Bore size on the H&R

[Harry Snippe]

On the Marlin levers I have found the bores were generous in size requiring one to buy lead for the 44 Mag sized to 432 as 460 for the 45/70 .
This is a problem if one has to buy lead and also live in Canada .
 Question
Are the Handi's also over bored ? I have a pail of ammo with sized 430 lead for the 44 Mag I would like to use and have a line on a used H&R
Happy

[quickdtoo]

H&R/Marlin 44mag rifles are SAAMI spec'd at a larger bore than for pistols, you'll find .432"-.433" cast will shoot best, .459"-.460" in the 45-70, best advice is load bullets as big as the rifle will allow you to chamber. I have six H&Rs, they'll easily chamber .460" cast bullets, haven't shot cast in my two H&R 44mags, but .430" jacketed work just fine.

Tim

[Harry Snippe]

H&R/Marlin 44mag rifles are SAAMI spec'd at a larger bore than for pistols, you'll find .432"-.433" cast will shoot best, .459"-.460" in the 45-70, best advice is load bullets as big as the rifle will allow you to chamber. I have six H&Rs, they'll easily chamber .460" cast bullets, haven't shot cast in my two H&R 44mags, but .430" jacketed work just fine.

Tim

Thanks for the information Tim .
I had a 94 Marlin and could not get .432 cast bullets for it here in Ontario Canada- so not much sinse getting the Handi then either as  I would not be able to fire a hundred or two jacketed rounds a week through it .
I am able now to locate .460 sized lead for the 45/70  ,so that might be the way to go , other than a 357.
Thanks for your time .
Happy

[quickdtoo]

Check with The Bullet Barn, they say they offer customs sizes, I've ordered cast bullets from Western Bullet "as cast" to get a larger diameter, maybe they'll do the same. 

Tim

http://www.thebulletbarn.com/default.html

[Lonegun1894]

My H&R Handi .44 slugs at .432", so at least mine is oversized, but don't know how common this is.  I know I have heard and read that .432" is VERY common for .44 Mag rifles, and at least in my one example, seems to be true.  Hope this helps you some. 

[quickdtoo]

If you read the SAAMI drawing I posted previously, you'll see that the 44 mag rifle doesn't share the same bore dimensions as a pistol, hence the larger bore, typically the tigher rifle bores of ~.430" are made near the end of rifling tool life, new tooling will create the largest bores and as the tooling wears, will create a slightly tighter bore, pistol specs diagram below.

Tim

OK folks let's get this straight on the "oversize bore" issue. The Sporting Arms and Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI)uses two different bore specs. for 44 magnum rifles and pistols. They are as follows:

Rifle:
Bore- .424 +/- .001
Groove- .431 +/- .001

Pistol:
Bore- .417 +/- .001
Groove- .429 +/- .001

You may not like it but Marlin is following the standards set for the industry so I don't believe that they have to admit to any fault here. The only disagreement I have is on rate of twist. I would like to see 1/20 on rifles but again SAAMI says it should be 1/38.
Now, why are some tighter than others. They probably start with rifling broaches at the max of .432. As they wear, they can be resharpened several times before they get to the min. of .430 and throw away a 1200-1500 tool.  So you see where the variation occurs. Just ask for a barrel at the end of the tool life.

[Winter Hawk]

Happy,

Have you thought about casting your own?  A bullet mold, melting pot (mine goes on the stove with the ventilator turned on to suck the fumes out of the kitchen) and ladle and you are in business.  Turn all those .430 bullets into .432 or larger maybe. 

I assume that our export laws are the hang up with getting bigger bullets to Canada.

-Kees-

[Harry Snippe]

Happy,

Have you thought about casting your own?  A bullet mold, melting pot (mine goes on the stove with the ventilator turned on to suck the fumes out of the kitchen) and ladle and you are in business.  Turn all those .430 bullets into .432 or larger maybe. 

I assume that our export laws are the hang up with getting bigger bullets to Canada.

-Kees-

Yes there is a hang up importing gun "stuff" into this country ,as well as cookin up some lead as well as reloading cartridges if you live in an apartment in a city.
As for the bullet Barn - yes I have bought lead from them , but your not going to get lead sized to 432/ 433 .When I had the Marlin Guide Gun I could not get .460which they do now carry . ( gun slugged to .4595).
Yes the guns both shot deer @ 25 to 50 Yards but, to need to hold 3" high@100yds with a 4-6" group soon took the " fun" out of the rifle @ 200 hundred yards .
My model 29 S&W would do a lot better at the range , but we can not hunt with a hand gun either .
So to use up the bucket of .430 lead I guess I could look for a 44/40 before they are bored to .432 .

[quickdtoo]

I just got an email reply from Lois at The Bullet Barn, here's her reply.

Tim

Hi Tim,

We can custom size the bullets we have for the 44 cal to .432, but we don’t have a .433 sizing die.  Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance.

 

Happy Shooting!

Lois Ross

 

The Bullet Barn Mfg. Co.

4561 Sinclair Bay Road,

Garden Bay, BC, Canada, V0N 1S1

Toll Free: 1-866-883-0636

www.thebulletbarn.com