.................its a start!!!!!

Just move that target up and over a bit.

I’ll take it…:eek:
That a beauty group Flat Top nice shooting man…
COL – 2.605” you got the receiver mods done? Any velocity #’s yet?

Hey Rowdy...looks like the "pea shooter" is off to a good start. I have not done the reciever mods yet. My rifle as it came from Marlin will accept a COL of 2.620....If I need to modify the action, I can take it out to 2.660.............Velocity?....dont know...I really need to get a chronograph! My guestimate would be 2100+, but, there is no way of knowing for sure.

Having been down this road over a year ago, a very knowledgeable member here “jackfish” sort of walked me thru this, receiver modifications on my 444 XLR :D“pea shooter” :Dto increase the COL. In my case the cost vs reward ratio just didn’t work out.

What kind of bucks are we talking to get that extra .040 - .060”…Mods to the loading gate and bolt are necessary as well as reaming out the throat… And how much more powder capacity, maybe 1gr. that’s going to get me close another 100fps at best depending on powder in my 24”bbl…

Is it an improvement,,, yes,,,but for me not worth the cost…;)

Rowdy; Marshalls bullets just got here (very nice!!!!)....a quick check shows that I can seat his bullets to my rifles COL 2.620 and not lose much if any powder capacity! Top cartridge is COL 2.665 (modified action COL).... Next down is the Montana 300 and its seating depht (COL 2.605)....the bottom is Marshalls bullet at approximately 6.620................I am packing and off to a race tomorrow, but when I return I will be able to spend more time on this and give you some exact figures.

....sorry about that...here is the photo!

Rowdy; Sorry for the delay...just got back from one race and getting ready for three in a row. I found a bit of time to find out what to do on the COL thing, and here is what I came up with. The Montana Bullets 300 LFNGC is good to go at 2.605. This will be my deer/boar bullet I will need to modify the action on "my" rifle to allow Marshalls 325 LCMNGC to cycle through "my" rifle, and also allow the bullet to touch the lead of the rifling (necessary for good accuracy). The COL for Marshalls bullet (again, in "my" rifle), needs to be about 2.620 to do that, but, because of the different shape/design of the LCMN from Marshall, the most I can get for COL with his bullet is 2.5908, and the bullet will not touch the lead in the rifling at that lenght. Maximum modification of the action will allow for a maximum 2.660 COL, so, I will have room to play. I feel the 325 LCMNCG will be the heaviest bullet I will ever need! I did some research on 300 through 355 grain bullets for the 444 and it seems to me that a 325 grainer is an ideal weight for maximum heavy weight bullet performance with the 444's bore capacity, in my short 16.5 barrel. Also, the LCMN design, although giving up a bit of meplat over the WFN and LFN designs, shows better retention of velocity and energy at any given distance down range, and gives my 16.5" barrel a bit more punch....in Marshalls testing the bullet proved to be very accurate as well! With the longer barrels I dont believe bullet design would be an issue because of the higher velocities they produce over my short barrel. So, I will have some work to do on the action, not so much to obtain any more powder capacity (which it will), but just to allow the 325 LCMNGC to cycle and seat in my chamber for optimum accuracy......On another note, I bit the bullet, and broke down and bought a chronograph, so, as time goes on I will be able to get some velocity numbers for this short barrel 444. It will be interesting to see how the velocities stack up against the long barrel 444's. I know there will be a loss, but how much is yet to be determined. My goal is that 325 LCMNGC at 2000+ fps....that should be enough to get the job done on anything in North America out to 150 yards max.....My "pea shooter" is to be nothing more than a "brush gun", so I am not expecting it to be any more than that.

Rowdy; I had a chance to get the 444 out to the range Sunday morning, and increased my charge to 50.5 and 51.0 grains of H322. Through the chrono, my velocity was 2089, with the 300 grain bullet at 51.0 grains, and group sizes stayed at the .300 mark....one small hole, very accurate.....and, I have not encountered the slightest signs of high pressure! I think that this powder in this rifle has a bit more to offer, and I will pursue that over the winter. I also wanted a Missouri deer load (all close range shooting), using those 300 grain bullets, My goal was 1850 fps (my buddy has a 45-70 and his deer loads are a 300 grainer at 1850, which works very well for the hunting conditions we experience here). The group size of the reduced "deer" load was also .300, and I used 45.0 grains of H322, to achieve the accuracy and velocities I was looking for. This is a very "relaxed" load to shoot in the "pea shooter"! The remarkable thing about all this shooting I have done is, that no group, regardless of powder charge has been larger than .900. I took great care in setting up the rifle, and it has not exhibited any "strange" behavior. All groups regardless of loading have been very uniform. Shooting this Marlin is no different than working with a bolt gun, and the accuracy potential is simply amazing. I attribute this success to Marshalls Fire Lap Kit, setting the rifle up properly, and utilizing "basic" benchrest loading techniques...........By the way, at the range, my Marlin has had some "experienced" shooters just shaking their heads over the accuracy of this short barreled levergun. I had one fella tell me that he always had an interest in leverguns, but stayed away from them because they were "inaccurate"........I just laid my targets on the bench, and you should have seen the look on his face!!!! Take care bud, I am off to the races!

Nice Flat Top,:D
Sounds like H322 working good for you. Your velocity #’s are inline, and that short tube doesn’t give up much in the speed dept. I’ve never been able to get much more H322 in a case, maybe 52.0gr with a big bullet, maybe could try a drop-tube. I just change powders, H335 in that short tube will be very cool after dark. Rel-7 will up the velocity to your mark, and H4198 will give 2100fps and much more if you push-it.
Yep, “Looks at the range, after shooting a one-hole five shoot group with a levergun” <---priceless…

My 444 ‘pea shooters’ are now in hunting trim, our black bear season opens next week 8/01. The XLR now wears a 3 x 9 Burris in a scout-mount, and is loaded with 265gr RD hardcast at 2370fps. My SS has Marlin factory sights and shoots the 300gr XTP at 1980fps…

Rowdy; Yes, the H322 is showing some great signs as far as velocity and accuracy. It all seems to be coming together very well, with the 300 grain bullet. I am really looking forward to working with Marshall's 325 LCMNGC this winter..............In Marshall's heavy bullet test articles the H322 with my chosen bullet weight showed good velocities and great accuracy in the short (18") barreled Marlin. H322 is showing the same results in my 16.5" barrel....No unburnt powder in the cases or barrel, and very minimal (if any) visual muzzle blast. H322 seem to be very efficient! So far, so good! Thanks Marshall!!! Because deer season is rapidly approaching, I will put all my efforsts into the deer load for this rifle. I am hoping to have the finalized results in about four weeks........I will keep you posted here. In my rifle and at the seating depht of the 300 grain bullet, H322 is not a compressed charge at 51.0 grains, and at that loading as I said above there are no high pressure signs at all! Its amazing how different the "same" rifles can be!.................."Priceless"...."Very"!!!!! LOL!!!!.................Well bud, good luck on your Black Bear hunt! You have the right weaponry (the mighty "pea shooter") to get the job done, now all it will take is some cooperation from the bear!!! Keep me posted on how it all turns out!