Success with 445 rechamber

[Ditchdigger]

I reamed the 44 mag. out today to 445 super mag.,and the actual reaming would not have been so bad (10 min. ) except the smallest pilot bearing would not go into the bore on the breech end. The breech end was about 1 to .O02 tighter than the muzzle end. I used a brush and cleaning patch,along with some valve grinding paste and had it opened in short order,leaving it a little tight and finished it with Flitz.  I then loaded some Rem. 240 gr.bullets over 32 grs. of 296 and was rewarded with a less than 1" group at 103 yds.  Its raining here so I did'nt get to chrono.any of the loads,but I'll check them when the sun comes out.  Digger

[Mac11700]

Sweeeeeeeeet....

Mac

[Varminter]

good job, sounds like a real shooter. I gonna get mine done as soon as i get my taxes back. I don't want to do it myself

[marv]

Varminter, Why don't you want to do it Yourself???
 All you have to do is barrek in a padded vise  use some cutting
 oil, Not  use to much presure, turn reaner about 6 rounds,
 take it out wipe it off, Do that  till rim touchs the rim seat on the rim
 of the rifle.    That's it.  Marv.

[Varminter]

i don't want to chance screwing it up. But i might send it to digger to let him do it for me, if he will

[Ditchdigger]

Varmiter; If you can tighten a bolt with a ratchet wrench, you can do this.All I done is take the barrel off,take the scope off,an push the ejector in. Then put a socket and ratchet(or a cresent wrench) and turn it. Use some plenty of cutting oil,and stop every 5 or 6 turns and clean the shavings off. Also keep the reamer pretty much centered all the way around. When the part of the reamer reachs the part where the rim of the cartridge seats ,stop you're through.I did'nt remove the ejector, I just kept it pushed down all the way.  I also used thelug on the barrel to put in the vise,just make sure you're not on the ejector trip part.  Digger

[marv]

Digger Simple Job isn't it, Any body ought to be able to do it.
 Good luck Digge  Congrations. Marv.

[Varminter]

did you rent your reamer or buy it? i would like to have a piece of brass to go by

[Ditchdigger]

I rented the reamer Varmiter, it was about $40 plus freight to send it back.  I chrono'ed the 240 gr.s with 32 grs. of 296 and got 2128  fps. avg. and the max load shows 33.4 grs. of 296. According to the reloading book it shoots best with max loads,so I'm going to try bumping it up a little. Digger

[handirifle]

how well would those 240gr bullets hold up on a deer at those velocities?

The 300gr in the 45-70 don't do well when pushed too hard, just wondering if these might be the same?

[Ditchdigger]

Handi; Its the same 240 gr. Rem bullet that they use in the 444 Marlin ammo. so it should be okay.  Digger

[Nuttinbutchunks]

Wow, that's awesome.

[Ditchdigger]

I loaded some 300 gr XTP's today and chronoed them. 31 grs. 296 ( .7 gr. less than max)made for 1 shot 1992 fps,the next 2 were 1970 and 1972 for a 1977 avg. (according to the chrono). Was not very accurate though, 2" at 60 yds.. I think I'll try the 270 gr. Gold Dots again since they showed some promise the first load.  Digger

[Mac11700]

how well would those 240gr bullets hold up on a deer at those velocities?

The 300gr in the 45-70 don't do well when pushed too hard, just wondering if these might be the same?

That would all depend on which 300 grain .458 bullet you was using...I dear say my 300 grain Nosler will do extreamly well at any velocity your shoulder will take out of a Handi...and do quite nicely on anything you care to shoot too :wink: As far as I'm concerned...the Nosler partition is probably the best all round bullet for it...it gives great accuracy...opens nicely at all ranges...holds together and punches on thru for optimum blood trails and delivery a great deal of shock to the animal along the way...it's worth the extra cost for a premium bullet to hunt with...and I can load up the Hornady's at the same velocity to practice with and to just go and shoot with...my velocities are right at 2300 fps out of my 18" Marlin GS...you all should give them a try...

Mac

[handirifle]

MAc
I guess I should have clarified, the 300gr I referred to was the factory 300gr HP or the Rem 300gr HP.   Neither one has seen too many good reports when pushed over 2100 or so.

I have no doubts about the Nosler.  My reason for concern is because of the already many existing complaints of "pistol" bullets in the 444 and the 445 seems to be a 444 marlin lite.  It would be a shame to get all that velocity for nothing.

[JPH45]

The 270 ought to be a really good bullet, it was designed with the 444 in mind, and should expand well at 2000 fps. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since Remington first introduced the 444. They did load up the 444 with pistol bullets in those early days and reports of bullet failures were common. Remington got thier act together finally and introduced a coreloct bullet for the 444 and it has been doing well ever since. The 240's digger was refering to are I believe, those bullets. The XTP's, if they perform as their 357 XTP breatheren, will do fine at the velocities Digger is pushing them at. FWIW, I think the Gold Dot bullets will be better for hogs, I don't believe they will expand quite as rapidly as the XTP, and I also think they will survive bone strikes better. And even if the bullet weren't ot expand, acting instead like a solid, there is no doubt the extra velocity of the 445 would push it clean through most if not all of anything Digger is going to shoot with it.

[lostchild]

I used to have a contender in 445 with a 10 in. barrel, I know it's not a Handi, but two loads that I used for a 300gr bullet were 30.5gr 296 under either a CDP hard cast or a 300gr Sierra jsp.  These loads were warm in my barrel.  They also gave minute of clay pigeon at 125 yds.  Hope this helps....lost