Long 44 Magnum round; which levergun can take it?

[Onty]

Need your help since my knowledge about leverguns is zero.

Which levergun could take rounds longer than factory, like those normally loaded for Super Blackhawk and Redhawk? I have some molds with meplat to grove .450-.500, OAL 1.735-1.785, and would like to use those handloads in a lever action rifle.

Important note; I would like to shoot full throttle, heavy boolits like 300-320 grains on boars, so slow twist rifling could be the issue, since I found that some of leverguns have very slow twist like 1-38” or so.

If there is no such off the shelf 44 Magnum levergun, could one of existing rifles be modified to take longer cartridges?

In case 44 magnum levergun cannot be modified, what about converting Marlin 444 by setting back the barrel, re-chamber it for 44 Magnum and modify mechanism for shorter revolver round?

Also, I will have to put some sort of scope, so rifle has to be side or angle ejection.


Thanks!

P.S. My apology if there is existing thread about this topic. Unfortunately, I could not find it. Please post the link if you know for one.

[Nobade]

Well, if you really have to, I would suggest looking for one of the early Marlin 336 rifles they made in 44 mag. Since that action is designed for longer cartridges it shouldn't be too hard to mod one to do what you want. They also made Winchester 94s in 44 mag, so the same deal may apply there. I would start by looking carefully at one and see what it will take to make it work. A new lifter or a cut back one may be all, but other mods may need to be done as well.

-Nobade

[dakota]

Onty
I sold my Marlin 44 magnum for the reason you mentioned. It would not handle the longer cartridge. I'm thinking the Model 94 might work, but I'm not sure. Have you thought of mounting the scope on the barrel? Have not been able to have tried a 94 yet. I had an early 444 which I sold and don't remember why. Wish I still had that rifle. Good luck. I hope someone could answer your question, I have the same question.

[Themoose]

While I no longer have it, I had a Marlin 1894 that would not cycle longer bullets... I did a search on the internet and found info on a simple fix.. taking off only about .05"(carefully measuring as you go) from the carrier(I think) . It has been a few years since I did it, but it worked great...Try looking on a Marlin shooters forum or lever forum and you should be able to find it...sorry, I can't be more specific, but the cob webs upstairs sometimes clutter my rearview mirror.

TheMoose

[BCRider]

My first thought is that this idea screams for a bullet that is necked down for the first portion so it fits in the bore diameter with a few thou clearance then widens out towards the cannelure groove to the same sort of shape as a regular .44 bullet. But then along comes Moose with his note about feeding cartridges with overly long bullets. I know for sure that if you want to shoot anything longer than a more or less regular .44Mag in the Win 92 guns or clones that you're dead in the water before you get moving. The action won't accept anything appreciably longer.

Given that you want to run a scope I'd suggest that the better option is pretty much going to be a Marlin. I know folks mount scopes on angle eject 94's and the like but the solid top receiver just seems like the much better option.

If you're going to run into the same cartridge vs carrier length issue with an 1894 then I suspect you're on the right track with looking at the 444 idea.

Or.... what about loading your big long bullets into a .44Spl case and work up to a safe maximum load? If you select slower burning powders that produce good velocity with lower peak pressures you should be able to get those big lumps moving pretty well. Maybe not up to the full magnum speeds but pretty close. Just watch for the typical pressure signs. But using the Special cases should keep your OAL under the carrier length limit for an 1894. Then you only need to worry about having enough nose rounding to let the cartridge rotate up into the chamber fairly cleanly.

[jmort]

The Herry is plenty strong for what you want but will not take large Boolits