Think it'll shoot straight?

[mt_sourdough]

225gr Sage Country

I just got another mold in the mail from Mountain Molds. This mold is another experiment. I am testing the highs and lows of 444 bullet weights. So far I have the 450gr Hamfist that I am working with and I have a 444gr Hamfist that will be in the mail any day now.

This mold that came today is to test the low end of 444 bullet weights. The bullet weighs 225gr. My idea is to create a bullet that will attain 2500-2600 fps. Hopefully the long narrow profile nose should offer a higher BC than typical lightweight 44 bullets. I am calling the bullet The Sage Country. If it flies like I hope, it should be a flat shooting bullet to 250 yards. More than anything, though, I just wanna see what happens.

1stsagecountrypics007.jpg
weight after lube and gas check

1stsagecountrypics006.jpg

1stsagecountrypics002.jpg
Rem. 240gr 444 factory bullet
& 225gr Sage Country

1stsagecountrypics009.jpg
dummy round

I designed the bullet from blank and then when I was done, I was looking around if there was any 44 cal bullet with this kind of profile. I looked at all kinds of cast bullets and for the most part, the Sage Country is fairly unique which concerned me. Maybe the reason why nobody uses a nose shape like this is because it doesn't work. That would still be a great concern for me if it wasn't for one bullet that I found that has a similar nose shape.

1stsagecountrypics004.jpg
I put the Sage Country on top of another gas check to lift it up so that it's crimp was close to the Hornady 265 FP"s crimp. THe Sage Country's nose is slightly longer and slightly narrower, but it isn't too different.

The issue of it flying straight will be two fold as far as I can surmise. 1) if the bullet stays balanced with this profile 2) will the unique profile pay off with a higher BC so that the bullet can maintain it's velocity better than other lighter bullets in the 444.

I cast, lubed and sized these today and it will be a few days before I get them loaded up to do my first testing.

You think they'll fly?

[me]

Well with the $$ in it I hope it flys good. Have fun...

[Flat Top]

mt; I do know that 180 grain bullets in my 44 mag revolvers WILL shoot straight....the twist in those guns is 1-20. I see no issues with stability. As far as velocity, well, only time will tell. You know that I can get 2500 fps+ from a 300 in the SG 444, and, an OEM Marlin can push a 300 at 2200 fps.........that being said, I do believe that 2500 to 2600 with the Sage Country should be doable. What a great flat shooting deer load that would be for the wide open spaces of Arizona!

[dpe.ahoy]

I think that one should make armadillos fly! (In several directions at once!) DP

[skynimrod]

That sounds cool. My XLR 444 flying 225 gr projectiles close to my 225gr 338-06 thumper velocitys

[mt_sourdough]

The thing is, I've looked at many cast bullet designs and there really isn't anything like this out there. At least I haven't seen anything like it yet.

I know that many people are just shakin their heads and asking why would a person want to make the 444 something it is not. I have two answers to that. The first, is simply, I dont think the full potential of the 444 is completely known. Like Flat Top's SG mod or the 450 Hamfist exemplify, there is still unchartered turf in 444 land. I believe that people like Ranch Dog, Marshal Stanton, the folk at Hornady, etc etc, have all made the 444 the versatile and effective cartridge that it is, but I think there are still some possible undiscovered potentials that out lie the existing bullet options. I've heard rumors about these potentials, so I am not entirely in the dark.

The second answer is, I really like my 444. I mean I really like my 444. It is my first choice for whatever hunt I am going to get into. I know my 444 will never be as flat a shooter as a 270 Win, but it doesn't mean I cant use my 444 for Antelope and desert deer. If this bullet shoots accurately, it will have the best trajectory of any 444 bullet I have. My hope is to get a 200 yard zero with a less than plus 3 inch apex. Right now, as I crunch the numbers, (and this is just totally hypothetical at this point), with a 200 yard zero, the Sage Country apex will be around 2.8 inches at 110 and 120 yards. At 150 yards, the bullet should be about plus 2.3". At 250 yards, the bullet theoretically will be slightly lower than 5 inches! These numbers are not far from the 338 MX. If the Sage Country can achieve a an accurate load over 2600 fps, then the Sage Country will be within 1 inch in trajectory from the 338 MX to 250 yards. After 250 yards, the two trajectories really separate, but a flat shooting bullet in a 444 to 250 yards would really shine here in the west. We'll see.

[skynimrod]

"O" how I love reading about the expanding potential of the Great 444. My favorite go to Caliber & Gun also. Great work all you guys, and keep it going!!!!

[Flat Top]

mt; With a muzzle velocity of 2550 fps and the Sage Country 225, you are going to produce as much Energy, TKO, MF, OGW, etc, at 300 yards as a 44 mag 240 grain bullet at 1250 fps does at the muzzle......and, that aint too shabby!!!!!

[mt_sourdough]

I could have increased the BC by making the front band (band in front of crimp groove) a bit smaller diameter. The front band is .4315" in diameter. I made it this way so that it engages solidly with the rifling and therefor lengthening the bullets contact with the rifling. In theory that this will help the bullet stabilize well in a 444 despite its short length and weight. The wide band in front of the crimp groove gives the bullet a sort of mushroom look. When it comes out the other end of the bore, it will look a bit different, because that front band will start to fill in the crimp groove

The short .050 length (in reality, more like .030" when cast and bullet sized to .432") is not enough to hinder feeding into the chamber, but is long enough to get a good grip on the rifling.

[Flat Top]

mt; What is the BC of that bullet?