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Author Topic: 444 Revenge is sweet  (Read 625 times)

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Offline gaileyr

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444 Revenge is sweet
« on: December 12, 2008, 07:14:27 AM »
As I wrote in the pass on this site, I received a lot of negative comments/ kidding from my hunting camp buddies here in Mississippi for choosing the H&R 444 Marlin over the 45-70. Usually it’s on the order of  “Why the 444 when the 45-70 will take anything that walks on the planet” or “The 444 is just a stretched 44 mag that shoots pistol bullets”. My reply to this good-natured kidding has been,  “There are no elephants in Mississippi that I’m aware of.  If you’re a hand-loader there’s a good selection of acceptable bullets to choose from. And (depending on how you hand-load it) the 444 will shoot flatter than the 45-70”.  Finally on opening day of the current season I got the chance to prove my point.

The pics show me with my 8-point 210Lb. buck. Which was dropped in his tracks at 70yds with my 444 (not bad for an under powered rifle shooting pistol bullets). Most of the guys in camp shooting hot 45-70 loads have ended up having to track down their deer because the bullet seems to zip right through without proper expansion.

Surprisingly, I haven’t heard nearly as many negative comments about the rifle I carry. Revenge is sweet isn’t it?

BTW… the load was 50.8gr of H335 behind a 300gr Hornady XTP. 
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 444 Revenge is sweet
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2008, 07:24:11 AM »
Congrats, hard to beat that!!  ;D

Tim
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"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline Lazermule

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Re: 444 Revenge is sweet
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2008, 07:39:24 AM »
Nice buck! It doesn't matter what you shoot, it's what you want, not them.   Heck, my buddies kid me for having a NEF Handi period.  I have a Handi in 45/70 that I hand load for.  I was teased by my brother because I did not spend enough on the Handi/Nikon combo.  He made comments to me like "bargain bin gun" and such.  He calls my Savage 7mag a "Salvage"...and so on...  I guess he got to me enough that I had to challenge him to a shooting competition with my 45/70.  We are going to shoot 5 shot strings at 100,200, 300, 400 and 500 yards and the most in the 10 ring win.  The wager is $100.  My brother will be shooting his Kimber Montana 300 WSM topped with a Leupold.  Yeah, it may look like I have my work cut out for me, but he is not known as a marksman.  Should be fun....  My scope has a BDC on it and I will have made a trip or 2 to the range getting that dialed in as well.

Like you said, revenge is sweet and I intend to get it.....

I'd take him on with my 7mag, but that wouldn't even be fair and he wouldn't even bother showing up if he knew that was my choice of weapon for the competition.

LAZER
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LAZERMULE

If I would have asked the people what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse....-Henry Ford

Offline BillDan

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Re: 444 Revenge is sweet
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2008, 08:39:50 AM »
Nice deer, gaileyr. I hunt around plenty of guys with $1000 rifles. Year after year, they don't put any more venison in the freezer than I do with my $100 30-30. As soon as I can find a gold or white post insert for my Handi in 38-55, it'll be even more fun to stick it to 'em with a single shot w/iron sights shooting a 125 year old cartridge with a cast bullet!

Regards,
Bill
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Offline JerryKo

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Re: 444 Revenge is sweet
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2008, 10:11:19 AM »
Keep hearing good things about XTPs and "hand of god" kills.  My buddy shoots the 45/250gr xtp's out of his omega, and all deer have been dead on the spot.  I shot a doe this year with a 250 gr SST ML bullet at about 90yds and it ran, not far, but did some tracking.  We both shoot 2 pellets of 777. Very diff terminal performance.  Not sure how a 175 or 200 yd shot would turn out, but around 100, the xtps are kicking butt.  Congrats, and thanks for sharing.

Jerry
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Offline mechanic

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Re: 444 Revenge is sweet
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2008, 01:45:01 PM »
Great deer!  The best gun is.....a).  the one you like and feel most comfortable with, and.....b). the one that gets the job done.  What it costs is not necessarily a factor, and what your bud's have certainly is not. 

Looks like you have found the combination.

Keep an eye out for that 30 point buck folks keep seeing down that way!

Ben
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Offline dpe.ahoy

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Re: 444 Revenge is sweet
« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2008, 01:51:44 PM »
Jeeze, I don't know why the bullet didn't bounce right off that awesome buck.  To hear some people talk, if it ain't 45-70 it ain't s......tuff.  Darn, there's that gasoline can in my hand again. ;D  They both work wonders on the inside of a deer, elk, moose, ect.  I like both my 444's and I like my 45-70, too.  (OK Pete, I said it, I LIKE it too.) ;)  DP
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RIP Oct 27, 2017

Handi's:22Shot, 22LR, 2-22Mag, 22Hornet, 5-223, 2-357Max, 44 mag, 2-45LC, 7-30 Waters, 7mm-08, 280, 25-06, 30-30, 30-30AI, 444Marlin, 45-70, AND 2-38-55s, 158 Topper 22 Hornet/20ga. combo;  Levers-Marlins:Two 357's, 44 mag, 4-30-30s, RC-Glenfields 36G-30A & XLR, 3-35 Rem, M-375, 2-444P's, 444SS, 308 MX, 338Marlin MXLR, 38-55 CB, 45-70 GS, XS7 22-250 and 7mm08;  BLR's:7mm08, 358Win;  Rossi: 3-357mag, 44mag, 2-454 Casull; Winchesters: 7-30 Waters, 45Colt Trapper; Bolt actions, too many;  22's, way too many.  Who says it's an addiction?

Offline Slufoot

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Re: 444 Revenge is sweet
« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2008, 01:54:07 PM »
That's a really nice buck gaileyr! Congrats!

Slufoot
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Offline Lon371

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Re: 444 Revenge is sweet
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2008, 02:05:04 PM »
 Nice Buck!
 I think a bigger atv rack is in order for next years hunt ;)

Lonny
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Offline Rustyinfla

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Re: 444 Revenge is sweet
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2008, 04:41:45 PM »


  Nice shootin there. I'd say the proof is in the rack.
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If you're gonna be stupid ya gotta be tuff
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