. Gold Dot. With an eye to flatter trajectory, I also used the Hawk 275gr. spitzer. Both have worked very well on deer and pigs. I've taken deer out to 200+- yards. Both bullets have always exited and never had an animal go more than 40 yards with good blood trails. Accuracy has always been 1.5 inches or less with either load. Mostly depending on how well I was shooting that day. Mine is scoped with a Burris Fullfield ll 3-9x40 #4 reticle.

Handloading is simple and straight forward. Remington brass does not need to be trimmed back any more than normal for function. I've included a picture below of both loads and the data is on the boxes. As always, safe loading is your responsibility. I just checked the Hodgdon's website and my loads are below maximum. I"m also including a link to Hawk bullets.

With all that said, the FTX either handloaded or in factory ammo may be the most simple solution.

https://hawkbullets.com/bullet-selection.html

I've owned a 444 Marlin since 1981, when it bought it new off the shelf for $219 at Mills Fleet and Farm in Osseo Minnesota.
Used factory ammo until I started handloading in 1995.

Factory ammo, I found was 2400 fps with a 240 grain SP bullet and it kicked a fair amount.

Handloading, I started using like 30 to 35 grains of SR 4749, with 300 grain XTP bullets. MV was 1750 fps.
So 650 fps less MV, I reduced recoil by 50%.

The factory loads with a 4 power scope on top, had a point blank range of 175 to 180 yards.
The SR 4759 loads with a 300 grain bullet had a point blank range of 10 less yards, but reduced recoil by 50%
Bullets for the 444 have the aerodynamic streamlining of a parachute.

I've loaded it down to 1100 fps using 15 to 20 grains of SR 4759, which seems to kick in the 223 neighborhood.
When loaded with 180 grain XTPs, when I've taken some of my younger Boy Scouts out hunting as a merit badge counselor with their dads coming along, they've still never failed to drop a deer at 100 to 150 yds.

Anything those XTPs have hit in the right spot ( lung shots), have NEVER failed to drop the deer either DRT or within 20 yds or so.

so If you want to use something for your Handi Rifle in 444, just take ANY load data for a 44 Rem Mag, put it in your 444 case, and it'll do the job within a 150 yds without any special " Kentucky Windage". You know how to dope the wind with 44 cal FLat NOSE bullets, its pretty darn lethal to 225 yds.

You don't need the full velocity out of one, because those bullets initially shed velocity pretty darn quick.

44 Rem Mag loads or any cast bullet load data using any weight of the XTP line of bullets.

for what its worth, and you are on your own... but I've shot 44 Remington Mag rounds out of my 444 Marlin, and its never had an issue with them....just tested it to see if it would work in a pinch. Hence why I just started using 44 Rem Mag load data in 444 case, since they discontinued SR 4759.

Good luck with your Handi Rifle. I always wanted a 30/30 in one, but never took the time to buy one when I could have.
If I would have done so, I'd probably shooting the schitt out of it still.

Wow hanks for the info everyone!

I had my FFL still when H&R stopped making the inlets slug and all their single shots. I called the company to see if the rumor was true I was basically told they planned to only import that cheap pump. I was pretty upset I could have sold ever savage ultra slug I got my hands on.

Seafire,

I've got several Handis. The 30-30 is the only one I was looking for and found it in as new condition this past year. It shot well with some ammo I had. I will be working on it this year with Sierra PH/Nosler BT 125s and some 150gr. Gold Dots made for the 300BO.

I can see fun times ahead with it.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't envious of you having one in 30/30,

I wanted one with the polymer stock. The guy that was the range manager at our local range, about 15 years ago had one.

Where he camped out with his family on forest service land, there was a very large bear in the area and sometimes would raid their camp at late night. He asked me to develop a handload, that would give it the biggest punch out of his 30/30 handi rifle.

so looking over load data and other sources, I worked up using a Hornady 220 grain Round Nose, seated down into the case over 35 grains or 36 grains of W 748. It sure gave an increase in recoil, and MV was 2100 fps.. Just short of a 30/40 Krag.

To test the durability of the load, I took 10 cases and loaded them with that charge ten times. I had no case failures, and also no issues with a 1965 production Model 94, my dad bought in 1966 at the base Rod & Gun Club at RAF Alconbury in England, before he was transferred back stateside. It didn't seem to phase the brass or the rifle. The 11th reload on the brass, the primer pockets were still as tight as the first.

We tested the load in his Handi Rifle, and it shot well in it also.. using the same brass I had tested in the Model 94, with no negative effects. He eventually shot the bear when it was raiding their camp one night.

Just thought I'd pass that on....it was passed on to the Campfire here, way back when. Of course I got flamed to no end, in usual campfire fashion.... but over time, it caught other members attention who tried it out in Model 94s and Marlin 336s.
They had the same experiences I did in their rifles. Accuracy was awfully darn good, one of the most accurate I ever shot out of a 30/30.

I've had good luck with the Hawk 275 Spitzer in a 44 magnum Miroku 1885 Low Wall, getting as good as 2" groups at 100 yards with the stock buckhorn rear sight. The same bullet shoots tight groups at 50 yards from a 17" MGM Contender barrel with a red dot sight and a carbine stock. Both barrels are 1:20 twist as I recall. The bullet does not do as well in a faster twist 14" SSK Contender barrel, but I'm new to that platform in a handgun configuration. I have only taken one mulie doe at 21 yards with this bullet out of the 1885, so can't comment on performance at more typical ranges.

I should add that I have also loaded the Hawk 275 Spitzer in a 22" Lilja barrel on a Ruger K1B. It's showing hunting accuracy at 100 yards, around 2" with a 7x scope, but I'm just starting load development on that rifle. So far, I'm running a load of Benchmark, just a grain or so over the starting load. The best accuracy in that rifle so far has been with a mild load of Benchmark behind the Nosler 240 JSP and it's a joy to shoot recoil-wise.

The truth of it is, I could do all my big game hunting with the 30-30. Took several years to find an H&R in this condition and I drove over five hours round trip to get it. I put my last laminate stock set on it.

Dang happy to have the trio of 45-70, 444 and 30-30.

I did load development with this bullet in my CVA Scout this past summer. Accuracy was great and I was above 2,700 fps as well. I don’t think but a handful of us have ever done it. I only know of 1 other guy. They didn’t give me a hot load when I bought the bullets. I still wasn’t at pressure but was very pleased with the results. Killed one doe with it this past season and she was DRT with a pass through.

i have a TC Encore with a 23" MGM barrel with a 1 in 20" twist in 444 Marlin. at first i shot 200gr and 240gr Hornady XTP using Trail Boss and a 265gr Hornady FN with H4198. i killed several deer with the 265gr, but then i went to cast bullets. 255gr SWC (Keith type), 275gr Ranch Dog, 280gr LFN GC, 280GR WFN GC and 300gr SAECO FN GC. i have killed several deer with them. i have gone 1626fps all the way up to 2300+fps with the cast bullets. the 280gr WFN GC and Reloder 7 going 1937fps is the best one for killing deer up close, 60ish yards and under. the WFN is either DRT or the deer will run 15 - 20 yards and give up. i shoot them 1/3 of the up, behind the shoulder. i can eat up to the hole(s) and there is NO bloodshot meat.

https://www.furycustombullets.com/shop-2/44-caliber/44-cal-lt-50-pack/

Fury gets many of his new customers from Hawk. Try a few Hawk bullets then try the Fury bullets. It doesn't take long to see the Fury difference.

Did they send you load data?