# Hornady leverlution fail



## jmyers8 (Aug 2, 2013)

Well I can finally report after seeing several deer and a bear in wv shot with these bullets in a .444 that these are by far the worst bullets I have ever shot. As stated before the entrance is a huge explosive mess and we've yet to see a bullet pass through any size animals most fragment at first contact. The damage is unacceptable and most have needed a follow up shot to actually kill the animals. Needless to say the rifle is put away until we can expierment with other rounds I hate to see animals suffer like that.hope this helps others.


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## Mad-Eye Moody (May 27, 2008)

Interesting that you are not finding it lethal enough. Everything I have shot has been DRT.

THe bullet is essentially a hollow point with a piece of rubber in it hitting with 3,000 pounds of muzzle energy at close range. When you think about it, it is kind of obvious that a mess is going to happen.

The damage is too much. There are a lot of rounds out there that don't do that. I am already working on alternatives. I have come to know several .444 owners that are very very happy with their guns on deer with other ammo or handloads. 

Save the gummy tips for zombies.


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## the czar (Aug 14, 2008)

Got a nice 9pt today shooting .44mag leverolution bullets no problems dropped him in his tracks

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## jmyers8 (Aug 2, 2013)

I love the round and we are going to be handloading also and I believe it will help greatly the doe I shot last night right in shoulder dropped in her tracks but the bullet never broke threw the rib cage and a follow up shot was needed


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Keep me informed of what handloads you guys end up with. I have a .444 marlin that we haven't shot a deer with yet and won't this year as Josh isn't hunting anymore this gun season. I would like to have some confidence in what ever we put through it next year.


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## dcr619 (Feb 4, 2012)

Hornady bullets are about the worst. I have used them in slugs and rifles. I like nosler in rifles and anything all lead so far for slugs. 


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## Bwana J (Sep 12, 2010)

I'm hunting with Marlin .444 and killed a 10 pt 220lb buck on Tuesday using Reminton factory 240gr softpoints and he never knew what hit him. Complete pass thru, dead when he hit the ground. I've heard both good and bad about the Hornady Leverevolution bullets. The Rem 240 gr has been around for a long time and worked very well for me.


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## jmyers8 (Aug 2, 2013)

I knew Remington made a round and Im thinking that might be are next round that we try thanks for the info


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

Yep, they suck. They blow up on impact. If you shoot through any grass or skinny brush at all they deflect. After ballistic tests at home and on deer I will never use them again. The jacket deforms heavily but stays together somewhat. The lead core explodes into sand sized particles. The jacket retained 80 grains, the largest piece of lead recovered was 10 grains. I'm going to try the Hornady 265 grain interlocks next.


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## Crestliner167 (Apr 11, 2009)

Got my deer Sunday, shot with a H&R .444 marlin, and would recommend using the Remington 240 gr. jacked soft point. Did a good job, and flat shooting out to 200 yds.


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## wtbuck (Jan 8, 2015)

I have a Winchester 44 and used the bullets this year. My grandson shot an 11 point buck straight in the chest and the deer went about 70 yards and dropped. Upon gutting the deer we found the bullet lodged in the liver. I thought that was pretty good penetration since he shot it in the chest. I also took 2 does with no problem. Not sure why other people are having a problem.


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

might want to give these a try from Georgia arms ....it did extremely well with the 44 mag 300gr. jacketed soft point ....and was a tack driver at 50 yrds when sighting in with the Ruger carbine .....clean pass through 

http://www.georgia-arms.com/444-marlin-1/


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

The hornadys are probably fine from a .44 magnum. I shoot them in a muzzleloader without any problems. When you step up to the energy and velocity of the .444 marlin is where the problems start. The jacket is too light for this caliber. It blows up on impact. I dug more rounds out of my backstop. The 265 grain SST sabot bullets from my 50 cal muzzleloader retained nearly 100% of their weight. The 250 grain FXT bullets fired from the .444 were in tiny pieces. These two bullets are the same design, just slightly different weights. The difference is in the velocity and energy.


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## wtbuck (Jan 8, 2015)

Ok that makes sense.


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## buckeyeguy142 (Aug 16, 2011)

44 mag Hornday 240 gr, tried them grouped well at the range but hunting with them failed. Opening day 12 pt buck at 70 yards hit him in the chest next to the right leg, he
ran across a field on 3 legs for over 300 yards, no blood, no hair, looked for him for over 5 hrs, saw him still standing in a field behind small brush at 100 yards still holding up that right leg. Fired again failed to go thru the brush and off he took. Got permission from another farm to track him across a bean field could tell it was him only 3 prints in the mud, went another 500 yards into a grass field, no prints, no blood, no hair, no deer. Hate to lose any animal but will not use this ammo again.


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## wtbuck (Jan 8, 2015)

Sorry you had a problem. Doesn't make sense to me some people having problems and others are not. Like I said grandson hit his in the chest in the same place took off dragging right front leg not much blood either but with a chest shot they usually bleed internally. Only went about 60 to 70 yards. Ton of blood internally when gutted. I am using the ballistic tip don't know if that's what you are using or not. Good luck in the future. No one likes to lose one I know it's a killer for me to.


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

I read this thread and although I didn't hunt OH deer with a PCR I own and shoot several including the 444 Marlin. First thing I would point out is not to include reports of 44 with reports of 444 marlin.....not even close to the same round.

The 44 mag buckeyeguy is posting about is at best a 100 yard deer round (that may be stretching it). The 444 Marlin is a much superior round and easily a 200 yard deer round (even more with a good shooter). Sounds to me like you may have impacted the shoulder on that first buckeyeguy & at 70 yards with 44 mag you may have not penetrated enough depending on what bullet type? Sorry about your misfortune on what sounds like a great deer!

With the proper bullet a 444 Marlin will shoot through a cape buffalo. The 265 grain Leverolution bullets are not designed in this fashion. If you are looking for better penetration and bullet weight retention you should be looking at a partition bullet, cast, etc. I've shot 40 rounds of this Leverolution ammo into the jugs and blocks at the range and they perform as advertised IMO. Not a good penetrating round, fast expanded and they cause a lot of shock damage from the energy. I personally don't hunt with them as I like a bullet that penetrates and retains weight for my hunting. I can see where there would be conflicting field reoprts on this ammo by it's design. 

The old Hornady Superformance 265 grain flat nose always performed well in the field with great reports all over. They are suppossed to begin production of this in the 444 Marlin again (last I read was late Dec/early Jan so they may have already started). If you want a round that will expand and penetrate pick some of this up, or Grizzly, Buffalo Bore, Remington & Core-bon make 444 marlin ammo. I have tested the Buffalo Bore 270 grain jacketed flat nose ammo and plan to use this as my hunting round. I can shoot just under 2 inch groups at 100 yards out of cheap H&R Handi rifle. Penetrated 19 blocks at the range and has great field reports. Shooting into a little brush is just fine with this round.

If I hunt OH deer with a PCR I'm going to use my 35 Whelen with a nosler 225 grain partition spitzer. At over 2700 fps it produces nearly 4,000 ft. lbs of energy and has legendary killing power all over the world. It is used on safari to take anything in Africa including Cape Buffalo. Considered a 400 yard elk gun in average hands. Probably a little overkill, but it is legal so I'll hunt with it when I choose to use something other than a muzzleloader (which is rare)!


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## Kableguy (Apr 23, 2009)

I'm pretty sure the 35 Whelen is not a legal round in Ohio.


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

You are correct Kableguy thank you for clarifying that! I actually thought it was legal and checked the regs and it certainly is not on the list! 

I've never hunted anywhere with any of these rifles, but I've killed a lot of targets! I am obviously in need of some rule review if I plan to ever hunt with something other than a muzzleloader in OH! 

PS - I have hunted deer only once since the mid 90s with aything other than a muzzleloader during firearms seasons. And I don't plan on changing that any time soon just because I fancy front loaders.


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

the link I supplied was for a 444.. ....I just got some from the same manufacturer in 44mag


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## buckeyeguy142 (Aug 16, 2011)

Saw some mention of the 44 mag in the post and just added my 2 cents, was thinking of a 300 gr 44mag cast bullet, used a 300 gr Hornady in my .50 cal muzzleloader and
just destroyed a nice doe at 55 yards so bad had to throw away a shoulder from impact damage, funny how bullets perform in different weights.


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## buckeyeguy142 (Aug 16, 2011)

by the way use to hunt with a .450 Marlin took a nice 1200 lb Bison at 65 yards but that gun hurts. As I get older I appreciate the lighter recoil.


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