I normally seat my CBs so that they crush into the lands upon chambering. I noticed that I could not do this with my 44 Contender using a Lyman SWC bullet, no matter how far out I seated the bullet.
So, I chambered a dummy round then put a dowel in the bore and made a mark on the dowel flush with the end of the barrel. Then I removed the dummy and dropped a loose bullet into the barrel and lightly tapped it into the lands.
Then I reinserted the dowel in the muzzle and made a mark flush with the end of the muzzle. The difference between the two marks was .520". This means that the bullet travels unsupported for over 1/2" before it contacts the lands.
Why is there so much freebore in a Contender? Could I make longer cases from cut-down 444 cases that would allow a crush fit into the lands?
My present load shoots OK but I just thought this could possibly improve accuracy. Besides, I like to tinker - Or do you tink I have too much time on my hands?

Yes, you can get away with that idea only if your case extension does not cause a restriction between "chamber" and boolit. If so, you will have to turn your cases thinner where the boolit rests. You probably will have to resort to using a tapered crimping die, just to make sure you don't bulge the case giving a false constriction. Just be very careful while having this kind of fun. It can be very rewarding, though. ... felix

Max503,
T/C seems to put freebore in a lot of barrels. makes it harder to over pressure them that way. I think it was which lawyer was looking over the workers shoulder that day. I have 2-35 rem barrels and there is 1/4" difference in the chamber length of the 2. Orygun

Sounds like that barrel might be a candidate for a rechamber to supermag. Either that, or try some of the Lee 310gr cast bullets, seated out. That bullet is LOOOONG, and the meplat/forward section is quite large. You may not be able to engage the leade, but you will be able to get a lot closer. I would be willing to supply you with a few, send me an email.>>>>>>>>>>Bug.

The 444 case probably won't work.....look at case drawing for the 44 mag and the 444...the 444 is fatter in the web area just in front of the extractor groove .471 verses .457 on the 44 mag......what you need is some 445 Supermag brass.

I'll have to second the .444 Brass not working as it is too large in the web. Fired a couple of .44 Mags. in my .444 just because a guy said you could & could see the big difference how the case expanded ahead of the web. Works for accuracy with .44-40 cases & condom bullets in .444 tho. Not worth a hoot with cast tho.

Max503,

Yep, I had one of them also. The chamber was so long that a Lyman 429650 (315-320 grains) still wouldn’t touch the rifling when only the gascheck was seated into the case! I could ALMOST chamber a 445 SM in it! So, I got it rechamber to a 445 SM and it still didn’t shoot consistent M.O.A. groups at 100 yards—no matter what bullet/powder combination. Strange thing, the new chamber will shoot 44 Magnum reloads better than the original 44 Magnum chamber…Better throat and taper to the rifling I guess. Regardless, I wish I never had purchased the 44 Magnum barrel. I am done with T/C barrels…Period. Good-luck…BCB

So, is this a "normal" Contender barrel? I went out and shot today using the Lyman 44 Keith style bullet over 20 some grains of IMR4227. I don't recall the mould # but I cast them with lino because I need the diameter. It shoots an inch at 50 yards and 3-4 inch groups at 100 yards. I knocked over a bowling pin at 300 yards after several tries. Got a 2X Burris on this barrel. Am thinking of using this on deer. I am just wondering if there is anything I can do about all that freebore without spending a lot of $.

I don't agree with the .444 not working. I have one (done by J.D.Jones in .430 JDJ) that is a .444 shortened 1/10" of an inch. The cases come out normal and will chamber in other .444's.

My only disappointment is there isn't enough room for powder for the 300 + grain boolets.

Tim

Your post is unclear???? Exactly what do you disagree about?

There is no doubt that the 444 case is larger in the web area than the 44 mag case is.......rechambering a 44 mag barrel to accept a 444 case (whether you end up with a 444 or a 430 JDJ) requires more than just lengthing the chamber! A 445 supermag is simply a stretched 44 mag and I reload my 445s with 44 mag dies......

Max you didn't give any measurement as to that throat's diameter? Can you use an oversized or unsized hardened ww alloy slug that fits the throat entrance very tight, or enters that throat to some degree... being swaged/sized down? That would help alignment and give added resistance to burn the powder.

[ 09-21-2003, 18:26: Message edited by: NO BS ]

Thanks for all the replys. I have tried to slug the throat area of this barrel but did not get a good reading. When I get around to it, I'll get some of that casting compound and do a chamber cast. In the mean time I'm gonna practice for deer season .

GH -
My point was simply that the .444 would work. Rechambering in caliber a vs caliber b costs the same (even if one is simply lentghening the chamber a little).
Tim K

I guess I didn't understand your post because the original question had nothing to do with rechambering......Max503 was asking if he could use cut down 444 cases in his overly long 44 mag chamber....the answer was and still is NO......

Gonhuntin: Wouldn't it depend on WHICH end you shortened the cases from? floodgate

Well.......hadn't thought of going THAT direction