A New .444

[Scrounger]

Here is a project that I would find extremely interesting if I were younger and had some machinist ability. I'd like to convert a Garand to a rimless .444 Marlin. The .444 Marlin case has been referred to as a 'rimmed .30-06'. It's workable; the length is only a quarter inch shorter than the .30-06, the diameter at the base is only a few thousandths different. Get a .44 caliber barrel mounted on a Garand receiver, chamber it for .444 Marlin, run the .30-06 brass through the .444 dies and you're done. Bonus is the Garand will take cartridges about three quarter inches longer than the Marlin action so we could seat some 300-350 grain bullets out farther and improve the ballistics. Pressure is well under Garand limits. Wouldn't that be a great lion rifle????? Or grizzley?

[Johnch]

Would you head space on the case mouth ??
With only .009 taper per side , IMO you would have to
But thats how the 50 Beowulf and 458 SOCOM is done in the Ar 15

:Fire: Should kick ass :Fire:


I have been kicking around the idea of blowing out a 284 Win case to take a .458 bullet
It would look like a rebated rim 45/70

I fire formed 1 in a 45/70
But your idea would be cheaper to do and probely work just as well
With less conversion problems
You could use standard clips

John

[45nut]

I have been kicking around the idea of blowing out a 284 Win case to take a .458 bullet
It would look like a rebated rim 45/70


A short version of that very thing is the .450 Bushmaster, length appropriate to the AR-15 magazines of course.

I am tempted by that one now that I found out what the case is and will not be orphaned in a few years with not any rechambering or brass options.

[onceabull]

Guys: Ken Howell has his 444 rimless up for sale in the "Auctions" @ 24HrCampfire...fwiw, Onceabull

[Buckshot]

.............I'd kinda like to see a .577 Snider on a AK action. Black powder of course. Accuracy deterioration wouldn't be a real issue because after the 3rd or 4th round you couldn't see crap anyway.

Hey, just an idea. No need to get all negative :-)

..............Buckshot

[shooter575]

Buckshot,that I would like to see [smilie=w:

[rockrat]

I have tried a 44 on a 284 case. Will push a Hornady 265br bullet to 2550fps. Took my only Elk with it.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Or the 444 rimless necked down to 375 woulkd give you a nice shoulder to headspace on.

Why not just get one of the 338WM or 458WM Garands that are being made by that crowd in the states?

[Hackleback]

Or the 444 rimless necked down to 375 woulkd give you a nice shoulder to headspace on.

375-06 or 375-08 or 375 x 57

[MakeMineA10mm]

I'd be a little worried about feeding on semi-auto mode with flat-point bullets, but of course, we're not trapped with FPs in a Garand system... Could make the new LeverEvolution ammo in a new and interesting direction...

I think I'd base the ammo on the 308 case, leaving room for long-nose-length bullets. The weakness I see with my 444 is that the length out-of-case for the bullet nose is quite restrictive. Going with 308 brass would correct this. (Or better yet, 358 brass, since you'd have to neck it up less...) Also, the shorter case would be closer to 444 Marlin brass length, which means much less load development with that longer case...

I've thought of converting a Garand to 35 Whelen or even 400 Whelen, which would also be a close equivalent of what you are talking about.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Here is the link to thr Garand conversions. Boy if I lived in the states, I'd have to spring for one of these.

http://www.mccannindustries.com/rifles/garand/garand.html

[StrawHat]

Buckshot,

Check out Mick's link.

It would be awesome with black powder. Okay not like the 577 but not bad.

Mick,
Thanks for the link.

[Johnch]

I looked , I like , I WANT !!!

But I am to cheap
$2500 + shipping + a donor rifle is a little out of my league

John

[Four Fingers of Death]

I think if there was ever a rifle you had to extend yourself financially to buy, that would be the one. Mick.