New to the forum as well, not new to handloading, but no master either. In any event, wanting to pacify my own curiosity, I loaded some using RP brass, 12.1 gr of Alliant Bluedot and CCI 350 primers. This should yield about 1050 to 1100 fps depending on what source you look at. I set these so the crimp would be at the very top of the canular and set it fairly heavy. OAL turned out to be about 1.799", way to long for my Smith & Wesson Stealth hunter, but easily chambered in my 2021 Colt Anaconda having a much longer cylinder. I've included some photos for reference. First two are the Anaconda.

 

Well, the LEVERevolution™ has a longer bullet in a shorter case. The Light Magnum™ ammo has a shorter bullet in a longer case. Using Hodgdon®'s and Hornady® data I find.........

265gr FTX™ Bullet w/35.6gr H-4198 in shortened case = 1900fps/Unkown CUP (Starting Load)
265gr FTX™ Bullet w/41.9gr H-4198 in shortened case = 2200fps/Unkown CUP (Max Load)

265gr FP Bullet w/42.0gr H-4198 in full size case = 2034fps/31,100 CUP (Starting Load)
265gr FP Bullet w/47.0gr H-4198 in full size case = 2273fps/41,100 CUP (Max Load)

Hornady® lists both 444 Marlin® factory loads of LEVERevolution™ and Light Magnum™ as having a muzzle velocity of 2325fps.

There are three possible conclusions upon analyzing this data...........

• The longer bullet/shorter case loads generates Higher Pressure?
• The longer bullet/shorter case loads MAY BE very conservative and you have room to "play" w/the components?
• The FTX® is so ballistically superior that a lot less powder is needed to achieve a specific velocity?

 

Don't forget the value of the Lee Factory Crimp Die.

 

I realize this is about the 265gr FTX, but I use the Hornady 265gr JFP in my 444, 44mag. 1894SS, & my 44mag Super Balckhawk. In my 444ss I use 45.1gr. of INR 4198, Rem LR primer, & a tight crimp from my Lee FCD.
I use 20gr of 2400, Rem. large pistol primer, & a tight crimp from Lee FCD.
Loading data is from Hornady Reloading data 3rd addition. Max load of 2400 for the 44mag is 21gr of 2400. 20gr is pushing the load around 1225 fps. Both my 1894SS & my Super Blackhawk like these loads. I am one that also likes to keep things simple, & I only use 2 different powders. 2400 for my 44mag pistol & 44mag rifle, & IMR 4198 for my 444ss & 1895 CB. They all hit & kill what I shoot at. 444

 

I just have one question. How do you fix those pigeons, anyway? [/b][/i][/color]

Breast 'em out, fricasee 'em for a touch, and slather 'em up with undiluted mushroom soup mix. Serve 'em up on toast. Sort of like S.O.S.

 

New to the forum, was just cruising the interwebs and saw this thread. FYI the 265gr FTX for .444 can be loaded in full length .44 mag cases, to my knowledge the only revolvers they will chamber in are Ruger revolvers due to their longer cylinder than other manufacturers. While I haven't tried them in my 1894, I have shot quite a few out of my Redhawk and a few more out of my uncle's Super Blackhawk. I will not divulge my load data due to liabilities, but I started with load data for 265gr jacketed bullets in a .44 mag using H110/W296 and worked up, I seated bullets as deep as possible while staying in the crimping groove. I'd keep a close eye on my chamber depth of any rifle as to not seat into the lands, as previously stated I haven't tested this combination in any rifle. I had excellent results out of my 7.5" Redhawk, holding tighter groups with it at 100yds than I could with my 77/44 and 240gr XTP's.

 

http://www.hornady.com/media/ftx_load_data/444_marlin_ftx.pdf

 

I ... can't find any load data. I did find one thread somewhere on the 'net from July of this year where someone was telling of a discussion with Hornady. The Hornady rep stated the 265 grain bullets were meant for 444 Marlin only.
...
Anyone know where I can find load data?

And you are at least the third person to post up on MO regarding this. So far I have not see anyone volunteer anything for their use in the 44 magnum. Reading the page smokinjoe references by linkage, the 444-only intention seems firmly reinforced: all of the load data on it are for 444 usage. Here's my vision: rechamber a 336/44 up to the 44 max and load these puppies in for an extended-range PCR (pistol-caliber rifle)!

 

http://www.hornady.com/media/ftx_load_data/444_marlin_ftx.pdf

That page says those will not stabilize in the MG barrels. The myth says the same for cast boolits as well. : : I suspect those FTX will indeed stabilize and just like cast in MG. As Marko used to say "Velocity is your friend."

 

I am the king of oversimplification, but I don't see why one can't use a starting load for a jacketed bullet in a similar weight range to begin working something up. Or am I making that too simple.......

If some HP's flatten out in my dies what will these do when you seat them in pistol dies?

 

After everyone's reply here and over at the Smith-Wessonforum.com I delved into this a little deeper. Thanks for everyone's reply.

The OAL for the bullet itself is 1.037 inches. I measured other bullets intended for these two types of guns chambered in 44 Magnum and found that every other bullet, including a few 300 grainers, are much shorter, with the longest being the Sierra JSP. OAL was 0.891 inches for the Sierra.

If one were to utilize the middle of the main crimp while reloading the Hornady FTX the cartridge OAL would equal 1.820 inches. This means the entire polymer tip would extend past the end of my Smith & Wesson 629-3.

This could also mean it would not cycle through my Marlin 1894 Octagon. While I have some bullets loaded out to 1.615 inches, past the specified COAL of 1.610 inches found in the Hornady 7th edition reloading manual, they cycle fine in the Marlin as long as one does not “baby” the action.

There were other things that I took into consideration but the COAL in my novice reloading opinion makes everything a mute point. One could load these singly into the chamber of the rifle but I don’t see a big enough advantage over traditional type bullets to go to that trouble. I would think you could also use a 44 Special or Russian case to bring the COAL down, but again I don’t see the point. My interest in the 44 Magnum pistol and rifle combination is based on simplifying my life, not complicating it.

The bottom line is that I have to agree with Hornady in that the 265 grain FTX’s should be reserved for the 444 Marlin.

Thanks again.

 

After everyone's reply here and over at the Smith-Wessonforum.com I delved into this a little deeper. Thanks for everyone's reply.

The OAL for the bullet itself is 1.037 inches. I measured other bullets intended for these two types of guns chambered in 44 Magnum and found that every other bullet, including a few 300 grainers, are much shorter, with the longest being the Sierra JSP. OAL was 0.891 inches for the Sierra.

If one were to utilize the middle of the main crimp while reloading the Hornady FTX the cartridge OAL would equal 1.820 inches. This means the entire polymer tip would extend past the end of my Smith & Wesson 629-3.

This could also mean it would not cycle through my Marlin 1894 Octagon. While I have some bullets loaded out to 1.615 inches, past the specified COAL of 1.610 inches found in the Hornady 7th edition reloading manual, they cycle fine in the Marlin as long as one does not “baby” the action.

There were other things that I took into consideration but the COAL in my novice reloading opinion makes everything a mute point. One could load these singly into the chamber of the rifle but I don’t see a big enough advantage over traditional type bullets to go to that trouble. I would think you could also use a 44 Special or Russian case to bring the COAL down, but again I don’t see the point. My interest in the 44 Magnum pistol and rifle combination is based on simplifying my life, not complicating it.

The bottom line is that I have to agree with Hornady in that the 265 grain FTX’s should be reserved for the 444 Marlin.

Thanks again.

I also bought 265 grain ftx thinking they would work in my .44 mag. they fit just fine in my Ruger Super Black hawk but are too long for my Taurus .44 tracker. I discovered the crimp groove and bullet length is exactly the same as Hornady 300 grain XTP except for the polymer tip. I took some flush cut dikes and snipped some of the tip off and problem solved. they also cycle perfectly in my Henry .44 mag. I just use 300 grain XTP load data.

 

Don't forget the value of the Lee Factory Crimp Die.

Damn Right!

 

Here is what I posted over on the Smith and Wesson forum reloading page on my experience with these bullets. I hope this helps.

I have been wanting to get some of the Hornady FTX bullets for quite a while now. I suppose I should have held out for the 215gr that were designed for the 44Mag but no one local has them in stock. The ones I ended up with are for the 444 Marlin, at least according to the Hornady website. I thought they would work in the 44Mag but had some trouble getting them to an usable OAL.

Here is a picture of the missles though, pretty impressive to look at anyway!

When I stuck them in my M629 Classic with 5" barrel I was shocked to have them so long that I couldn't close the cylinder! I started thinking about putting them in 44Spl brass and decided against it. I thought I would shorten the 44Mag case enough to get them to fit too, and decided against that as well. Here is a picture of them in the cylinder as that is pretty cool looking too!

I just gave up on them in the revolver and moved on to my Marlin 1894CS. They wouldn't feed in it! They would chamber if inserted single shot fashion but wouldn't feed from the tube! Well, I took them to the range and shot them single shot style and here are the results:
265gr Hornady FTX
19.8gr Lil' Gun
Wolf Magnum Large Pistol Primer
Federal Nickel Plated Cases with a firm crimp.

Low 1609fps
High 1624fps
Avg 1618fps
ES 15fps
SD 8.39fps

Not too bad by the numbers. Accuracy was acceptable @ 50 yards but a little low and to the left. I didn't want to change the scope as it is set up for the next loads perfectly.

Those loads consist of a 240gr jacketed bullet in 2 different different configurations. One was the Remington JSP and the other a Hornady XTP. Both sitting on top of a maximum load of 24.5gr of Lil' Gun ignited by a Wolf Magnum Large Pistol Primer.

The results were quite good along with the accuracy. While neither the rifle nor the shooter are of the "bench rest" quality, hitting a clay pigeon on the bank at 100 yards every time did seem to be impressive to the wife. She even shot it and hit one! (That's my girl!)

These loads are going to be my hog round in the future. I have several friends that have taken deer with the JSP bullet. Another guy thinks it is the most effective ground hog round ever developed! He even has a hole in his shed where he shot through one of those buggers just the other day!

At any rate, here are the chronograph results:
240gr JSP
Low 1814fps
High 1864fps
Avg 1840fps
ES 49fps
SD 25fps

240gr XTP
Low 1785fps
High 1852fps
Avg 1812fps
ES 66fps
SD 35fps

Now, like I said, the wife shot this load and hit what she was aiming at. She only shot it once, but she shot it none the less. I sighted it in at 50 yards simply because that is the distance that most deer are taken in our area. It hit right on at 100 yards too but I think it may have crossed the line of sight at that point. Just a guess though.

The clay pigeons didn't like them too well. I just have one question. How do you fix those pigeons, anyway?

 

TNRat-- Thanks for raising, investigating and reporting on the question.
8)
Skip-- Thanks similarly to you for your investigation and reports!
8)

Together you have made this a thread worth filing for reference
(even though the outcome is a 'no-go' for 265 FTX use in the 44 mag).

...
I just gave up on them in the revolver and moved on to my Marlin 1894CS. They wouldn't feed in it! They would chamber if inserted single shot fashion but wouldn't feed from the tube! Well, I took them to the range and shot them single shot style and here are the results:
265gr Hornady FTX
19.8gr Lil' Gun
Wolf Magnum Large Pistol Primer
Federal Nickel Plated Cases with a firm crimp.

Low 1609fps
High 1624fps
Avg 1618fps
ES 15fps
SD 8.39fps

Not too bad by the numbers. Accuracy was acceptable @ 50 yards but a little low and to the left. I didn't want to change the scope as it is set up for the next loads perfectly.
...

 

I know this is an old thread. I also have a box of 50 qty of the 265 gr made for .444 Marlin bullets. I loaded a few in .44 S&W SPL cases, using 13.5 gr of W296. I don't own a .44 revolver. They cycle in a lever action. Should I try shooting them? They come out to 1.664" compared with the factory length of 1.645" of the factory Hornady 44 REM MAG coal (that be 0.019" difference). I got the data from a .44 Special with 265 gr lead bullet though. I don't have a load calculator, any help for me here?

factory LE handload RT loaded with Lee dies (sent in for a modified bullet seater) & regular Lee FCD.

 

Well I posted on another forum, the load above is for a lead bullet of same weight so would be undercharged for a jacketed bullet and a poor powder selection. So for a .44 S&W SPL w/ 265 gr jacketed bullet better powders would be 4227 and HS6. Luckily I had some HS6 left over from a 12 gauge slug loading session. I used 7.0 gr and will test these soon. Afterwards I will be buying the correct bullet that is now available for the .44 mag case, the Hornady 225 gr FTX. But then I WOULD have to TRIM that brass according the Hornady specs. and separate/sort them from normal length .44 Mag.

 

did you ever shoot those 265 grn ftx I have some and would like to load them in 44 spl for hog hunting with my dogs any info would be great thanks.

 

I use the 265 FTX bullet in my CVA HUnter single shot rifle with 24.5 grains of 300MP for 1810 fps. It shoots cloverleafs at 50 yards. I do not use a crimp. I called Hornady and asked them about the use of that bullet at my speeds and they said it takes 1300 fps to be effective. if you use the coefencent for the bullet of .225 it is effective to 150 yards where is is still doing 1310 fps, so they said it would work fine. please use load with caution as it was ok in my rifle but may not be in you gun.