445 Supermag in a long gun

[Joe VTANG]

Hey, I'm new to this site and was browsing some old posts when I stumbled on some people talking about reworking lever guns for .445 supermag. As a new owner of an old (Monson) Supermag, I'd love to have a mate for it. So, what do I start with and what needs to be done? I'd think with all the CAS guns around in .45LC this might be as simple as a barrel change?


I bought my first (a 715-vh6) 21 years ago and have been adding on ever since, something my buddies just don't understand. I'm glad to finally have a place to go where I'm among friends!!

[Nixter]

Joe, while I do not have a DW yet I might have some info for you.

You mentioned a lever-gun. Ever considered a single-shot? A Handi-Rifle in 44Mag can be reamed to 445 Supermag quite easily. There is a current thread regarding this very thing in the Handi-Rifle forum here at GBO.

Kinda funny actually, you are looking for a rifle, I am looking for a DW. My $$ supply says no but in time I'll find what I am looking for at a price in my range.

Hope this helps.


Nixter

[unspellable]

The idea of a 445 or 357-44 in a lever gun has occurred to me also.  On looking into it, there is more to consider than just the barrel.

Most lever guns have tubular magazines.  The magazine tube and follower has to be of a diameter to accomodate the cartridge.  On this point rebarreling a 44 lever gun might be more practical for the 357-44 than rechambering a 357 lever gun.  Of course for a 445, a 44 mag tube and barrel will be right.

The lifter has to have the correct length and concave surface to handle the cartridge of interest.

Say for a Winchester 1894, if it was a 44 mag to start with you could rechamber the barrel and then the barrel and tube would be right.  The lifter would have to be altered and I'm not sure what's involved in that.

Some of this sytuff gets expensve.  For the time being I will have to be happy with my Winchester 1894 in 30-30.

[RollTide]

I took a Marlin 444P and had the barrel set back then rechambered for the 445 Supermag.  I modified the lifter myseld by adding a steel block to shorten it.  The mag tube feeds the 445 Supermag just fine.

Roll Tide

[Redbob]

Thanks, Rolltide;  I've been giving this question some thought over several years now,  and had been considering the Marlin 444 as the basis for a companion gun to my Supermag.
I'd had some concern that the Win 1894 might not have enough strength to handle the higher pressures possible with Krag brass in the .445,  but the .444 obviously would.
One final question: is that a micro-groove barrel,  and if so,  does it shoot cast lead worth a hoot?

Thanks,
(new member today)
 - R
Wareagle!

[RollTide]

I specifically chose the NEW Marlin 444 over any other because of the faster twist rate than Winchester and the ballard rifling instead of the old micro groove rifling.

I have not had a chance to do much shooting with it.  I hope to this fall, but that is what I said last fall also.

Welcome to the forum even though you are a little orange and blue around the edges.   :grin:


Roll Tide

[Redbob]

Thanks again, 'Tide!
I'd forgotten all about Marlin's switch to Ballard rifling.
Can you recommend a 'smith familiar with leverguns,  that would take on a projec  like that?
Regards,
 - R

[unspellable]

The nominal pressure levels for the 445 are exactly the same as for the 44 mag.  You can buy a Winchester 1984 chambered for the 44 mag.

That said, I suspect there are a number of people out there who load the 445 up to just a wee tad more pressure than the 44 mag.

[Redbob]

I can see there's a difference of opinion on the topic of pressures.
When I got my .445,  I also got a set of loading data,  or rather two sets: one developed for the .445 ETG brass, and using 40,000 c.u.p. as the upper limit,  and another set for modified 30-40 Krag brass, rifle primers,  using a significantly higher pressure - maybe 50K.

Anyway, using the Krag brass does permit hotter loads,  and it's these hotter loads I'd like to also be able to use in a rifle.

[RollTide]

Redbob,
Private Message me and I  will give you the info on the smith I used and the conditions under which he did the work.  I do not have his permission to post his info here.

I would like some of the load data that you have on the 445 Supermag either for standard brass or the Krag brass if you can send it to me privately.

Thanks,
Roll Tide

[Joe VTANG]

Thanks for everyone's input on this. I've now scratched everything else off the wish list on the side of my piggybank and added "Marlin 444" in black magic marker!!