Posted: 11/7/2016 6:28:36 PM EDT
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Chick I work with asked me to help her find something for her BF. She knows I'm the gun guy....
Anyway, of course I know jack and shit about what her apparently weirdo BF wants 
She's looking for a Contender in 444 marlin. Now I've searched the shit out of this and I can't find a 444 marlin barrel except for two that were bored out by a gunsmith. On top of that, those two were both told by people that they were unsafe in the original Contender series m which of course is what this guy wants. So, who knows contenders, and can ya help a brother out? 
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The original frame was not designed for 444 Marlin.
There were some bore-outs of 44 Mag, etc, but I would stay away. When the Encore came out, a 444 Marlin BBL was available. I do not know if this is still the case. I can't even remember the last time I saw a boc of that ammo or even a rifle in that caliber. Only other factory pistol in that caliber was the Magnum Research Lone Eagle, which is a turd that no one wants. |
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SSK/J.D.Jones is who you seek. He chambered several rounds based on the 444 case in contenders. From my personal experience I would avoid it. I had a contender in 45-70 that would unlock with hot loads. The trigger guard was acquiring enough momentum to unlock itself. My wrists weren't too happy about the whole thing either.
Just a quick add on. The 45-70 contender with factory loads has more free recoil than a 30-06 encore pistol. About 25% more iirc. The pistol is lighter, has a equal weight or heavier charge, and has a heavier bullet (2 or more times the bullet weight) and while velocity is a factor it doesn't offset the other factors. |
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Quoted:
One of the worst recoiling rifles I have ever fired was a friggn 444marlin. Kicked like a mule. If you were to find a TC in 444 m be sure to video the BF firing it, might be a great laugher. For sale, TC in 444 marlin, shot once.... Took me twenty rounds to give up on the 45-70....I fired 6 or so, the rest were one sucker at a time. |
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One comment about re-chambering 44 Magnum Contender barrels to 444 Marlin. T/C used a 1/20 twist on their 44 Magnum barrels, so the re-chambered barrel handles heavier bullets. The STARTING load for 300 grain bullets in 444 Marlin gives about 1800 to 1900 fps. in my 14 inch T/C barrel that was re-chambered by SSK.
Paladin |