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Thread: 444 Hornady Leverevolution reload

  1. #1
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    Unhappy 444 Hornady Leverevolution reload

    Recently I purchased a box of .444 Hornady 265 g Levereloution ammunition.
    I wish to reload this brass with Hornady .429 240g. XTPs.
    I noticed that the brass for the Leverevolution is substantially shorter than Normal .444 brass.
    The Hornady site does not give recommended loads using the leverevolution brass with bullets other than their Flex Tips.
    I sent an e-mail to Hornady requesting a load for this bullet with either IMR 4064 or 3031, five days later I have not received an answer from them.
    Does any one have any experience reloading the shorter cases? I would hate to throw them away.
    Thanks for the help.

  2. #2
    runfiverun runfiverun's Avatar
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    make sure they will feed through your rifle first.
    make a dummy round and try it.
    then reduce the load.
    this is where a chrono would help.
    you could figure out how much case capacity you have lost by doing the math on how much shorter the case is from the trim length in the book, then reduce that much from starting data and work back up.

  3. #3
    Dogs Like Him versifier's Avatar
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    Welcome to The Guide.

    There is no problem at all loading the shorter cases, you just have to be aware of it when crimping. It means that certain cannelured bullets you might want to use will need to be crimped in a different place to maintain correct OAL for proper feeding, so roll crimping is not an option - you have to either use a taper crimp on them or a Lee Factory Crimp. It is not a good idea to simply shorten the OAL to match the cases as this will likely cause an unhealthy rise in chamber pressure with standard loading data.

    The whole "leverevolution" concept remains a solution in search of a problem - basically just another marketing ploy. Most folks who try them never buy a second box, but the brass is still good. Continued reports of abysmal accuracy in tubular magazine Win94's and Marlin 36's with H's LR factory ammo do not surprise me at all - this whole concept (like several others from the same source) continues to reek of marketing department. Despite continued advertising ballyhoo, no dead animal could ever tell the difference in a few hundred FPS at normal ranges for a lever gun. No disagreement on that from dead deer in my freezer. If you can't kill a deer or larger animal cleanly within 200yds with normal ammo, the magic box of rubber tipped cartridges isn't going to change anything - you'll still need to practice more or stay out of the woods, and there are much less expensive bullets and powders to practice and hunt with.
    Last edited by versifier; 11-19-2011 at 04:50 PM.
    "Stand your ground.
    Do not fire unless fired upon.
    But if they mean to have a war let it begin here."
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  4. #4
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    Hornady says "due to the longer ogive it is critical that cartridge cases be trimmed to the length specified"they say that trim length is 2.065 thats a bit shorter than standard 444

  5. #5
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    Thanks to all who sent me the information.
    My math tells me that I lost 7% of my case capacity.
    I will drop my powder 10% and start working back up.
    I am in the middle of deer season right now so it will be a few weeks before I try it.
    I will be hunting with my 45/70 and will NOT using Hornady Leverelution ammo.

  6. #6
    Dogs Like Him versifier's Avatar
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    If you keep the proper OAL you shouldn't lose any capacity at all.
    "Stand your ground.
    Do not fire unless fired upon.
    But if they mean to have a war let it begin here."
    - Capt. Parker, Lexington Militia, April 19, 1775

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check        

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