445 super mag or 444 Marlin?

[jeff223]

14 inch 44 mag Contender barrel rechambered to 445SM or to 444 Marlin?this would be a hunting piece mostly but you know i would be spending some range time with it too.what would you go with?i must buy the reamer or rent one and the price is about the same so my question is??what one would you guys go with?i made my mind up as far a getting a 44mag barrel to rechamber to a heavy hitter and i would like alittle input on the two in question.445sm or 444 marlin?

thanks,
jeff

[Redhawk1]

I am partial to the 444 Marlin. So that would be my choice.  

[fyrepowrx]

at one time i had both, but ultimately chose the 445 supermag...got about the same velocties, but did so with 15 to 20 % less powder, so went that way..ended up with 3, a 12" Virgin Valley, a 14" TC stainless custom shop hunter & a 18" carbine barrel... have to say i think the 444 was a bit less fussy as far as accuracy, maybe because it worked at lower chamber pressure? whatever the reason, the 445 had a bit less recoil, and in the Sierra book back in the TC section the .445 beat out the 45/70 with 300 grain bullets, & did so with a third less powder & a 2" shorter barrel..you probably couldnt go wrong either way though, the deer sure aint gonna know the difference!  :wink:




[/url]

[Redhawk1]

at one time i had both, but ultimately chose the 445 supermag...got about the same velocties, but did so with 15 to 20 % less powder, so went that way..ended up with 3, a 12" Virgin Valley, a 14" TC stainless custom shop hunter & a 18" carbine barrel... have to say i think the 444 was a bit less fussy as far as accuracy, maybe because it worked at lower chamber pressure? whatever the reason, the 445 had a bit less recoil, and in the Sierra book back in the TC section the .445 beat out the 45/70 with 300 grain bullets, & did so with a third less powder & a 2" shorter barrel..you probably couldnt go wrong either way though, the deer sure aint gonna know the difference!  :wink:




[/url]

When you said the 445 beat out the 45-70, are you just talking about reduced loads in the 45-70? Because the 45-70 will out perform the 445 any time.  

[Doc T]

I recently had a carbine barrel done and I chose the 444.  The availability of factory ammo is an advantage.  By the way, the Simms Limbsaver pad for the Encore will fit the G2 carbine stock with no alteration.  The existing screw holes match up perfectly.

[fyrepowrx]

No sir, i'm not talking about reduced loads..i'm talking about loads that are loaded to safe working pressures in the Contender, as indicated by the data contained in the Sierra manual in the TC section..

Dont get me wrong, i really like 45/70's too, got a ruger #1-s, in that caliber, and a marlin levergun, but in the Contender in order for the relatively low-pressure 45/70 to match velocities of the 445 Supermag (which is loaded to much higher chamber pressures) it takes about half as much powder again to get the 45/70 to that velocity. I have always wondered how combustion pressure affects the efficiency of the cartridge..in other words, does the velocity per grain of powder consumed increase proportionately as chamber pressure goes up? Never took the time to do the math, but the Sierra data seems to suggest that...

Of course, with both as straight wall cartridges, backthrust on the TC frame should be somewhat reduced as opposed to cartridges that are heavily tapered, but with the larger case-head diameter of the 45/70...quite a bit larger if you measuse the surface area of the case-head..the 45/70 could never be loaded to the same chamber pressures, even if you could stand the recoil, the gun would not hold it...

with bullets OVER 300 grains, the 45/70 wins hands-down, there aint enough case capacity to crowd bullets much heavier into the 445..i was talkin about 300 grainers 'cause the deer i shoot never took more than 300 grains of lead to kill, (plus with bullets much over 300 grains i start noticin' the recoil!) but for folks that want them big 'ol "shoot through a buffalo" slugs, you're right, the 45/70 takes the cake...

[Redhawk1]

No sir, i'm not talking about reduced loads..i'm talking about loads that are loaded to safe working pressures in the Contender, as indicated by the data contained in the Sierra manual in the TC section..

Dont get me wrong, i really like 45/70's too, got a ruger #1-s, in that caliber, and a marlin levergun, but in the Contender in order for the relatively low-pressure 45/70 to match velocities of the 445 Supermag (which is loaded to much higher chamber pressures) it takes about half as much powder again to get the 45/70 to that velocity. I have always wondered how combustion pressure affects the efficiency of the cartridge..in other words, does the velocity per grain of powder consumed increase proportionately as chamber pressure goes up? Never took the time to do the math, but the Sierra data seems to suggest that...

Of course, with both as straight wall cartridges, backthrust on the TC frame should be somewhat reduced as opposed to cartridges that are heavily tapered, but with the larger case-head diameter of the 45/70...quite a bit larger if you measuse the surface area of the case-head..the 45/70 could never be loaded to the same chamber pressures, even if you could stand the recoil, the gun would not hold it...

with bullets OVER 300 grains, the 45/70 wins hands-down, there aint enough case capacity to crowd bullets much heavier into the 445..i was talkin about 300 grainers 'cause the deer i shoot never took more than 300 grains of lead to kill, (plus with bullets much over 300 grains i start noticin' the recoil!) but for folks that want them big 'ol "shoot through a buffalo" slugs, you're right, the 45/70 takes the cake...

OK, I got where you came up with that.  

[jlevach]

Get a big bore a 50/70 avaiable from SSK
Now thats a round!
Jim L

[.358buddy]

I have been hunting with the .444 Marlin for a decade now.  This is a factory .44 Mag barrel rechambered by SSK on a contender frame.  I have a pet load of 46grs of H4198 behind the Hornady 265 gr bullet.  On two Chronies it clocks at just over 2000fps and yes this is a bit hot
and no I have not had any problems of any kind.  Well almost no problems. Had to build my own hanger bar for the foregrip as things kept shooting loose.

I have to say that I am in the process of getting another .444 Barrel for my Encore and will retire the contender barrel as the groups are starting to open up with the lighter bullets.  I could not begin to guess how many rounds through this barrel but still shoots the heavier bullets fine.

I chose the .444 over all others because of bullet surface, bullet weight
and the fact that I load well beyond the .445 capabilities.  Its much flatter
tradjectory and easier on my old wrists than a hot 45-70.  I have never recovered the .265 grain bullet out of a whole bunch of downed game.  On a  front chest shot on a 200 pound buck  it literally made him act as if he had been electrocuted on the spot!

Good luck