got a doe

[todd]

Saturday, i go out for my 1st day of deer season. i have my son and my brother to help the old cripple out

. my brother was early to go out, while the two of us were late, 7:30 - 8:00ish. while i was going up to my ground blind, i seen two white-tails that were going away from me. i sit down in my blind and wait. all of a sudden, my phone vibrates and it is my brother. he seen a huge 8 pt and a doe that were going to my stand....early. oh well. 9:00 comes by and it's time to drink decaf tea (decaf coffee makes bad heartburn, decaf is good for my heart). 9:30ish, 6 doe comes by my stand about 40ish yards away. i have my TC Encore in a 23" MGM barrel in 444 Marlin with 280gr WFN GC and Reloder 7 going roughly 1947fps. i pick up and sight it on a doe and decided not to shoot. 10 - 15 minutes later, i can no longer see them. 10:00 it's time for decaf tea. while waiting for it to cool, 3 doe show up at about 35ish yards. it is 2 fawns and a yearling doe. not enuff meat to worry about, so i let them go. 10:30ish a doe shows up. i looked her over and she was to my standards so it was time to shoot her. it took me about 10 minutes to place a shot behind the shoulder. she was about 40ish yards and standing broadside when i took the shoot. after i shot, i could see blood coming out and the side that i shot her was covered in blood. she ran about 15ish yards and then gave up and died.

a message was sent to my son and brother that i got one. my son came by about 15 minutes later and he dressed the doe, while i went for Polaris. my brother shows up and tells me i should have came early because of the huge 8pt. "oh well," i tell him, "next time."

a 145 - 150 lbs doe, guesstimate

 

[Ian]

Congratulations! Big cast bullets have a habit of making meat don't they? I figured you'd use your .35-30-30 this year, but the 444 needs love too.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Good job!

12 hours invested yesterday.. I let one nice buck walk and saw two I could not identify. Good day in the woods!!

Congratulations on the Viddles!!

CW

 

[Rally]

That worked well! Congrats.

 

[todd]

the 444 needed blood, i figure 2 years was long enuff. now the 9.3x57 is complaining, so i take her out till Wednesday and then the 35/30-30 comes out.

 

[Bazoo]

Congratulations, a nice fat one. Cool choice of cartridge too.

 

[fiver]

you know all that blood was from the bullet bouncing off.

 

[todd]

Congratulations, a nice fat one. Cool choice of cartridge too.

its hard to beat the 444. she is #3 on my list.

you know all that blood was from the bullet bouncing off.

that's why i use Armor Penetrator boolits....

 

[shuz]

I have harvested a few deer with the 444 Marlin and MP 44-300HP. And 45g of Reloder 7. Velocity was 2250fps. Big Holes on the offside and never recovered a bullet!

 

[todd]

I have harvested a few deer with the 444 Marlin and MP 44-300HP. And 45g of Reloder 7. Velocity was 2250fps. Big Holes on the offside and never recovered a bullet!

when i used to take 275gr Ranch Dogs and 280gr LFN GC up to 2300fps+, it made big holes too. i took a 280gr WFN GC and Reloder 7 down to 1947fps and its only 1 1/4 - 1 1/2" hole on the exit side. they make plenty of blood too!!!

 

[Bazoo]

I've always had a thing for the 444, but never had a gun chambered in one. Heck, don't even have one in my collection.

 

[todd]

I've always had a thing for the 444, but never had a gun chambered in one. Heck, don't even have one in my collection.

when i was buying an MGM Barrel, i has 3 calibers to choose from, 338 Federal, 405 Winchester and 444 Marlin. i almost bought a 338 Federal but went with the 444. i like the 405 Win, but i couldn't brass and reloading dies.

my dad (RIP) told me in the late 1960's, 444 was everywhere in the SWPA woods. then by the early '70's, the 444 was gone. i bought the 444 and then someone (classified section on another site) had 100 pieces 444 brass and Lee reloading die set for sale. i think i sent $75 for all of them. sometime later i added 500 pieces of brass. i think it 3 years ago? that Starline makes 444 brass. i'd buy it, but i already have a lifetime or two of brass.

i've shot 200gr and 240gr Hornady XTP, 265gr Hornady FN, 250gr penta HP, 255gr Kieth type SWC, 275gr Ranch Dog, 280gr LFN & WFN GC and 300gr SAECO FN GC. i've used Trail Boss, 2400, Unique H4198 and Reloder 7. i've put around 3000 cast boolits and pounds of powder thru it. i think i killed about dozen and a half deer with it. i think it is best with either 275gr Ranch Dog or 280gr WFN GC going around 1900fps.

 

[Bazoo]

Thanks for sharing. I have a 432-265-RF Ranch Dog that I really like for 44 Magnum and Special. I don't think I have his data for 44 Marlin. Shame I missed it before he closed his site down.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I took a couple deer with my 444's years ago. I loved Speer 270 Gold Dots. (discontinued like many great Speer bullets) I dont have the rifles anymore.
But I have been enjoying the Ruger American 450 Bushmaster with cast! It shoots them great!! Got the idea shooting with my friend whos fav cast rifle is a 458 American.

 

[todd]

i used to be on Ranch Dog's site a few years ago. i don't know if he still runs it or not?

Lee Loader - The Bench

 

[todd]

I took a couple deer with my 444's years ago. I loved Speer 270 Gold Dots. (discontinued like many great Speer bullets) I dont have the rifles anymore.
But I have been enjoying the Ruger American 450 Bushmaster with cast! It shoots them great!! Got the idea shooting with my friend whos fav cast rifle is a 458 American.

i notice Hornady has killed many of such bullets. like the .284" 139gr Hornady FN or the .429" 265gr Hornady FN...

 

[RBHarter]

The Lee loader site was down for a little bit but it back up .

 

[fiver]

the Rossi site is back up and running too.
Michael isn't out to the ranch anymore, but i bet he still has his data available if you ask him.

 

[Snakeoil]

Well done. I'll watch my mail for the dinner invitation.

 

[todd]

i got a 2nd doe thursday at 4:45pm with my Husqvarna m46 in 9.3x57. it was a whopping 15ish yards when the 275gr WFN GC and IMR4895 flattened her. i still have to chronograph the 9.3, but i think it should be 1800-1900fps. anway, she was shot behind the shoulder and it went out 2 ribs behind the other shoulder. the lungs were trashed and the boolit came out about 1 1/4" hole.

i didn't take a picture because it was dark when my son field dressed it. i figure she weighed about 190 - 200 lbs. she was big, old, dry doe that i seen in my backyard at nite. my son pulled fat off her in a 5 gallon bucket. other than the backstraps, she be made in straight deerburger, no pork or hamburger.