How Strong .45-70 Contender?

[scrounger]

I know this subject has been hashed out many times on this forum but since I wasn't involved in it or privy to the results, I'm going to open that can of worms again.
1. How heavily can the .45-70 be reloaded for the Contender carbine (and/or the HandiRifle)? I would settle for velocities (and pressures) about halfway between the Trapdoor and the Marlin levels, about 25,000 PSI.
2. Can the .444 Marlin be chambered and used with full power loads in these rifles?

Arguments:
The Contender is chambered for the .375 JDJ which is based on the .444 Marlin case and has brutal recoil.
Chamber pressure and headsize for the .444 is the same as for the .375 JDJ.

[quickdtoo]

This is an off topic question concerning the Handi and should be asked in the NEF/H&R Centerfire forum, but H&R will tell you the Handi-rifle can be loaded to levergun levels. It will be again next year and has been available before in .444 Marlin. It's currently offered in .500S&W, so that tells you what .45-70 loads are safe in it since the SAAMI MAP for the .500 is over 50kpsi which puts in in the Ruger level of the .45-70 as far as pressure and case head thrust.

Tim

[Cowboybart]

According to T/C the 45-70 should be loaded to trapdoor levels.  However I don't think that bumping the pressure up to half way between Marlin and Trapdoor levels would hurt it.  I briefly had a 16" 45-70 didn't like the short throat.  T/C set the throat up for 300gr bullets and I wanted to use 405 and 500.
The handi rifle will handle most anything a sane person can dish out.