« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: 44 to 444 contender conversion  (Read 851 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Graycg

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (74)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1030
44 to 444 contender conversion
« on: February 26, 2003, 08:23:20 AM »
Greetings,
I've been wondering about rechambering my 14 inch hunter 44 mag barrel to 444, has anyone got any experience with this conversion and can you recommend anyone who will do a good and prompt job with the rechambering? I know that some folks will recommend the 445, but I already have dies and brass for the 444 and don't care to start buying new dies and expensive brass if I don't need to.

I appreciate your views in advance.

regards,
Graycg
Logged
"Secretly you want me on that wall; you need me on that wall"  
 Colonel Nathan Jessup

Offline Johnly

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 151
Re: 44 to 444 contender conversion
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2003, 11:55:54 AM »
Quote from: Graycg
Greetings,
I've been wondering about rechambering my 14 inch hunter 44 mag barrel to 444, has anyone got any experience with this conversion and can you recommend anyone who will do a good and prompt job with the rechambering? I know that some folks will recommend the 445, but I already have dies and brass for the 444 and don't care to start buying new dies and expensive brass if I don't need to.

I appreciate your views in advance.

regards,
Graycg




 :D  

I have a 14" Bull barrel that has been rechambered to 444 Marlin. It give you quite a ride when you drop the hammer on a 300 grain bullet moving out at 2000 fps.:grin:

I recently picked up an Encore with a pair of 15" barrels, one in 30-06 and the other in 444.  So I actually have a spare 444 Marlin barrel that I could part with.  If you're interested, let me know.
Logged
John in Oregon

Offline thomas

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 159
444 marlin
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2003, 01:11:27 PM »
in my opinion the 444 is one the edge in the contender. SSK made a 430 which is the 444 shortened by .100 so a 444 could not be chambered in it.
Most custom shops say they are safe, but that they are the LIMIT for the contender. Fred "bullberry" claims the most horsepower you can have in a contender and he warns NEVER to go over the book loads.
A few have came apart at the scope mount holes.
I would get it rechambered to 445 super mag since TC's custom shop feels it safe. You might also get SSK to re-chamber it to the 430.
On this topic I would go to the SAFE side.
tom

On the dies? you should be able to use your 44mag dies for the 445 super mag.
Logged

Offline PJ

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 500
44 to 444 contender conversion
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2003, 01:14:13 PM »
Johnly you have a PM :D
Logged

Offline Daveinthebush

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1732
Dies
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2003, 01:19:41 PM »
Thomas you only need .44 mag dies to load for the .445.  There was a post on another site concerning a well know barrel gunsmith that rechambered a barrel to .444 for a customer.  All of the facts will not be known as to what happened, but the pictures of what happened to that barrel when it blew up impressed the heck out of me! Who was at fault?  That argument is still going on.  But if others are saying that it is on the edge, I have read other posts about possibly streching the frame on a Contender w/a .444, then I think I would go the safer route and go with the .445.

I think the .445 is more than adequate for anything any of us would ever hunt except whales and white men can't hunt them anyways.
Logged
AK Bowhunting Certification Instructor
AK Hunter Certification Instructor
IBEP Bowhunting Certification Instructor

Offline Ken55

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 61
  • Gender: Male
44mag to 444 Marlin
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2003, 02:03:57 PM »
You might want to go to www.whit.org/ralphw/guns.html  when considering this conversion.  Looking in my Hodgdon reloading manual & comparing chamber measurements I dont think it will work.  Be nice if it   would.
Logged
"This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration.  Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the World will follow our lead into the future"  - Adolf Hitler 1935

Offline foodaddy11

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9
44 to 444 contender conversion
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2003, 05:21:02 AM »
:? i was under the impression that ssk no longer did any work with the 430 jdj. i have a 10 inch 44 mag they re-chambered to 444 marlin so i know that can be done.
Logged

Offline handcanon

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 128
Re: Dies
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2003, 06:45:51 AM »
Quote from: Daveinthebush
Thomas you only need .44 mag dies to load for the .445.  There was a post on another site concerning a well know barrel gunsmith that rechambered a barrel to .444 for a customer.  All of the facts will not be known as to what happened, but the pictures of what happened to that barrel when it blew up impressed the heck out of me! Who was at fault?  That argument is still going on.  But if others are saying that it is on the edge, I have read other posts about possibly streching the frame on a Contender w/a .444, then I think I would go the safer route and go with the .445.

I think the .445 is more than adequate for anything any of us would ever hunt except whales and white men can't hunt them anyways.

And you can make the shells out of 30-40 krag shells and its not hard at all. And it is not a bad round to shoot.
Logged
HANDCANON, BIGGER IS BETTER!!!
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »