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My finacee has expressed an intrest to have a 444 done like the circa 1966 "Retro 444P" I did a couple months ago !
But she's gonna need one with a shorter length of pull . So I am now in the looking stages for another First Model 444 that needs refinish work . And if I am fortunate enough to find one I'll chop the barrel to about 19" like mine , reblue the metal work , have the stock shortned by an inch , checker the stock , refinish it in Tung Oil and add a KickEez pad .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
And that brings me to the moderate load part of the equation as I am sure she will not like the loads I normally shoot !
I already have a 6 cavity Lee mold for a Castboolits group buy mold called "Dutch's 434-207GC" and have used this bullet last year stoked up with H322 to slam a trio of slicks . Before then I had worked up what I call a light-medium load with XMP5744 which is certainly an option for the proposed rifle . Although there are a couple other powders I may try with this bullet just for recoil reduction purposes .
Besides the 434-207GC I also have a Lyman 429 215 which is a 215 or so grain SWC GC which has shot nicely in several of my rifles and a RCBS 44-225GC SWC that has also shot pretty well !
May after or during hunting season start some load work with these three molds unless I come up with another !
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
The 180 grain loads in the .44 Mag are so much more 'tolerable' for newbies than the 240 grain ones, even when 'top end', that I would assume your 200 grain or therabouts loads would be just the ticket for the .444 Marlin if wanting something 'light'. Use a hard-cast or pretty solid bullet, and terminal performance should be good unless you're after cape buffalo.
Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws "first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.
AJMD429 wrote:The 180 grain loads in the .44 Mag are so much more 'tolerable' for newbies than the 240 grain ones, even when 'top end', that I would assume your 200 grain or therabouts loads would be just the ticket for the .444 Marlin if wanting something 'light'. Use a hard-cast or pretty solid bullet, and terminal performance should be good unless you're after cape buffalo.
I am thinking the 200-225's loaded with XMP5744 , an SR powder or Unique should be just fine for targets , whitetail or Sika deer !
I may try some of the castboolit "Dutch's 434-207GC" bullets in my Retro rifle soon just for kicks and giggles . They already shot pretty well in the rifle before it had the barrel chop ! So I see no reason eliminating 5" of barrel should affect that , heck might even make it a little better accuracy wise !
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
I am thinking the bullet thing may be a little more complicated !
Once I get a sealed deal done for the rifle I'll go about ordering a new mold for this rifle !
After all it seems kind of a shame to use one of those I already have
But the $100 dollar question is whether to be practical and get the MM/RD 432-210GC or be my usual more then neccessary person and get both the MM/RD 432-200GC and 432-225GC
Since I'm never overly practical when it comes to gun stuff you might be able to hesitate a guess the direction I'm leaning if I get the rifle I am after at the moment !
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
6pt-sika wrote:....I'll go about ordering a new mold for this rifle !
After all it seems kind of a shame to use one of those I already have
Well, of COURSE!
....or be my usual more then neccessary person and get both the MM/RD 432-200GC and 432-225GC
Well, duh!
Never NEVER let practicality rear its ugly head.
Get them both
"Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic. But will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the path of destruction." - Thomas Jefferson
Well the rifle I was planning on getting to make my fiancee a Retro 444P got away from me today . I was waiting hoping the guy would lower the price some . As all Ida needed to do with this one was change the LOP and add a thicker pad !
Someone had already cut it down and checkered the wood !
But on a lesser note a found a 1970 First Model with the Medallion in the stock today that needs a reblueing . If I can get the price down some I just may jump on that one and take my time getting it totally converted !
I can cut the barrel down and reblue the whole mess and wait later to checker and even later yet to chop the stock to fit my fiancee !
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
for a low recoil load just to let your finance get used to the .444, load some tri-ball loads with 26 grains of H4198. A hoot to get 3 strikes with one launch, and very low recoil.
Also, I've loaded some of Marshall Stanton's 405 grain bullets with 26 grains of H4198 for some moderate recoil.
I've recently been interested in SR 4769--I'm still learning about this pistol powder.
Try some lower charges of Blackhorn 209 or Trailboss for her.
Remember---it's her gun not yours so let her tell you which charges she likes, and life will be M U C H easier.
rimrock wrote:I've recently been interested in SR 4769--I'm still learning about this pistol powder.
I started my cast bullet shooting with SR4759 in the 38-55 and 45-70 . It worked very well actually but after about two years I switched over to XMP5744 .
I've used Trailboss in the 40-82 and something else that I cannot remmember at the moment . Anyway I didn't care for the results .
I already have several 400 grain molds so that is an option however she'll be using a slow twist Micro Groove barrel . So the 400's will be more of an excercise in futility in the rifle I set up for her .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
I have shot 12 &13 gr. loads of Trail Boss in my .444 behind a 300gr. cast bullet with fine results.
They are very soft recoiling and have low noise and the best thing is at 50 yards they all want to go through the same hole.
Chuck 100 yd wrote:I have shot 12 &13 gr. loads of Trail Boss in my .444 behind a 300gr. cast bullet with fine results.
They are very soft recoiling and have low noise and the best thing is at 50 yards they all want to go through the same hole.
I'm surprised you can get that much in the 444 case , if my memory is correct I think thats all I was shooting in the 40-82 and it's a bit bigger case !
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
I sent my fiancee some pics of a Marlin 336-44 that I sorta found . My thinking is this will be a better choice and a bit easier to regulate the recoil .
And with that all I need to do is get my hands an a second straight grip stock that fits a 336 , 1894 or 1895 and then cut it down and install a recoil pad and I can leave the factory original stock alone !
And my Castboolits group buy 434-207GC bullet may just be the ticket in this one instead of cutting another mold !
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Well i got a rifle today thats in a bit worse shape then I anticipated when I bought it !
Rifle is a Fisrt Model 444 circa 1967 . I'm gonna shoot it some the way it is and in all likelyhood it'll get wacked to become Retro 444P II for the little lady when she arrives here !
Gun needs a reblue pretty bad and the stocks could use refinishing as well !
So this one I think will be he donor gun !
And yes I know pictures !
We will do so when Photobucket quits acting stupid and lets me get my pics in my file there !
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Went to the range before lunch today and was able to try the 1967 rifle pictured above !
Tried it with the Lyman 429244 HP and the RCBS 44-300 SWC GC . And both shot very well with a load or two each at 100 yards .
Both bullets seemed to do their best with H322 which was no surprise to me .
Loaded another 15 or so of the 429244 HP to shoot again monday . Plan on getting this one settled in (and perhaps do the makeover to it after hunting season) , getting my circa 1965 700BDL 06 finished up as I changed scopes again for a cleare B&L Balvar 8 and need to do a little better sight in with the Hoprnady 150 SP handload . Then I wanna recheck my grandfathers Ruger 44R Carbine as well as 6 Ruger #1B's !
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Well, I would think that you could really save yourself a lot of greif by just going with a nice 1894 in 44 Mag. That's basically what you're talking about anyway. The carbine will be a bit lighter as well but still easy to put a scope on.
But you sound like you're on a mission... so good luck with it
O.S.O.K. wrote:Well, I would think that you could really save yourself a lot of greif by just going with a nice 1894 in 44 Mag. That's basically what you're talking about anyway. The carbine will be a bit lighter as well but still easy to put a scope on.
But you sound like you're on a mission... so good luck with it
I wouldn't mind a 336-44 . But there are only two Marlin 1894 44 MAG's that I really care for . The 1894 Sporter they made in 1972 and the 1894P .
I had a 336-44 and sold it as well as an 1894P. And a nice 1894 Sporter will probably set me back about a grand now .
Still may get another 336-44 and I'll keep my eyes open for a deal on a 1894 Sporter . But with either of those I'll need to find a second stock as I won't change the original and she would need a shorter stock for sure !
I actually had the perfect thing for her that I'd purchased for my exwife and she never used . A 336Y in 30-30 that was made maybe 8 years ago ! That thing shot very nicely and everything was done . Even did well with the Ranch Dog 311-165GC bullet and XMP5744 . Shame I sold that one as well
With that 336Y it was pretty neat at 16.5" and of course I could swap the stock from the 1894FG I had back and forth as needed so it fit me better ! But it also had the little 12 1/2" stock for women and youngsters .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
O.S.O.K. wrote:Well, I would think that you could really save yourself a lot of greif by just going with a nice 1894 in 44 Mag.
You do overlook the beauty of this whole thing !
I get blueing services for free as well as metal prep which includes lopping the barrel off . I'll do the wood refinish myself and the guy that does our checkering owes me a favor so thats not gonna be to expensive . It may cost me an additional $250 to get the rifle the way I would like it for her . And thats mostly the cost of checkering and a nice new thick soft KickEez pad !
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Well I got the 1967 444 sighted in a little more to my liking and shot a 3 shot group at 100 yards after that . It measured 1.372" center to center , not to bad when you take into consideration I was using a circa 1950's Weaver K4 !
Got my Ruger 44R Carbine that was my grandfathers checked out ! That one has a circa 1980's Weaver K3 on it we gave him for Xmas the same year my grandmother gave him the rifle . I don't handload for this one , just shoot the Winchester 240 grain HP . The ones in the white box of 50 .
Got my 338 WIN MAG straight , the 300 WIN MAG , the 270 Weatherby MAG , the 25-06 and 270 WIN all on Ruger #1B's . I only had 7 rounds for the Ruger #1B in 280 and I wanna load a dozen more and fool with that one a bit more !
Got the circa 1965 Remington 700BDL 06 okay with the new to that rifle B&L Balvar 8 . I ain't an 06 person but for some strange reason I like this BDL alot . When we bought this thing I had gotten it to rebarrel to 6.5mm-06 . I see no reason to do that as the gun is virtually new . I dare say it hasn't been fired more then 150 times and I'd be willing to bet I fired 130 or so of them .
So next trip to the range I think I'll take the 1967 rifle back just to play with it some more . Maybe even try it at 200 yards with the Lyman 429244HP . Also gonna take the Ruger #1B 280 REM and get it finished up .
I also think I'll unlimber my pair of Ruger #1H's in 375 H&H MAG and 416 REM MAG and make sure they're still sighted in . And finally I'll remount scopes on the #1B's in 243 WIN and 257 Roberts and get them back on target !
Only thing that leaves are the #1B's in 6mm and 264 WIN MAG , a Remington Model 7 in 260 , our Mannlicher Schoenauer in 308 , Savage 220 20 gauge bolt action and my Savage 50 cal ML !
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
6pt-sika wrote:Well I got the 1967 444 sighted in a little more to my liking and shot a 3 shot group at 100 yards after that . It measured 1.372" center to center , not to bad when you take into consideration I was using a circa 1950's Weaver K4 !
Got my Ruger 44R Carbine that was my grandfathers checked out ! That one has a circa 1980's Weaver K3 on it we gave him for Xmas the same year my grandmother gave him the rifle . I don't handload for this one , just shoot the Winchester 240 grain HP . The ones in the white box of 50 .
Got my 338 WIN MAG straight , the 300 WIN MAG , the 270 Weatherby MAG , the 25-06 and 270 WIN all on Ruger #1B's . I only had 7 rounds for the Ruger #1B in 280 and I wanna load a dozen more and fool with that one a bit more !
Got the circa 1965 Remington 700BDL 06 okay with the new to that rifle B&L Balvar 8 . I ain't an 06 person but for some strange reason I like this BDL alot . When we bought this thing I had gotten it to rebarrel to 6.5mm-06 . I see no reason to do that as the gun is virtually new . I dare say it hasn't been fired more then 150 times and I'd be willing to bet I fired 130 or so of them .
So next trip to the range I think I'll take the 1967 rifle back just to play with it some more . Maybe even try it at 200 yards with the Lyman 429244HP . Also gonna take the Ruger #1B 280 REM and get it finished up .
I also think I'll unlimber my pair of Ruger #1H's in 375 H&H MAG and 416 REM MAG and make sure they're still sighted in . And finally I'll remount scopes on the #1B's in 243 WIN and 257 Roberts and get them back on target !
Only thing that leaves are the #1B's in 6mm and 264 WIN MAG , a Remington Model 7 in 260 , our Mannlicher Schoenauer in 308 , Savage 220 20 gauge bolt action and my Savage 50 cal ML !
Man, that sounds like an AWFUL lot of work . . .
. . . but I guess SOMEBODY has do to it . . . !
Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws "first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.
6pt-sika wrote:Well I got the 1967 444 sighted in a little more to my liking and shot a 3 shot group at 100 yards after that . It measured 1.372" center to center , not to bad when you take into consideration I was using a circa 1950's Weaver K4 !
Got my Ruger 44R Carbine that was my grandfathers checked out ! That one has a circa 1980's Weaver K3 on it we gave him for Xmas the same year my grandmother gave him the rifle . I don't handload for this one , just shoot the Winchester 240 grain HP . The ones in the white box of 50 .
Got my 338 WIN MAG straight , the 300 WIN MAG , the 270 Weatherby MAG , the 25-06 and 270 WIN all on Ruger #1B's . I only had 7 rounds for the Ruger #1B in 280 and I wanna load a dozen more and fool with that one a bit more !
Got the circa 1965 Remington 700BDL 06 okay with the new to that rifle B&L Balvar 8 . I ain't an 06 person but for some strange reason I like this BDL alot . When we bought this thing I had gotten it to rebarrel to 6.5mm-06 . I see no reason to do that as the gun is virtually new . I dare say it hasn't been fired more then 150 times and I'd be willing to bet I fired 130 or so of them .
So next trip to the range I think I'll take the 1967 rifle back just to play with it some more . Maybe even try it at 200 yards with the Lyman 429244HP . Also gonna take the Ruger #1B 280 REM and get it finished up .
I also think I'll unlimber my pair of Ruger #1H's in 375 H&H MAG and 416 REM MAG and make sure they're still sighted in . And finally I'll remount scopes on the #1B's in 243 WIN and 257 Roberts and get them back on target !
Only thing that leaves are the #1B's in 6mm and 264 WIN MAG , a Remington Model 7 in 260 , our Mannlicher Schoenauer in 308 , Savage 220 20 gauge bolt action and my Savage 50 cal ML !
Man, that sounds like an AWFUL lot of work . . .
. . . but I guess SOMEBODY has do to it . . . !
SInce I've been unemployed for over 3 years now it isn't that difficult to get this stuff taken care of !
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
