444 Marlin to 44 Mag

Lead54 · Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:23 pm Post subject: 444 Marlin to 44 Mag

Anyone tried 444 Marlin brass cut to 44 Magnum length?Speer shows pressure for the 444 quite a bit higher than the 44 Mag.Starting to get case failure in my Ruger Super Redhawk with 28 to 29 grains of 296 Winchester powder and 240 grain Hornady HP.If the brass will hold up I don't think the Ruger will have any problems.

Gil Martin · Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:11 pm Post subject: Re: 444 Marlin to 44 Mag

Welcome to the Forum!

While I have never converted .444 Marlin cases to .44 Magnum, it may be possible, but looks like a lot of work.

Just a comment. I could not find a load of 28 to 29 grains of 296 Winchester powder and 240 grain Hornady HP in any of the manuals I reviewed. That seems to be a hot load beyond maximum listings in my reloading manuals. All the best...
Gil

1895ss · Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:31 pm Post subject: Re: 444 Marlin to 44 Mag

Gil Martin wrote:

Welcome to the Forum!

While I have never converted .444 Marlin cases to .44 Magnum, it may be possible, but looks like a lot of work.

Just a comment. I could not find a load of 28 to 29 grains of 296 Winchester powder and 240 grain Hornady HP in any of the manuals I reviewed. That seems to be a hot load beyond maximum listings in my reloading manuals. All the best...
Gil

Welcome to HuntingNut Lead54, but like Gil the max load I find for your bullet/powder combo is about 5 grains less. That could account for the brass failure you are experiencing.

Lead54 · Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:11 pm Post subject: Re: 444 Marlin to 44 Mag

Thanks for the replies.I realize the loads are pretty hot but thats why I bought the Ruger.I could have gone up to the 454 Casull but am a 44 Mag fan.With a little stronger brass 28 to 29 grains was about as hot as I was planning on going.I have backed down to 26 grains and it seems to work fine with the standard 44 Mag cases.Getting about 1500 fps by the chronograph,can't complain about that(with 240 Hornady HP).Ordered some 444 Marlin brass from Midusa and will look into this a little deeper.If I look busy enough on the loading bench the wife and kids don't bother me since I am dealing with GUNPOWDER and other things that may blow up!

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5947

Lead,

I guess no one told the wife and kids that smokeless powder doesnt explode it burns. Laughing

Also note the rims thickness of the 444 Marlin is .003 bigger then the 44 Rem Mag. And the case diameter after the rim on the 444 Marlin is .014 bigger then the 44 Rem Mag. Which means it might not want to fit. Smile

Dimitri

Lead54 · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:35 am Post subject: Re: 444 Marlin to 44 Mag

Dimitri,thanks for the input.I cut one case down to length and after lots of case lube and slow incemental passes into the sizing die I got a case down to size.Lot of work for so small a gain.Back to the drawing board.Thanks to all for the input.