new barrel for handi or contender???

[300winman]

I'm interested in getting a rifle barrel in 445 super mag(my DW has got me hooked on this caliber).  Was looking at fox ridge outfitters and found I can get one for my contender for around $280.  I was also thinking I might get the 44 mag handi barrel and send it off to a smith for reaming.  Would this be a good route to go or should I stick with the contender??  My concerns are the rate of twist and how much it would cost to ream out the Handi. Any input is appreciated.

Thanks

Tim

[MSP Ret]

I suggest you don't bother with a Handi barrel in .44 at this time, they all seem to be overbored to about.432 and do not shoot factory ammo accurately at all. If you handload and are willing to be limited to handloads with oversize cast bullets that is another consideration. It has been impossible up to now to find out why the company only produces and sells what myself and many here consider defective oversize barrels, there has never been an acknowledgement or response from the company about the ".44 problem" or any attempt that is known of here to correct it. An easy fix really, unless you consider an order or a phone call difficult. I would like to have a .44 barrel myself but after researching them I will not buy what they are currently producing. If they start making the barrel with the correct bore diameter I will have one in a heart beat!!!...<><....

[Ditchdigger]

There's about 15 Handi rifles reamed to 445 supermag,and the owner's are very happy with them.Just about everyone is getting 1 1/2" groups at 100 yds. with the heavier bullets. All of the guy's with chrono's are reporting 1975 fps. with a near max load of 296 and the 300 gr.bullets.Mine likes the 265 gr. Hornady with a near max load of 296 at 2150 fps. and 1 1/4" at 100 yds.
Now for the bad news,the chamber on the Handi's is .006" over and the brass will swell out past the web of the cartridge but you can neck size only ( with 44 mag dies)and they shoot fine.They perform very well on deer,wild hogs,and just about anything you want to shoot with them. I hav'nt heard anyone complain about the 445 that has one,they all like them very much. They use less powder,have less recoil,and you can still shoot 44 special,and 44 mag. ammo in them.
 The .432 bore on most of them does not affect the accuracy as much with the extra speed you get from it. Its quite a cartridge for hunting and I've taken alot of hog's and deer with mine.  Digger

[Fred M]

MSP Ret says it all.
A barrel and chamber that are out of spec  that much should never leave the plant.
They are scrap, that is all there is to it. I really don't know why anybody would want to buy one?

[300winman]

Thanks for the info gents.  I totally agree that being .003" overbore and .006" over chamber is too much for a new rifle. Are they using old tooling or what???  The contender looks like the better option, but for $280 I can get 2 handi barrels and put the rest towards a scope.  I have been looking at the 20ga ush and maybe a 25-06. Just depends how bad I want the 445.  Decisions, decisions.

[MSP Ret]

Here is the odd thing about the diameters involved, if they were using old tooling the chambers and bores would be tighter, smaller in diameter not bigger, because the reamers would be worn down!!! For some resaon they continue, on purpose perhaps(?) to perpetuate this grievous error in manufactureing and in judgement....<><....


These guns are great and I have too many of them myself, I do not want to dissuade you from getting one, I would just caution you against any barrel in .44 caliber until, and if, the company does something to correct this situation. Until now the company has ignored this problem and refuses to comment on it or even acknowledge that it exists. They for some reason have turned a blind eye towards several chambering and bore diameter problems that no other companies that I know of have had, nor would allow to continue. There obviously is a particuler problem (person?) somewhere in the company that is making these decisions, or is unaware of these decisions. Look at the 38-55 bore diameter for example, or the .308-.310/11 controversy. Get a Handy Rifle, just stay away fro the .44's until the problem is acknowledged and corrected.... 

[Ditchdigger]

One of the guy's reamed his super 14 barrel out to 445 and he had none of the problems that the Handi's have. He did comment on how much more the recoil was though. I suspect if everyone checked the chamber's and barrels for being in spec's,that 50% of them would fail in all Handi calibers.FredM can tell you about some of his,and the others rebore there barrels.  Digger