- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,048
- 2,528
Orchemos sale of his 444 prompted me to post this.
I think is is a sleeper cartridge that can do anything on the North american continent from rattle snake to sage grouse to squirrel, rabbit to prairie dogs etc on the small game to Brown bear in the alders. Here are some ideas.
I've been shooting the Triple-Four for a long time now. Now, for those not comfortable shooting ammo other than that head stamped correctly for their
firearm, you can try loading some shot-shells in regular .444 brass.
Here's the process and the recipe: Size case, prime and expand case mouth as per usual procedure.
Charge with 14.0g H110 or W296 powder, or 13 gr Lil gun then insert one Winchester AA410 one-piece
shotcup into the case (a very nice fit by the way, and the shot cup totally prevents shot contacting the
rifling in the bore), then pour in 1/2 oz (220 grains) of #7 1/2 shot, topped off by an overshot wad, then
use a roll crimp to hold the overshot wad in place. (a .44 caliber gas check may also be used over the
shot column, but tends to distort patterns)
The overshot wad is made by using either a .44 mag or .444 Marlin case as a punch to cut the wad.
Deprime a case, and use a 5/16" drill bit to drill out the primer pocket, then place the mouth of the case
down, on the material to be cut for a wad, and strike with a non-marring hammer to cut wads. Cut four
or five in sequence, then insert a piece of wooden dowel or stiff wire through the hole where the primer
pocket has been drilled out to remove cut wads from the brass case.
For overshot wads in this application (and for .44 mag and .45 colt shot shells) I've found nothing better
than plastic automotive antifreeze and used powder containers! The plastic seems to be just the correct thickness and
stiffness, and the predominantly flat sides to these containers yield a high number of overshot wads!
Too, the plastic is waterproof as well.
In finishing off your homemade .444 shot shells, use some fingernail polish (any color) to seal the area
where the brass roll-crimp comes over the plastic over-shot wad.
This should help you garner some grouse with your levergun!!!!
here is mine made up
300 grain Sierra 55.5 gr of h335 2130 fps
300 gr bear tooth cast same load as above
Tell me what kodiak can take the above? Also the fun you can have with the shots= loads is crazy!!
I think is is a sleeper cartridge that can do anything on the North american continent from rattle snake to sage grouse to squirrel, rabbit to prairie dogs etc on the small game to Brown bear in the alders. Here are some ideas.
I've been shooting the Triple-Four for a long time now. Now, for those not comfortable shooting ammo other than that head stamped correctly for their
firearm, you can try loading some shot-shells in regular .444 brass.
Here's the process and the recipe: Size case, prime and expand case mouth as per usual procedure.
Charge with 14.0g H110 or W296 powder, or 13 gr Lil gun then insert one Winchester AA410 one-piece
shotcup into the case (a very nice fit by the way, and the shot cup totally prevents shot contacting the
rifling in the bore), then pour in 1/2 oz (220 grains) of #7 1/2 shot, topped off by an overshot wad, then
use a roll crimp to hold the overshot wad in place. (a .44 caliber gas check may also be used over the
shot column, but tends to distort patterns)
The overshot wad is made by using either a .44 mag or .444 Marlin case as a punch to cut the wad.
Deprime a case, and use a 5/16" drill bit to drill out the primer pocket, then place the mouth of the case
down, on the material to be cut for a wad, and strike with a non-marring hammer to cut wads. Cut four
or five in sequence, then insert a piece of wooden dowel or stiff wire through the hole where the primer
pocket has been drilled out to remove cut wads from the brass case.
For overshot wads in this application (and for .44 mag and .45 colt shot shells) I've found nothing better
than plastic automotive antifreeze and used powder containers! The plastic seems to be just the correct thickness and
stiffness, and the predominantly flat sides to these containers yield a high number of overshot wads!
Too, the plastic is waterproof as well.
In finishing off your homemade .444 shot shells, use some fingernail polish (any color) to seal the area
where the brass roll-crimp comes over the plastic over-shot wad.
This should help you garner some grouse with your levergun!!!!
here is mine made up
300 grain Sierra 55.5 gr of h335 2130 fps
300 gr bear tooth cast same load as above
Tell me what kodiak can take the above? Also the fun you can have with the shots= loads is crazy!!
