.444 Marlin light loads

[Bob Thompson]

I have searched the forums for some light plinking loads for this caliber and most show max or near max loads. I shoot a nice 300 g. 45-70 load at 1450 thats much fun from my 1895 Marlin cowboy and looking for something similar for my Winchester 94. The few I have found don't seem to be fussy about powder type (within reason). powder weight or bullets. Even one quick burning pistol load. I don't think detonation is a problem with reduced loads as it is in some bottleneck cases. In my 45-70 load the case is only half full. I'm thinking something like 20 or 25 g. of 3031 w/240 g. hardcast. How that sound? Part of the fun of shooting these calibers is their verstility and plinking with them is much fun. Didn't one of the loading manuals used to have a reduced load section at one time for a certain powder? Thanks much guys for any help. Bob

 

[444]

I have used .44 mag loads with 2400 powder and I have used VERY light loads of Unique and Red Dot: loads that were almost silent.

 

[Bob Thompson]

Thanks 444. If I picked a .44 mag load ( one of my favorites uses about 8.5g. of Unique, Universal Clays or Power Pistol at only 1000 fps for target shooting) what would you guess I would lose in velocity due to the larger case. I'm thinking this powder at maybe 13g. for about 1200 fps. Whats your take on this idea? Also have you ever experienced detonation with any of these reduced loads. I have not in my 45-70.

 

[drinks]

Reduced loads

I have very good results in .44-40 with HERCO at the 8-10 gr level and Universal at 9gr or less.
Don

 

[MADISON]

444 Lite Loads

Have I ben mis-lead?
I thought the 444 was brought out before you could find STRONG 45-70 rifles to have something with knock down power in a lever action.
The 240 grain bullet was to light so most reloaders went for Hornady's 265 grain, so the bullet would not explode in brush.

I agree, use 44 Magnum hot loads.

 

[Leftoverdj]

Bob, the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook has what you need. It shows the following as starting loads for 245 grain bullets in the .444:

Red Dot 10.0
700X 9.5
Green Dot 10.5
Unique 11.5
7625 12.5
4756 13.5
Blue Dot 14.5

All the velocities are in the 1200-1300 range, and, as these are mild starting loads, I would not hesitate to use whatever cast bullets I had on hand from about 200 to 255 grains

 

[Bob Thompson]

Thanks to all who responded and especially Leftoverdj for the Lyman cast handbook excerpts. thats just what I was looking for. Looks like I need yet one more reloading guide as I shoot many reduced loads for plinking fun.