Author Topic: Shortened 44 magnum barrel (Read 1713 times)

rickt300 · « **on:** May 27, 2009, 04:38:41 AM »

I put this off for a while as the barrel shot so well as it was. I wanted to lighten it though and thought cutting it ti 17.5 inches would be about right. And it was, with my 3x Weaver scope on it the rifle balances perfectly. The barrel still has some weight to it but the better balance definitly makes it handier to grab off my trucks dash and get the barrel out the window. Accuracy was unchanged with it being easy to hit 44 caliber bullet holes at 50 yards.

jy951 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 27, 2009, 05:51:33 AM »

Did you shorten the barrel yourself, or have it professionaly cut? If professional, how much?

1NEFsofar · « **Reply #2 on:** May 27, 2009, 09:52:59 AM »

Pic?

rickt300 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 28, 2009, 06:25:49 AM »

I did it. I have a machine shop in my garage, I intended to cut the barrel off with an automatic saw and turn the end of the barrel off square in my lathe but the underlug didn't allow me to do so. I did use the automatic saw to cut the barrel off and I set it up so that it cut the barrel off square with the bore. I cleaned the saw marks off with a clean sharp file, then used the file wrapped in 320 grit sand paper to clean up the file marks. Then in a cordless drill I used a 1/2 inch round stone turned slowly in both directions to polish the crown, and then put some 400 grit sandpaper between the ball and the barrel to further polish the crown. It worked out perfectly. I also switched from the 240 gr. XTP's and Winchester 296 to 250 grain Keith semiwadcutters cast from wheelweights and IMR 4227. The new load is 23.0 grains of the 4227. This load is every bit as accurate as the old one, 3 shots center to center just over 1/2 inch at 50 yards.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #4 on:** May 28, 2009, 06:28:42 AM »

There are several members here that just use a hacksaw, myself included, there are techniques listed in the FAQs for finishing the crown that work excellent for the DIY type.

Tim

Kal52 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 28, 2009, 09:23:36 AM »

I agree there needs to be a pic, just cant tease us, its not nice

With such a fast handling weapon you best make dang sure not to forget to roll that window down

Dave

mitchell · « **Reply #6 on:** May 28, 2009, 02:30:19 PM »

hey rick when i did my crown i just ran the barrel threw the headstock and chucked it up just like i do chambering a barrel works real well.

also bought a PGT muzzle crowning tool makes crowning a barrel fast and easy

rickt300 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 29, 2009, 04:42:38 AM »

On my lathe the distance from the front of the jaws and the back of the gear box was too long, the bore being too small to let the under lug in. I'm going hog hunting this weekend to test the hard cast semiwadcutters. Hope to see a hog anyway.

burntmuch · « **Reply #8 on:** May 29, 2009, 05:26:43 AM »

Rick I did the sae thing with my 357 max. 17 inch barrel & peep sight. Perfect little gun.

Datil · « **Reply #9 on:** May 30, 2009, 12:09:15 PM »

Rick, Hope you get a hog or two, let us know how the hog died.
Best of Luck! Marv.

Spanky · « **Reply #10 on:** May 30, 2009, 02:46:10 PM »

Quote from: Datil on May 30, 2009, 12:09:15 PM

Rick, let us know how the hog died.
Best of Luck! Marv.

I'm guessin' it'll be a case of lead poisoning.

Spanky

rickt300 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 01, 2009, 05:53:11 AM »

Well a large boar hog did die but not by my 44 magnum. My hunting partner shot a 250 pound boar thru the shoulders with a 270. His load was the 130 grain corelokt Remington ammo. Major damage, bullet exited and hog died. The only shot I got was a small hog in the middle of his last jump into the brush, no blood and no hog. It is gettin too hot to hunt hogs unless you leave thm lay and I don't like doing that. I'd like to go back wednesday though.

Bayou Stalker · « **Reply #12 on:** June 03, 2009, 06:15:30 AM »

We are waiting....

rickt300 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 06, 2009, 05:47:20 PM »

Well you might be waiting a while. My camera is a 35 millimeter Minolta and the pictures of the hog are on a role with about ten more pictures to be taken yet on it. Then I'll have to scan it, figure out how to post it and then get around to doing it. Picture in your mind a 20 gauge handi with an 18 inch barrel and then think 1/2 inch shorter. I did put a 3x9 Bushnell Banner on it to make it more suitable for night hunting. Soon I'll have to cast up some more 250 grain Keith semiwadcutters too, darn I just don't love casting bullets.

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #14 on:** June 07, 2009, 05:06:10 AM »

Sure am glad I'm not the only Picture Posting Challanged on this site.

I don't even know how to put something below my post every time or do the quote thing. Tim 'splained the quote to me once, but that got lost in the recesses of my CRS.

DP

quickdtoo · « **Reply #15 on:** June 07, 2009, 05:14:41 AM »

Pic posting instructions are listed in the FAQs and in each classified forum including links to our hosting site and free resizing software to reduce those huge pics for those that don't know how to do it on their camera, so all ya really need is a digital cam and you can be posting pics in no time.

Using quotes is easy, just hit the quote button near the top right of the post you want to quote, then you'll see the tags required in the reply window to quote anything.

Tim

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #16 on:** June 07, 2009, 09:31:56 AM »

Thanks again Tim. Maybe I'll remember it this time

. Damn CRS anyway.

DP

dieselten · « **Reply #17 on:** June 07, 2009, 12:01:40 PM »

not to steal anyone's thunder, but here is a pic of my 44 mag that I just finished. It is 16.5" and threaded .578x28 for a silencer, with a thread protector in place. The wood is from GSI, I still need to add a couple more coats of Tung to the forend.

zoner · « **Reply #18 on:** June 07, 2009, 01:32:09 PM »

verrrrrry nice rifle

jlwilliams · « **Reply #19 on:** June 07, 2009, 01:58:58 PM »

This thread is putting my 44 at risk of getting shorter. Handi "Trapper" in a 16 1/2" barrel is a model the factory should offer. I know I'd pay the same money for less barrel. That's a win-win deal.

Rustyinfla · « **Reply #20 on:** June 07, 2009, 02:19:49 PM »

Have you been shooting the .44 Handi with the suppressor much? I've been thinking about doing the same myself. Wondering what the reduction would be?

dieselten · « **Reply #21 on:** June 07, 2009, 02:36:05 PM »

I use an AAC Evo45 silencer designed for 45ACP. It is safe with sub sonic 44 Mag but full power 44 Mag might make a mess. With 240 grain bullets at 1050fps it is comfortable to shoot without hearing protection, I would call it pretty quiet. If you add a little water to the can it is then VERY quiet.

snakeman · « **Reply #22 on:** June 07, 2009, 03:38:42 PM »

I like the idea of pistol calliber "trapper" handis. This may sound stupid but I would like a short .357 barrel.

snakeman

rickt300 · « **Reply #23 on:** June 07, 2009, 05:33:00 PM »

That's pretty much what my 44 looks like though the wood isn't as nice. I have to say also using IMR 4227 and a 250 grain cast semiwadcutter the noise isn't really bad at all and recoil is pretty soft too. My rifle has a monte carlo stock as I want to use it with a scope at night. I put one of the ammo sleeves that go on the stock and with 9 44 magnum shells in it the gun is actually muzzle light which is fine for picking it off the dash one handed.

zoner · « **Reply #24 on:** June 09, 2009, 02:39:02 AM »

i'd like to see the 44mag and 357 barrels come about 18 1/2 inches long and with a little lighter contour...so the rifle with a wood stock weighs in around 5 1/2 to 6 lbs with the shorter barrel and good iron sights. Less than 36 inches at that weight and able to carry it by the reciever(my hand wrapped around reciever) in 44mag or 357...now that's Handi....Mike

Singleshotsam · « **Reply #25 on:** June 09, 2009, 03:31:49 AM »

I never quite understood the purpose of the longer bbls in the pistol calibers. I'd make them all 16.5 myself. That is more than adequate barrel length for a .44 mag or .357 for 100 yard shots.

wreckhog · « **Reply #26 on:** June 09, 2009, 03:50:43 AM »

Balance would be nice. For me the syn stocks demand shorter lighter barrels.

45-70.gov · « **Reply #27 on:** June 09, 2009, 03:53:08 AM »

i cut one of my 45-70s

check out the velocity change here

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,160953.0.html