I have a 444 barrel on the way for an Encore.. interested to see what molds you are using in the 260 - 300gr range.
Also interested in data for jacketed as well. Cheers.
Printable View
I have a 444 barrel on the way for an Encore.. interested to see what molds you are using in the 260 - 300gr range.
Also interested in data for jacketed as well. Cheers.
What size bullet dose it shoot 45 .458?
.429 - .430 normally. Same as a .44 Mag. Jacketed projectiles need to be of stronger construction than .44 Mag to stay together on game @ 2200ish fps vs. 1600ish fps for the Mag.
Not a 444 I know but I had a marlin 3030 with a microgroove barrel and it was deadly accurate with jacketed bullets but hopeless with cast ones. I believe the ballard rifling is the style you want if shooting cast bullets.
Yeah I have heard the Microgroove system wasnt ideal for cast. Fortunately the TC Encore is a 1/20 twist standard rifling barrel. Fine for cast or jacketed.
I have some 280 grain FP gas checked .430" for sale on TM or you can buy direct 50 at $15.00 100 at $30.00 plus freight also available are 270 and 260 grain HP's
Thanks for that. Will PM you when I get setup.
You might struggle to get it grouping with heavy 240+ pills in a 1 in 20 aye, but no harm in trying
Na mate the .444 is usually 1/20 (though the Microgroove Marlins were 1/38"). Folk are using 300-400gr no prob in 1/20. Not so the 1/38"!
Chur, that bit more puff must help aye, cool cartridge
there is a persistant rumour that microgroove barrels dont work for cast bullets, it just wont go away sadly even tho there is plenty of evidence that does work . . . if you understand the proper technique.Quote:
Originally Posted by Coelacanth
use a bullet at least 1 tho over groove diameter and hard enough it will work very well . . if you dont results will be crap
my .30/30 marlin is a consistant 1.5MOA using cast . . . that rifle has shot plenty of groups at 100,200,300 & once out to 400 yards & always put its bullets inside the 6 inch square, 200yrds on animals
Attachment 81821
i cast some bullets for it recently with the same soft lead i use in the .45/70 it shot +3MOA with that combination
I shoot an h&r spring feild trapdoor copy but they have a marlin micro grove barrel shoots cast bullets fine at least to 450 most I’ve shot it to so far
Soft cast bullets will shoot ok no need for real hard lead even straight wheel weights are too hard for hunting bullets if you want expansion
bullet fit to barrel is the most important the fatter the better if the loaded round will chamber with a little clearance for the neck to expand
when fired you are good to go the soft lead will swage to the barrel dimensions sealing the bore, with gas checks and a good bullet lube fouling
won't be a problem work the load up until you get pressure signs or lead fouling then back off a little accuracy will drop off before that
I have a .429 215gr double cavity mold that is surplus to my requirements. It’s a gas checked design so would make a good HV bullet for the .444
@shooternz . . . do you have any thoughts on microgrroove rifling for cast bullets ?Quote:
Originally Posted by shooternz
make sure they are .001" to .002" over groove diameter and don't try to run them too fast go for accuracy not velocity my 151grn HP will expand at 900fps
to about .400"
Im running a 420gn lyman .459 bore is .458 and lee 405gn hollow base .459
In my microgrove
Both bullets made from pure lead
55gn by volume of 2f swiss black powder for playing 65by volume for long range
Would suggest the same with 444 pure lead, and keep it slow under 1100fps preferably in my opinion
Go for accuracy not speed you don’t need speed when you’re chucking enough lead down range
You are correct One of my customers is getting pass throughs on pigs at 100 metres with the .430" 280grn FP loaded to 900fps
the herds a American Bison were wiped out with soft lead bullets with a velocity under 1500fps, at bush hunting distances cast lead bullets
are all any one needs.
@Coelacanth can you give a few details . . .
whats the max range you want to shoot to
what you intend to shoot
what kind of scope you will use
are you going to use a suppressor
R
Hope to use it as a gp 0-200 lightweight everything gun. Further out I will stick with the 7mm08 barrel, but I will probably suppress it and load subs as well as full-house stuff for the roar. Scope will be a small Leupy.
For the roar just use the heavst bullet you can find
Cast from pure lead if you feel inclined you could drill a hole into the Center of the nose of each bullet to make a hollow point
Load to somewhere under 1200 fps and go hunting you don’t need to worry too much about accuracy as roar hunting is normally close
For lobbing rounds out to distance you really need to get into weighing your projectiles for consistency
But id still stick to pure lead unless you’re really wanting to push the speed up but I wouldn’t suggest it I have found cast bullets way more accurate if kept slower
will your scope have something like mildots or be able to be dailed up ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Coelacanth
the trajectory of these relatively slow bullets is . . . challenging at 200
i use a Mk4 3.5-10 mildot with my heavy hitter .45/70 with enough elevation to go +200yrds, have my doubts you would have success in the field without something similar
I would disagree, I just think shooting these older calibres is a bit of a lost art. Many old guns have graduated sights, and the likes of the 45-70 was the long range cartridge of the day.Quote:
Originally Posted by rossi.45
See the sandy hook test:
The .45-70 at Two Miles
I can't see myself using subs in hunting settings. They would be for shits and giggle only - close range probably. Thinking I might go for 300gr hard-cast for hunting. At close to 2000fps, I can't see me needing much more than a bit of holdover, but I take your points. I have other scopes with dots etc. Cheers.
sounds good . . . most of my hunting with cast is in the subsonic range with a backup load at 1600fps when some real knockdown power is needed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Coelacanth
Cast Boolits
these guys are a mine of information for the beginner cast bullet/boolit user
look forward to seeing how you get on when you get setup.
R.
we have a different point of view but i hear what your saying . . . my interest is not to resurrect a lost art or relive a point in the past, mine is to hunt with as much accuracy as i can get to the longest practical range i can ethically get out to, mildots scopes, phone ballistic apps, laser rangefinders are all in the mix.Quote:
Originally Posted by tanqueray
Those exceptional men and Riflemen in the past while i do appreciate there great skills have very little that is transferrable to my needs now . . . i will never shoot thousands of Buffalo or Indains or Zulu or be a civil war sniper knocking off people at 1000+ yards, i wouldnt want to.
Not much romance there . . . i shoot animals with cast out to 200yrds usually a lot closer using the likes of the .30/30 & .45/70 lever actions.
3 shots 405grn .45/70 taken at 180yds recently, 2.25inch red circle . . . i can't shoot like that with iron sights with my 60+ year old eyes. thats the kind of accuracy i want to drill an animal cleanly
Attachment 81974
Can't see any real need for expansion with a .430 cal. projectile. I have stacks of wheel weight lead so I suspect I will go heavy / hard / large meplat. All that said, I can't see too many animals in NZ walking away from whatever a .444 spits out 0-200. Thanks for the input mate.Quote:
Originally Posted by shooternz
