445 super mag Contender?

[jeff223]

do any of you shoot this one?"445 super mag"?
tell me about the recoil and also about loads and boolit weights and anything else you can about the 445 SM

please and thankyou,
jeff

[BCB]

jeff223,

I got one in Super 14”.  It is a rechambered 44 Magnum.  Accuracy is so-so.  By that I mean 1.5”+ at 100 yards with most of the bullets and powder combos that I have tried.  Most of my effort with it was with cast bullets, so I may not have a true evaluation of this cartridge.  I was shooting a 320 grain (Lyman 429650) at velocities of 1500 fps and 240 grain (RCBS 44-240-SWC) at velocities of nearly 1800 fps.  Various jacketed bullets (210-240 grains) were also used, but my main concern was cast bullets.
I am absolutely not recoil shy but this cartridge is very eye-opening and wrist-wrecking when the hammer hits a full, near maximum reload…Period.  I have shoot nearly 50 rounds at one setting, and my wrist and palm on my right hand suffered for several days after…It is not for someone who hesitates even minimally when recoil is a factor.  I am sure you will hear other opinions, but maybe those people are just a bit “tougher” than I am.  So be that…
‘Scopes are another issue.  I could not keep one in place no matter what I did.  Note: I was only using a two-ring system.  I have several three-ring systems on other Contenders, but I just never got around to changing one of them to the 445SM.  Guess I sort of lost interest when I could not get M.O.A. accuracy.  So, 3 or 4 ring systems are a must.  The Burris ‘scope held up under nearly a thousand rounds before I put the project on hold.  Brass can be pricey also.
I am not trying to discourage your thoughts on a 445SM, but be aware that it comes with challenges other than achieving acceptable accuracy.  Good-luck with your venture…BCB

[Redhawk1]

jeff223,

I got one in Super 14”.  It is a rechambered 44 Magnum.  Accuracy is so-so.  By that I mean 1.5”+ at 100 yards with most of the bullets and powder combos that I have tried.
 BCB

So what is wrong with that accuracy??

[jeff223]

thanks for the input on this 445SM thing.ive been thinking about a 444 or a 45-70 for some time now.the guys on a differant site kind of talked me out of the 45-70 idea and kind of put me onto the 445 sm.after looking over the TC loading manual i could see right away the 445sm out did the 45-70 in many ways.what im thinging of shooting out of this thing are Sierra 220gr  boolits.the 220s show some very impressive fps and the highest foot lbs of energy.i plan on rechambering a 44 mag barrel myself for this project.if the barrel i get shoots the 220s with good accuracy i will then rechamber to 445sm.i would like to stay with the lighter boolits as the recoil will be less than a heavy boolit.

the biggest handgun i ever shot is a 44mag Ruger and the recoil from that didnt bother me at all.i sure would like to shoot a heavy hitter before i put money into one but i dont have any shooting friends that have such a beast.im going to take the chance on this project and if it doesnt work out the barrel can then be sold to the next brave sole :-D

[Redhawk1]

thanks for the input on this 445SM thing.ive been thinking about a 444 or a 45-70 for some time now.the guys on a differant site kind of talked me out of the 45-70 idea and kind of put me onto the 445 sm.after looking over the TC loading manual i could see right away the 445sm out did the 45-70 in many ways.

I don't think the 445SM out does the 444 Marlin or the 45-70. You can't shoot a 405 gr. bullet out of the 445, or any other bullets to come close to the 45-70 405 gr. bullet performance. JMHO.

[jeff223]

the 445sm breaks the 2000fps mark with no problem and the ft lbs of energy is way up there.the 445 shoots much flatter and faster than the  the 45-70 out of a pistol.im not bad mouthing the 444 or the 45-70 at all.both the 444 and the 45-70 hold a very large amount of powder and alot of thats ends up burning once its outside the end of the muzzle.i know the 45-70 can shoot the big boolits too but they are someting i am going to stay away from.

[supermag 445]

Jeff,  I got your  PM and I tried to pm you back but when I finished it I got a invaled session.  So I am going to say it here.  

First off I love my 445 supermag Dan Wesson in 8 inch barrel and 2x8 burris scope :grin: .   Very accurate gun.  But for you and your questions.

mine seems to shoot all bullets pretty fast.  I can get 1500fps with 320 gr cast performance  bullets.  I get 1500+ with 300 gr cast too.  With the lighter bullets I recommend barnes x 225 gr.  Killer bullet.  Very Very Very accurate bullet in my gun and very fast for a revolver. I get 1775 fps average with a healthy dose of H lil gun.  I highely recommend this one over the 220 gr version that you were asking about.  Its much tuffer and devistating on animals.  

Powder,  I like NO wait a minute LOVE LOVE H lil gun much better than H110 or 296.  First of all its much better in my Dillon xl650  for metering and no spilling either.  H110 is very messy in my xl650 so I will no be using it anymore Just H lil gun.  

Primers,  I didn't see so far a difference between mag pistol primers and rifle primers so far that is. But more testing is need to confirm.  

Brass just use starline and be done with it as to me its the best.

The 445 supermag Cannot out perform the 444 or the 45-70 as they are beasts.   But you are right about them in that they burn a lot of powder outside the barrel.  But the difference between the three are not that great.  

I love it and feel you will to.

Good luck

Brian

[jeff223]

thanks for your input Brian.i cant wait till my barrel gets here.

[supermag 445]

congrats you will love it.  You can hunt anything and I mean anything with that gun :grin:

Brian