14" TC 44 mag thinking about 444

[MT Gianni]

Is this a good idea to consider? I have a decent shooter I bought for the scope on the bbl. I con't imagine taking it anywhere but the range as my Redhawk does such a good job in this caliber. What are the advantages of a rechamber to 444 and any cons?

[Hamish]

Mike Bellm makes a convincing case for it with factory barrels due to the forcing cone throat chamber work done by a drunken monkeys,,,,,,.

[dale2242]

I have a 14" 44Mag barrel that has been rechambered to 444.
The good news is lots more power,
The bad news is LOTS more recoil. Recoil with full power loads is brutal.
I would have the throat lengthened a bit allow shooting heavier boolits. 444s are chambered with a very short throat.
BTW, accuracy is good in my barrel.
My favorite bullet in the TC 444 is the Saeco RNFPGC 265 gr boolit.....dale

[454PB]

I had one once with a 10" octagon barrel that had been rechambered from .44 magnum.

As dale said....recoil was brutal.

[pkie44]

I had one rechambered, did not keep it very long. Everyone needs to shoot one at least once!

[GARD72977]

I traded for one years ago. It was a 10". The first shot felt like it broke my forearm. I could not believe it so a few minutes later I shot it again. I traded it at the next gun show

[MT Gianni]

I am hearing a recurring theme here, thanks.

[cabezaverde]

Mine is magnaported, makes a huge difference.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

why not just rechamber it to 445 supermag and still be able to shoot 44 special and 44 mag

[TXGunNut]

I'm in the same boat, gun was going for the price of the frame, had a 10" 44 mag bbl and an early dot sight. Used it to work up some loads for my brother's 44 Ruger Bisley and it hasn't left the safe much since. Looks like we have some nice trade bait.

[MT Gianni]

My trouble is that is shoots well as it is. Recoil is tolerable I just don't know how much field time it would get. In a 14" bbl I also don't know what the extra range of the 44 would be. If the gain is 50 yards[175-200 practical over 125-150 yards] it may just as well stay as it is. I have rifles for that.

[redneckdan]

My trouble is that is shoots well as it is. Recoil is tolerable I just don't know how much field time it would get. In a 14" bbl I also don't know what the extra range of the 44 would be. If the gain is 50 yards[175-200 practical over 125-150 yards] it may just as well stay as it is. I have rifles for that.

Go find a ball peen hammer and smack yerself between the eyes. If it still seems to be a good idea then I guess go find yerself a reamer.

Seriously, bellm says he won't touch it without a brake. My take is once you start using a brake you really limit hunting potential if you value your hearing.

[MT Gianni]

Yea Dan, breaks are on my no-no list for me and to shoot next to.

[TXGunNut]

My 35 Rem Contender bbl has a brake, gotta be very careful. Had a guide standing next to the muzzle once tell me to shoot. Had to pass on that one! Several years later he did the same thing with a Guide Gun. We had to talk it over again.
Gotta admit I've always wanted a T/C 45-70 bbl. Then I go shoot my 35 Remmy and wonder why.

[Fluxed]

45-70 contender was just horrendous - I could not bear to shoot it. I then got a 375 JDJ and that was manageable, but just. Super accurate too.

I'd leave it as a .44 and be done with it or get another barrel in a caliber that is fun to shoot. I'd kinda like to have a .357 Maximum.

[ShooterAZ]

The problem with the Contender is...it's just not the most ergonomic design. Don't get me wrong, I love my T/C! I too had a barrel in 45-70. I don't think I even fired a full box of ammo through it before trading it. Firing it felt like hitting an oak tree with a cracked baseball bat.

[montana_charlie]

Recoil is tolerable I just don't know how much field time it would get.
When in possession of something unneeded, I replace it with something that fills a requirement.
That seems more sensible than modifying it into something that nobody has any use for.

[DanWalker]

I have a 14" 44Mag barrel that has been rechambered to 444.
The good news is lots more power,
The bad news is LOTS more recoil. Recoil with full power loads is brutal.


Was this the gun I shot at BBPDS? If so, it wasn't much fun. Unless you're hunting elephants or cape buffalo, I fail to see what this conversion would gain you, other than wrists that pop, and a recurring flinch.

[Shooter6br]

Mine is 44 mag with muzzle break "Bubba" since someone rusted the outside of the barrel and tried to cold blue it. I Duracoated it Put mounts and Ultadot on it. Gun was $149. 00 without mount and scope......



88667

[Wayne S]

Go find a ball peen hammer and smack yerself between the eyes. If it still seems to be a good idea then I guess go find yerself a reamer.

Left out of the above is after getting whacked in the head, is a trip to the ER for stitches and more that likely having your broken wrist set. You are going to burn over twice as powder, and only see maybe a 20 % increase in velocity and that is with a 300-320 gn bullet. There a few things every man needs to experience, shooting a 444 or 45-70 Contender, being in a car for 6 + hrs with a menopausal woman, a per induction physical, and a few more

[bearcove]

444 is nice in a carbine. Still kicks. A pistol is just pain. The 44mag can be loaded hot enough with a longer coal.

[nanuk]

The problem with the Contender is...it's just not the most ergonomic design. .......I too had a barrel in 45-70. ..... Firing it felt like hitting an oak tree with a cracked baseball bat.

now That metaphor I can relate to... I now know what that would be like, and my hands are still hurting after reading it

[cheetah]

Don't do it. Most people will hold a 45-70 to trapdoor pressure and certainly no more than 28kcup. When you're done with your 36kcup barrel - having opened the door to 44kcup - the next guy is going to try to hotrod it until that large volume of high pressure peels the chamber open like a banana. Since the barrel is chambered for a .444 the lucky new owner won't think twice about maxing it until it splits along the scope mount screw line.

[TXGunNut]

I and a few guys at the range once considered going in partners on a 45-70 bbl. We all had Contenders and other guns in 45-70, figured we could buy it and let it make the rounds then put it in the display case to let someone else buy it and start the fun all over again. ;-)

[bearcove]

Don't do it. Most people will hold a 45-70 to trapdoor pressure and certainly no more than 28kcup. When you're done with your 36kcup barrel - having opened the door to 44kcup - the next guy is going to try to hotrod it until that large volume of high pressure peels the chamber open like a banana. Since the barrel is chambered for a .444 the lucky new owner won't think twice about maxing it until it splits along the scope mount screw line.

This is bull. I can do that with a 38 special barrel. Chambering is not a determining factor in responsable reloading.

[quilbilly]

Yea Dan, breaks are on my no-no list for me and to shoot next to.
I heartily agree. I have had a couple T/C barrels with muzzle brakes and hated those things after only a few shots. The upward gasses below your hat off and send all the noise back at you at the same time. I used one in the field on a nice black tail buck exactly one time and would never take it into the field again. I turned down a very nice super 16 45/70 barrel last weekend for a great price last weekend at a gun show due to that muzzle brake.

[cheetah]

This is bull. I can do that with a 38 special barrel. Chambering is not a determining factor in responsable reloading.

I can't determine what you're advocating but chambering is everything and it's unwise to advise a combination that attempts to contain a long column at 44kcup with a .170" wall.

[Nazgul]

I have an Encore with 45/70, 375 JDJ, and 450 Marlin barrels. All have muzzle brakes by SSK industries, John is a class act. They will all recoil heavily with full power loads. I just load appropriately and enjoy. The brake makes a lot of difference. I wear head phones if I am going to hunt with one.

Don

[dale2242]

DanWalker, Yes that was the 444 we shot at BBPDS.
Lots of noise and recoil....dale

[bearcove]

I can't determine what you're advocating but chambering is everything and it's unwise to advise a combination that attempts to contain a long column at 44kcup with a .170" wall.

I had a 356Win rechambered 35 Rem also,Case dia is same. No problem there. Mike Bellm chambers 44x356 also. Just not needed now that we have Encores. You can run more power than you can hold onto.

It will stretch your frame for sure. But I don't know of anyone blowing a barrel without making a loading mistake. ANY non standard chambering should be treated as a wildcat. If you don't know how to do that what can I say other than stay away from them. Almost any gun can be blown up by poor loading practice.

It is not an idiot proof world. Not my job to make it one either.