.444 Marlin brass.

[leroyb50]

I recently acquired a Marlin .444 and plan to reload all my own ammo. I noticed however, that Remington brass is significantly longer than Hornady brass. Can anyone tell me why?

[2ndovc]

The Hornady brass is shorter to accomodate their longer profile Flex tip bullets.

jb

[leroyb50]

Okay then, thanks. I'll stick to the longer brass & cast bullets.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Your load manual should give the proper trim to length for the .444 .
As 2ndovc said the Hornady brass is shorter to allow the use of the gummy bullet with its longer ojive. I stick with the standard length in my .444 .

[Modoc ED]

I recently acquired a Marlin .444 and plan to reload all my own ammo. I noticed however, that Remington brass is significantly longer than Hornady brass. Can anyone tell me why?

You need to get a reloading manual and QUICK.

The Remington brass is the standard length for the .444 . Hornady has two lengts of brass for the .444 -- the standard length .444 brass and the Leverevolution length brass which is shorter that the standard brass.

You'd do well to get a caliper too.

[2ndovc]

Just for kicks I went down and tried to reload some of the Hornady empites I had.

Too short to get a crimp w/ my RCBS dies. Looks like I'll have to order a crimp
die.

I've got a bunch of the stuff. So far it's the most accurate ammo I've come across
in my Win 94BB

jb

[6pt-sika]

Too short to get a crimp w/ my RCBS dies. Looks like I'll have to order a crimp
die.

If you know a good machinist that has access to a milling machine you can take your seating die to them and have them mill about a tenth of an inch from the bottom and you will be able to crimp with the die . And it won't affect normal length brass . Of course you'll need to adjust your crimp distance when you switch from one brass to the other .

[2ndovc]

I was thinking about that but I don't know anyone that can/ would do that for me.


jb

[6pt-sika]

I was thinking about that but I don't know anyone that can/ would do that for me.


jb

With the Lyman 429640HP or solid nose bullet the crimp groove is to far back to use in Remington barss . So i thought I would try it in the Hornady LE brass and it worked great as far as OCL was concerned but like you was unable to crimp . So the only solution was to mill the bottom of the seating die !

Or crimp above the crimp groove in Remington brass which is what I did with no ill effects I might add

[JP_TX]

I may be missing something but the Lee Factory Crimp Die does not crimp my loads in the Hornady short brass. To get a crimp on them I have been turning the fresh round upside down and slipping it carefully into the crimp die from the top. I slide the bullet along the inside till I feel the edge of the collet catch the case mouth and then lower it a tiny bit past and crimp. It works. It lets me use my long bullets like the Sierra 300grn SP and the Hornady 300 XTP in the short cases. Same COL as used with the standard cases BTW. Loads and chambers just fine. I haven't shot any yet so can't say for accuracy.

If someone knows a better way to use the LFCD for the 444 short brass, that doesn't require machining, I would thank you for the info.

JP

[Hobie]

I was thinking about that but I don't know anyone that can/ would do that for me.


jb

Most localities have machine shops that do such work. Be certain to STRIP your die and take only the die body to the shop. KNOW exactly what you want them to do and be certain that they don't/haven't mucked up the threads when you deliver/pick up your die. It shouldn't be too expensive, less than a new die at current prices.

[Terry Murbach]

TO ME IT IS INTERESTING TO COMTEMPLATE THE FACT THAT A SAAMI COMPANY SIGNIFICANTLY ALTERED A SAAMI SPECIFICATION CARTRIDGE FOR THEIR OWN MEANS AND DID NOT RENAME THE NEW CARTRIDGE.
MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT ; A 444MARLIN MADE BY HORNADY WITH A SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER CASE IN NO LONGER A 444MARLIN CARTRIDGE.

[Modoc ED]

TO ME IT IS INTERESTING TO COMTEMPLATE THE FACT THAT A SAAMI COMPANY SIGNIFICANTLY ALTERED A SAAMI SPECIFICATION CARTRIDGE FOR THEIR OWN MEANS AND DID NOT RENAME THE NEW CARTRIDGE.
MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT ; A 444MARLIN MADE BY HORNADY WITH A SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER CASE IN NO LONGER A 444MARLIN CARTRIDGE.

Hornady did rename it. Hornady calls it the ".444 LEVERevolution" NOT the ".444 Marlin".

Then ya got yer .30-30 and .30-30 Ackley Improved. Same case but the configuration/size of the shoulder has been altered.

If you think it's serious, write a letter of complaint to Hornady and a letter of SAAMI specification violations to SAAMI.

[2ndovc]

I was thinking about that but I don't know anyone that can/ would do that for me.


jb

Most localities have machine shops that do such work. Be certain to STRIP your die and take only the die body to the shop. KNOW exactly what you want them to do and be certain that they don't/haven't mucked up the threads when you deliver/pick up your die. It shouldn't be too expensive, less than a new die at current prices.

Thanks Hobie.


jb

[leroyb50]

Thanks for all the info. I have a reloading manual & all the appropriate reloading stuff. I've decided to avoid Hornady Leverevolution non-standard brass & stick with all standard brass & 330gr cast bullets from beartooth. Can't wait to try it this season.

[6pt-sika]

Thanks for all the info. I have a reloading manual & all the appropriate reloading stuff. I've decided to avoid Hornady Leverevolution non-standard brass & stick with all standard brass & 330gr cast bullets from beartooth. Can't wait to try it this season.

FWIW , I have no less then SEVEN older 444 Marlin's . All were made between 1965 and 1975 . And of course all are Micro Groove rifled .

I also cast a different bullet for each rifle ! The lightest being 207 grains from the mould and the heaviest supposedly at 330 but in actuality it drops at 315 . I also have a mould or two on order more in lines with your 330 grain .

However the bullets in the 250-285 range have been the easiest for me to get to shoot well . Not to say the heavier ones don't as well . But sometimes they require a good bit more effort on my part .

Now with all that being said about the only powder I ever use for cast loads in my 444's is XMP5744 . And to date it has done a great job for my needs .

Without sounding like an advertisement . If you cast you would be smart to give the Ranch Dog 432-265GC and 432-300GC moulds a look ! www.ranchdogmolds.com

Incidently he should be sending me a 432-350GC test mold in the next month or so I think ! In my somewhat biased opinion I think 350 grains is bordering on MAX bullet weight for the 444 Marlin .