Where to get .44 barrel

[Souslin]

Hello!  I have decided to try handgun hunting and would like your opinions on where to get a .44 mag pistol barrel for my Encore.  Also what length would you recommend?
Are the T/C factory barrels OK or should I look at a aftermarket manufacturer like VV or BB?

I have located some good deals on the factory 12" blued barrels for $195.00 but I'm not sure if I should spend the extra few bucks for a "custom"?  

Thank you!

[Graybeard]

While some will no doubt tell you differently I see no reason to go custom on a .44 magnum barrel. All of them I've been associated with personally either thru me or someone I know well owning them have been super accurate. Can't rightly say I've owned or seen personally a factory barrel in the caliber that wouldn't group under 2" at 100 yards which is more than adequate for anything you'll do with one.

I'd go with either a 12" or 14" but wouldn't get a brake on it regardless of barrel length. A new member who says he used to post here long ago just PM'ed me yesterday saying he had a 14" he is planning to sell along with a 10" .22 RF and asked me what price to ask. Perhaps he will see this and PM you about it. How about it Jim? If you see this PM him and you two can discuss it.

GB

[KYODE]

i'm gonna agree with GB. my thoughts to a tee. my thinking on custom is for calibers not offered in factory form, or maybe  if you're wanting to experiment and play around and don't care to put out extra cash.

[Keith L]

I would be interested in the .22 barrel discussed in the above post.  If the owner sees this please email me!  Thanks.

[BCB]

Souslin,

I don’t know what type of accuracy you are seeking, but the 44 Magnum Contender barrel I purchased from T/C was most lousy.  I was hoping for M.O.A. as Contender barrels should shoot in my opinion.  I would have to go look at many groups I fired with it at 100 yards, and it MIGHT have stayed at 2” as The Graybeard indicated was O.K. for this caliber for hunting purposes.  BUT NOT FOR BREW CAN ACCURACY AT THAT DISTANCE!!!  The throat was amazing long on the barrel I had.  I could ALMOST chamber a 445 SM cartridge.  I finally had it rechambered to the 445 SM and accuracy did improve somewhat—still not an M.O.A. shooter.  Surprisingly, the rechambered 445 SM actually shoots the 44 Magnum cartridge more accurately than did the factory barrel!!!

If you are considering a custom barrel, you should probably specify the bullet and over all length of the cartridge you are planning on shooting.  Maybe the chamber could be “cut” to those specs?  I don’t know if custom places will do this or not in that the barrel may not be in your possession for ever and someone else may BLOW IT (pun intended) with a cartridge of too great of a length.  Good-luck…BCB

[Keith L]

More carefully reading Greybeards post above I see the recommendation not to put a brake on a .44 barrel.  I am considering having one put on a .222 barrel I own, and now am wondering why the recommendation is made not to put one on in the case of the .44?  I am also new to Contenders and interested in learning.  Thanks.

[helobill]

Gotta agree with GB on the 'no brake'. 44 doesn't need a brake. I've owned one on my Contender, and recoil was straight back. So the brake would be to reduce that felt recoil. But to be honest, even with a 10" barrel and no scope (read as light as you could make it) the recoil wasn't that bad. Certainly not bad enough to consider a brake.  With a longer barrel and a scope, recoil should be even less. Now if you go to 45-70 you're talking a whole nother ball game! As for accuracy, unless you're shooting for competition, or trying to shoot squirrels at 100 yards with a 44, the factory barrel should do fine.
Bill

[Souslin]

Thank you for the information guys!
Just one more dumb question.  All of the barrels that I am finding have sights on them.  Is it possible to mount a scope on these barrels?
I am planning on going with a 12" barrel and it sounds like the factory offerings will provide me with plenty of accuracy as most of my shots would be within 50 yards where I hunt.  I'm really looking forward to adding a "new" challange during our gun season, plus I'll be able to get more reloading gear!!! :lol:

Thanks again everyone!

[KYODE]

yep, just remove the rear sight. 4 screw holes underneath :cb3:

[Bug]

Helobill, I just MIGHT be able to change your mind about the .44 not needing a brake. I have a 10" octagon, and when loaded full-house with the Lee 310gr., it is pretty tuff. I worked up to a max charge of H 110 (about 20.5gr ?). After firing ten of them, I decided that 18gr was plenty. I had also home engineered a sort of brake on this barrel, made from a hotshot choke reamed out. It helped, but the top load was still pretty painful :oops: >>>>>>>>>>>Bug.

[TC Shooter]

I would not go custom barrel on the 44 TC - I did so on a 357 barrel from Bullberry hoping to own a barrel that would outshoot my factory TC 357 which is exceptionally accurate to begin with. The Bullberry has yet to outshoot my TC factory barrel.

As far as the 44 barrel and recoil - owned a 10" TC bull barrel 44 mag and found it to be the most uncomfortable shooting 44 I have ever fired using full 240 grain loads. I have 6.5" Smith which feels very mild in compairison. With the TC having the low boreline the recoil slams straight back into the hand makes it far more noticeable as compared to a revolver with the bore higher above the hand which causes more of an upward roll.  Had a Super 14 with muzzle brake and heavy Pachmayr grips and fore-end and the recoil was not too bad.

[Bob C]

A few years ago I had a 10" bull .44 magnum barrel, and as posted above the recoil with 200 grain or heavier bullets was grim.

On the other hand, I now have a 14" barrel factory barrel, and while the recoil is still noticeable, it's not painful even with the factory wooden grips.  

For this barrel, or for a 7.5" Bisley, I favor 250 grain Keith style bullets from Leadhead and stout doses of H-110.  Accuracy is also excellent.

[Bullseye]

Forget custom.  I have a 10" Contender barrel that will shoot plenty good.  Matter of fact I have a whole bunch of factory barrels that shoot plenty good.  And the recoil is not that bad, although I guess that is a subjective thing.