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>> Thanks :: By Will Hoyt on 2001-03-09 Print This Field Performance | Share This Field Performance "I wanted to say thanks to Marshall for the finest lead bullets I have ever used. A few months ago my friend Dave Colvin told me he had an opportunity to hunt a South American Water Buffalo. He also told me he wanted to use his favorite rifle, a Marlin .444 lever action. The only current factory load for this cartridge is a 240-grain jacketed flat point, which I consider inadequate for deer. We called numerous companies manufacturing lead bullets without finding anyone making anything suitable for the unpredictable and sometimes dangerous Water Buffalo. We finally talked to Marshall and he told me he makes 355 grain and 405 grain flat-nose bullets. With only a month until the hunt, we ordered a box of 355-grain bullets and with Marshall's advice we were able to develop an exceptional load. The load information given below is safe in the gun it was developed for and may not be safe in others. We used Remington cases, Winchester large rifle standard primers, 355 grain Beartooth WLN, and Hodgdon H335 powder. After carefully working up the load we settled on 55.3 grains of 335, with an overall length of 2.564" and a heavy crimp. With the gun we used we modified the loading gate and feed ramp slightly. These loads chronograph at an amazing (for this cartridge) 2075 fps with only 8 fps extreme spread. We were able to get good accuracy; all that was left was to see how well it would penetrate. We built a frame that held 12 pieces of one-inch plywood with a one-inch space between each piece. The box was set up about 20 yards away, and the bullets penetrated through 10" of plywood. The recovered bullets were all .64" to .68" and weighed 310 to 330 grains. Dave left for his hunt with the confidence that the load would perform, and it did. He spent one and a half-hours stalking the animal waiting for a clean shot. When the shot was taken the buffalo staggered less than ten yards and died. One shot, one clean kill. We were not able to recover the bullet so it did what it supposed to. All the time and effort we put into this hunt was well worth it, and thanks to Marshall and Beartooth Dave was able to harvest a once in a lifetime trophy."
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