44 Cal .430 265 gr FTX® (444 Marlin)

[Elite Muzzleloader]

Was wondering if anyone has tried these and how they perform or group and longer ranges?

Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Bullets :: Rifle :: Choose by Caliber :: .430 44 CAL :: 44 Cal .430 265 gr FTX® (444 Marlin)

Elite

[Nomosendero]

Originally Posted by Elite Muzzleloader

Was wondering if anyone has tried these and how they perform or group and longer ranges?

Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Bullets :: Rifle :: Choose by Caliber :: .430 44 CAL :: 44 Cal .430 265 gr FTX® (444 Marlin)

Elite

Interesting thought. I know in the past you could gey .429-.430 50cal. sabots, it would have to be the high pressure ones, this may be worth research. The max. vel with BL209 should be good.
The BC of the 265 FTX is almost as good as the 45 cal. 290gr. Barnes I am using, could be a screamer, but with very good penetration & expansion.

[J E Custom]

Originally Posted by Elite Muzzleloader

Was wondering if anyone has tried these and how they perform or group and longer ranges?

Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Bullets :: Rifle :: Choose by Caliber :: .430 44 CAL :: 44 Cal .430 265 gr FTX® (444 Marlin)

Elite

The 444 is very impressive in a leaver rifle and also in a TC Contender.

When I first started shooting one I found the 240 grain bullets to devastating because they
were pistol bullets and then Hornady came out with the 265 grain Flat nose with a thicker
jacket for rifle velocities and they were the answer for shots around 200 yards.

I use H 4198 powder for best velocities and accuracy.

The first time I saw the FTX bullets I was impressed with them and decided to try some.

They extended the accuracy and performance to 300 yards with the same load.

I now use them in .430 dia. .452 dia and .458 dia. (444, 450 bushmaster, 45/70. 45/110
and 45/120).

They are the best I have found in these cartridges.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

[Elite Muzzleloader]

I have been thinking about this all day and it has been bugging the crap out of me. If you take a Hornday 250 SST which is a 45 cal and put the Hornday 265 FTX 44 cal up against each other wouldn't the 265 stabblize better in flight than the 250 sst?

I guess my thought was a longer bullet in a smaller caliber would be better than a shorter bullet with a bigger caliber and that the bullet would travel better than a short stubby.

Just been bugging me all day and was wanting to pick at you guys and see what your thoughts were when you compared the two.

Elite

[Nomosendero]

Using Blackhorn data, the velocity does not change that much from a 250 to a 300, so with the 265 being in the middle, then the velocity diff, isn't much UNLESS you can bump the charge up with a 250-265, one would need to contact blackhorn on that.

BC of .430 265gr.= .225
BC of .451 290gr.= .241

Here is the data: http://www.blackhorn209.com/files/pd...loaderdata.pdf

Also, for the heavy bullet fan the .458 325 gr. FTX has been used with success:
ProductReport

[ATH]

I have a box of the 265s but never tried them since the 325 is higher BC and it shot so well for me, out as far as 500 yds at a MV of 1950 fps. Flat out destroyed both deer and a coyote I shot with it, expanded well but held together solidly (I recovered one from a deer shot through the front at <20 yds, in the back ham, 80%+ weight retention).