Description

 

WHAT this bullet is

The Gold Country Rhino 265-grain Flat-Nose (.429) is a rifle-velocity-tolerant bullet engineered specifically for .444 Marlin and other big-bore lever cartridges that demand structural integrity at speed.

It exists to fill the void left by Hornady’s discontinued 265-grain flat-nose — without attempting to replicate outdated construction.

This is a modern successor, not a clone.

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WHO this bullet is for

This bullet is intended for shooters running:

• .444 Marlin lever-action rifles

• Big-bore straight-wall hunting platforms

• Rifle velocities up to ~2200 FPS

• Situations requiring deep, straight-line penetration through bone and tissue

This bullet is not designed for cosmetic expansion.
It is designed to keep moving forward.

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WHY the 265-grain class matters in .444 Marlin

The 265-grain weight has long been a functional sweet spot for:

• .444 Marlin

• Heavy .44 Magnum rifle loads

• Big-bore straight-wall hunting cartridges

But modern availability collapsed.

The Rhino restores this class with:

• Stronger jacket architecture

• Controlled deformation instead of petal loss

• Predictable behavior at rifle speeds

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WHY this flat-nose geometry is different

Unlike oversized meplats that can introduce feeding problems, the Rhino uses a slightly reduced flat-nose diameter.

This provides:

• Reliable feeding in Henry Big Boy rifles

• Improved compatibility with Micro-Groove barrels

• Stable magazine behavior in tube-fed actions

• Consistent point-of-impact across platforms

You still get crushing frontal area — without the feeding penalties.

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HOW it survives rifle velocities

The Rhino jacket architecture is designed to tolerate speed.

Tested in rifle platforms up to ~2150–2200 FPS, the bullet:

• Retains 85% or more of its mass

• Resists jacket/core separation

• Maintains straight-line penetration

• Deforms through resistance, not fragmentation

This is controlled crush, not explosive expansion.

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WHAT this bullet is (and is not)

✔ Built for rifle velocities
✔ Designed for penetration and crush
✔ Suitable for mixed tissue and bone

✘ Not a rapid-mushroom expansion bullet
✘ Not a handgun-only design

This bullet exists because handgun bullets often fail when pushed this hard.

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Replacement & Platform Notes

• Direct functional replacement for Hornady 265-grain FN

• Optimized for .444 Marlin

• Excellent performance in .44 Magnum rifles

• Tube-magazine safe flat-nose profile

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Referenced In

• Gold Country Bullet Systems

• Gold Country Rhino Bullet System

• Lever-Gun Ammunition System

• .44 Remington Magnum — Lever-Gun Bullet Selection & Platform Guide

• Referenced In:

  • The Gold Country Rhino Bullet System

  • The Model 1894 Shooter’s Lever-Action Journal Issue No. 1

  • Range Report
    The Forgotten Heavyweights – .429 Magnum and Beyond

   

  Related Chapters & Technical Notes:

  Chapter 7 — Accuracy & Precision Expectations

  TN-17 — Rifle vs. Revolver Loads: Mechanical Realities

 

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Specifications

• Manufacturer: Gold Country Ammo

• Bullet Line: Gold Country Rhino™

• Diameter: .429

• Weight: 265 Grains

• Profile: Flat Nose (FN)

• Base: Flat Base

• Jacket: Thick copper, controlled anneal

• Core: Soft Lead

• Primary Cartridge: .444 Marlin

• Velocity Tolerance: Tested to ~2200 FPS

• Magazine Compatibility: Tube-magazine safe

• Manufacturing: Hand-swaged

• Origin: Made in USA

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Cross-Reference

For shooters running .44 Magnum lever-action rifles or revolvers, see the 265-grain Rhino listing tuned for .44 Magnum platforms.

 

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Gold Country Rhino 265 grain bullets mushroom to about the size of a quarter and retains mass when fired at 2200 FPS.

Watch this video of 265 Grain Gold Country Rhino Flat Nose Bullets at 2200 FPS

Gold Country Rhino Flat Nose on left. Nosler in center, Hornady XTP right.

THIS IS NOT LOADED AMMUNITION

 

No profile found for this bullet.

Cartridge	Powder	Charge	Velocity	COAL	Source
444 Marlin	IMR 4198	40.0-42.5 gr	1950-2100 fps	2.535"	Hornady Manual

 

Gold Country Load Data – 444 Marlin Rifle

Gold Country Rhino FN

Weight Grains

Powder

Start Grains

Max Grains

COAL

Min/Max COAL

FPS

Gold Country Rhino FN

265

H-4198

37.0

46.0

2.540

2.540-2.570

1700-2100

Gold Country Rhino FN

265

Vihtavouri 130

39.3

48.0

2.550

2.550-2.570

1700-2100

Gold Country Rhino FN

265

Alliant RL 7

34.9

44.0

2.550

2.550-2.570

1700-2000

Gold Country Rhino FN

265

IMR 4198

32.8

42.8

2.560

2.560-2.570

1573-2096

***Can use same load data as 265 grain Hornady FP

 

 

Gold Country Load Data – 44 Magnum Handgun

Bullet

Weight in Grains

Powder

Starting Grains

Maximum Grains

COAL

Min/Max COAL

FPS

Gold Country Rhino FN

265

W296

19.5

21.0

1.6

1.60-1.61

1295-1421

Gold Country Rhino FN

265

H110

19.5

21.0

1.6

1.60-1.61

1295-1421

Gold Country Rhino FN

265

Alliant 2400

15.6

17.0

1.620

1.60-1.61

1204-1300