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Author Topic: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!  (Read 918 times)

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Offline Kotimaki

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44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« on: February 13, 2008, 11:51:09 AM »
I have a .44 rem mag barrel that is best used as a club , I shipped back to NEF , they said it was acceptable , though I dont know what their standards are. Minute of large building? All kidding aside about 6 inches at 50 is all this barrel will shoot. and Ive tried every trick in the book. I had planned on using the under lug to make a wildcat.....
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Offline MSP Ret

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2008, 12:42:15 PM »
The fact that early .44 Mag barrels will not shoot with factory ammo or bullets sized less than .431 or so is well documented. All, or most, early barrels were what is best described as "overbored" and you had to either load the ammo hot to obdurate the bullets or use bullets sized to .431 or .432. Newer .44 Mag barrels are bored tighter and they have a pretty good reputation for accuracy as opposed to the early .44 Mag barrels which had a reputation for lousy accuracy. The only problem is all the newer .44 Mag barrels with a tighter bore have extractors only. Yours is not an uncommon occurrence, just a sad one. Chalk it up to the barrel being overbored and either load larger diameter bullets than factory or sell it. Sorry buddy....<><....:(

P.M. sent....perhaps we can trade some items if you are going to scrap the barrel for it's underlug...
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Offline trotterlg

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2008, 12:44:03 PM »
If either of these barrels work I would be happy to give the .44 barrel the same treatment, if three for three get better I would say we could be on to something.  .  Larry
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Offline Kotimaki

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2008, 01:59:30 PM »
Ive loaded everything from 180 grain to 300 grain in a variety of different brands , with a variety of different bullets both .430 & .429 , and powders and brass. nothing seems to help. This is a 2003 gun & barrel (it came as a 44) I have a 22 hornet barrel , 223 barrel and a 7mm08 which all shoot great. The 44 just seems to be a thorn in my side.
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2008, 02:03:46 PM »
The 44mag barrels were bad up until Marlin started making them in early 2007, so anything made back to 1987 is likely overbore.

You have 2 options to make a decent shooter out of it, handload Beartooth Bullets .432" cast bullets or rechamber it to 445 Supermag, both have a good track record of working well, the latter being the most popular.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php?action=search

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/index.htm
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Offline MSP Ret

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2008, 02:19:00 PM »
I suggest you go with Quick's learned suggestion, try some .432 bullets first, if that does make it accurate enough for your need get it reamed to .445 SuperMag. Everyone has had problems with those earlier .44 Mag barrels and those are the 2 things you can do, you have to do, to make them shoot. It seems as if you are all set to load for it so I suggest you try the larger bullets first, perhaps an easy fix for you. No matter what else you do to that barrel it will still be overbored for factory ammo and will need larger diameter bullets, even in the .445 SuperMag. Best of luck....<><....:)
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Offline Kotimaki

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2008, 01:23:29 PM »
How about barrel leading problems in the 445 supermag? I quit shooting hot cast loads in my .41 rem mag because of leading.
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2008, 01:29:07 PM »
Quote from: Kotimaki on February 14, 2008, 01:23:29 PM
How about barrel leading problems in the 445 supermag? I quit shooting hot cast loads in my .41 rem mag because of leading.

Gas checked cast bullets properly sized .001-.002" over groove diameter shouldn't be a problem with leading at 445 Supermag velocities.  ;)

Tim
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Offline Ditchdigger

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2008, 01:41:05 PM »
My old 44 mag barrel shot the best with full house + loads of H 110,and seated out to the second channelure in the 300 gr. Hornady XTP. It shot 1 1/2" at 100 yds. with this load. I reamed it to 445 supermag and it shot even better. It shot the best with the 265 gr. Hornady at 2166fps.with W 296.  Hope this helps.   Digger
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Offline Ranger J

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2008, 04:49:19 PM »
A third option for the old 44 barrels is to use them for a boat anchor. ;)  My old one got it's best (if you could call it that) results with Hornady XTPs (size .430) and as Digger said a full load of H110.  Unfortunately that is the same  with my Marlin 1894, the difference is that with that combo the Marlin shoots great and the old Handi barrel was barely adequate.  I recently got one of the new 44 Handi barrels and it shows some promise with regular size bullets.  The weather has been so bad that I have only been able to run a few rounds through it at 25 yards.  It does seem to group just about anything I put through it--something the old one never would do.  Sorry I can't give better news on the old ones.

RJ
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Offline Kotimaki

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2008, 05:33:11 PM »
Ok its been a busy week , but a 445 reamer is on its way here , The 30 cal , 221 project is on the back burner for now until I can finish up the 445. I have a machinist building me a lug for the 30 cal project and have a barrel to work with , but have come up with a new idea. How about a 30.06 short? If I were to shorten a 30.06 case to match the case capacity of what im looking for i think the same result could be obtained.I am having the lug built with no allowance for an ejector or extractor as its going to be a bench gun. I planned on just cutting an extraction groove to allow manual extraction. Any thoughts?
Also , midway is out of 445 brass with no due date any ideas on forming brass?
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2008, 05:37:48 PM »
Midway isn't the only source, in fact they're my last resort, their high shipping and prices leave a lot to be desired. Midsouth's regular prices beat the heck out of Midway's sale prices 9 out of 10 times, and their shipping is reasonable, but unfortunately, they don't stock everything, 445SM brass is one of em. :'( But Grafs has it, and shipping is only $4.50.

Tim

http://www.grafs.com/metallic/535
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Offline troy5775

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2008, 12:50:02 PM »
Has any one ever tried the old 44 special cartridges in a 44mag barrel? I have a box of the winchester solid lead specials and I was wonder how they would do for a lower recoil round for the youngsters.
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2008, 01:14:06 PM »
Should not be a problem. You will just have to try them to see how they shoot.
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2008, 01:35:59 PM »
And of course, report your findings, inquiring minds need to know!! ;D

Tim
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Offline troy5775

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #15 on: February 23, 2008, 05:48:44 PM »
Does any one know much about the 44-40 cartridge? Is it a true 44 or is it undersized as well?
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #16 on: February 23, 2008, 05:54:45 PM »
44-40 uses .427"-.429" bullets.

Tim

http://www.reloadbench.com/cartridges/4440w.html
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Offline troy5775

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #17 on: February 23, 2008, 06:45:27 PM »
Thanks, I had checked a couple of other websites and couldn't find a diameter just bullet weights.
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Offline Kotimaki

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Re: 44mag barrel that won't shoot!
« Reply #18 on: February 25, 2008, 03:23:13 PM »
The aforementioned 44 mag barrel is now a 445 , am now waiting on brass and some oversized bullets and will then report on the whole project. Question , can you shorten .444 brass for the 445?
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