Smokeless Smokeless? For someone with experience

[maddhatter82]

Saw a classified ad that got me thinking. So I figured I would ask here.
Has anyone converted a.44 mag or 444 marlin to a sml? Thinking with the 265 gr ftx or 225 gr xtp it could be something worth looking at. I know most are 45/70 but why not try the 44??Thoughts? Thanks for any input

 

[GMB54]

You will need a special sizing die to do a 44cal unless you can find bullets that fit the lands. A 44 has .429 grooves and .422 lands. So the only option i see is getting a full form die made and that requires about 1.5" of your barrel.

45/70 works because the lands are around .450-.452 at most. So you just use 45cal pistol bullets or one of the available .452 bullets and size them to fit the .450ish lands.

 

[maddhatter82]

Thanks for the info