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Posted: 1/15/2010 4:47:46 PM EDT
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While the 44 Auto Mag had a cult following in the Dirty Harry era (Clint Eastwood immortalized the round by using it in a Wildey in the 1983 classic "Sudden Impact"), there has been limited interest in recent years. Tromix built a couple of AR-15 uppers in this caliber, Ron Williams I think did one or two as well. But other than that, the round has been relatively dormant. CorBon "offers" factory loaded ammo (I ordered it in November and have yet to see it) and Starline makes a run of brass every so often. A real shame, because it is a nice caliber.
So when we were asked to chamber it in a DPMS LR, we figured it would be an interesting project. The factoy ammo is loaded to 35000 psi and the case is relatively short (compared to .308 Win) so there was some questions whether it would work. Well, I got tired today of waiting on CorBon and tested it with my hand loads (and I wanted to see how the PMags would work) The rounds fit the PMag like a glove, but will require a spacer in the front, similar to the 50AE versions in the AR15. Loaded ammo with the new Hornady FTX bullet was prepared, both loaded to 35000 psi (spec) and 55000 psi (seems like the LR should have that, right?) Test firing today confirmed that a) both standard pressure and rifle pressure loads will cycle the rifle, b) recoil is NOTHING and c) some type of ramp is needed in the front of the magazine to ensure reliable feeding. With the standard pressure rounds, ejection was solid, but the next round would get jammed between bolt, magazine and extension. With the high pressure loads, however, ejection was vigorous and the next round was almost fed (bolt did not fully close, needed a nudge) A little tweaking and this baby should run like a champ - something to be said about have 20 rounds of high velocity 44 pills at your disposal 
I will update as we fine tune |
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I think you'll find that the Wildey was chambered in 45 Winchester Magnum ... much like the .45 Remington-Thompson Long which could be fired in a properly chambered TSMG using a shot magazine. If I remember the ballistics were about a 230 gr bullet at 1450 fps ... but that's a pretty old memory.
The Sudden Impact weapon was an Automag. Could have been made by AMP or TDE. Cases were made by cutting off .308 and then boring the resulting hull to fit a .429" bullet. Velocity for a 240 gr bullet in a .44 Automag was shown in an old Hodgdon's manual as 1250 fps using 21.0 gr of H110. That's where my gun just began to function. But I didn't have a chrono at the time. Frankly the more interesting round is the .357 Automag which was a .44 AMP case necked down to .357. With a 10.5" B&B Sales barrel my gun began to function at 2200 fps loadings. |
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I also made a couple of uppers in .357 Amp.
Death Wish III used a Wildey in 475 Wildey Mag. Sudden Impact used a 44 AutoMag custom built well after the Automag was deceased. There were two guns used in the movie, S/N Clint 1 and Clint 2. #2 was blank firing, #1 was live. The Wildey is now chambered in the 44 Automag, but it wasn't at the time of either movie. Tony |
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Quoted:
since there is room in the magazine, why not make that puppy a little longer? the 44AMP brass was originally cut down 308 *or* 30-06 brass, so adding some length and a little powder should be easy–– just cut it a little longer. Something like a .444 Marlin cartridge in an AR? |
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Sorry Guys ... the 45 RTL fired a 250 gr bullet at 1450 fps.
Tony, I remember that Lee Jurras made some Automags and a fella named Kent Lomont had most of the parts in the old days. Who made Clint1 and Clint2? (Just filling in history with info I didn't know.) Thanks! Mike |
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